Tech Conference at Deutsche Bank Park

Block im Park 2025

Managing Director DACH • Cognizant Technology Solutions GmbH

Andreas Golze is the Managing Director for the DACH region, leading our business in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. With over three decades in the IT Service industry, he brings extensive knowledge in Business Management, Service Delivery, and Consulting. Since joining Cognizant in 2010, Andreas has served as Global Practice Head Quality Engineering & Assurance (QEA) and SPE SLS lead for EMEA. He previously worked at Hewlett Packard as Head of Business Development EMEA and CTO for Global Testing. Andreas holds a computer science degree from the University of the Federal Armed Forces in Munich and is known for his practical, cooperative leadership style focused on excellence.

Founder • Lantyn

Georgia Lewis Anderson is Founder of Dream Captcha and an award-winning AI strategist and prompt engineering specialist, having worked with Meta, Microsoft, and Google. She helped shape Cortana’s British personality, launched Google Assistant in the UK, and contributed to Meta’s Llama 3. As a presenter for Apple Music, Channel 4, Virgin, and the BBC, she makes complex AI topics accessible. A sought-after speaker, she shares insights on AI and human behavior at major events and runs consultancy workshops. Through her content and podcast Open Sauce, she explores the impact of AI on creativity and society.

Vice President Financial Services Industry • Aleph Alpha

Peter Heidkamp is an accomplished technology leader with more than 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. He currently serves as Vice President for the Financial Services Industry at Aleph Alpha, where he drives the development of sovereign Generative AI solutions. Prior to that, he was Chief ICT Risk Officer and CISO at Deutsche Börse Group, leading strategic initiatives in IT governance, risk management, and cloud transformation. Before Deutsche Börse, he was Partner and Head of the Technology Center of Excellence at KPMG Germany.

Group Treasurer • KfW

Tim Armbruster joined KfW in March 2020. He serves as Group Treasurer, Head of the Financial Markets Department, and a member of the Supervisory Board of the Currency Exchange Fund N.V. He began his career in 1996 and has held various positions in market and treasury departments in Germany, Ireland, the USA, and Luxembourg. Before joining KfW, he was Treasurer at FMS-WM and Aareal Bank AG. Mr. Armbruster is married and has a son.

Publisher • F.A.Z.

Carsten Knop is Publisher at Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (F.A.Z.). Born in Dortmund in 1969, he began his traineeship at F.A.Z. in 1993 and took on his first editorial position in 1995 at the Börsen-Zeitung in Düsseldorf. In 1996, he returned to the F.A.Z. office there, becoming a business correspondent in New York in 1999 and moving to San Francisco in 2001. In 2003, he returned to Frankfurt, where he led corporate reporting from 2007 and later also oversaw economic reporting. In 2018, he became editor-in-chief for digital products and has been a publisher since April 2020.

CEO • Indeed Deutschland GmbH

Under the leadership of Frank Hensgens, Indeed has become an indispensable player in German recruiting. Frank has been dealing with the transformation of the labour market for more than 25 years. He is certain that the use of AI will significantly change the world of work and harbours great opportunities for the numerous challenges facing our economy. Artificial intelligence is also playing an increasingly important role in recruitment. Indeed is already using AI in many areas to help employers find suitable staff more efficiently.

Spokesman of the Executive Board • Eintracht Frankfurt Fußball AG

Axel Hellmann has been a board member of Eintracht Frankfurt Fußball AG since 2012 and has served as Spokesman of the Executive Board since April 2021. He has held various positions at Eintracht Frankfurt since 2001, including serving as a board member of Eintracht Frankfurt e.V. from 2001 to 2012 and as its managing director from 2005 to 2012. Hellmann completed his legal education between 1991 and 2000 in Würzburg, Bristol, and Berlin and has been a legal assessor and attorney in Frankfurt am Main since 2001. Since 2020, he has been Of Counsel at the international law firm White & Case LLP and, since May 2022, a supervisory board member of DFV Deutsche Familienversicherung AG.

Head of finance • F.A.Z.

Inken Schönauer is the Head of the finance section at Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (F.A.Z.). She was born in Braunschweig, studied in Münster, and has worked in Frankfurt, London, and Düsseldorf.

Chairman of the Management Board • VR Payment

Carlos Gómez-Sáez is Chairman of the Management Board at VR Payment has been working in transaction banking for more than 20 years, specialising in payments. The business administration graduate has worked at Dresdner Bank, Deutsche Bank, GZS Gesellschaft für Zahlungssysteme, First Data International and Deutsche Telekom. Over the past nine years, he led the strategic repositioning of VR Payment GmbH as the central payment service provider for the cooperative financial network and drove the company's transformation from a downstream transaction processor to a strong business partner for the Volksbanken Raiffeisenbanken and the retail sector.

CEO • right. based on science GmbH

Hannah Helmke is CEO of right. based on science GmbH, a provider of climate metrics and software. Her focus on economic activity in a world affected by climate change was the result of combining both her academic disciplines: Psychology and International Business. Under her leadership, right. based on science received the prestigious Next Economy Award 2020. She herself was awarded the Digital Female Leader Award 2020 in the category 'Sustainability' as well as the 'Female Founders Award' of AmCham Germany in 2021.

Alexander von Humboldt-Professor for Artificial Intelligence • RWTH Aachen

Holger H. Hoos holds an Alexander von Humboldt professorship in AI at RWTH Aachen University (Germany), where he also leads the AI Center, as well as a professorship in machine learning at Universiteit Leiden (the Netherlands) and an adjunct professorship in computer science at the University of British Columbia (Canada). He is a Fellow of the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM) and the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) and serves as president of the European AI Association (EurAI); he is also past president of the Canadian Association for Artificial Intelligence and one of initiators of CAIRNE (formerly CLAIRE), an initiative by the European AI community that seeks to strengthen European excellence in AI research and innovation.

Customer Engineering Manager • Google

Michael Dietz is a Customer Engineering Manager at Google, leading a team that empowers startups and scaleups to grow. As a lifelong tech enthusiast, he is deeply engaged in leveraging Artificial Intelligence to solve customer challenges. Michael is also a passionate advocate for sustainability in technology, driving green software practices with the goal of making software even greener than his garden.

CEO • Bullish Europe

Over 20 years in financial services, including 8 years in crypto (Exchange & Custody).

Managing Director • RoboMarkets Deutschland

Vanyo Walter, Managing Director of RoboMarkets Deutschland GmbH since June 2023. From 2004 to 2019, he headed the German branch of Pictet Asset Management. After more than 15 years, Walter left the company and became a partner and advisory board member of the fintech startup FELS Group in Kelkheim. Following a banking apprenticeship and his officer training with the German Air Force, the enthusiastic pilot and graduate business administrator began his professional career as a portfolio manager at Deutsche Bank Luxembourg. He then held management positions at Deutsche Asset Management and Pioneer Investments before moving to Pictet.nd

Trendscout for the future of work • vitra.

Raphael Gielgen is Trendscout for the future of work at Vitra and a true globetrotter. Driven by an insatiable curiosity and the question of how knowledge work will evolve in five or ten years, he travels the world. Each year, he visits more than 100 companies, startups, universities, and research institutions across the USA, Europe, and Asia. He generously shares his insights at conferences, festivals, and events in over 20 countries, always offering inspiration. Knowledge work is undergoing its greatest transformation yet, and companies face the challenge of shaping the future while managing the present. Where will we work tomorrow? With whom, how, and on what topics? These are the questions Raphael Gielgen explores every day. His colleagues sometimes see him as a bit eccentric—driven by boundless curiosity, relentless in his search for answers, and unafraid to challenge conventional thinking. When he returns from his travels, he brings back stories that may sound like utopian visions—but often sketch the reality of tomorrow.

Head of Digital Assets Department • dwpbank

Dr Philipp Wagner is Head of the Digital Assets department at Deutsche WertpapierService Bank AG, a leading service provider for securities services. He deals with the topics of digital assets, tokenisation and blockchain and is responsible for the further development and operation of wpNex, dwpbank's platform for digital assets. Previously, Philipp Wagner worked in the areas of innovation, strategy and consulting at Accenture, among others. The doctor of physics started his career as an analyst at HSBC in the Securities Processing division.

Digital Products and Solutions Manager • DWS

As Digital Product and Solutions Manager, Kim Beuttler is responsible for tokenization at DWS. She oversees strategic projects with a particular focus on blockchain and digital assets, evaluates new technologies, and works on the further development of digital business models. Previously, she worked for several years in corporate banking at Deutsche Bank. Kim completed her Master's in Management at Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, where she focused on blockchain and tokenization.

Head of Business & Technology Online Section • F.A.Z.

Born on March 8, 1982 in Frankfurt-Höchst, grew up in Hattersheim in the Main-Taunus district. After graduating from high school and completing his civilian service, he studied economics in Mainz, specializing in international economic relations and financial markets. During this time, he spent two years as a student trainee in the equity strategy team of a private bank. In April 2008, he began a traineeship at the F.A.Z.. Since April 1, 2010, he has been business editor of the F.A.Z., first in the financial market, then in the online business editorial department, which he now heads. Interested in technology, financial markets and globalization. Responsible for Digitec.

Local Partner • White & Case LLP

Daniel Sander is Local Partner at White & Case LLP and advises national and international clients in the field of capital markets law. He is particularly focussed  on issuance programs for bonds, certificates, structured products and digital assets.

Vice President and Head of Data and AI • Capgemini Invent

Philipp is Vice President and Head of Data and AI at Capgemini Invent. As a trusted advisor, he empowers organizations to strategically leverage AI and data to accelerate innovation and ensure sustainable success. With over 18 years of experience in global companies across retail, automotive, e-commerce, and finance, he combines expertise in technology, strategy, and leadership to create economic value with societal impact. His approach: using data and AI not just as tools, but as catalysts for the sustainable transformation of business models, organizations, and ways of working.

Deputy Chairwoman • Digital Euro Association e.V.

Anne-Sophie Gógl is Deputy Chairwoman of the Board of the Digital Euro Association e.V (DEA). At the DEA, she is responsible for political communication on the topic of digital money in Europe. This primarily includes regulated digital forms of money such as the ECB's digital euro (wholesale and retail), MiCA-regulated stablecoins and fiat money tokens. Since the beginning of the discussions about new forms of money, she has been following the developments both politically and technologically. She works full-time as a manager in the Financial Services division at KPMG Germany, where she is also responsible for the topic of “digital money”.

General Partner • World Fund

Tim Schumacher is General Partner at World Fund an a German Investor and Entrepreneur, with a focus on Impact and Climate Investments. For over ten years, he was the CEO of publicly traded Sedo.com, which he co-founded. Since 2012, he has founded and/or invested in multiple start-ups like  Eyeo (makers of Adblock Plus), SaaS.group, Zolar, CarbonCloud, Sirplus, Pachama and Ecosia. Ecosia is especially notable. Ten years after its foundation, it's now the largest independent European search engine. It uses all its profits to plant trees, and it has until 2020 planted over 100 million trees. Under the roof of Ecosia, Tim Schumacher also co-founded the 300m€ VC World Fund with a focus on Climate Investments.

Co-Lead AI Startup Rising • hessian.AI

Carlina Bennison is the Co-Lead of AI Startup Rising at hessian.AI, the central support platform for AI startups from the state of Hesse and across Germany. Powered by hessian.AI's innovation ecosystem, Carlina and her team support cutting edge, research-oriented AI startups to drive their ideas to scale. Prior to her current role, she was programme manager for StartUpSecure at ATHENE, a startup incubator with a focus on cybersecurity. In this position, she played a crucial role in supporting and mentoring emerging cybersecurity companies.

Managing Director • TechQuartier

Alice Rettig is the Managing Director of TechQuartier, one of Germany’s largest digital hubs and a key ecosystem builder in the Rhein-Main region. With a passion for driving transformation, Alice leads efforts to accelerate technological innovation and foster collaboration between 20 corporate partners and over 600 startups. Her background includes six years in academia, where she focused on corporate innovation and startup acceleration, along with program management for a Berlin-based accelerator.

Host • Moderation

Hannah is a born host! Her authentic and charming moderation style is unique and refreshing. Since 2014, her focus has been on events with the topics of tech, digital, innovation and start-ups. As a coach, she offers practical stage and communication training for speakers and presenters.

Founder and CEO • NewMark Finanzkommunikation GmbH

Hubertus Väth is the Founder and CEO of NewMark Finanzkommunikation GmbH, established in 1997 and specialized in business consulting and financial communication. Before founding NewMark Hubertus Väth worked for 12 years at Deutsche Bank, where he held the positions of Analyst, Head of Communications and Chief Economist for Asia and Global Head of Marketing for Wealth Management. In 2008, he was appointed Managing Director of Frankfurt Main Finance, the Financial Centre initiative for Frankfurt. Väth regularly speaks at international conferences on FinTechs and Financial Centre Development.

Professor for Digital Finance • European School of Management and Technology

Joachim Würmeling's special focus in his professorship is on advanced applications of digital currencies on blockchains. Previously, he was a member of the Executive Board of the Deutsche Bundesbank, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs, and a Member of the European Parliament. He has held various positions in both the public and private sectors. Joachim is a lawyer and Of Counsel at the law firm Allen & Overy in Frankfurt.

Public Speaker, Moderator, and Senior Innovation Editor • Wired

Jeremy White works at the influential technology and trends magazine that reports on the innovations and companies of the future.

Finance Expert in Impact Investing and Founding Partner • Leanox Impact Capital

Paulina Jänsch is a finance expert in impact investing and a founding partner of the Impact Innovation and Gender Parity VC fund and Leanox. Previously, she worked as a project manager, leading international teams in executing successful projects. Her background in project financing at a family office marked the beginning of her investor journey and the development of her extensive LP network. Paulina is a mentor at various startup organizations, NGOs, and universities. She is a strong advocate for women and gender equality and is known for her inclusive and empathetic leadership style. She has been recognized among the top 100 most influential women in the VC and startup scene in Europe and the top 10 investors in Germany. With Leanox, Paulina is on a mission to drive innovation and gender parity forward.

Head of Digital Product Strategy • DWS

Alexander Bechtel lectures on blockchain and financial technology at the University of St. Gallen and the University of Neuchâtel. He publishes a monthly column for the FAZ and co-hosts the podcast “Bitcoin, Fiat & Rock 'n' Roll.” Previously, he was Head of Digital Assets & Currencies Strategy at Deutsche Bank and an external consultant for the ECB. Alexander holds a PhD in finance from the University of St. Gallen, including a research stay at Stanford University.

Entrepreneur and Business Consultant • Self-Employed

Jürgen Alker is an entrepreneur, digital strategist, and Web3 thought leader. His interest in the world of cryptocurrencies began in 2013 and expanded to NFTs in 2018, despite his initial skepticism. Before fully immersing himself in the digital world, he gained experience in business at Eastpak, Jung von Matt, and Dickies. In 2010, he founded the mobile agency "Swipe," which was acquired by SinnerSchrader in 2015. As a member of the management team, he guided the company through a successful merger with Accenture in 2017 and remained on board until early 2021. As a consultant, he has worked with Highsnobiety and other major brands, demonstrating his deep understanding of and interest in innovative business models enabled by these new opportunities.

Head of Digitalization • dwpbank

Since 2021, Sascha Dölker has been leading the digitalization efforts at Deutsche WertpapierService Bank AG (dwpbank). Previously, he worked as a Senior Manager for Strategy and Management Consulting at KPMG and as a Senior Project Manager at the consulting firm Consileon, focusing on strategic transformation. He began his professional career in 2007 as a Client Relationship Manager in corporate banking at Commerzbank (formerly Dresdner Bank).

AI Innovation and Transformation Manager • Deutsche Telekom GmbH

Before joining Deutsche Telekom, Arno Selhorst worked for companies such as Publicis Sapient, Ogilvy & Mather Advertising, and Scholz & Friends. In addition to his focus on (generative) AI, he has deep expertise and experience in the development of the Metaverse, XR, and immersive experiences. His unique combination of technical expertise, creative passion, and holistic thinking enables him to bridge the gap between the physical and digital worlds. Today, as an AI evangelist at Deutsche Telekom, he actively inspires and trains his colleagues to fully embrace a (generative) AI mindset, practices, and toolsets.

Founder and Investor • Verum Capital

Matthias Weissl is a Switzerland-based founder and investor in the Web3 space. He has initiated and supported multiple ventures in DeFi, infrastructure, decentralized protocols, and the intersection of AI and blockchain. He founded one of Europe's largest venture studios, where he and his team have advised, invested in, and developed blockchain solutions for over 120 companies, governments, and startups. Matthias designed the blockchain curriculum at the University of St. Gallen, lectures at Bocconi University, and has been a member of several working groups for the WEF and the UN. His passion for sports remains strong— as a former professional basketball player, he combines team spirit and a competitive mindset with strategic acumen to drive innovation forward.

CEO • The Nifty Company

Joel Comm is an internet pioneer who has been building successful technology companies since 1995. A New York Times bestselling author with 15 books, Joel is a sought-after speaker and strategist. As a co-host of two popular cryptocurrency and blockchain podcasts, Joel’s shows have been downloaded over 10 million times in more than 180 countries. He has personally minted over 1.5 million NFTs of original intellectual property and advises Web3 companies specializing in NFTs, Play-to-Earn, Metaverse, and Social Tokens. Joel has worked with major brands like Microsoft, IBM, Twitter, Alibaba, and many others.

Artist and Professor • Städelschule Frankfurt a. M.

Tobias Rehberger was born in 1966 in Esslingen and now lives and works in Frankfurt and Berlin. A recipient of the Golden Lion at the Venice Biennale and Professor of Sculpture at the Städelschule in Frankfurt, he is one of the internationally renowned contemporary artists. His works merge architecture, installation, sculpture, design, lighting design, and sociology. He is known for reinterpreting modern art and design classics into atmospheric installations, furniture pieces, landscape interventions, and garments. Tobias Rehberger creates a variety of objects, sculptures, and environments, using everyday items borrowed from mass culture to translate, alter, and expand familiar situations and objects.

Advisor • Web3

David An is a Web3 advisor and was previously a partner at Greenfield Capital, where he managed investments in NFTs, GameFI, and the Metaverse. Before his work at Greenfield, he served as the global BD Director at Binance, where he was responsible for NFT partnerships. David began his career at T-Venture, the corporate venture capital initiative of Deutsche Telekom. He spent 15 years as an entrepreneur in game publishing, working at Aeria Games (ProSiebenSat1). David An holds a PhD in Organizational Behavior from EBS in Oestrich-Winkel, an MBA from the University of St. Gallen, and an M.Sc. in Information Management from the University of Koblenz.

Managing Director, Head of Digital Assets and Currencies Transformation • Corporate and Investment Bank

Sabih Behzad is responsible for the strategy and implementation of use cases in the areas of asset tokenization, DeFi, and the Metaverse. He represents the bank in various industry committees and forums. He is a member of the board of directors of Taurus AG, a leading Swiss company for digital assets. Sabih has been with Deutsche Bank for 14 years, holding a variety of roles, including leading strategy and large transformation programs.

Co-Founder and Managing Partner • Taurus SA

Sébastien Dessimoz has previously held several C-level executive and board positions for leading asset management firms, with strong expertise in product development, trading, IT, business development, and transformation. He worked for 5 years at Syz Asset Management as Chief Operating Officer, a member of the executive committee, and a board member of several regulated companies. Before that, Sébastien Dessimoz was with Brevan Howard, the largest European hedge fund, for 3 years as Managing Director and Head of the Swiss branch. He also worked at Lombard Odier, notably as Head of Hedge Fund Business Development and Investment Manager. Sébastien Dessimoz spent 5 years as a Senior Management Consultant at McKinsey & Company before beginning his career as an engineer in Silicon Valley for 3Com Corporation. He holds an MSc in Communication Systems Engineering from EPFL, an MBA from INSEAD, and is a CFA charterholder.

Head of Blockchain Division • Bitkom e.V.

Benedikt Faupel is responsible for the blockchain division at Bitkom. In this role, he acts as a spokesperson for the diverse blockchain industry and a mediator to politics. He promotes networking and collaboration within the industry and advocates for the creation of national and international frameworks for blockchain technology. Previously, he worked in political consulting and at a startup, and he studied politics and government cooperation in England, the Netherlands, and Australia.

Partner • White & Case LLP

Cristina Freudenberger is a partner in the capital markets practice at White & Case LLP, advising companies on the issuance of debt instruments. She places a particular focus on supporting fintechs in the structuring and issuance of innovative financial products, especially in the form of tokenized capital market instruments. Cristina studied and earned her doctorate at the University of Freiburg.

Senior Project Manager Metaverse • Hugo Boss

Rafael García Roldán is responsible for identifying the potential of the Metaverse & Web3 across the company, defining strategies, and leading projects from idea to implementation in his role as Senior Project Manager Metaverse at HUGO BOSS AG.

Managing Partner • 21 Oaks Capital

Michael Geike studied Mathematics at Imperial College London. After working as a derivatives trader at JP Morgan for several years, he led teams of data scientists at Zalando, optimizing AI and algorithm-based payment systems. He has been active in the field of distributed ledger technologies for over ten years. Among other achievements, he founded the first publicly listed company in Europe focused solely on cryptocurrencies in 2013, served as Board Member & CEO of Advanced Blockchain AG for five years, and most recently founded 21 Oaks Capital.

Managing Director • Blockchain Founders Group

Sarah Gottwald worked for nine years at BMW in the finance sector and strategy department, with a focus on fully autonomous driving. During this time, she negotiated various partnerships with startups and companies. In 2022, she transitioned to Vanagon Ventures, a Munich-based venture capital firm focusing on Web3/Blockchain startups. In January 2023, she became the Managing Director of Blockchain Founders Group, a startup builder within the Web3 and Blockchain ecosystem. Additionally, she is part of the Frankfurt School of Blockchain Center Talents Program, hosts her own podcast, and serves on the board of ITSA (International Token Standardization Association).

Group CEO and Founder • Angel Capital Partners

As a computer scientist specializing in cryptography and distributed systems, Frank Hartmann began working intensively on early Bitcoin applications in 2011. As an entrepreneur and business angel, he has since supported numerous companies and founders in various roles, particularly as CTO and technical advisor, helping them realize their visions. Notable examples include Blockchain Applications AG and Greenkeeper GmbH, which focuses primarily on ESG-compliant topics.

VP Business Development • Kolex

Chris Hana is a media and business development expert in the digital entertainment industry. He is part of the leadership team at Kolex. Chris gained recognition in the esports industry through founding the esports business media company "The Esports Observer" (acquired), being a member of the leadership team at Sports Business Journal, co-founding the marketing agency Level99, and serving as Director of the esports team Fnatic.Chris holds an MBA from WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management. Prior to his esports career, he worked as a global IT program manager at Vodafone, one of the world’s largest telecommunications providers.

Head of Algorithms and Complexity • Goethe University Frankfurt

Martin Hoefer leads the Algorithms and Complexity research group. After completing his PhD in 2007 at the University of Konstanz, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher at Stanford University, a junior professor at RWTH Aachen, and a senior researcher at the MPI for Computer Science. Since 2017, he has been a professor at the Institute of Computer Science in Frankfurt. His research focuses on the design and analysis of algorithms and distributed protocols, with an emphasis on the intersection of algorithms and microeconomic theory.

Founder and CEO • ECODYNAMICS

Hamidreza Hosseini has over 24 years of experience in consulting, working for a globally active IT/telecommunications DAX company, and as a startup founder. After training at MIT and Y Combinator, he founded Ecodynamics, focusing on platform economics, ecosystems, and data-driven business models. Since 2013, he has advised companies on platform economics, data-driven, and digital business models. Since 2020, he has been an early user of OpenAI/GPT, integrating the models into various projects. In 2022, he became an Advisory Committee Representative at W3C, a keynote speaker, and a lecturer at WHU. He is also a conceptual partner of the Handelsblatt conference “Digital Ecosystems and Business Models” and a co-researcher on the world’s top 100 platforms.

CEO and Owner • Frankstahl, thesteel.com, Steelcoin

Marcel Javor is the newest member of the Frankstahl family. He was born on October 17, 1974, in Vienna and completed his studies at the Vienna University of Economics and Business as well as in the USA. For many years, he has been living between Vienna, Tel Aviv, and New York.

CEO and Co-Founder • Legendary Play

Philipp Karstaedt has been in the gaming industry for thirteen years, primarily on the publishing side. From Aeria Games (now Gamigo) in Berlin and Santa Clara to Fyber, he most recently served as General Manager for Europe at GREE, where he established and led the Berlin office, overseeing publishing and licensing for Europe. Philipp is the CEO and Co-Founder of Legendary Play, a mobile games developer focused on esports.

Crypto Community Growth Manager • holoride

Kathrin Kern has a diverse professional background, beginning in 2013 as a guest service employee at the Berliner Ensemble. In 2014, she worked as an executive assistant and production assistant at Propellerfilm Berlin GmbH and volunteered as Sponsoring Team Lead for the FILMZ Festival of German Cinema. In 2016, she was a content marketing working student at Thinksurance (formerly Gewerbeversicherung24) and a project manager at Port au Prince Pictures GmbH. In 2018, she worked as a finance commercial sales planning student at Twentieth Century Fox. In 2019, she became an online marketing manager at Expedia Group. In 2020, Kathrin co-founded and became CEO of Purefy GmbH, followed by co-founding NO MORE gGmbH in 2021. In 2022, she took on her current role as Crypto Community Growth Manager at holoride.

Founder • ElbBlox

Stephan Koch is the founder of ElbBlox, a Hamburg-based blockchain startup specializing in supporting meaningful blockchain applications. After five years in corporate development and coffee marketing at Tchibo GmbH, a stay on a coffee farm in Tanzania inspired him to join the Hanns R. Neumann Stiftung (HRNS), where he supported smallholder coffee farming families. During his three years at HRNS, he implemented digital asset fundraising as a new donation channel as a blockchain enthusiast. Today, with ElbBlox, he focuses on topics such as the tokenization of impact.

Director eCommerce, CRM, Client Experience • RIMOWA

Julien Morel has been a board member of RIMOWA, an LVMH brand, since 2018. He played a key role in transforming the company’s business model from wholesale to direct-to-consumer sales. Today, Julien serves as the Director of eCommerce, CRM, and Client Experience at RIMOWA.

Chief Commercial Officer and Member of the Executive Board • Sport1 GmbH

In his role, Matthias Reichert oversees all activities of SPORT1 Business, the marketing unit of Sport1 GmbH, as well as LEITMOTIF, the consulting unit specializing in marketing and communication. Previously, he played a key role in establishing the direct client sales division at Sport1 Media GmbH (now SPORT1 Business), formerly a subsidiary of Sport1 Medien AG. Prior to that, he held various leadership positions, including Head of TV and Deputy Director of Media Sales, managing the brand’s marketing activities. From 2004 to 2007, he served as Head of Key Accounts and Sales Manager at DSF Deutsches SportFernsehen GmbH (now Sport1 GmbH). Matthias Reichert began his career as a Marketing Manager at the pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim. After earning his degree in sports management from FH Koblenz, he worked in event and marketing for NFL Europe from 2003 to 2004. Before that, he was responsible for developing and marketing the sports section of the regional newspaper BIG from 2001 to 2004 and worked at the office of Bundesliga football club FSV Mainz 05 from 1998 to 2000.

Sales and Advisory • Steubing AG

Tobias Rethmeyer is a crypto specialist and thought leader in the financial sector with extensive experience and a strong network. During his master’s studies, he wrote his thesis under Prof. Philipp Sandner on the tokenization of business processes, laying the foundation for his expertise. At the beginning of his career, he worked as a consultant at Deloitte, focusing on blockchain, and supported various crypto startups in their early stages. Today, he is responsible for the institutionalization of crypto assets at Steubing AG, driving transformation in the financial sector. Tobias is a frequent speaker at conferences and workshops both in Germany and internationally.

Head of Digital Products and Solutions • DWS

Barbara Schlyter is responsible for digital products and solutions at DWS, focusing on digital assets, asset management-as-a-service, and integrating traditional financial systems with blockchain. She also drives digital sales strategies. Barbara started at DWS in 2014 as a working student, gaining experience in various departments in Frankfurt and New York before transitioning to a full-time role in the COO office of the investment division. She holds a Master’s in Management of Information Systems and Digital Innovation from the London School of Economics (LSE) and previously studied business administration and finance at the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management and Harvard College.

Director of Photography • Self-Employed

Dennis Schmelz is not just a content creator—he is a true photo and video artist. His breathtaking locations and unique visual storytelling set him apart. Passionate about nature and wildlife, he travels the world, always ready to capture the perfect shot. He has even journeyed to the "ends of the earth," with his stunning Antarctic photos serving as silent yet highly emotional witnesses of his adventures. One of his career highlights was having his NFTs displayed on a massive scale in New York's Times Square, seen by hundreds of thousands of people. His second photography calendar was released this year—and, unsurprisingly, sold out. Together with Alexander Sachs and Mike Hager, Dennis brought his “Auf Reisen 2023” calendar onto the blockchain. What began as a free mint with over 20,000 calendar motifs turned into a thriving community project with numerous utilities, including physical calendars, free claims, discounted mint prices for future projects, masterclasses, IRL events, and a photo contest for collectors. He even launched a special collection for his top 13 holders. At the event, Dennis will share his insights on community building and how he keeps his audience engaged.

Super Creative Director and Co-Founder • ALT/SHIFT

Patrick Vogel is an artist, architect, Super Creative Director, and founder of ALT/Shift, a boutique studio for visual design. As a creative visionary, he is the lead artist of Porsche's first virtual collectibles. Ranked among the top 3D designers in Germany, Patrick is not only a passionate artist, motion designer, and NFT creator but also the creative mind behind numerous innovative projects. In addition to his work as a designer, Patrick has another big passion: skateboards and craft beer. He owns a craft beer brewery where he produces for family and close friends. Patrick Vogel lives in Hamburg, Germany, with his wife Tanja, who is also a co-founder of ALT/Shift.

Deputy Head of Digitalization Management • dwpbank

Dr. Philipp Wagner is responsible for topics related to Digital Assets, Crypto, and Blockchain. He is also the Product Owner of wpNex, dwpbank's digital asset platform, a role he has led since early 2022. Prior to this, Dr. Wagner worked in innovation, strategy, and management consulting. He began his career as an analyst at a large international bank before transitioning into Capital Markets and Securities Processing.

Gaming and Marketing Lead and Metaverse Specialist • PwC Germany

Julia Wilner is a Manager in the Advisory Team and serves as the Gaming and Esports Lead and Metaverse Marketing Specialist at PwC Germany. Her previous experiences include serving as COO at an esports agency, owning an esports team, and working as a Marketing Manager at Google. In her role as Gaming and Esports Lead, she leverages her 12+ years of industry experience to assist both local and international stakeholders in navigating challenges related to professionalization, business development, and strategic activities within the gaming and esports ecosystem. As a Metaverse Marketing Specialist, she applies her extensive marketing expertise and knowledge of the gaming sector to help companies build communities, gamify transformation processes, and support other key aspects crucial for the successful adoption of the Metaverse.

CEO and COO • DFL Digital Sports GmbH

After 7 years in management consulting at PwC, Bastian Zuber joined DFL Digital Sports, where he has been responsible for the company's development in various roles for over 10 years, including as CEO since 2019. He is a digital and organizational expert with a focus on product and technology, content production and marketing, design and branding, as well as building high-performance organizations.