That was our Käpsele 2025 programme
Redefining AI leadership: How European solutions drive future industries
2 pm: Kick-off
Europe is shaking up the AI world - with innovative minds showing what AI leadership will look like in the future. This is where technological excellence meets visionary leadership.
Europe shakes up AI - innovative minds show what tomorrow's AI road map will look like! Technological excellence meets visionary leadership.
Speaker:inside
- Robin Rombach, CEO, Black Forest Labs
- Vanessa Cann, Managing Director / Data & AI Innovation Lead, Accenture
- Jonathan von Rüden, Head of AI Innovation, SAP
- Alina Holcroft, Founder, ETHIQAIS
- Moderation: Luisa Bomke, Editor, Handelsblatt
Haufe Group stage
Virtual worlds are more than just a gimmick - they are changing the way companies think, plan and communicate. This panel shows the potential of immersive technologies and provides insights into a new digital reality.
The virtual world is becoming a part of the real world. Gain insight into the new digital reality built with immersive technology.
Speakers:inside
- Petra Dahm, Strategies for XR integration in companies, Flame
- Julian Zietemann, Co-Founder, 2sync
- Nina Lammers, Director Scientific Communication & Medical Education, Pfizer Pharma GmbH
- Sven Spöde, Specialist GenAI | Empowering Marketing & Communications Teams with GenAI, ZEISS Group
- Moderation: Dr Frank Dürr, Co-Founder, 2sync - Dr Frank Dürr, Co-Founder, 2sync - Sven Spöde, Specialist GenAI | Empowering Marketing & Communications Teams with GenAI, ZEISS Group Frank Dürr, Co-Founder, Digital Twin + AI Expert, Acameo
What works better elsewhere - and why? Different international perspectives show what we can learn from successful approaches worldwide.
Is the grass greener on the other side? How? Different international perspectives highlight what we can learn from successful approaches around the world.
Speakers:inside
- Uziel Zontag, startup founder and investor from Israel
- Selina Sia-Pfeuffer, Regional Director Europe, Singapore Economic Development Board
- Stefan Peikert, Managing Director, AHP International
- Moderation: Dr Barbara Mayer, ADVANT Beiten
How do international talents experience Germany as a business location? Three voices on opportunities, challenges and the potential of a diverse working environment.
The German economy needs talent. Let's not talk about them but with them. Listen to three interesting personalities discussing chances, challenges and opportunities in Germany.
Speakers:innen
- Gülsah Wilke, Partner / Head of German Office, DN Capital; Co-Founder, 2hearts
- Dr Pouya Rajaeipour, CTO & Co-Founder, Phaseform GmbH
- Noemi Mseven, Junior Manager DE&I, B. Braun Group
- Moderation: Sophie Figueredo-Hardy, Head of the Welcome Centre Southern Upper Rhine, IHK Südlicher Oberrhein
When artificial intelligence meets responsibility, real solutions are created. Two makers show how AI can make a concrete contribution to tackling social challenges and how social innovations can benefit and emerge as a result.
Speakers:
- Katja Anclam, AI Strategist, CO-Founder, difgl - German Institute for the Good Life
- Manuel Dingemann, Founder and CEO CaptainAI
- Simon Stegemann, Co-Founder, N3xtcoder, Representative for Civic Coding
- Moderation: Hedra Youkhana, Social Innovation Lab
Dr Falk Pharma Stage
Three companies show how sustainability is not only understood as a duty, but also serves as a driver for innovation. In very different, inspiring ways, they open up new perspectives on sustainable design and the use of resources such as water and cocoa.
- Heiko Stahl, Senior Vice President International Markets, Vitra AG
- Steffen Erath, Head of Innovation & Sustainability, Hansgrohe SE
- Petra Fix, Global Sustainability Communications, Ritter Sport
- Moderation: Carina Wanniger, Head of Innovation Projects, Circular Blackforest
Young, critical, visionary: GenZ brings a breath of fresh air to the healthcare system - with attitude, a focus on tech and the will to make things better.
Speakers:innen
- Hannes Kolbe, Joint Lead of AI Innovation Hub, AOK Nordost
- Frederike Gramm, Strategist for Public Health and Health Communication
- Dr Avend Bamarni, Doctor in further training as a dermatologist & influencer
- Moderation: Lisa Tschalenko
Quantum technology is no longer a distant vision. The first companies are already utilising it and demonstrating its potential in specific projects. In this session, experts from science and industry will provide insights into current developments - and show what they are working on today to make possible tomorrow what seemed unthinkable yesterday.
Speakers:inside
- Peter Neske, Innovation Lead, Pfizer Pharma GmbH
- Dr Alexander Heinrich, Head of Office, QuantumBW
- Matteo Krummenacher, Business Development Manager, QuantumBasel
- Moderation: Florian Appel, Managing Director, Black Forest Innovation
These companies don't just talk about change - they bring it to life. Two players from the SME sector show how disruptive innovation is not just a buzzword, but can be successfully translated into products and processes.
Speakers:inside
- Dr Michael Sinsbeck, Head of Bionic Projects, Festo
- Moritz Collmar, Head of Marketing and Business Development, Schwarzwaldmilch
- Moderation: Dr Jan Hennig Martens, Lawyer, Friedrich Graf von Westphalen & Partner mbB
Endress+Hauser stage
Innovative ideas need capital - but who finances the change? Experts discuss how investments in the future can succeed.
Speaker:innen
- Prof. Dr Henning Vöpel, Chairman, Centre for European Politics
- Stefanie Bremer, Co-Founder, taxmenow - Initiative for Tax Justice e. V. - Manfred Kennel, Managing Director, f.u.n.k.e. SENERGIE GmbH - Steffen Rapp, Head of Structured Corporate FinanceV.
- Manfred Kennel, Managing Director, f.u.n.k.e. SENERGIE GmbH
- Steffen Rapp, Head of Structured Finance Corporate Bank, Deutsche Bank
- Moderation: Marcel Spiegelhalter, Head of Community Management Scenes, wvib Schwarzwald AG
Energy transition meets reality - how far along are we really and what needs to happen for the industry to follow suit?
Speakers:innen
- Leonie Meyer, Asset Management Officer, badenova AG & Co. KG
- Felix Kugler, Group Manager Thermal Storage and Process Heat, Fraunhofer UMSICHT
- Simon Balk, Managing Director, Leiber Poland GmbH; Sustainability Advisory Board, wvib Schwarzwald AG
- Nadyne Saint-Cast, Member of Parliament, Alliance 90/The Greens
- Moderation: Roland Kury, Community Manager Purchasing, wvib Schwarzwald AG
Start-up dynamics and corporate structures meet - and show why collaboration is often the better way.
Speakers:inside
- Viachelav Gromov, CEO, AITAD GmbH
- Katrin Neubronner, Project Manager & Startup Business Coach, Digitalisation Enabling, SICK AG
- Sophie Engler, Consultant Talent & Leadership Development, SICK AG
- Moderation: Petra Ruder, Community Manager Scenes, wvib Schwarzwald AG
Friction generates energy - and diversity is the spark. This panel asks: Does it sometimes have to go bang for real innovation to emerge?
Speakers:inside
- Christoph Gerber, Managing Director, Stockert GmbH
- Luisa Schäfer, Innovation Engineer, PROTEKTORWERK Florenz Maisch GmbH & Co. KG
- Dr Lena Marbacher, author / co-founder, Neue Narrative
- Verena Naranjo, Head of Innovation Management & Marketing, halstrup-walcher GmbH
- Moderation: Gregor Preis, Community Manager Cluster, wvib Schwarzwald AG
crazyALEX.de Stage
What do Europe's start-ups need to become big? Here, three exciting minds from the scene tell their stories.
Speakers:inside
- Andreas Blattmann, Founder, Black Forest Labs
- Thomas Scheuerle, Managing Director, BadenCampus
- Tim Schumacher, Founder & Investor, World Fund
- Moderation: Christine Rittner, Investor
What happens when start-ups and companies really work together as equals? Three examples show how cooperation becomes a driver of innovation.
- Jasper Roll, Haufe Group Ventures
- Anja Mader, Smart Green Accelerator
- Andreas Ott, badenova AG & Co. KG
- Prof. Dr Roland Zengerle, University of Freiburg
Twelve start-ups, twelve ideas, straight to the point. Here you'll find concentrated innovation power in fast-forward - to take away, network and think ahead.
At the Business Angel Night, 4 promising startups pitch in front of investors. Startup meets business angel - who gets the deal?
Live podcast stage
From Freiburg to space: the start-up Constellar works with its own satellites to collect data. These are not only relevant for food safety, but are also arousing the interest of various companies. In this live podcast, you can hear how the young company plans to grow in the future. Founder Marius Briedel talks to "t3n Interview" host Stella-Sophie Wojtczak about the founding story and future plans as well as the role of Germany as a business location. (And he reveals what it's actually like to launch satellites into space with SpaceX).
Can we control thoughts by electrode - and thus a paralysed arm? Who is high-tech medical technology such as that produced by the Freiburg-based company CorTec suitable for? And where will neurotechnology be in 2030? A fascinating insight into the human brain.
Speakers:innen
- Dr Martin Schüttler, Managing Director CorTec
- Prof. Dr Thomas Stieglitz, Managing Director IMTEK, Spokesperson BrainLinks-BrainTools
Moderation
- Lisa Böttinger
- Gina Kutkat
For the first time in five years, the proportion of female founders in the start-up ecosystem is falling. Yet women have particular strengths when it comes to leadership and overcoming crises. How do more female founders gain the courage to become entrepreneurs - and what does that bring us?
Speakers:innen
- Christine Rittner, investor
- Verena Hauser, psychologist and founder
Moderation
- Lisa Böttinger
- Gina Kutkat
Masterclass Igloos
AI Alliance Igloo
The promises surrounding the potential of AI sound promising: efficiency gains, new sources of revenue, cost reductions, faster innovation. But as soon as it comes to concrete implementation, there is often a costly gap - due to uncertainty in the approach, wrong priorities and a lack of experience.
In the masterclass "Successfully integrating artificial intelligence into your company", you will learn how to close this gap and use AI in your company in a targeted manner.
Under the guidance of the project partners of the FRAI.accelerator - a sub-project of the KI Allianz Baden Württemberg - you will receive a clear step-by-step procedure for successful AI projects: from the initial idea to measurable results.
Through experience reports from renowned companies and an outlook on AI trends 2025, you will strengthen your methodological foundation, gain practical insights and set effective impulses to lead your company safely and sustainably into the AI future.
Speakers:inside
- Irena Limberg, Senior Consultant & Project Manager, machn
- Nils Brabänder, Senior Technical Consultant, machn
- Pitt Höher, Innovation Consultant AI, Baden Campus
- Niklas Goby, Head of AI Services, Baden Campus
- Tobias Hourle, Vice President, IMS Gear SE & Co. KGaA- - Dennis Gordt, Head of LAyout Development and Simulation, Mack Rides GmbH& Co. KG
Innovative research and getting cash back from the state in the process? The research tax allowance is the most powerful, but also the least utilised funding instrument for companies in Germany. In this masterclass, you will learn how to make R&D projects eligible for funding - even without high-tech or a science lab. Practical, strategic and with real tips from funding practice.
Speaker:innen
- Philipp Klemenz, Innovation and Technology Officer, IHK Südlicher Oberrhein
How can SMEs use venture capital to accelerate innovation, explore new markets and build a startup ecosystem? And how can start-ups benefit from the assets of a medium-sized company and a diverse captable?
We will discuss success factors, pitfalls - and above all why CVC is more than just capital.
Speaker:inside
- Jasper Roll, Managing Director of the Haufe Group
Nature is an inexhaustible source of innovation. In our interactive masterclass, we show how companies can develop circular solutions using principles from the bioeconomy, circular economy and biomimicry. Together, we will analyse natural role models and transfer them to real business challenges. Ready for next-level sustainability?
Speakers:inside
- Carina Wanninger, Circular Black Forest
- Yamel Lima Baquero, Circular Black Forest
Tradition or disruption - what leads to success? Which is better: preserving traditional values or conquering new markets? Is it the innovative start-ups or the established companies that will dominate the market? In an intensive dialogue with three entrepreneurial personalities, we explore which doors have opened and which have remained closed. Courage to change or consistency - who is more optimistic about the future? Join us and find out!
Speakers:innen
- Valentin Emanuel Kaltenbach, Managing Director, Kaltenbach Transformation
- Wilhelm Hahn, Managing Director, Wiha Werkzeuge GmbH
- Dr Jochen Kopitzke, Managing Director, Philipp Kirsch GmbH
- Moderation: Stefan Fuchs, wvib
Future.space.blackforest igloo
Strong together: This masterclass opens up the view of shared leadership as a sustainable model - with concrete learnings, honest experience and impulses for new paths in leadership. Practice instead of phrases: Learn directly from leadership tandems how co-leadership works in everyday life - including tools, routines and real challenges.
Securing the future: Find out why shared leadership is a successful model for securing skilled labour, compatibility and resilience in the company. Encourage new thinking: Discover how shared leadership opens up new perspectives and supports the shift towards a collaborative and agile leadership culture.
Speaker:innen
- Tanja Krase, business leader and trainer FUTUR F
- Elena Schmidt, consultant and cochin for leadership, transformation and female empowerment
- Fancy a practical approach? Fancy getting to know new methods, procedures and processes? In this masterclass, small and medium-sized family businesses will learn how they can actively shape their future with innovative approaches. Practical tools and concrete strategies show how innovation can be implemented effectively. This enables small companies to react flexibly to changes and successfully compete with large players. The case study of the Ganter brewery provides an exclusive insight into the innovation process of "Freiburger Bierle", which has also proven its worth in B2B projects.
- Speakers:innen
- Leonard Sporleder, Managing Director, machn
-Theresa StiensSenior Consultant and Project Manager Freiburger Bierle, machn
5 pm: First steps towards co-innovation with SMEs in practice: understanding the needs of corporates
Speakers:inside
- Philipp Reichenbach (Baden Campus)
- Stefan Rogge (Baden Campus)
- Patrick Haufe (Ernst Reiner GmbH)
More and more companies and groups are already demanding transparent carbon footprints from their suppliers. Banks are taking sustainability criteria into account when granting loans, and active sustainability management is often rewarded with better credit terms. What seems optional today will become the basis of business tomorrow. The regional recycling company Walter Roeder GmbH is also experiencing this with many of its business partners.
In this practice-orientated session, sustainability expert Dr Jan Dormanns (Klimapartner Südbaden e.V.) shows how to create a carbon footprint smartly and quickly. Managing Director Julian Büche (Walter Roeder GmbH) will report from the field and show how a carbon footprint can become a strategic competitive advantage:
* For your company: Cost savings through increased efficiency and future-proof positioning of the business model
* For your customers: Fulfilment of supplier requirements and strengthening of business relationships
* For your bank and financial partners: Better conditions for sustainable financing
Speakers:innen
- Dr Jan Dornmanns (Klimapartner Südbaden)
- Julian Büche (Walter Roeder GmbH)
The latest research findings as a driver of innovation for SMEs - this event will show you how successful partnerships between research and SMEs can be realised and what funding opportunities are available.
Speakers:innen
- Alexnader Dierle, Hochschule-Offenburg
- Martin Huschka, Frauenhofer EMI
- Sebastian Kilchert, Frauenhofer EMI
- Alexander Gebringer, Hochschule-Offenburg
- Prof. Dr. Manfred Schlatter, DHBW Lörrach - Niklas Müller, Managing Director Tec for Gears - Prof . Dr. Ossmane Krini, DHBW Lörrach - Syb. Dr Manfred Schlatter, DHBW Lörrach
- Niklas Müller, Managing Director Tec for Gears
- Prof. Dr Ossmane Krini, DHBW Lörrach
- Sybille Fischer, EOS
Moderation
- Sandra Mercone, DHBW Lörrach
- Christiane Felder, Fraunhofer EMI
- Jean Pacevicius, Offenburg University of Applied Sciences
Experience stations - 21 innovations
Experience innovation - where ideas come to life
At our 21 experience stations, innovation becomes an experience. Immerse yourself in a world full of ideas, technology and creativity.
Here you can not only watch, but also become active yourself, try things out, dream and discover.
Whether new technologies, creative future concepts or exciting
hands-on formats - each station invites you to experience innovation with all your senses.
- Change of perspective and space for new ideas through the use of virtual reality
- Campus Schwarzwald - Centre for Digitalisation, Leadership and Sustainability Schwarzwald GmbH
- Extended reality - haptic, socially safe & immersive thanks to automatic adaptation to the room
- 2Sync
- Controlling robots without programming is child's play and offers new application possibilities
- Offenburg University of Applied Sciences - Work-Life Robotics Institute, Interreg
- The simulator and surgical console show how operations will be performed quickly and precisely in the future
- Intuitive Surgical Deutschland GmbH
- Mixed reality makes work safer, processes more effective and learning more tangible
- Optimising customer experience and service processes with VR, AR and AI
- Smart Services future lab
- VR welding shows: technical professions are innovative, sustainable and offer new perspectives
- IHK Academy
- Detection of the magnetic fingerprint of an object using quantum sensor technology
- Fraunhofer IAF
- Experts are supported by software-based, massively accelerated data research in the preparation of life cycle assessments.
- Frauenhofer EMI
- Soft Robotics: Flexible, efficient, forward-looking
- SoftLab IMTEK - University of Freiburg
- Robot Learning Lab: Learning AI robot systems for many applications
- University of Freiburg
- Proven improved clinical outcomes through navigation-based applications and VR
- Stryker
AI fast, clear and safe - explained clearly with a pizza demo
SICK AG
- Vertical farming shows: Digital twins and automation are shaping the process industry of the future
- Endress+Hauser Digital Solutions (Germany) GmbH
- Using AR glasses, visitors can virtually test the LEGO model to see how various stressors and decisions affect buildings, neighbourhoods and cities
- Drees & Sommer
- Biomedical microtechnology: Control via biosignalling
- IMTEK & BrainLinks-BrainTools, University of Freiburg
- In the virtual forest, visitors learn in a playful way what modern training in timber construction looks like - see, feel, hear
- Centre Holzbau Schwarzwald GmbH
- Digital building twins promote sustainability, CO₂ savings and efficient urban development
- SolarHub GmbH
- Realistic virtual exercises for medical emergencies
- Pfizer