Austrian Federal Economic Chamber

13-15 January, 2026

Meet Our Incredible Speakers

Nicolas Sauvage

Founder & President at TDK Ventures

Nicolas Sauvage is President of TDK Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of TDK Corporation, where he leads the firm’s $500M mandate to invest in early-stage startups driving digital and energy innovation. Since its founding in 2019, TDK Ventures has backed 47 startups under his leadership, including four unicorns—Ascend Elements, Groq, Silicon Box and one in stealth mode. Recognized globally, Nicolas has been awarded the GCV Powerlist for six consecutive years. He is also the only Corporate VC who ever received the prestigious Jeff Timmons Award from Kauffman Fellows VC Program A champion of knowledge-sharing, Nicolas contributes to outlets including Harvard Business Review, London Business School, and INSEAD, and hosts the Corporate Venturing Insider podcast to spotlight best practices in venture investing. He currently serves on the boards of AutoFlight, Faction, Metalenz, Sagence AI, Virewirx, and TDK Ventures. Prior to TDK, Nicolas held leadership roles at InvenSense—managing strategic relationships with Google and Qualcomm—and at NXP Software, where he oversaw global sales and OEM strategy. Nicolas holds an engineering degree from ISEN in France, studied at King’s College London through Erasmus, and is an alumnus of Stanford GSB and Harvard Business School’s Corporate Director program.

Nicolas Sauvage

Founder & President at TDK Ventures

Nicolas Sauvage is President of TDK Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of TDK Corporation, where he leads the firm’s $500M mandate to invest in early-stage startups driving digital and energy innovation. Since its founding in 2019, TDK Ventures has backed 47 startups under his leadership, including four unicorns—Ascend Elements, Groq, Silicon Box and one in stealth mode. Recognized globally, Nicolas has been awarded the GCV Powerlist for six consecutive years. He is also the only Corporate VC who ever received the prestigious Jeff Timmons Award from Kauffman Fellows VC Program A champion of knowledge-sharing, Nicolas contributes to outlets including Harvard Business Review, London Business School, and INSEAD, and hosts the Corporate Venturing Insider podcast to spotlight best practices in venture investing. He currently serves on the boards of AutoFlight, Faction, Metalenz, Sagence AI, Virewirx, and TDK Ventures. Prior to TDK, Nicolas held leadership roles at InvenSense—managing strategic relationships with Google and Qualcomm—and at NXP Software, where he oversaw global sales and OEM strategy. Nicolas holds an engineering degree from ISEN in France, studied at King’s College London through Erasmus, and is an alumnus of Stanford GSB and Harvard Business School’s Corporate Director program.

Mirella Lisboa

Head of Open Innovation & Digital Solutions at BASF Agricultural Solutions LATAM

Mirella Lisboa

Head of Open Innovation & Digital Solutions at BASF Agricultural Solutions LATAM

Marc van den Berg

Managing Director at Climate Investment (CI)

Marc van den Berg

Managing Director at Climate Investment (CI)

Aleks Petkov-Georgieva 

Head of Organizational Development & Change Management at Raiffeisen Bank International

Aleks Petkov-Georgieva 

Head of Organizational Development & Change Management at Raiffeisen Bank International

Michael Claes

Director at SABIC Ventures

Michael Claes

Director at SABIC Ventures

Lukasz Garbowski

Chief Investment Officer & Co-Founder at Btomorrow Ventures

Lukasz Garbowski

Chief Investment Officer & Co-Founder at Btomorrow Ventures

Josemaria Siota

Executive Director at IESE's Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center

Josemaria Siota

Executive Director at IESE's Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center

Dr. Ina Nordsiek

Director of Intrapreneurship at Miele

Dr. Ina Nordsiek

Director of Intrapreneurship at Miele

Kyle Petersen

Corporate Development Manager at Oshkosh Corporation

Kyle Petersen

Corporate Development Manager at Oshkosh Corporation

Beatriz Camacho Ávila

Associate Director at IESE's Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center

Beatriz Camacho Ávila

Associate Director at IESE's Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center

Vinay Solanki

Founder and Head of Channel 4 Ventures

Vinay Solanki

Founder and Head of Channel 4 Ventures

Marco Masia

Head of Entrepreneurship at University of Vienna

Marco Masia

Head of Entrepreneurship at University of Vienna

Kambis Kohansal Vajargah

Deputy Head of Founder-Services at WKO

Kambis Kohansal Vajargah

Deputy Head of Founder-Services at WKO

Franz Zöchbauer

Managing Director at VERBUND X Ventures

Franz Zöchbauer

Managing Director at VERBUND X Ventures

Irina Obushtarova

Co-Founder & Strategic Advisor at The Recursive

Irina Obushtarova

Co-Founder & Strategic Advisor at The Recursive

Stefan Fürnsinn

Executive Director at ÖBAG

Stefan Fürnsinn

Executive Director at ÖBAG

Rebeca De Sancho Mayoral

Senior Policy Officer at European Commission

Rebeca De Sancho Mayoral

Senior Policy Officer at European Commission

Anna Heim

Reporter at TechCrunch

Anna Heim

Reporter at TechCrunch

Irene Fialka

CEO at INiTS | Vienna's High-Tech Incubator

Irene Fialka

CEO at INiTS | Vienna's High-Tech Incubator

Rachel Doern

Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at Goldsmiths, University of London

Rachel Doern

Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at Goldsmiths, University of London

Nir Melamud

Partnerships & Investments at ThinkUp

Nir Melamud

Partnerships & Investments at ThinkUp

Andrew Wrobel

Chief Reinvention Officer at Reinvantage

Andrew Wrobel

Chief Reinvention Officer at Reinvantage

Dr. Patrycja Buxton

Affilliated Researcher at University of Stavanger

Dr. Patrycja Buxton

Affilliated Researcher at University of Stavanger

Rob Colley

Former UK elite military leader and Founder of Thrival Instinct

Rob Colley

Former UK elite military leader and Founder of Thrival Instinct

Leart Zogjani

Founder at Skins Agency

Leart Zogjani

Founder at Skins Agency

Agnieszka Krukowska

CEO & Founder at annimoIQ

Agnieszka Krukowska

CEO & Founder at annimoIQ

Jacqueline Kressner

Innovation Advisor

Jacqueline Kressner

Innovation Advisor

Matthias Hille

Managing Director at whataventure fund

Matthias Hille

Managing Director at whataventure fund

Have any questions?

If you have any questions about the event, don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re here to help!

about the

venture
mindset

Have any questions?

If you have any questions about the event, don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re here to help!

about the

venture
mindset

13-15 January, 2026

Meet Our Incredible Speakers

Nicolas Sauvage

Founder & President at TDK Ventures

Nicolas Sauvage

Founder & President at TDK Ventures

Nicolas Sauvage

Founder & President at TDK Ventures

Mirella Lisboa

Head of Open Innovation & Digital Solutions at BASF Agricultural Solutions LATAM

Mirella Lisboa

Head of Open Innovation & Digital Solutions at BASF Agricultural Solutions LATAM

Mirella Lisboa

Head of Open Innovation & Digital Solutions at BASF Agricultural Solutions LATAM

Marc van den Berg

Managing Director at Climate Investment (CI)

Marc van den Berg

Managing Director at Climate Investment (CI)

Marc van den Berg

Managing Director at Climate Investment (CI)

Aleks Petkov-Georgieva 

Head of Organizational Development & Change Management at Raiffeisen Bank International

Aleks Petkov-Georgieva 

Head of Organizational Development & Change Management at Raiffeisen Bank International

Aleks Petkov-Georgieva 

Head of Organizational Development & Change Management at Raiffeisen Bank International

Michael Claes

Director at SABIC Ventures

Michael Claes

Director at SABIC Ventures

Michael Claes

Director at SABIC Ventures

Lukasz Garbowski

Chief Investment Officer & Co-Founder at Btomorrow Ventures

Lukasz Garbowski

Chief Investment Officer & Co-Founder at Btomorrow Ventures

Josemaria Siota

Executive Director at IESE's Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center

Josemaria Siota

Executive Director at IESE's Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center

Josemaria Siota

Executive Director at IESE's Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center

Dr. Ina Nordsiek

Director of Intrapreneurship at Miele

Dr. Ina Nordsiek

Director of Intrapreneurship at Miele

Dr. Ina Nordsiek

Director of Intrapreneurship at Miele

Kyle Petersen

Corporate Development Manager at Oshkosh Corporation

Kyle Petersen

Corporate Development Manager at Oshkosh Corporation

Kyle Petersen

Corporate Development Manager at Oshkosh Corporation

Beatriz Camacho Ávila

Associate Director at IESE's Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center

Beatriz Camacho Ávila

Associate Director at IESE's Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center

Beatriz Camacho Ávila

Associate Director at IESE's Entrepreneurship and Innovation Center

Vinay Solanki

Founder and Head of Channel 4 Ventures

Vinay Solanki

Founder and Head of Channel 4 Ventures

Vinay Solanki

Founder and Head of Channel 4 Ventures

Marco Masia

Head of Entrepreneurship at University of Vienna

Marco Masia

Head of Entrepreneurship at University of Vienna

Marco Masia

Head of Entrepreneurship at University of Vienna

Kambis Kohansal Vajargah

Deputy Head of Founder-Services at WKO

Kambis Kohansal Vajargah

Deputy Head of Founder-Services at WKO

Franz Zöchbauer

Managing Director at VERBUND X Ventures

Franz Zöchbauer

Managing Director at VERBUND X Ventures

Irina Obushtarova

Co-Founder & Strategic Advisor at The Recursive

Irina Obushtarova

Co-Founder & Strategic Advisor at The Recursive

Stefan Fürnsinn

Executive Director at ÖBAG

Stefan Fürnsinn

Executive Director at ÖBAG

Rebeca De Sancho Mayoral

Senior Policy Officer at European Commission

Rebeca De Sancho Mayoral

Senior Policy Officer at European Commission

Anna Heim

Reporter at TechCrunch

Anna Heim

Reporter at TechCrunch

Irene Fialka

CEO at INiTS | Vienna's High-Tech Incubator

Irene Fialka

CEO at INiTS | Vienna's High-Tech Incubator

Rachel Doern

Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at Goldsmiths, University of London

Rachel Doern

Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship at Goldsmiths, University of London

Nir Melamud

Partnerships & Investments at ThinkUp

Nir Melamud

Partnerships & Investments at ThinkUp

Andrew Wrobel

Chief Reinvention Officer at Reinvantage

Andrew Wrobel

Chief Reinvention Officer at Reinvantage

Dr. Patrycja Buxton

Affilliated Researcher at University of Stavanger

Dr. Patrycja Buxton

Affilliated Researcher at University of Stavanger

Rob Colley

Former UK elite military leader and Founder at Thrival Instinct

Rob Colley

Former UK elite military leader and Founder at Thrival Instinct

Leart Zogjani

Founder at Skins Agency

Leart Zogjani

Founder at Skins Agency

Agnieszka Krukowska

CEO & Founder at annimoIQ

Agnieszka Krukowska

CEO & Founder at annimoIQ

Jacqueline Kressner

Innovation Advisor

Jacqueline Kressner

Innovation Advisor

Matthias Hille

Managing Director at whataventure fund

Matthias Hille

Managing Director at whataventure fund