Initially stemming from the humanities and holding a degree in philosophy of science, working several years as scientists in the Humanities and as Management Consultant with A.T. Kearney he joined the Federal Ministry in late nineties. He is currently Head of Department for Key enabling Technologies for Industrial Innovation. He represents Austria in various Mirror-Groups of European Technology Platforms and in several European Policy Coordination Initiatives. Special Initiatives which were initiated within his department are for example European Chips, Act, Industry 4.0 Pilot Factories, Silicon Austria, The AI-Strategy Austria and various national Lighthouse projects such as Data Market Austria or Trustworthy Internet of Things.

Dr. Astrid Heide Petersen is senior medical leader with over 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, spanning clinical development, medical affairs, and corporate functions. She has held pivotal roles at globally renowned companies such as Sanofi, Novo Nordisk, and Leo Pharma. Throughout her career, Astrid has garnered extensive experience across various geographies, including Austria, and Germany, as well as Global and North European region. Over the past six years, she has led multiple therapeutic areas as a Medical Head, demonstrating exceptional leadership and expertise. Currently, Astrid is spearheading medical transformation for the North Europe medical Organisation in Sanofi, driving innovation and excellence in the field. She will share...

As a student, I am one of the people who will work in and shape this industry in the future. I graduated from HTBLA Grieskirchen for Computer science in 2023 and started studying AI at JKU that same year. Cybersecurity is another focus of mine since 2019. At CyberSecurityAustria my talents and potential are recognized, allowing me to represent Austria on an international level, e.g. at the European Cybersecurity Challenge (ECSC). Additionally, I am also gladly supporting our initiative to combat gender-inequality in the field and holding workshops for highschool students, introducing them to the topic. I hope to inspire others to take up the challenge of cybersecurity – young...

MMag.a Barbara Eibinger-Miedl has been Styrian State Councillor for Economy, Tourism, Regions, Science and Research since 2019. © Photo: Lunghammer

Werner Ecker studied Materials Science at the Montanuniversität Leoben and at the Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. He obtained his PhD in the field of Materials Modelling at the Montanuniversität Leoben. In 2008 he became head of the newly founded Simulation Department at the Materials Center Leoben (MCL), which he expanded from an initial three researchers to more than 50. He established a threefold research focus covering (1) computational materials design, (2) digital manufacturing processes and (3) computational product reliability. Since 2022 he is the General Manager of the MCL. ©Foto: Freisinger

Dr. Angelika Berger-Sodian is a business builder and entrepreneurial leader at the forefront of the global mobility revolution. With extensive experience in international business and venture building, Angelika has been instrumental in the success of companies like NIO, B-ON, and her latest venture, which is still operating in stealth mode and therefore called "The Portuguese Stealth Mode Mobility Startup." Her expertise includes designing and scaling transformative businesses and crafting compelling brand stories globally. Angelika's commitment to developing ambitious, future-ready organizations is evident in her leadership, publications, and keynotes. © Photo: Angelika Berger-Sodian

Dr. Michael Leitner is General Manager for the smart car access business at NXP. As Board Member and Vice President at the Car Connectivity Consortium, he drives the strategy for the global CCC Digital Key standard. Previously, Dr. Leitner was General Manager at ams OSRAM AG, overseeing global teams in sensor systems development. His career includes roles at Infineon Technologies, AVL List and the Austrian Academy of Sciences. Dr. Leitner holds a Ph.D. in Physics and is an alumnus of Harvard Business School. ©Photo: Michael Leitner

Sandra Derler, born on 2 February 1995, grew up in eastern Styria and graduated from HAK Weiz. She completed her studies at the Karl-Franzens University in Graz, specialising in financial accounting and controlling as part of her master's degree in business administration and business education. During her studies Sandra Derler started her professional career at axtesys GmbH, a dynamic company in the software industry. axtesys has been owner-managed from the beginning and has been working according to the holocratic 'New Work' model for more than 10 years with almost 70 employees. This year, she was honoured by the Austrian Chamber of Commerce as one of the TOP 30 under 30...