Agenda
The Venture Mindset Agenda
Tuesday, 13th January
Departing Vienna at 7am, participants will step away from the city and into the wild heart of the Austrian Alps. Guided by record-breaking polar explorer Ann Daniels and elite mountain coaches, the group will ascend the Rax Plateau for a snowshoe expedition at 1,800 metres. Returning to Vienna in the early-evening.

ANN DANIELS
A record breaking polar explorer
Surrounded by silence, snow, and shared challenge, this experience is designed to strip away titles and routines, forging genuine connections and renewed mental clarity before two days of deep discussion and collaboration in Vienna.
Wednesday, 14th January


08:00-09:00
Coffee & Networking
09:00-09:15
Opening

Michael Chaffe
Founder
The Alpha Omega Foundation

Kambis Kohansal Vajargah
Deputy Head of Founder-Services
WKO
Panel
Panel

Nicolas Sauvage
Founder & President
TDK Ventures

Marc van den Berg
Managing Director
Climate Investment (CI)

Franz Zöchbauer
Managing Director
VERBUND X Ventures

Irina Obushtarova
Moderator
Co-Founder & Strategic Advisor
The Recursive
Moderator
Co-Founder & Strategic Advisor The Recursive
09:15-10:00
Investing in the Future: Where Corporate Venturing Meets Climate Leadership
Panel
Panel
10:00-10:45
Bridging Continents: Strengthening LATAM–EU Collaboration in Innovation and Investment

Mirella Lisboa
Head of Open Innovation & Digital Solutions
BASF Agricultural Solutions LATAM

Stefan Fürnsinn
Executive Director
ÖBAG

Rebeca De Sancho Mayoral
Senior Policy Officer
European Commission


10:45-11:15
Coffee Break
Keynote
Keynote
11:15-11:30
Corporate Venturing Squads: Challenges and Opportunities to Achieve Collaborative Innovation
Josemaria Siota, Executive Director at IESE’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center
Corporate Venturing Squads: Challenges and Opportunities to Achieve Collaborative Innovation
Josemaria Siota, Executive Director at IESE’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center


Panel
Panel

Beatriz Camacho Ávila
Associate Director
IESE Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center

Marco Masia
Head of Entrepreneurship
University of Vienna

Josemaria Siota
Executive Director
IESE Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center

Irene Fialka
Moderator
CEO
INiTS | Vienna's High-Tech Incubator
11:30-12:15
Corporate Venturing Squads: Challenges and Opportunities to Achieve Collaborative Innovation
12:15-14:00
Lunch & networking




13:00-17:00
Charity Poker Tournament
4-Hour Tourney
4-Hour Tourney
Workshop
Workshop
Workshop
14:00-14:45
Undertaking Resilience Work – Lessons from Entrepreneurs in Crisis
Rachel Doern, Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at Goldsmiths, University of London


Workshop
Workshop


14:45-15:30
From dream to reality against all odds - Build Your Startup the Right Way
Nir Melamud, Partnerships & Investments at ThinkUp
Workshop
Workshop
15:30-16:15
From noise to signal: Extracting value in times of flux
Andrew Wrobel, Chief Reinvention Officer at Reinvantage


Workshop
Workshop

16:15-17:00
Beyond Compliance: Human Rights as Innovation Capital
Dr. Patrycja Buxton, Affilliated Researcher at University of Stavanger
17:00-20:00
Evening Networking


Thursday, 15th January
09:00-10:30
Leaders Circle
Powered by VERBUND X Ventures


An invite-only forum uniting international corporate leaders and senior figures from Austria’s public and private sectors to discuss strategy, innovation, and cross-border collaboration.
OR
09:00-10:30
Founders Circle
Founders Circle


An invite-only gathering linking international scaleups with leading founders from the CEE and DACH regions to exchange experiences, build trust, and spark new partnerships.
Invite-Only
Invite-Only
Workshop
Workshop


10:30-11:15
Steady Minds, Better Decisions: Building Calm and Clarity Under Pressure
Rob Colley, former UK
elite military leader Founder at Thrival Instinct
Designing Trust: How Brands Build Lasting Relationships
Leart Zogjani, Founder at Skins Agency
11:15-12:00
Designing Trust: How Brands Build Lasting Relationships
Leart Zogjani, Founder at Skins Agency
Steady Minds, Better Decisions: Building Calm and Clarity Under Pressure
Rob Colley, former UK
elite military leader
Founder at Thrival Instinct


Workshop
Workshop
Panel
Panel
12:00-12:45
From Intrapreneurs to Investors

Ina Nordsiek
Director of Intrapreneurshp
Miele

Łukasz Garbowski
Chief Investment Officer & Co-Founder
Btomorrow Ventures

Vinay Solanki
Founder & Head
Channel 4 Ventures

Aleks Petkov-Georgieva
Head of Organizational Development & Change Management
Raffeisen Bank International

Agnieszka Krukowska
Moderator
CEO & Founder
annimoIQ
Panel
Panel

Michael Claes
Director
SABIC Ventures

Kyle Petersen
Corporate Development
Manager
Oshkosh Corporation

Jacqueline Kressner
Moderator
Innovation Advisor
12:45-13:30
Powering the Next Industrial Revolution: Corporate Venturing in Deeptech
13:30-14:30
Lunch & networking




14:30-16:00
Beyond Capital – The New Era of Company Creation
Matthias Hille, Managing Director at whataventure fund and leading European builders
whataventure
whataventure
16:00-16:30
Closing remarks




16:30-21:00
Evening networking
14:00-14:45
Undertaking Resilience Work – Lessons from Entrepreneurs in Crisis
Rachel Doern, Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at Goldsmiths, University of London
14:45-15:30
From dream to reality against all odds - Build Your Startup the Right Way
Nir Melamud, Partnerships & Investments at ThinkUp
15:30-16:15
From noise to signal: Extracting value in times of flux
Andrew Wrobel, Chief Reinvention Officer at Reinvantage
16:15-17:00
Beyond Compliance: Human Rights as Innovation Capital
Dr. Patrycja Buxton, Affilliated Researcher at University of Stavanger
14:00-14:45
Undertaking Resilience Work – Lessons from Entrepreneurs in Crisis
Rachel Doern, Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at Goldsmiths, University of London
14:45-15:30
From dream to reality against all odds - Build Your Startup the Right Way
Nir Melamud, Partnerships & Investments at ThinkUp
15:30-16:15
From noise to signal: Extracting value in times of flux
Andrew Wrobel, Chief Reinvention Officer at Reinvantage
16:15-17:00
Beyond Compliance: Human Rights as Innovation Capital
Dr. Patrycja Buxton, Affilliated Researcher at University of Stavanger
14:00-14:45
Undertaking Resilience Work – Lessons from Entrepreneurs in Crisis
Rachel Doern, Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at Goldsmiths, University of London
14:45-15:30
From dream to reality against all odds - Build Your Startup the Right Way
Nir Melamud, Partnerships & Investments at ThinkUp
15:30-16:15
From noise to signal: Extracting value in times of flux
Andrew Wrobel, Chief Reinvention Officer at Reinvantage
16:15-17:00
Beyond Compliance: Human Rights as Innovation Capital
Dr. Patrycja Buxton, Affilliated Researcher at University of Stavanger
14:00-14:45
Undertaking Resilience Work – Lessons from Entrepreneurs in Crisis
Rachel Doern, Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at Goldsmiths, University of London
14:45-15:30
From dream to reality against all odds - Build Your Startup the Right Way
Nir Melamud, Partnerships & Investments at ThinkUp
15:30-16:15
From noise to signal: Extracting value in times of flux
Andrew Wrobel, Chief Reinvention Officer at Reinvantage
16:15-17:00
Beyond Compliance: Human Rights as Innovation Capital
Dr. Patrycja Buxton, Affilliated Researcher at University of Stavanger
Workshops
Workshops
Workshops
17:00-20:00
Evening networking





Join us as a Speaker, Partner
or Sponsor!
A unique opportunity to showcase your leadership, connect with decision-makers shaping the future of innovation and build lasting relationships with investors, corporates and entrepreneurs from across the globe.
Join us as a Speaker, Partner
or Sponsor!
A unique opportunity to showcase your leadership, connect with decision-makers shaping the future of innovation and build lasting relationships with investors, corporates and entrepreneurs from across the globe.
Get In Touch

Agenda
Agenda
Agenda
Panels
Panels
Panels
The Venture Mindset Agenda
Tuesday, 13th January
Departing Vienna at 7am, participants will step away from the city and into the wild heart of the Austrian Alps. Guided by record-breaking polar explorer Ann Daniels and elite mountain coaches, the group will ascend the Rax Plateau for a snowshoe expedition at 1,800 metres. Returning to Vienna in the early-evening.
Surrounded by silence, snow, and shared challenge, this experience is designed to strip away titles and routines, forging genuine connections and renewed mental clarity before two days of deep discussion and collaboration in Vienna.



ANN DANIELS
A record breaking polar explorer
Wednesday, 14th January
08:00-09:00
Coffee & Networking





12:15-14:00
Lunch & networking
09:15-10:00
Investing in the Future: Where Corporate Venturing Meets Climate Leadership

Nicolas Sauvage
Founder & President
TDK Ventures

Marc van den Berg
Managing Director
Climate Investment (CI)

Irina Obushtarova
Moderator
Co-Founder & AdvisorThe Recursive

Franz Zöchbauer
Managing Director
VERBUND X Ventures
10:00-10:45
Bridging Continents: Strengthening LATAM–EU Collaboration in Innovation and Investment

Mirella Lisboa
Head of Open Innovation & Digital Solutions
BASF Agricultural Solutions LATAM

Stefan Fürnsinn
Executive Director
ÖBAG

Rebeca De Sancho Mayoral
Senior Policy Officer
European Commission
11:30-12:15
Corporate Venturing Squads: Challenges and Opportunities to Achieve Collaborative Innovation

Beatriz Camacho
ÁvilaAssociate Director
IESE Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center

Marco Masia
Head of Entrepreneurship
University of Vienna

Irene Fialka
Moderator
CEOINiTS | Vienna's High-Tech Incubator

Josemaria Siota
Executive Director
IESE Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center
09:15-10:00
Investing in the Future: Where Corporate Venturing Meets Climate Leadership

Nicolas Sauvage
Founder & President
TDK Ventures

Marc van den Berg
Managing Director
Climate Investment (CI)

Irina Obushtarova
Moderator
Co-Founder & AdvisorThe Recursive

Franz Zöchbauer
Managing Director
VERBUND X Ventures
10:00-10:45
Bridging Continents: Strengthening LATAM–EU Collaboration in Innovation and Investment

Mirella Lisboa
Head of Open Innovation & Digital Solutions
BASF Agricultural Solutions LATAM

Stefan Fürnsinn
Executive Director
ÖBAG

Rebeca De Sancho Mayoral
Senior Policy Officer
European Commission
11:30-12:15
Corporate Venturing Squads: Challenges and Opportunities to Achieve Collaborative Innovation

Beatriz Camacho
ÁvilaAssociate Director
IESE Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center

Marco Masia
Head of Entrepreneurship
University of Vienna

Irene Fialka
Moderator
CEOINiTS | Vienna's High-Tech Incubator

Josemaria Siota
Executive Director
IESE Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center
09:15-10:00
Investing in the Future: Where Corporate Venturing Meets Climate Leadership

Nicolas Sauvage
Founder & President
TDK Ventures

Marc van den Berg
Managing Director
Climate Investment (CI)

Irina Obushtarova
Moderator
Co-Founder & AdvisorThe Recursive

Franz Zöchbauer
Managing Director
VERBUND X Ventures
10:00-10:45
Bridging Continents: Strengthening LATAM–EU Collaboration in Innovation and Investment

Mirella Lisboa
Head of Open Innovation & Digital Solutions
BASF Agricultural Solutions LATAM

Stefan Fürnsinn
Executive Director
ÖBAG

Rebeca De Sancho Mayoral
Senior Policy Officer
European Commission
11:30-12:15
Corporate Venturing Squads: Challenges and Opportunities to Achieve Collaborative Innovation

Beatriz Camacho
ÁvilaAssociate Director
IESE Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center

Marco Masia
Head of Entrepreneurship
University of Vienna

Irene Fialka
Moderator
CEOINiTS | Vienna's High-Tech Incubator

Josemaria Siota
Executive Director
IESE Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center
09:15-10:00
Investing in the Future: Where Corporate Venturing Meets Climate Leadership

Nicolas Sauvage
Founder & President
TDK Ventures

Marc van den Berg
Managing Director
Climate Investment (CI)

Irina Obushtarova
Moderator
Co-Founder & AdvisorThe Recursive

Franz Zöchbauer
Managing Director
VERBUND X Ventures
10:00-10:45
Bridging Continents: Strengthening LATAM–EU Collaboration in Innovation and Investment

Mirella Lisboa
Head of Open Innovation & Digital Solutions
BASF Agricultural Solutions LATAM

Stefan Fürnsinn
Executive Director
ÖBAG

Rebeca De Sancho Mayoral
Senior Policy Officer
European Commission
11:30-12:15
Corporate Venturing Squads: Challenges and Opportunities to Achieve Collaborative Innovation

Beatriz Camacho
ÁvilaAssociate Director
IESE Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center

Marco Masia
Head of Entrepreneurship
University of Vienna

Irene Fialka
Moderator
CEOINiTS | Vienna's High-Tech Incubator

Josemaria Siota
Executive Director
IESE Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center



13:00-17:00
Charity Poker Tournament



10:45-11:15
Coffee Break
Keynote
Keynote & Panel
Keynote
Corporate Venturing Squads: Challenges and Opportunities to Achieve Collaborative Innovation
Josemaria Siota, Executive Director at IESE’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center
11:15-12:15





Kambis Kohansal Vajargah
Deputy Head of Founder-Services at WKO



Michael Chaffe
Founder of the Alpha Omega Foundation
09:00-09:15
Opening
4-Hour Tourney
4-Hour Tourney
4-Hour Tourney
Invite-Only
Invite-Only
Invite-Only
Thursday, 15th January
09:00-10:30
Leaders Circle
Powered by VERBUND X Ventures
An invite-only forum uniting international corporate leaders and senior figures from Austria’s public and private sectors to discuss strategy, innovation, and cross-border collaboration.
09:00-10:30
Founders Circle

An invite-only gathering linking international scaleups with leading founders from the CEE and DACH regions to exchange experiences, build trust, and spark new partnerships.
09:00-10:30
Leaders Circle
Powered by VERBUND X Ventures
An invite-only forum uniting international corporate leaders and senior figures from Austria’s public and private sectors to discuss strategy, innovation, and cross-border collaboration.
09:00-10:30
Founders Circle

An invite-only gathering linking international scaleups with leading founders from the CEE and DACH regions to exchange experiences, build trust, and spark new partnerships.
09:00-10:30
Leaders Circle
Powered by VERBUND X Ventures
An invite-only forum uniting international corporate leaders and senior figures from Austria’s public and private sectors to discuss strategy, innovation, and cross-border collaboration.
09:00-10:30
Founders Circle

An invite-only gathering linking international scaleups with leading founders from the CEE and DACH regions to exchange experiences, build trust, and spark new partnerships.
09:00-10:30
Leaders Circle
Powered by VERBUND X Ventures
An invite-only forum uniting international corporate leaders and senior figures from Austria’s public and private sectors to discuss strategy, innovation, and cross-border collaboration.
09:00-10:30
Founders Circle

An invite-only gathering linking international scaleups with leading founders from the CEE and DACH regions to exchange experiences, build trust, and spark new partnerships.



09:30-10:30
Coffee & Networking



16:00-16:30
Closing remarks
11:15-12:00
Designing Trust: How Brands Build Lasting Relationships
Leart Zogjani, Founder at Skins Agency
Designing Trust: How Brands Build Lasting Relationships
Leart Zogjani, Founder at Skins Agency



10:30-11:15
Steady Minds, Better Decisions: Building Calm and Clarity Under Pressure
Rob Colley, former UK
elite military leader
Founder at Thrival Instinct
Steady Minds, Better Decisions: Building Calm and Clarity Under Pressure
Rob Colley, former UK
elite military leader
Founder at Thrival Instinct






16:30-21:00
Evening networking



13:30-14:30
Lunch & networking
12:00-12:45
From Intrapreneurs to Investors

Ina Nordsiek
Director of Intrapreneurshp at Miele

Łukasz Garbowski
Chief Investment Officer & Co-Founder at Btomorrow Ventures

Vinay Solanki
Founder at Channel 4 Ventures

Aleks Petkov
Head of Organizational Development & Change Management at Raffeisen Bank International

Agnieszka Krukowska
Moderator
CEO & Founder at annimoIQ12:45-13:30
Powering the Next Industrial Revolution: Corporate Venturing in Deeptech

Michael Claes
Director at SABIC Ventures

Kyle Petersen
Corporate Development Manager at Oshkosh Corporation

Agnieszka Krukowska
Moderator
Innovation Advisor12:00-12:45
From Intrapreneurs to Investors

Ina Nordsiek
Director of Intrapreneurshp at Miele

Łukasz Garbowski
Chief Investment Officer & Co-Founder at Btomorrow Ventures

Vinay Solanki
Founder at Channel 4 Ventures

Aleks Petkov
Head of Organizational Development & Change Management at Raffeisen Bank International

Agnieszka Krukowska
Moderator
CEO & Founder at annimoIQ12:45-13:30
Powering the Next Industrial Revolution: Corporate Venturing in Deeptech

Michael Claes
Director at SABIC Ventures

Kyle Petersen
Corporate Development Manager at Oshkosh Corporation

Agnieszka Krukowska
Moderator
Innovation Advisor12:00-12:45
From Intrapreneurs to Investors

Ina Nordsiek
Director of Intrapreneurshp at Miele

Łukasz Garbowski
Chief Investment Officer & Co-Founder at Btomorrow Ventures

Vinay Solanki
Founder at Channel 4 Ventures

Aleks Petkov
Head of Organizational Development & Change Management at Raffeisen Bank International

Agnieszka Krukowska
Moderator
CEO & Founder at annimoIQ12:45-13:30
Powering the Next Industrial Revolution: Corporate Venturing in Deeptech

Michael Claes
Director at SABIC Ventures

Kyle Petersen
Corporate Development Manager at Oshkosh Corporation

Agnieszka Krukowska
Moderator
Innovation Advisor12:00-12:45
From Intrapreneurs to Investors

Ina Nordsiek
Director of Intrapreneurshp at Miele

Łukasz Garbowski
Chief Investment Officer & Co-Founder at Btomorrow Ventures

Vinay Solanki
Founder at Channel 4 Ventures

Aleks Petkov
Head of Organizational Development & Change Management at Raffeisen Bank International

Agnieszka Krukowska
Moderator
CEO & Founder at annimoIQ12:45-13:30
Powering the Next Industrial Revolution: Corporate Venturing in Deeptech

Michael Claes
Director at SABIC Ventures

Kyle Petersen
Corporate Development Manager at Oshkosh Corporation

Agnieszka Krukowska
Moderator
Innovation Advisor
Panels
Panels
Panels



14:30-16:00
Beyond Capital – The New Era of Company Creation
Matthias Hille, Managing Director at whataventure fund and leading European builders
Beyond Capital – The New Era of Company Creation
Matthias Hille, Managing Director at whataventure fund and leading European builders
Workshops
Workshops
Workshops
whataventure
whataventure
whataventure




