InnovationFestival @karlsruhe.digital: Experience digitalization on 8 October
At the beginning of October, the InnovationFestival @karlsruhe.digital will bring digitalization to life in Karlsruhe for the second time with a diverse programme.
Digitalization has become an integral part of our everyday lives. If you like, it is omnipresent. And yet digital transformation is still a rather abstract topic for many people. Everyone has heard of artificial intelligence, machine learning or cloud computing – but how do these technologies make our lives better?
“Making digitalization in Karlsruhe clear and tangible for everyone – that is the goal of the InnovationFestival,” emphasizes Martin Hubschneider, initiator of the InnovationFestival and one of the chairmen of the karlsruhe.digital initiative. “We are delighted with the numerous entries from areas such as artificial intelligence, IT security and mobility, which reflect the wide-ranging expertise of the IT region in the exchange between science, culture, administration and business.”
InnovationFestival @karlsruhe.digital: From the ZKM via livestream to the whole world
It starts on October 8 at 1 p.m. at the ZKM I Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe with a welcome by Peter Weibel, Chairman of the ZKM and the official opening by Dr. Frank Mentrup, Lord Mayor of the City of Karlsruhe.
The first keynote speech of the day by Martin Hubschneider, CEO of CAS Software AG, is entitled “World premiere: We.Network – Connecting people with trust”. Markus Losert, CIO / CDO of the City of Karlsruhe, will then present the new Karlsruhe multifunctional app for citizens, while Christian Bauer, Chief Commercial Officer of Volocopter GmbH, will give a presentation entitled “Air Taxi Service – Ready for Take-Off!” will provide insights into the world of air cabs.
Afterwards, the audience can look forward to 10-minute keynote speeches on the 13 best digital innovations from the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion, which were selected by a jury from around 40 applications. The spectrum ranges from (autonomous) public transport and IT security to AI engineering and the tension between data protection and personalization.
The event will be rounded off by the final talk with the three chairmen of the karlsruhe.digital initiative and a joint after-work event with KIT Science Week in the foyer of the ZKM.
As in the previous year, entrepreneur and speaker Tijen Onaran(Global Digital Women) will host the InnovationFestival @karlsruhe.digital, which will be livestreamed around the world. Due to the pandemic, personal participation at the ZKM is unfortunately only possible for invited guests.
Clear the stage for digitization
As a hybrid event, the InnovationFestival is very much in tune with the spirit of the times. Last year, 2,000 spectators from 16 countries attended live when the Karlsruhe TechnologyRegion presented its digital innovative strength at the ZKM. At the time, Prof. Dr. Marion A. Weissenberger-Eibl, Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI, aptly summarized the basic idea behind the event:
“Innovations always take us one step further. However, innovations are also dependent on the framework conditions. We need to cultivate experimentation. It is crucial to involve society and discuss digitalization together. The InnovationFestival offers space and opportunity for this. It makes the people behind the ideas visible.”