ONE Driving Force: AGENDA 2025
We believe that behind every breakthrough, every bold idea, and in every thriving founder and innovator lies a driving force. A spark that pushes them to challenge the status quo.

See which people, which technologies and which trends are the driving forces in the european startup ecosystem.

Stage ONE - Dome

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Stage TWO - Pitching

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Festival area opens at 12 pm
Stage One
Please note: This agenda and titles are preliminary and subject to change.
There are some more speakers to be announced - so stay tuned!
Stage Host
Clarissa Corrêa da Silva, presenter, author, speaker, and podcaster.
13:00 - 13:15
Opening
Oliver Hanisch, CEO at Campus Founders
13:15 - 13:45
Keynote + Q&A
Agate Freimane, Founding General Partner at Norrsken VC
Sophia Rödiger, CMO at 1KOMMA5°
13:45 - 13:55
Impulse

10 Learnings in 10 Minutes
Andy Bruckschlögl, Co-Founder of Bits & Pretzels, Ryte and Ephny

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13:55 - 14:25
Panel

What is driving growth for startups?
Fabian Veit, CEO at make.com
Stefan Reuther, Founder at Venta AI
Sophia Rödiger, CMO at 1KOMMA5°
Peter Vesterbacka, Founder at FinEst Bay Area Development, Founder of SLUSH, Mighty Eagle at Angry Birds (Rovio)
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Host: Andy Bruckschlögl, Co-Founder of Bits & Pretzels, Ryte and Ephny
14:25 - 14:55
Panel

Leadership: How to be a driving force for your team.
Francesco Mazzotta, Director of Creative Destruction Lab Berlin
Nico Blier-Silvestri, Partner - Founder Enablement at Dreamcraft Ventures
Katharina Unger, Founder & CEO at Livin Farms

Host: Akansha Dimri, Founder and Editor-in-Chief at Tech Funding News
14:55 - 15:40
Circles
An intimate exchange with entrepreneurs, experts and professionals on eye-level.
15:40 - 16:10
Keynote
Petter Made, Partner at EWOR & Co-Founder of SumUp
16:10 - 16:40
Panel

Who is driving the increase in funding opportunities for startups in Europe?
Petter Made, Partner at EWOR & Co-Founder of SumUp
Francesco Perticarari, GP at Silicon Roundabout Ventures
Samuli Síren, General Partner and Founder at Redstone
Tina Dreimann, Founder & Managing Director at Better Ventures

Host: Jan Thomas, CEO & Founder at Startup Insider
16:40 - 16:50
Announcement
Christian Schmierer, CEO & Co-Founder at HyImpulse
16:50 - 17:20
Panel

Which technological breakthroughs are driving the next wave of startups?
Dr. Anita Puppe, Chief Medical Officer at BrainTrip, ex - IBM iX
Evan Floden, CEO & Co-Founder at Seqera
Sebastian Klaus, CEO & Co-Founder at Atmos Space Cargo
Moritz Gräter, CEO at IPAI

Host: Anja Hendel, Senior Advisor Corporate Innovation at NXTGN
17:20 - 17:30
Announcement
Breana Callan, Marketing Team Lead at AI-on-Demand Platform / DeployAI
17:30 - 18:00
Panel

Who is driving the startup policy agenda in Europe?
Agata Hidalgo, European Affairs Lead at France Digitale
Daniel Abbou, Managing Director at the German AI Association
Gabriele Mazzini, MIT affiliate and Architect & lead author AI Act proposal
Olivia Marcu-Iordanescu, Tech & Media Lawyer, Founder at spotlegal.io

Host: Melanie Gabriel, Co-Director & COO at ETH AI Center
18:00 - 18:45
Circles
An intimate exchange with entrepreneurs, experts and professionals on eye-level.
18:45 - 18:55
Announcement
Jana Golfman, Lead International Partnerships RISE Europe / UnternehmerTUM
18:55 - 19:25
Panel

Who is driving corporate co-innovation with startups?
Stephan-Daniel Gravert, CPO at mimic robotics
Henning Löser, Senior Manager Audi Production Lab at Audi
Timo Gessmann, CTO at Schunk
David Reger, CEO & Founder at Neura Robotics

Host: Markus Merz, Head of Digital / Co-Editor-in-Chief at Stimme Mediengruppe
19:25 - 19:55
Panel

How can corporates drive entrepreneurship?
Ilma Bojadzic, Co-Founder & Head of Strategy at encore | DB
Sophia Escheu, Investor at Speedinvest
Judith Schwarz, Head of Fundraising at Bosch Business Innovations
Henrike Luszick, CEO at Bridgemaker

Host: Tim Solle, Senior Associate at Plug and Play Tech Center
19:55 - 20:25
Keynote
Matt Domo, Digital Futurist & AI Strategy Expert at FifthVantage / Co-Founder at Amazon Web Services (AWS)
20:45
Award Ceremony
Celebrate the winners of our Pitch Competition
Music Act &
After-Party

Stage Two - Pitches
You can find more information about the Pitch Competition and the Finalists on the dedicated page.
14:00 - 14:05
Impulse
ONE Driving Force Award - powered by D11Z. Ventures
14:05 - 15:05
Pitches
10 Startup Pitches for the ONE Driving Force Award

Microstream
Fyndera
Get Mika
IALTAG GmbH
MATVIS
Nature Robots
NextStepHR
Project-S
Servio AI
Sleak AI
15:05 - 15:10
Impulse
Female Founders Award
15:10 - 16:10
Pitches
10 Startup Pitches for the Female Founders Award

TradeComply
Meinhaus Digital
Dop.Care
Change Path
CatMedica
Zoro Energy
When to take What
Immosteuer365
CU Mehrweg
Maia
16:25 - 16:30
Impulse
Co-Innovation Award - powered by Audi
16:30 - 17:30
Pitches
10 Startup Pitches for the Co-Innovation Award

Ecoro
SmartFAB
Bosch Trustworthy Collaboration Services
MicroAGI
Infinite Motion
VuseXR
common sense robotics
Kaizenics
Aqestra
Cellios
17:30 - 17:35
Impulse
Campus Founders Community Award
17:35 - 18:35
Pitches
10 Startup Pitches for the Campus Founders Community Award

Count from Above
DeepGolf
GenerIO
LivingLines
Bloom Future
Moozz - Muzico Innovations GmbH
SHAI Creative Technologies B.V.
wemote
Zalion
AICU GmbH
18:35 - 18:40
Impulse
ONE Hundred 100K Award
18:40 - 19:40
Pitches
10 Startup Pitches for the ONE Hundred Award

EcoComply
Ziflo
Alithea Bio
Powered Orthotics
DataHarmony
Covelant
The GoodMiles
IMPADY
koup AI
Materia
20:45
All eyes on Stage ONE for the Award Ceremony

THE ULTIMATE STARTUP FESTIVAL RETURNS 23.10.2025

Heilbronn Slush‘D is the ultimate festival for innovative startups, forward-thinking investors, cutting-edge companies, leading institutes and the next generation of founders. Bringing together the who’s who in the ecosystem.
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