Program

Program 2026

8:15 – 8:55 | Registration & Coffee

9:00 – 9:10 | Opening and Welcoming

  • Juraj Holub, International Moderator & Public Speaking Coach

9:05 – 9:10 | Opening adress

  • Michal Kardoš, Executive Director, SAPIE
  • Rasťo Kulich, Chairman of the Board, SAPIE

9:10 – 9:30 | Presentation: The Machu Picchu Effect: Bringing World-Class 3D Tech to Your SME (in English)

#DigitalTwin #AI #SmartCities #DigitalizationOfSMEs

Using his experience from digitally preserving the world-renowned Machu Picchu, Tomáš demonstrates how elite 3D scanning and photogrammetry are now accessible to every SME. He will showcase how high-fidelity digital twins and AR/VR applications can transform product presentation and operational efficiency. Discover how to apply global-scale technology to your local business for a definitive competitive edge.

  • Tomáš Barnáš, Co-founder & CEO, OVERHEAD 4D

9:30 – 9:50 | Presentation: The Space Mindset: Building Markets, Talent and Scale in the Global Innovation Economy (in English)

#InspiringStories #Aviation #Space

The expanding space economy is transforming industries and enabling new opportunities for entrepreneurship, research, and international collaboration. Adopting a Space Mindset encourages leaders to think long-term, work across sectors, and recognize opportunities created by emerging technologies. Three key areas that support innovation ecosystems: building markets, building talent, and building scale.

  • Shelli Brunswick, CEO of SB Global LLC, Member of Forbes Technology Council, Executive Director of BIED Society’s Center for International Space Policy

9:50 – 10:10 | Presentation: We built an AI Cockpit to Change General Aviation (in English)

  • Robert Schochmann, Founder and Chief Engineer, Schochman Aviation

10:10 – 10:30 | Presentation: Where Design Meets the Sky: The Journey of the World’s First Flying Car (in Slovak, translation in provided)

#InspiringStories #Aviation

How do you turn a visionary idea into a certified reality? Join us for an exclusive talk with Štefan Klein, the man who defied gravity and skeptics to build the world’s most advanced flying car. Discover the secrets of extreme innovation and the relentless grit required to design the future of mobility.

  • Štefan Klein, Designer and Constructor, KleinVision

10:30 – 11:00 | Coffee break

11:00 – 11:15 | 1on1 interview: The AI Breach: Beyond the Chatbox (in English)

#Cybersecurity #AI

As AI automates human-like deception at scale, how do we close the widening security gap? This discussion goes beyond the tech, tackling the geopolitics of the EU AI Act and the critical role of inclusive teams in spotting diverse threat vectors. Discover why the future of cybersecurity isn’t just about better code, but a more resilient, diverse security culture.

  • Erlend Andreas Gjære, Co-founder & CEO of Secure Practice, Co-founder of SheSpeaksCyber
  • led by: Tomáš Hettych, Board Member and COO, Cyber Security Competence and Certification Centre

11:15 – 11:30 | Presentation: AI for Effective Talent Sourcing (in English)

Alexandra will share how ethical AI is reshaping talent sourcing for SMEs. Able’s pseudonymised, skills-first matching enables businesses to instantly find verified local talent — with the algorithm never seeing a name, photo, or demographic data. The session will explore how building fairness into the architecture of AI creates trust for workers, businesses, and regulators — and why this approach delivers better matches, faster. Alexandra will include a short video demonstration of the platform in action to showcase how Able disrupts the staffing sector from every angle.

Alexandra Wright, Founder and CEO, Able 

11:30 – 11:45 | 1on1 interview: The Future of Skills (in Slovak, translation is provided)

#AIPolicy #AI adoption

What is the current state of the job market and what are the critical challenges of finding the right fit to your business? You’ll learn the effective strategies for sourcing top-tier talent in today’s fragmented landscape.

  • Katarína Tešla, Chief Marketing Officer, Kariera.sk
  • led by: Juraj Holub, International Moderator and Public Speaking Coach

11:45 – 12:30 | Panel discussion: Taming the AI Avalanche (in Slovak, translation is provided)

#AI policy #AI adoption

Artificial intelligence is transforming economies, industries, and societies at unprecedented speed, yet Central Europe remains far behind. The region risks watching innovation pass by, unable to claim a meaningful role in shaping the technology that is defining the next decade. Closing this gap requires bold strategies and coordinated actions to strengthen CEE countries’ position in the global AI landscape.

  • Radoslav Štefánek, Government Plenipotentiary for Artificial Intelligence, Ministry of Investment, Regional Development and Informatization of the Slovak Republic 
  • Lukáš Kačena, Government Commissioner for Artificial Intelligence, Government of the Czech Republic
  • Julia Schvarcová, Government Affairs and Public Policy Manager, Google
  • Patrik Tovaryš, Head of Policy CEE, Meta
  • led by: Ondřej Ferdus, Director of the Digital Economy & Technology Department, Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic

12:30 – 13:30 | Lunch

13:30 – 13:40 | Opening of the Czech and Slovak Award for Industry 4.0 (in Slovak, translation is provided)

  • Ondřej Ferdus, Director of the Digital Economy & Technology Department, Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic
  • Michal Kardoš, Executive Director, SAPIE

13:40 – 14:00 | Power talks: Scale your SME with AI (in Slovak, translation is provided)

Discover how AI can turbocharge your small business, streamline operations, and unlock new growth opportunities. In just 15 minutes, we´ll show practical strategies to harness AI without the texh overhelm and take your SME to the next level.

  • Kamil Aujeský, AI Expert & speaker

14:00 – 14:45| Panel discussion powered by STICS: Building Tomorrow´s Cities Today (in Slovak, translation is provided)

Cities are at the forefront of the climate and digital transition, yet many urban areas struggle to harness the full potential of innovation, technology, and data. The future of resilient, sustainable, and connected cities depends on AI-driven insights, advanced data analytics, and data-informed policies to transform how neighborhoods, energy systems, and communities operate. Bold approaches and collaborative action are essential to unlock the full potential of smart, adaptive urban environments.

  • Šimon Staňo, CEO Co-Funder, Daitable
  • Vladimír Ondrejička, Vice Dean for Strategic Development, Projects and Innovations, Faculty of Management, Comenius University Bratislava, Deputy Mayor, Horné Srnie
  • Tomáš Meliško, AI Ecosystem Lead, DiusAI
  • leb by: Michal Číž: Program Manager, SAPIE

14:45 – 14:50 | Panel Opening Keynote: What scaling up means from the EIF’s perspective; why institutions like EIF play a key role as partners for local SMEs expanding abroad, and how they support them; and how they assess – based on their data – the readiness of Slovak and CEE companies for expansion.

  • Marcel Müller-Marbach, Senior Regional Representative, European Investment Fund

14:50 – 15:30 | Panel discussion: Think Global: Scaling Beyond Bordes (in Slovak, translation si provided)

Going international is not a leap of faith, it is a calculated series of strategic moves. Our speakers will share concrete steps on how to identify the right markets, protect your intellectual property, and shift your mindset to manage a business that grows far beyond your home country.

  • Mia Štepanovská, Founder & CEO, SHAPEN
  • Peter Kňaz, Deputy CEO, Sensoneo
  • Matej Ondrejka, Brichta & Partners
  • led by: Juraj Holub, International Moderator and Public Speaking Coach

15:30 – 15:40 | Draw of today’s contest winners

15:40 – 16:40 | Moderated Networking followed by Prosecco Time

Moderated Networking: The projects we’re proud of

We are here as a community, and every community is built on relationships and genuine connection. This session creates space for everyone to share what they are currently working on and what they are proud of. In the process, you’re going to meet other attendees and maybe your future business partners. 

WORKSHOP STAGE PROGRAM

10:30 – 11:00 | In the beginning, there was data (in Slovak)

powered by STICS project

Cities today generate more data than ever before, from mobility and energy use to air quality and public services. The challenge is no longer access to data, but the ability to connect, understand, and use it effectively. Too often, decisions still rely on fragmented information, outdated processes, or intuition. As a result, cities tend to react to problems rather than shape better outcomes. 

A stronger model brings together data, research, expertise, and technology to support evidence-based governance. Tools such as living labs help test new solutions in real urban conditions across areas like mobility, energy, and citizen participation. The real value of data lies not in collecting it, but in using it to build more responsive, sustainable, and people-centered cities.

  • Igor Wzoš, Chairman of the Board, Slovak Smart City Cluster
  • Tomáš Pavlík,  Business Development Director, bAvenir

11:00 – 11:30 | Why Performance Marketing Alone Isn’t Enough to Scale (in Slovak)

Every euro you invest in performance marketing today competes for a customer who already knows you. Algorithms are optimized for existing demand, not for the demand that is yet to be created. It is efficient. And it is exactly what your competitors are doing. Same audiences, same channels. Cost-per-click is rising. Growth is slowing down.

The companies that will dominate their category in a year or two are already investing in people who aren’t customers yet. Not because they have larger budgets, but because they allocate responsibility across channels differently. In this session, we will demonstrate what this looks like for a company of your scale and highlight one specific decision you can make before this quarter ends.

  • Vladimír Houba, Business Development Director, Zircon Tree
  • Zoltán Lakatos, Digital Director, dabl.sk

11:30 – 12:00 | Intelligent Automation in CX: Leveraging AI Assistants to Transform Routine Tasks into a Competitive Advantage (in Slovak)

How can Artificial Intelligence practically support sales and customer service teams in their daily operations? Our speakers will demonstrate how AI assistants streamline information access, accelerate service delivery, and enable teams to manage increased volumes without expanding headcount. We will showcase a live solution currently utilized by hundreds of agents. This technology ensures that staff have immediate access to up-to-date product data, enabling faster client response times and ensuring consistent communication across the entire organization. Our speakers will provide a practical perspective on how routine agency work has evolved, highlighting successful implementations as well as the challenges faced during the transition.

  • Lukáš Mikulič, Chief Technology Officer and Head of Data Intelligence Division, Millennium
  • Katarína Molnárová, Director of IT and Insurance Administration at PREMIUM Poisťovňa

12:00 – 12:30 | How Digital HR Drives Cost Savings and Eliminates Errors (in Slovak)

While the theory of digitalization is compelling, what does the practical application look like for an organization managing hundreds of employees? Our speakers will share their firsthand experiences. This session provides actionable insights into strategic selection and deployment of HR software, methods to achieve measurable acceleration in core business processes and how digitalization delivers tangible benefits to management, HR departments, and the broader workforce alike.

  • Zuzana Augustínová, HR Manager, Regal Beloit Slovakia
  • Miloš Kašuba, Development & Sales Manager, HOUR

13:30 – 14:00 |  Interactive Cyber Preparedness Exercise

Experience first-hand what it could feel like if our company was hit by hackers. We will play an exercise together, both to explore how cyber attacks happen, and to learn from each other how to deal with them better. This workshop is suitable for everyone regardless of role and experience, and business people are especially encouraged to participate.

  • Erlend Andreas Gjære, Co-Founder & CEO, Secure Practice

Certificates of attendance for CPE credit purposes are available upon request.

14:00 – 14:30 | AI Agents: The Holy Grail of Productivity or a Gateway to Chaos? (in Slovak)

The world has discovered AI agents—and it’s a match made in heaven. By granting them access to our files, systems, and communications, we are fundamentally redefining the future of work. However, innovation often comes with a price, and not everyone plays by the rules. Join us as we explore how to harness the power of the AI agent revolution without becoming its next cautionary tale.

  • Martin Lohnert, General Manager, void SOC

Certificates of attendance for CPE credit purposes are available upon request.

14:30 – 15:00 | Digital Klondike: Rapid Innovation vs. Lagging Security (in Slovak)

Companies today are entering a new gold rush. They are eager to rapidly adopt modern applications, cloud solutions, automation, and new AI functionalities, only to find that their infrastructure and security mechanisms are not equipped to handle such rapid growth. The presentation will focus on what organizations need to change in their security stack to innovate fast without losing control, and explore the challenges companies will face sooner than they are currently willing to admit.

Juraj Belko, Systems Engineer, Fortinet

Certificates of attendance for CPE credit purposes are available upon request.

Connecting innovations