AEPIKUR Stage
New markets. New alliances. New rules of the game.
How change becomes economic reality.
AEPIKUR Stage Programme
Do breakthrough markets emerge from civilian demand or from strategic defence investment?
This panel explores how dual-use technologies transition from security-driven development to commercial scale, and how ethical boundaries, regulatory constraints and capital intensity shape what becomes market-ready.
At the heart of this is the tension between strategic necessity and market logic, as well as how innovation moves between the two.
Speakers
- Prof. Dr Rafaela Kraus, Professor, University of the German Armed Forces
- Marius Bierdel, ConstellR
- Daniel Hiller, Fraunhofer EMI
- Dr Uwe Herberth, CTO and Director of Innovation & Technology, Litef
Moderator
- Tim Bartsch, Lake Constance-Upper Swabia Chamber of Industry and Commerce
Succession as a catalyst for innovation: when a new generation takes over, fresh ideas meet established structures. The speakers will share the initiatives they have launched, what has worked and what hasn’t.
The discussion makes it clear that succession is not merely a handover, but an opportunity to realign organisations and boldly shape the future.
Speakers
- Bonita Grupp, Managing Partner, TRIGEMA W. Grupp KG
- Jochen Kopitzke, AEPIKUR GmbH
- Philipp Steiert and Dennis Vonderstraß, Steiert GmbH
Moderator
- Dr Jan Barth, Partner and Head of the Freiburg Office, Advant Beiten
Is AI accelerating value creation within organisations faster than regulations can keep up? We will discuss the pressure to innovate, liability issues and regulatory frameworks at the intersection of competitiveness and responsibility. The central question is whether compliance is a competitive disadvantage or a strategic advantage in the global AI race.
Speakers
- Rebecca Saar, Head of Digital Products & Services, S.Siedle & Söhne
- Jakob Wößner, Group Data & AI, Weleda AG
- Jonas Schmid, Business Development & Strategy, Autohaus Schmid and grüne Flotte
- Tobias Tenner, Head of Digital Finance, Federal Association of German Banks
Moderator
- AI Alliance
AI is just the beginning: what lessons from its implementation can be applied to future technologies such as quantum computing? Practical examples, stumbling blocks and patterns in dealing with disruption are explored alongside future prospects. The focus is on how companies are preparing strategically and culturally today for the next wave of technological change.
Speakers
- Rebecca Gottwald, Chief Operating Officer, Burda Verlag
- Thomas Landolt, CEO, QuantumBasel AG
Moderator
- Alwin Wagner, IHK
Is intelligent automation the key competitive advantage for businesses? It appears to help mitigate the skills shortage, reduce costs and make processes significantly faster and more stable. This session uses specific examples to show how companies are boosting their productivity, enabling new business models and making their organisations more resilient.
Speakers
- Sophie Zeifang Bayley, Strategy and Organisation, Addmo UG
- Jennifer Streiter, Head of Sales and Project Management, HMT – Häseler Metall Technik GmbH
- Dr Gero Nordmann, Glatt GmbH, Member of the Group Executive Committee
- Dr.-Ing. Patrick Neuenfeldt, Managing Director, SADEN GmbH
Moderator
- Alexander Gehringer, Deputy Head of the Work-Life Robotics Institute, Offenburg University of Applied Sciences
How realistic is the prospect of a longer, healthy life, and who is driving the longevity trend? Between cryopreservation, evidence-based medicine and lifestyle-based prevention, a market is emerging that is shaped as much by scientific findings as by visions and financial interests. This panel will discuss where solid progress has been made, where expectations are outpacing the data – and how much influence individuals, medicine and society actually have on our healthy life years.
Speakers
- Dr Anne Latz, doctor & scientist
- Niko Hems, longevity expert & Head of Growth and Sales, YEARS
- Fabian Sperling, Co-founder, Hiber
Moderator
- Fabiola Hartung-Linz, Business Development Manager, M&M Software
7:00 p.m.: Joint finale on the Haufe Group Stage
Presentation of the Baden-Württemberg Start-up Award and opening of the networking party
The winners of the state-wide "Start-Up BW Elevator Pitches" competition will be honoured at the Baden-Württemberg Start-up Award ceremony.
Immediately afterwards, the networking party will provide an opportunity for exchange, investor discussions and new partnerships.
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