AGENDA #HINTERLAND26

#Hinterland26 was a day full of groundbreaking keynotes, inspiring panels, and hands-on masterclasses designed to spark new ideas and real impact. From industry leaders to next-gen disruptors, our agenda was packed with insights, strategies, and connections to fuel your business, investments, and innovations.

HINTERLAND STAGE

09:00 - 09:05

Opening //

céline flores
willers

the people branding company gmbh

09:10 - 09:20

keynote //

THE HEARTBEAT OF HINTERLAND

dominik
gross

founders foundation

09:20 - 09:40

fireside chat//

Can Germany Stay Competitive?
What the Mittelstand Must Do Next

Isabel corinna
knauf

knauf group

petra
gessner

F.A.Z Business Media/ wir magazin

HOST

09:40 - 10:05

PANEL //

Rewriting the People Playbook:
Leading HR Through the AI Era

ALEXANDRA
HARTUNG

WORKDAY

WILLIAM
ULLBORS

SANA

ANTONIA
GÖTSCH

WEGEN GUTER FÜHRUNG

HOST

10:05 - 10:30

IMPULS //

From Turnaround to Resilience:
Building a Future-Proof
Industrial Leader

stefan
klebert

GEA

jens
tönnesmann

zeit

HOST

10:30 - 10:55

PANEL //

Where Capital Flows Next:
Europe’s Emerging Tech
Frontiers

Florian
Heinemann

Project A

Janna
Ensthaler

GGF

Daria
Saharova

Worldfund

sarah
heuberger

Manager MAgazin

HOST

10:55 - 11:20

PANEL //

Family Business, Startup Mindset:
A New Playbook for Innovation

Kevin
Jostmeyer-Zelles

Böllhoff Group

rainer
berak

A11

wilhelm alexander
böllhoff

böllhoff group

THORSTEN
GIERSCH

MARKT & MITTELSTAND

HOST

11:20 - 11:30

IMPULS //

From Turnaround to Resilience:
Building a Future-Proof
Industrial Leader

EDUARD
DÖRRENBERG

DR. WOLFF

11:30 - 11:55

PANEL //

Beyond the Buzzword:
How the Mittelstand
Builds AI-Driven
Powerhouses

eduard
dörrenberg

dr. wolff

Tobias
kemkes

langdock

dennis
cutraro

unfuture

MAXIMILIAN
SACHSE

FAZ

HOST

11:55 - 12:15

fireside chat //

Leading Transformation in the
Age of Disruption and AI: Insights
from 15 Years at the Helm of a
190-Year-Old Company

thomas
rabe

bertelsmann

ISABELLE
KÖRNER

HOST

12:15 - 12:40

keynote //

Key Elements of European
Sovereignty

rené
obermann

warburg pincus

12:40 - 13:30

BREAK //

13:30 - 13:55

PANEL //

The Growth Agenda: Aligning
Government, Industry, and Capital

DR. ANNIKA
VON MUTIUS

EMPION

Romy
Schnelle

HTGF

DR. SIGRID
NIKUTTA

Florian
Weyand

WirtschaftsWoche

HOST

13:55 - 14:20

PANEL //

Keeping the Mittelstand Ahead:
How SAP Integrates Emerging
Technologies Through Strategic
Investments

deepa
gautam-nigge

sap

andré
christ

sap leanix

SOLVEIG
RATHENOW

business insider

HOST

14:20 - 14:45

PANEL //

The Next AI Frontier:
Why Europe Still Has a Shot

Christian
Miele

Headline

David
budde

trawa

FREDERIKE
HOLEWIK

POLITICO

HOST

14:45 - 15:10

PANEL //

The European Opportunity:
Reinventing Growth Through
Startup–Corporate Partnerships

florian
nöll

pwc

HENRIKE
LUSZICK

BRIDGEMAKER

solveig
rathenow

Business Insider

HOST

15:10 - 15:35

PANEL //

The Building Blocks of a New
"Wirtschaftswunder"

Bastian
Freitag

Rothschild

Dr. Friederike
Hoffmann

b2venture

sebastian
borek

HTGF

Nina anika
klotz

Table Media

HOST

15:35 - 16:00

PANEL //

The Next Chapter: Navigating
Business Succession

Pia
Albers

ELA Container

Sina
Thomas

Kletti

Clarissa
Clavey

Clavey Group

Dr. Albert
Geiger

AlphaZirkel

HOST

16:00 - 16:25

PANEL //

Financing Energy Sovereignty:
The Role of Deep Tech and
Venture Capital

Dr. Sarah
Theinert

uvc

ARMIN
REINARTZ

PROXIMA FUSION

FREDERIKE
HOLEWIK

POLITICO

HOST

16:25 - 16:50

PANEL //

DeepTech Breakthroughs:
Rebuilding the Physical
Foundations of Industries

Maximilian
Oligschläger

ERC System

Matthias
Lehna

Quantum Systems

Luca
Caracciolo

t3n

HOST

16:50 - 17:15

PANEL //

Bridging Systems: Education,
Business and Partnerships
as One Ecosystem

Dr. Brigitte
Mohn

Bertelsmann Stiftung

Nicole
Loeser

the futuring alliance

Vicktoria
Klich

w3.group

annette
weisbach

HOST

17:15 - 17:50

break //

17:50 - 18:10

fireside chat //

Driving Growth Together:
Startups, Sales and the
Mittelstand

carsten
maschmeyer

maschmeyer group

frauke
holzmeier

ntv / rtl news

HOST

18:10 - 18:35

ootb.Nrw Award//

FINAL & WINNER announcement

In the grand finale of the OOTB.NRW Award, the top three startup teams pitch live on the Hinterland stage. In this high-energy showdown, they compete for a total prize pool of €50,000 sponsored by the NRW.Bank.

Paul Frederik
Höller

State Secretary of of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate protection and energy for NRW

Christoph
Büth

NRW.BANK

andré
christ

sap Leanix

sherin
mahrun

loosh gmbh

HOST

18:35 - 18:50

fireside chat //

Lessons from building a unicorn:
and why ai is the perfect time to
start the next one

ulrich
prediger

jobrad

anja
müller

handelsblatt

HOST

18:55 - 19:00

CLOSING //

FOUNDERS STAGE

10:00 - 10:05

DOORS OPEN //

DOORS OPEN

10:05 - 11:35

ootb.Nrw Award//

OPENING & PITCHES

SVEN
GRABBE

FOUNDERS FOUNDATION

JOHANNES
VELLING

MINISTRY OF ECONOMIC AFFAIRS, INDUSTRY, CLIMATE PROTECTION, AND ENERGY OF NRW

sherin
mahrun

loosh gmbh

HOST

11:35 - 12:00

PANEL //

Energy Resilience: Who Powers
the Next Decade?

MIKKO
PREUSS

TERRALAYR

MAXIMILIAN
DEKORSY

ECOPLANET

AGATE
FREIMANE

NORRSKEN VC

HOST

12:00 - 12:20

FIRESIDE CHAT //

From Copilot to AI System of Action:
Owning the Enterprise's
Unstructured Layer

TUSHAR
AHLUWALIA

GENERAL MIND

JOHANN
NORDHUS WESTARP

LUCID CAPITAL

HOST

12:20 - 12:50

BREAK //

12:50- 13:15

PANEL //

Future of Manufacturing:
Own It or Outsource It?

DR. ALEXANDER
PÖHLER

ASSEMBLEAN

DR. MAURICE
ESCHWEILER

DMG MORI

FRANCESCA
SEIDENSTICKER

TRAILBLAZERS

HOST

13:15 - 13:40

PANEL //

Selling Software in 2026:
Are We Doing It Right?

MONA
FEDER

DOINSTRUCT

OLIVER
MANOJLOVIC

DASH0

MARCUS
BÖKER

PHOENIX CONTACT INNOVATION VENTURES

JULIUS
GÖLLNER

ARRTIST

HOST

13:40 - 14:00

FIRESIDE CHAT //

Choosing Your Path:
Founders, Teams and
the Reality of Venture
Capital

DR. OLIVER
MERKEL

BLOCKS

LEANDRA
FINKE

GRÜNDERSZENE

HOST

14:00 - 14:25

PANEL //

cybersecurity in the age of ai

VINIT
PATEL

AIKIDO

MARC-JULIAN
SIEWERT

SECUNET

JULIAN
KAPPUS

HELIAD

HOST

14:25 - 14:50

PANEL //

State of physical AI

MATTHIAS
AUF DER MAUER

JUNA.AI

ALEXANDER
LANGE

INFLECTION

ANNA-LUISA
KORTE

FOUNDERS FOUNDATION

HOST

14:50 - 15:15

PANEL //

996 - European founders
with global ambitions

DANIEL
DRABO

PEEC AI

HENRIC
MEINHARDT

COMSTRUCT

DR. CHRISTOPH
KLINK

ANTLER

HOST

15:15 - 15:40

PANEL //

The Outlier Playbook:
Founders Who Don’t Fit
the Pattern

DR. MARKUS
GICK

XDECK

enrico
mellis

animal

dr. frédéric
du-bois reymond

earlybird

niklas
jansen

interface capital

HOST

15:40 - 15:55

keynote //

Building in Stealth

FRANZ
FAERBER

EVEREST

15:40 - 15:55

closing //

SOPHIA
TRAN

SPOTLIGHT!

MASTERCLASSES

MASTERCLASS 1

09:30 - 10:15

AI in Everyday Work: What We’ve Learned and Changed at OMR

LEADS: ROBERT TUSCH, SARAH BRUNSWIG

10:30 - 11:15

From idea to Implementation: How Young Companies Are Successfully Using AI

LEADS: Janos Körtge, Johann strauss

11:30 - 12:15

Reinvent or Retire: Why German Mittelstand must reboot its innovation & R&D operating system now, and how a systematic blueprint could look

LEADS: ROKSANA SIEWIOREK & ALEXANDER RÖSCH

13:30 - 14:15

The AI Adoption Playbook: What Works in Real Rollouts — by Unfuture & Langdock

LEADS: DENNIS CUTRATO

14:30 - 15:15

Hunter or Hunted? Succeeding in the Age of AI: Systems, Processes, and Value Creation in Small and Medium-Sized Businesses.

LEADS: FRANK BÖHMER & NILS HENNING

MASTERCLASS 2

10:30 -11:15

The company behind the product—scaling without becoming a corporate behemoth

LEADS: Jan Gutknecht

11:30 - 12:15

Winning the Moment: Why the Most Important Business Decisions Still Happen Unsupported

LEADS: HENRIK SCHÖPFER & ALEXANDER NOWROTH

13:30 - 14:15

What We've Learned from Over 100 AI Rollouts: How to Successfully Implement AI in a Company, Achieve a 90% Adoption Rate, and Ensure Deep Integration with ERP Systems

AGENDA #HINTERLAND26

HINTERLAND STAGE

09:00 - 09:05

Opening //

céline flores willers

09:10 - 09:20

keynote //

THE HEARTBEAT OF HINTERLAND

dominik gross

09:20 - 09:40

fireside chat//

Can Germany Stay Competitive? What the Mittelstand Must Do Next

Isabel corinna knauf

petra gessner

09:40 - 10:05

PANEL //

Rewriting the People Playbook: Leading HR Through the AI Era

ALEXANDRAHARTUNG

WILLIAMULLBORS

ANTONIAGÖTSCH

10:05 - 10:30

IMPULS //

From Turnaround to Resilience:Building a Future-Proof Industrial Leader

stefanklebert

jenstönnesmann

10:30 - 10:55

PANEL //

Where Capital Flows Next: Europe’s Emerging Tech Frontiers

Florian Heinemann

Janna Ensthaler

DariaSaharova

sarahheuberger

10:55 - 11:20

PANEL //

Family Business, Startup Mindset: A New Playbook for Innovation

Kevin Jostmeyer-Zelles

rainerberak

wilhelm alexanderböllhoff

THORSTENGIERSCH

11:20 - 11:30

IMPULS //

From Turnaround to Resilience:Building a Future-Proof Industrial Leader

EDUARD DÖRRENBERG

11:30 - 11:55

PANEL //

Beyond the Buzzword: How the Mittelstand Builds AI-Driven Powerhouses

eduarddörrenberg

Tobiaskemkes

denniscutraro

MAXIMILIANSACHSE

11:55 - 12:15

fireside chat //

Leading Transformation in the Age of Disruption and AI: Insights from 15 Years at the Helm of a 190-Year-Old Company

thomasrabe

ISABELLEKÖRNER

12:15 - 12:40

keynote //

Key Elements of European Sovereignty

renéobermann

12:40 - 13:30

BREAK //

13:30 - 13:55

PANEL //

The Growth Agenda: Aligning Government, Industry, and Capital

DR. ANNIKA VON MUTIUS

RomySchnelle

DR. SIGRID NIKUTTA

Florian Weyand

13:55 - 14:20

PANEL //

Keeping the Mittelstand Ahead: How SAP Integrates Emerging Technologies Through Strategic Investments

deepagautam-nigge

andréchrist

SOLVEIGRATHENOW

14:20 - 14:45

PANEL //

The Next AI Frontier: Why Europe Still Has a Shot

ChristianMiele

Davidbudde

FREDERIKEHOLEWIK

céline flores
willers

dominik
gross

Can Germany Stay Competitive?
What the Mittelstand Must Do Next

Isabel corinna
knauf

petra
gessner

Rewriting the People Playbook:
Leading HR Through the AI Era

ALEXANDRA
HARTUNG

WILLIAM
ULLBORS

ANTONIA
GÖTSCH

From Turnaround to Resilience:
Building a Future-Proof
Industrial Leader

stefan
klebert

jens
tönnesmann

Where Capital Flows Next:
Europe’s Emerging Tech
Frontiers

Florian
Heinemann

Janna
Ensthaler

Daria
Saharova

sarah
heuberger

Family Business, Startup Mindset:
A New Playbook for Innovation

Kevin
Jostmeyer-Zelles

rainer
berak

wilhelm alexander
böllhoff

THORSTEN
GIERSCH

From Turnaround to Resilience:
Building a Future-Proof
Industrial Leader

EDUARD
DÖRRENBERG

Beyond the Buzzword:
How the Mittelstand
Builds AI-Driven
Powerhouses

eduard
dörrenberg

Tobias
kemkes

dennis
cutraro

MAXIMILIAN
SACHSE

Leading Transformation in the
Age of Disruption and AI: Insights
from 15 Years at the Helm of a
190-Year-Old Company

thomas
rabe

ISABELLE
KÖRNER

Key Elements of European
Sovereignty

rené
obermann

The Growth Agenda: Aligning
Government, Industry, and Capital

DR. ANNIKA
VON MUTIUS

Romy
Schnelle

DR. SIGRID
NIKUTTA

Florian
Weyand

Keeping the Mittelstand Ahead:
How SAP Integrates Emerging
Technologies Through Strategic
Investments

deepa
gautam-nigge

andré
christ

SOLVEIG
RATHENOW

The Next AI Frontier:
Why Europe Still Has a Shot

Christian
Miele

David
budde

FREDERIKE
HOLEWIK

The European Opportunity:
Reinventing Growth Through
Startup–Corporate Partnerships

florian
nöll

HENRIKE
LUSZICK

solveig
rathenow

The Building Blocks of a New
"Wirtschaftswunder"

Bastian
Freitag

Dr. Friederike
Hoffmann

sebastian
borek

Nina anika
klotz

The Next Chapter: Navigating
Business Succession

Pia
Albers

Sina
Thomas

Clarissa
Clavey

Dr. Albert
Geiger

Financing Energy Sovereignty:
The Role of Deep Tech and
Venture Capital

Dr. Sarah
Theinert

ARMIN
REINARTZ

FREDERIKE
HOLEWIK

DeepTech Breakthroughs:
Rebuilding the Physical
Foundations of Industries

Maximilian
Oligschläger

Matthias
Lehna

Luca
Caracciolo

Bridging Systems: Education,
Business and Partnerships
as One Ecosystem

Dr. Brigitte
Mohn

Nicole
Loeser

Vicktoria
Klich

annette
weisbach

Driving Growth Together:
Startups, Sales and the
Mittelstand

carsten
maschmeyer

frauke
holzmeier

Paul Frederik
Höller

Christoph
Büth

andré
christ