The stand-up provides a compact overview of current projects, networks and opportunities at the innovation location Saxony and opens the stage for the conference day.

The keynote speech combines behavioral economic insights with the central transformation challenges of the SME sector. The focus is on how personal crisis experiences of decision-makers lead to overcautious action and what role data and what role data, artificial intelligence and suitable framework conditions can play in developing more courage for the future and a willingness to innovate.

The panel will discuss how local innovative strength can be turned into European impact. The focus will be on the question of how framework conditions, funding instruments and partnerships need to be designed so that regional players - from start-ups from start-ups to SMEs to research - develop their potential and actively actively shape Europe's transformation.

The keynote shows tried-and-tested approaches on how managers can lead teams through transformation phases, use technologies sensibly and at the same time balance stability and the pressure to innovate.

After an inspiring keynote speech, the six best Saxon founders with a founders with a migration background will face the pitch challenge. They will receive feedback from the jury and the chance to make it to the Grand Finals in Frankfurt am Main.

Transformation in SMEs does not succeed through technology alone but by people who actively shape change. The keynote shows, how companies attract talent, inspire teams and build a culture that supports sustainable change and unleashes the potential of each individual.

The Fireside Chat uses regional examples of SMEs and global perspectives to show how companies can increase their competitiveness through robotics and automation competitiveness through robotics and automation - from efficiency gains to new business models.

The SPRIND podcast with Prof. Stephanie Wehner sheds light on how the quantum internet becomes the next big technological wave. In focus: new security standards, opportunities for SMEs and completely new forms of digital collaboration.

The keynote talks about the power of early entrepreneurship: why bold ideas can can change the world and how every generation contributes to making visions are not only thought, but lived.

The stage belongs to the young generation: three teams present their 3-minute pitches, awarded with the futureSAX special prize as part of the competitions of Saxon and nationwide NextGenSupport partners.

The keynote uses concrete practical examples to show how medium-sized companies can optimize optimize processes with artificial intelligence, develop new business models and and strengthen their competitiveness - without AI replacing people, but supporting them in a targeted manner.

InnoStartBonus grantees pitch their innovative business ideas, and jurors from the of the Saxony-wide expert committee present their work for start-up support. The format combines 3-minute InnoStartBonus pitches with 3-minute contributions from the jury.

AI automates workflows, accelerates processes and strengthens competitiveness - but but also creates new requirements for organization and acceptance. In this interactive panel discussion, multipliers in the Saxon company partner network , how they optimize their own processes and support SMEs in the introduction of AI. The focus is on success factors beyond technology - from organizational development and change and acceptance processes through to GDPR-compliant implementation.

Two experienced entrepreneurs report first-hand how innovation and transformation have helped them transformation have helped them to overcome crises in their own companies. They explain, why they are now investing in innovative start-ups themselves and what lessons other entrepreneurs can learn from this for their own transformation.

In this Deep Dive, investors and start-ups share their experiences along the early-stage financing - from the first financing gap and the search for investors to term sheets and follow-up financing. The panel will provide concrete tips on what young teams should pay attention to and how they can avoid typical stumbling blocks.

The bioeconomy combines biological resources, technologies and innovations for sustainable growth. At the Saxon Innovation Exchange, pioneers from business and science show how bio-based innovations are changing industries - from new from new materials and foods to entire industrial processes.

We put valuable partnerships in the spotlight on the Sustainability Stage: An interview on a real innovation success meets best-practice mentoring - complemented by proven mentoring approaches that you can use directly for your own path. can use directly.

Practical experience report from a lawyer and investor on what start-ups and and business angels should pay attention to when making their investment - and often often do not. Using concrete examples, typical pitfalls, clauses and negotiation negotiation errors are highlighted, followed by a Q&A session.