EuropeanSpaceAgency-ESA astronaut @Matthias Maurer talks on stage with security expert and co-founder of the @Munich Cyber Security Conference @Oliver Rolofs about Europe's role in the geopolitical space race, the importance of "New Space" and space startups for our technological and geopolitical future and, of course, what it's like to orbit the Earth for 176 days at an altitude of around 400 kilometers at a speed of around 28,000 kilometers per hour on board the International Space Station ISS.
And we want to know from him specifically: When is Europe going to the moon?

European regulation is often seen as an obstacle to innovation and entrepreneurial success. However, the opposite can be the case. With a consistent privacy-by-design strategy, Friendly Captcha has

Friendly Captcha has developed into one of Europe's leading cyber security companies.

Benedict Padberg's personal initiative and Friendly Captcha's founding and success story show that Europe is capable of finding answers to the challenges of the digital and AI age.

Let's be honest: most workshops on AI regulation are not the most exciting way to spend your time. They start with legal texts, bury you in dense slides, and leave you with little to no lasting understanding of why AI regulation even exists-let alone how to work with it. A week later, most of it is forgotten.

That's why we've taken a different approach. Why not start with the intuition and gain an understanding in the first place why we are not trying to regulate the technology but how it is used.

Let's be honest: most workshops on AI regulation are not the most exciting way to spend your time. They start with legal texts, bury you in dense slides, and leave you with little to no lasting understanding of why AI regulation even exists-let alone how to work with it. A week later, most of it is forgotten.

That's why we've taken a different approach. Why not start with the intuition and gain an understanding in the first place why we are not trying to regulate the technology but how it is used.

Free energy from wind and sun for everyone? This is already possible - without sacrifice, without blackouts, which is crucial for an all-electric society that gets palpitations when the smartphone only shows 1% battery. However, this requires a paradigm shift, as our electricity consumption will in future follow the volatile generation by Mother Nature. AI is the game changer here - it connects our homes directly to the electricity market, networks us with our neighborhood to form a collective swarm storage system and will always opt for the cheapest & cleanest electricity for all of us - even at night, even in winter - for a life full of energy to the rhythm of wind and sun!

This presentation illustrates how Bavaria can shape a sustainable and climate-friendly future. The projects Bayernplan Energie 2040 and the energy system analysis Bayern klimaneutral show what it will take to become climate-neutral by 2040. The challenges in all sectors are highlighted and solutions are outlined using a scenario-based approach. It becomes clear that the expansion of renewable energies and the electrification of the end energy sectors can significantly reduce dependence on energy imports and that the energy sources of the future are electricity, hydrogen, bioenergy, green district heating and synthetic energy yields. Nevertheless, Bavaria cannot be completely self-sufficient and is dependent on strong infrastructural connections - for electricity, hydrogen and CO2 - to its neighboring states.

The drive towards net-zero emissions as per the Paris 2015 agreement has resulted in significant efforts to develop known and new sustainable energy resources. In order to change the current energy system, alternative resources need to replace wood, coal, oil and gas. One of the recent new findings in the geo-energy sector is natural hydrogen which can be found in many places around the globe as seeps. It has made spectacular news in many media over the past two years, like from the Albanian chromite mine of Bulqizë or recently in Northern Bavaria.

Reasons for the lack of interest in hydrogen exploration so far were multi-fold, like nobody considered natural hydrogen as a viable option, hydrogen cannot be detected easily, gas chromatographs used H2 as carrier gas, other energy resources were available in large quantities and at low cost and more. However, many indications point towards a major clean energy resource of the future considering that in the last few years some 300 seeps have been reported. One of the most famous ones is the eternal fires of Chimaera in Turkey, know to burn since more than 2500 years. In the meantime, the first hydrogen exploration companies have formed and even a first long-term production test is ongoing.

Natural (white) hydrogen was until now not considered in the energy transition. If further developments turn out to be successful, this may result in another unexpected game changer in the energy sector similar to coal replacing peat in 1880. However, the question remains, what such a potential new energy opportunity could look like as part of the future energy mix. This talk will highlight the current status and potential ways forward on this new energy resource.

Europe is at a turning point: global industry is changing radically - and with it the question of how and where production will take place in the future. Digital sovereignty, sustainable energy and resilient production networks are no longer visions, but key levers in global competition. AI is the key to overcoming these challenges. This requires new alliances: international technology leaders, courageous start-ups and excellent research - united in concrete solutions. The Augsburg AI Production Network is already showing how it works: with industrial AI "made in Europe" - from the region, for future-proof production in Bavaria, Europe and the world.

Software development is rapidly shifting from traditional coding towards training and prompting generative AI systems. In the near future, developers will articulate their requirements in natural language and LLM-based software generation will more and more replace the tedious task of coding. This trend will also impact industrial software development, for example, for managing, monitoring, and optimizing industrial processes. However, deploying AI-generated software in critical infrastructures requires a re-evaluation of cybersecurity practices. This talk will highlight the necessary changes in agile industrial software development using generative AI.

Nexustec offers self-developed AI-based process software with vision detection that ensures 100% error-free manual and automated production processes. Application examples include assembly, tool-related activities, packaging, logistics, inline inspections, etc.

Schaeffler has used Nexustec's system solution in the automated assembly and manual packaging of power electronics to safeguard 1.5 million parts to date, achieving a 0 ppm error rate at an automotive OEM.

In addition to process/quality assurance, Nexustec's software provides customers with a powerful tool for digitalizing their production environment, an integration hub for incorporating any devices, machines, controllers and other software, including MES and ERP, and the opportunity to significantly boost their own competitiveness through technological solutions.

The presentation clearly shows how generative AI is changing the software development process in the long term and what contribution it can make to increasing efficiency in complex projects. Using the company's own development environment DARE, it will be explained in a practical way how AI is already being used today for test case creation, code generation and architecture verification. It will become clear that the close collaboration between man and machine is not only changing the development process, but also the role of the software developer - towards an orchestrating, monitoring and interpreting expert. At the same time, security-related risks will be addressed and strategies presented on how organizations can meet these challenges through monitoring, training and targeted measures. The presentation concludes with an outlook on future developments and shows how organizational structures and competencies will transform in the course of AI integration.

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) accelerates the programming of machines and makes human-machine collaboration more interesting in the production of smaller quantities. However, safety remains of crucial importance.

Safety analysis is difficult for all potential interactions, often impossible without making assumptions. Therefore, a specific safety analysis must be performed for each new application to verify compliance with the boundary conditions. If the application changes, a reassessment or a new analysis is required.

Compiling the information and carrying out and documenting safety analyses is time-consuming. We are researching how GenAI can be used to support these processes. Initial tests suggest that GenAI accelerates the performance of safety analyses and increases coverage.

Engineers have always had a decisive influence on technological progress - from the industrial revolution to the digital transformation. Artificial intelligence is a powerful new tool available to them today, but its use in technical systems is often still in its infancy and fails due to fundamental hurdles. This presentation aims to motivate people to better combine engineering expertise and AI potential. Let's discuss what it takes to use AI effectively and sustainably in engineering - especially with a view to new technologies and cleantech.

As part of the Augsburg AI Production Network (KIPNW), Augsburg University of Applied Sciences and the Institut für Textiltechnik Augsburg gGmbH operate the model factory "AI Production Platform for Continuous Processes" (KIPP).

At the heart of the model factory is an industrial production plant for the continuous production of nonwovens, which is already equipped with numerous in-line measuring systems and data acquisition systems. The platform is available to a wide range of users for joint industrial research, further education through training and for teaching at Augsburg University of Applied Sciences. Through research and development on a large-scale industrial plant, solutions can be quickly transferred into practice, as numerous past projects have already shown.

With the hyper-connectivity of the (industrial) Internet of Things (IoT), industrial applications can benefit significantly from the integration of connected processes driven by AI innovations. However, this unprecedented growth also brings significant challenges, including fragmented data silos, limited interoperability and lack of user control over sensitive information. Self-sovereign identities (SSIs) offer a robust solution to these problems by allowing individuals and organizations to control exactly when, how and with whom their information is shared.

By leveraging decentralized technologies - which are central to initiatives such as GAIA-X and Factory-X - SSI supports trusted data sharing, collaboration and greater autonomy. In this way, organizations not only expand their capabilities, but also create a solid foundation for new regulations such as the Cyber Resilience Act and the EU Data Protection Act.

This session will demonstrate how owner-centric identity technologies and standards are breaking down data silos, ensuring compliance, improving interoperability and creating secure IoT ecosystems. Learn more about the regulatory requirements SSI meets, how they fit into organizations' compliance strategies and how they help ensure future-proof and efficient solutions.

The TechnikRadar by acatech - National Academy of Science and Engineering is a Germany-wide representative survey that has been investigating the attitudes, wishes and needs of the population with regard to technology and new technologies and their implications since 2017. How open are Germans to technology in general, how do they view the digital transformation and artificial intelligence (AI) in 2025?

Software determines how we work, communicate and think. But as innovation grows, so does responsibility: how do we develop technology that is not only efficient but also ethical?
The DARE method shows how ethics can be systematically integrated into the agile development process - not as an obstacle, but as a driver of sustainable innovation. Practical examples are used to illustrate the undesirable developments caused by a lack of reflection - and how conscious decisions can make software fairer and more transparent.
This presentation is aimed at all those who bear responsibility in software development. It shows why ethics is the key to sustainable technology - and how it can be used specifically as a competitive advantage.

Relying on a choice that has already been made by others spares a lot of cognitive load for users. Taking a decision to choose a different option and taking action upon it is not as trivial as it seems. This is one of the reasons most users won't change a default option when they see one, unless they have a bigger motivation to do so. Think of a shopping cart and delivery options: in most websites the default is to let it deliver to your home door - but what if the default was to bring it to a pick-up station? The impact of this "tiny" change could be huge and sensitively help reducing CO2 emissions.
From small to bigger use cases, this talk is about finding points of leverage to implement sustainable best practices in the concept phase of UX design, in order to make it easier for users to make a (more) sustainable choice.

How do we successfully transfer groundbreaking technologies from research to application? The Bundeswehr Centre for Digitalization and Technology Research (dtec.bw) provides a pioneering answer to this question. With 68 research projects in 11 central subject areas, dtec.bw is setting new standards in research into key digital technologies and actively promoting the transfer of innovations to business, administration and society.

Since its foundation in 2020, dtec.bw has pursued a clear goal: research results must find their way out of the laboratories and into application! At the heart of this process are targeted strategies for knowledge and technology transfer that accelerate the implementation of disruptive technologies.

Close cooperation with partners from science, industry, start-ups and public administration has created a unique innovation ecosystem. This is where prototypes, demonstrators, patent applications and start-ups are created that provide new technological impetus. Embedded in the universities of the Bundeswehr, dtec.bw is developing into a hub for digital and technological excellence.

This presentation provides exciting insights into the mechanisms of technology transfer at dtec.bw, shows best practices and innovation successes for the economy and the Bundeswehr.

In light of geopolitical tensions, growing regulations and dependence on US and Chinese tech giants, Europe's digital sovereignty is increasingly coming into focus. The presentation will show which European cloud and AI solutions - especially in the area of large language models (LLMs) - already represent viable alternatives today. Participants will gain concrete insights into how they can strengthen their digital independence by using these technologies.

The European Union's AI Act has officially entered into force as of August 1, 2024, representing a transformative shift in AI governance and setting out detailed obligations for providers and deployers of AI systems and solutions. As these stakeholders navigate towards full compliance, deriving actionable and meaningful policies is essential . Jonas Schneider from e:fs TechHub will dive into the key provisions of the Act, focusing on the technical obligations that stakeholders must fulfill to ensure compliance. Attendees will explore how key properties such as fairness and robustness can be measured, implemented, and monitored in practice, ensuring compliance while maintaining innovation and fostering public trust.

This talk provides an overview of the key security risks in LLM-based systems and applications. It covers threats like Prompt Injection, Data Poisoning, Model Leakage, and other vulnerabilities, explaining their impact and showing examples. Practical strategies for securing LLM implementations are also discussed.

The hype surrounding the metaverse promised nothing less than a revolution in our digital interactions and brand strategies. But today, many of the once celebrated metaverse platforms are virtual ghost towns with hardly any active users. Was the hype exaggerated or do the real opportunities lie elsewhere? Using current studies and practical examples, the presentation will shed light on what successful virtual brand worlds can look like and what actually inspires young target groups.

In his presentation, Kevin Schuller will demonstrate,

- How natural language processing and AI algorithms enable interactive communication with company data

- How AI automatically generates evaluations for which management consultants charge daily rates

- What measures are necessary to ensure high quality results and limit the probabilistic behavior of AI

- How these innovations simplify processes and give companies a competitive edge

The presentation provides a simple yet in-depth insight into this innovative technology. Both AI geeks and people without technical knowledge will be equally taken away.

Defects such as cracks, scratches or flaws lead to component failure, customer complaints, increased rejects in production and loss of reputation.
With Vision AI, you can detect such defects inline - without writing a single line of code. In this hands-on workshop, you will learn how to use Neuralyze®, the low-code platform for industrial image processing, to independently train and evaluate AI models and roll them out on your system.

What you can expect:
Basics that work: From data to annotation to the model lifecycle, you will receive a sound introduction to the most important AI concepts - understandable for beginners, in-depth for advanced users.

Hands-on: With data sets that simulate real production processes, you can develop a powerful AI model in just a few clicks.

MLOps: Consistent data, model and version management as well as a user-centered interface simplify complex processes.

Level-up for professionals: If you already have previous knowledge of AI, you can start directly with advanced tasks such as transfer learning, hyperparameter tuning or tiling.

Your added value:
At the end of the workshop, you will have created a prototype vision AI model and internalized the underlying MLOps steps - the methodological basis for improving your first-pass yield rate in future projects. You will understand what is important when building robust models and take away a clear roadmap for integration into your individual production environment.

Target group:
For quality and production engineers, application engineers, automation and test specialists, departmental data scientists and decision makers looking to scale AI initiatives.

Prior knowledge:
No programming experience required. Basic understanding of industrial processes is an advantage, but not essential. Advanced participants benefit from optional deep-dive tracks.

Turn your camera into a vision AI system - we'll show you how.

Many baby boomers will be retiring in the coming years, which poses major challenges for the manufacturing industry in particular. Valuable product and process knowledge is often lost because it is not or only partially documented. Traditional knowledge management methods are not sufficient to effectively pass this knowledge on to other employees. This workshop sheds light on how generative AI can be used to radically improve knowledge transfer in companies. By using suitable tools, living knowledge bases can be created that are superior to outdated documentation and are actually used. Specific practical examples are used to show how companies can effectively organize knowledge acquisition, processing and transfer in this way.

Many baby boomers will be retiring in the coming years, which poses major challenges for the manufacturing industry in particular. Valuable product and process knowledge is often lost because it is not or only partially documented. Traditional knowledge management methods are not sufficient to effectively pass this knowledge on to other employees. This workshop sheds light on how generative AI can be used to radically improve knowledge transfer in companies. By using suitable tools, living knowledge bases can be created that are superior to outdated documentation and are actually used. Specific practical examples are used to show how companies can effectively organize knowledge acquisition, processing and transfer in this way.

In this workshop, we will work out the pragmatic path to legally compliant AI implementation.

Contents:

- Hosting decisions (cloud vs. on-premise)

- Step-by-step data integration

- Evaluation of use cases according to regulatory requirements

- Involvement of DPO and ISB

Practical part:

Using an AI management system, you will develop and test your own use cases directly on site. You will receive specific solutions tailored to your situation.

Bring your own questions with you. The workshop is geared towards practical work.

In a workshop, we will be exploring why trust is key for any tech company. Participants will learn all about tools that it takes to build trust in their brand and will get to try some of these themselves.

TRANSFERleben: The Quiz focuses on the exchange between science and business and thus the idea of transfer - interactive, playful and stimulating. Discuss with other participants, challenge yourself and enjoy the evening with colleagues and new contacts in a pleasant atmosphere.
As part of the evening event, you will answer lots of tricky tasks on current fields of technology and innovation. You will put your specialist knowledge to the test in several rounds of quizzes. You will also broaden your perspective and your network.

Register here: TRANSFERleben: The quiz - Because knowledge connects..: Bayern Innovativ