Operating as a startup: driving ongoing change and innovation

In our increasingly digital and agile world, many cornerstones of established corporations are not as valuable as they used to be. So how can we make an inflexible industry more flexible? How do we enable corporations to continue to drive change? What can large enterprises learn from the startup world to survive and thrive in today’s environment?

• Amanda Skura, Director of Digital Experience Technologies, US & Canada
• Doug Kushin, Director of Modern Retail, Audi of America
• Jessica O. Matthews, Founder & CEO, Uncharted Power
• Patrick Sheridan, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Modus Create

Gaming and eSports

Gaming and eSports have developed from niche entertainment to a global revenue powerhouse. This panel gathers pro gamers and e-athletes like the FOKUS Clan, game development experts, and corporate representatives to shed light on these highly dynamic industries. What is eSports, and what isn’t? What is the status quo of the industry and what post-pandemic roadmap can we look forward to in terms of automotive and sports? Why should we take gaming seriously?

• Mohammed “MoAuba“ Harkous, Current FIFA world champion
• Danny “Proownez” Liepolt, Esports athlete & famous Content Creator
• Heiko Egert, Secretary of Audi Sponsorship Forum
• Dr. Johanna Pirker, Researcher & Lecturer on Game Design and Development, VR, AI, and Data Science

Inquire. Inspire. Ignite: How to spark growth by turning Europe into a powerhouse of innovation

Europe enjoys an excellent reputation for its elite education, traditional industry, and premium products. However, in the competition for new ventures and innovative business models, it is China and the United States that are considered the industry’s major disruptors. While the European Union benefits from a common market with more than 490 million potential customers, and venture capital as well as the number of financing rounds has significantly increased lately, it is still lagging.

In this panel, we want to share ideas and reveal opportunities on how to tackle this challenge: What are the success factors to drive corporate and startup innovation? What is the best set-up to kick-start the European startup scene? And what is needed to build a prosperous overall European innovation landscape?

Part 1:

• Nicola Büsse, Co-Founder & Head of Sales of MOBIKO
• Nicolai Gropper, Head of Business Development at Audi Business Innovation GmbH
• Klaas Klasing, Co-Founder & CTO at TheNextWe
• Tim Miksche, Head of Audi Denkwerkstatt

Part 2:

• Nils Wollny, CEO and Co-Founder of Holoride
• Thomas Zeller, CDO and Managing Director of UnternehmerTUM
• Fabian Veit, SVP Corporate Affairs at Celonis
• Caritta Seppä, Co-founder of Tespack and Forbes 30 Under 30

Part3:

• Matthias Schrader, Chairman of NEXT conference, former CEO of SinnerSchrader, Accenture Interactive Lead DACH