AI insights that can’t even generate prompts
Your tech deep dive at Käpsele 2026.
Your day at Käpsele and how to decode the technological future.
Anyone can use chatbots. At the Käpsele Innovation Festival on 16 July 2026, we’ll cast aside the marketing hype and take a look under the bonnet. Meet developers, nerds and tech pioneers who have long since integrated artificial intelligence and mechatronic systems deep into industrial reality. If you want to know what’s really technologically feasible, you’ve come to the right place.
Your comprehensive timetable
Kick-off with Raphael Gielgen. Find out how radical curiosity is transforming global tech markets from San Francisco to Singapore.
Where: Haufe Group Stage
The AI era presents us with a challenge. Rather than dogma, the future now calls for critical thinking, intuition and empathy. A thought-provoking talk on how we can shape this transformation with both our minds and hearts – courageously, humanely and with confidence.
Where: Haufe Group Stage
How can AI really be put to productive use in an industrial setting, beyond mere marketing buzzwords? Learn from real-world use cases how to navigate the process from initial assessment, through clear governance guidelines, to building your own scalable internal AI platform.
The ultimate deep dive into the intersection of algorithms and life sciences. Machine learning in real-world applications.
Where: uptownBasel Stage
Those who make decisions faster are building the future! Joe Kaeser (Siemens Energy & Daimler Truck) challenges the risk aversion prevalent in business and politics. A thought-provoking talk, rich in analytical depth, on the willingness to take responsibility and courage as strategic resources in uncertain times.
Where: Haufe Group Stage
Fuel up at lunch and spend the next two hours trying out deep-tech projects for yourself.
Our recommended experience stations:
- Agentic Service AI: Knowledge, AI & Tools combined by helpcode.ai GmbH
- Quantum computing made in Freiburg by Fraunhofer IAF
- Your idea. Your label. Your beer. Experience Black Forest Labs’ AI live with machn GmbH
- DIHVA: A hybrid, AI-supported GP care model from Digitale Facharzt- und Gesundheitsversorgungsgesellschaft mbH
How European companies are picking up speed again. Understand the strategic pain points of established corporations – that’s exactly where your sales pitches come in.
Where: Haufe Group Stage
Is technological progress outpacing legal regulation? Against the backdrop of international pressure to innovate and European responsibility, the debate centres on whether strict compliance acts as a hindrance or a strategic advantage in terms of trust in the global AI race.
Where: AEPIKUR Stage
After the AI wave comes the tech revolution. Those who understand the patterns of today’s disruptions are ready for quantum computing and future innovations. A practical look at the stumbling blocks, lessons learnt and strategic preparation for businesses – with Rebecca Gottwald.
Where: AEPIKUR Stage
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 concrete examples to show how companies are boosting their productivity, enabling new business models and making their organisations more resilient.
Where: AEPIKUR Stage
How is a start-up from the Black Forest taking on the tech giants of Silicon Valley? In the live podcast “Handelsblatt Disrupt”, Larissa Holzki talks to Robin Rombach, CEO of Black Forest Labs. Find out first-hand how world-class AI is being developed in Europe, how scaling is achieved, and what concrete opportunities are now opening up for businesses.
Where: Haufe Group Stage
Cold drinks, beats and in-depth tech talk. Network with like-minded people and the festival’s tech experts.
Where: Haufe Group Stage
Bonus
The second day of the festival
Your ticket covers the whole of 17 July! Following the inspiring talks and discussions on the first day of the festival, the second day continues with more masterclasses: in these compact sessions, experts share experiences, methods and practical examples from their day-to-day work. In 45 minutes, you’ll gain practical insights into the latest technologies and successful implementation strategies, with time for questions and direct discussion.
Our AI masterclass recommendation on 17 July:
Between gut feeling and AI – Modern planning of procurement, production and logistics
Date: 17 July 2026
Time: 11:00 – 11:45
Goodbye change projects – hello transformational capability!
Date: 17 July 2026
Time: 12:00 – 12:45
Where: Lokhalle Freiburg
Your ticket options
- The Self-Catering Ticket: Full access to both days, all masterclasses, tech stations and stages. Pick up your own food on site.
- The Gourmet Ticket: The Tech flat rate including a food flat rate for both days. High-quality catering and all drinks included.
Plan your day just the way you like it
Stage programme
Our varied programme of talks, debates and keynote speeches. Here you’ll find full details of the speakers and the full schedule for your day.
Interactive stations
Experience innovation first-hand at our interactive stands. Discover the 15 interactive stations that make the festival an unforgettable journey into the future.
Masterclasses
Your registration includes access on both days of the festival, with all masterclasses already included in the ticket price.