Theme: UP OR OUT? – Society at the Crossroads

We stand at a pivotal moment in history, where society finds itself at the crossroads of unprecedented technological innovation and profound social change.

Ideas we never thought possible are now a reality. It is up to us to break away from the old and be brave enough to come up with novel approaches, transform threats into opportunities, raise awareness and educate our communities about the possibilities while focusing on thoughtful and sustainable solutions. The future is here, let’s make it bright!

Karlsplatz 13, 1040 Vienna
Karlsplatz 13
Vienna, Wien, 1040
Austria

Clit/Doris

Comedian

Clit/Doris is a figure in vulva costume with which Antonia Stabinger has dedicated herself to enlightenment. She shows what others keep covered with fact-disguising things like underwear and devotes herself to something exciting that we all have and about which we know less than we think: genitals.

Costin Busioc

Product Manager

At 13, Costin Busioc started volunteering internationally across Europe. As he started his career in Software 8 years ago, he wanted to continue this passion for multicultural environments and had amazing opportunities to work for companies like Amazon or Bloomberg in places like London and New York. In 5 years, his career was boosted from an Intern to Senior Engineer and now to Product Manager. With 49 cultural impacts and polishes, travel has taught him like he never expected, shaping both his personal & professional journey.

David Lederman

User experience expert

Drawing on two decades as a User Experience expert, David Lederman spent five years interviewing leaders from all walks of life and exploring diverse wisdom traditions to uncover why the path to fulfillment is riddled with contradictory truths that often wreak havoc in our daily lives. His talk cracks the code on this ultimate "UX of life" puzzle, revealing the key shift that unlocks profound fulfillment today—empowering you to thrive not just when everything falls into place, but in the midst of life’s most chaotic, challenging moments.

Elena Schäfer

Musician

Elena Schäfer (AT) and Hayden Arp (USA) combine elements of folk, classical, and jazz music to create warm and captivating acoustic music. Both classically trained musicians, they bring a technical precision and harmonic richness to the singer-songwriter/americana idioms.

Elena Stelzig

Sustainability advocate

Elena Stelzig works with individuals and teams to co-create solutions that not only drive business success but also contribute positively to people and the planet. Her focus is on developing sustainable business models that align economic prosperity with social and environmental responsibility. Elena helps organizations build stronger connections with their stakeholders and create lasting, positive impacts on society. Her passion lies in fostering collaboration that advances both business success and the well-being of the broader community and the planet.

Eugenijus Kaniusas

Researcher

With an innate passion for bridging technology and medicine, Eugenijus Kaniusas, a full professor of Biomedical Engineering at TU Wien, connects diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to deliver a truly personalized medicine to treat, for instance, chronic pain. Born in Lithuania, graduated in Austria, Eugenijus is now attracting interdisciplinary and global thinkers at the newly established Institute of Biomedical Electronics. His current research includes auricular vagus nerve stimulation, prosthetics, perioperative monitoring, empathy assessment, and the development of wearable theranostic devices that become active when physiology ends and pathology starts. Eugenijus is dedicated to professional teaching in Biomedical Sensors, Instrumentation, and Biophysics, backed up by his three book volumes. He serves currently as Dean of Academic Affairs Biomedical Engineering at TU Wien.

Günes Seyfarth

Entrepreneur and changemaker

Günes Seyfarth is a driven entrepreneur and changemaker, known for turning ideas into impactful ventures. As a mother of three, she first founded the crèche, kindergarten, and after-school program Karl & Liesl to support her children’s development. She then co-founded Mamikreisel (now Vinted), a popular platform for swapping preloved kids' items, promoting sustainability in everyday life. Her latest ventures, Community Kitchen and Shaere, are ambitious projects tackling food waste and fostering social inclusion. Community Kitchen rescues, processes, and sells 20 tons of surplus food weekly, while Shaere is the largest temporary social use initiative in Germany, offering 15,000 square meters of space that welcomes 45,000 visitors monthly. Günes’ mission is to inspire others to follow her lead, demonstrating that anyone can make a difference through actionable, community-driven solutions.

Hayden Arp

Songwriter

Elena Schäfer (AT) and Hayden Arp (USA) combine elements of folk, classical, and jazz music to create warm and captivating acoustic music. Both classically trained musicians, they bring a technical precision and harmonic richness to the singer-songwriter/americana idioms.

Ivona Brandić

Researcher

Ivona Brandić is a Full Professor at TU Wien, recognized for her expertise in sustainable information technology. She earned her Ph.D. from Vienna University of Technology in 2007 and was honored with the Distinguished Young Scientist Award in 2011 for her groundbreaking work on Holistic Energy Efficient Hybrid Clouds. In 2015, she received the prestigious FWF START prize, Austria's highest recognition for early-career researchers. Her current research is at the forefront of Computational Sustainability, where she is pioneering foundational concepts of transprecision and code-offloading in hybrid systems. Additionally, she is advancing the development of digital twins for both man-made and biological systems, with the aim of fostering sustainable practices and solutions.

Lara Lammer

Researcher

With over 20 years of experience and multi-cultural background, Lara specializes in technology development as a senior scientist at TU Wien, focusing on Human-Robot Interaction and Human-Centered Product Design. Her work bridges the gap between academia and industry, where she has designed robots for older adults and developed outreach strategies that include educational formats and artefacts inspiring and engaging children and adults alike. Her expertise spans creating innovative solutions for businesses, academia and industry, bringing together diverse, multidisciplinary teams to solve complex challenges. Lara regularly serves as an expert for funding agencies on innovation projects and advisor in residence for TU Wien's innovation incubator academy.

René Baranyi

Researcher

René Baranyi is a member of the Research Group for Industrial Software (INSO, founded by Prof. Grechenig) which performs at TU Wien and other universities in and outside Europe, bringing over 15 years of experience in the fields of Serious Games, Gamification, Medical Informatics, and Healthcare-IT. His expertise spans across Medical Information Systems, Sports and Lifestyle Medicine, Prevention, Physiotherapy, Rehabilitation Medicine, and exergame development. René serves as an Associate Editor for JMIR Serious Games, advancing the understanding of how gaming technologies can be applied in healthcare. He is dedicated to digital platforms that simplify rehabilitation processes and promote healthier living. His work enhances patient engagement and outcomes and drives innovation in digital health, providing solutions that bridge the gap between technology and patient care.

Teodora Zivkovic

Design thinker

Teodora Zivkovic is passionate about introducing and explaining the power of innovative thinking to the world. Through her design thinking concepts, she emphasizes the importance of curiosity, creativity, and courage as the three essential human dimensions that drive innovation. From a young age, she embraced creativity, which led her to study Architecture and immerse herself in various design, fashion, startup, and charity projects. Her curiosity eventually brought her to the world of Design Thinking, where she discovered that creativity transcends the arts and serves as a catalyst for innovation in any field. Trusting that cultivating these three qualities empowers individuals to dream big and take bold actions, Teodora is dedicated to helping others transform their visions into reality. Though the journey may be challenging, as a passionate triathlete and marathon runner, she firmly believes that any distance is surmountable and that even the greatest dreams are within reach.

Thomas Steirer

Quality and test automation architect

Thomas Steirer is a quality and test automation architect from Vienna, Austria, with over 20 years of experience. He’s supporting Nagarro’s global senior management as CTO, and is also leading their Test Automation Practice. In his work at Nagarro, he supports clients in the introduction and optimization of quality engineering, teaches at universities and is a passionate serial speaker at conferences. He is also co-author of the book “Test Automation Fundamentals”, currently in its third edition, available in German and English. In his spare time, he is a tech junkie, tinkerer, and enthusiastic Gameboy musician.

Ursula Plassnik

Former foreign minister

Austrian former diplomat and politician Ursula Plassnik served as foreign minister, member of parliament and ambassador. She is a convinced and confident European.

William Richard Acres

Sustainability advocate

William Richard Acres was raised in the UK and Austria. Following secondary education, he moved to Vienna to pursue a degree in chemical engineering at TU Wien. William's passion for public speaking first emerged when he won a state-level competition around the age of 16 and since then, he has used this talent in various aspects of his life and career. Most recently, he completed a six-month internship at OMV , where he focused on circular economy solutions. William has found his calling in what he calls “sustainable profitability”, the practice of combining sustainability, technology and economics. When he isn’t studying or working, he likes to keep fit by lifting and running. Fun fact: William served two years in the Austrian armed forces before attending university and currently holds the rank of sergeant in the reserves.