TEDxKarlsruhe

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

• Dr. Serhan Ili

  Dr. Serhan Ili is a visionary entrepreneur, innovation strategist, and the founder of ILI.DIGITAL AG, a Karlsruhe-based company that transforms established businesses through custom software solutions, artificial intelligence, and digital business models. Raised in a family of immigrant workers, Serhan's entrepreneurial spirit emerged early. With a background in industrial engineering and a doctorate in innovation, he began his career at Porsche before founding ILI.DIGITAL in 2009. Today, his company operates internationally, helping clients unlock new growth through emerging technologies. Serhan is known for combining deep technological understanding with business acumen, advocating for bold, human-centered innovation. His work includes groundbreaking projects in AI, sustainability (e.g., corporate carbon tracking), and future mobility. As a speaker and author, he inspires leaders to rethink what’s possible when emotional intelligence meets exponential technology.

• Jeff Harry

  Jeff Harry combines positive psychology and play to heal workplaces, help teams build psychological safety, and assist individuals in addressing their biggest challenges by embracing a play-oriented approach to work. Jeff was selected by BambooHR & Engagedly as one of the Top 100 HR Influencers and has been featured in the NY Times, Mashable, Upworthy, Huffpost, Shondaland, Wired, & NPR. Jeff has worked with Google, Microsoft, Southwest Airlines, Adobe, the NFL, Amazon, and Facebook, helping their staff to infuse more play into the day-to-day. Over the past 15 years of facilitation and speaking, Jeff’s main goal has been to help work suck less by assisting leaders in building a playground workplace atmosphere that motivates their staff to do their most vibrant work.

• Leonie C. Michaelis

  Leonie C. Michaelis 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗋𝗍𝖾𝖽 𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖾𝖾𝗋 𝖺𝗌 𝖺 𝗌𝗈𝖼𝗂𝖺𝗅 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝗄𝖾𝗋 𝗂𝗇 𝗉𝗌𝗒𝖼𝗁𝗂𝖺𝗍𝗋𝗂𝖼 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗍𝗁 𝗁𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗌, 𝗌𝗎𝗉𝗉𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗒𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗀 𝗉𝖾𝗈𝗉𝗅𝖾 𝗈𝖿𝗍𝖾𝗇 𝗅𝖺𝖻𝖾𝗅𝖾𝖽 𝖺𝗌 “𝗍𝗈𝗈 𝗆𝗎𝖼𝗁 𝗍𝗈𝗈 𝗅𝗈𝗎𝖽, 𝗍𝗈𝗈 𝗌𝗁𝗒, 𝗍𝗈𝗈 𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗅𝖾𝗌𝗌.” 𝖲𝗁𝖾 𝖽𝗂𝗌𝖼𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗌𝗈𝖼𝗂𝖾𝗍𝗒 𝖼𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗌 “𝗍𝗈𝗈 𝗆𝗎𝖼𝗁” 𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝖺𝖼𝗍𝗎𝖺𝗅𝗅𝗒 𝖻𝖾 𝖺 𝗉𝗈𝗐𝖾𝗋𝖿𝗎𝗅 𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗈𝗎𝗋𝖼𝖾.

• Mara Gerstner

  I am 36 years old, never went to university and yet was a successful manager. I am also the mother of a small child, founder of a climate collective, started my own business with "Feedback" and ended my career to save the world.

• Marion Metternich

  𝖬𝖺𝗀𝗂𝖼𝗂𝖺𝗇 | 𝖲𝗍𝗈𝗋𝗒𝗍𝖾𝗅𝗅𝖾𝗋 | 𝖠𝗎𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗋 𝗈𝖿 𝖣𝗂𝖾 𝖬𝖺𝗀𝗂𝖾 𝖽𝖾𝗋 𝖱𝖾𝖽𝖾 𝖥𝗈𝗋 𝗆𝗈𝗋𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗇 𝟤𝟢 𝗒𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗌, Marion Metternich 𝗁𝖺𝗌 𝖻𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝖼𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝖺𝗀𝗂𝖼𝖺𝗅 𝗆𝗈𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗌𝗉𝖺𝗋𝗄 𝗐𝗈𝗇𝖽𝖾𝗋 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗁𝗎𝗆𝖺𝗇 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗇𝖾𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇. 𝖧𝖾𝗋 𝗉𝖾𝗋𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗆𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾𝗌, 𝗍𝖺𝗅𝗄𝗌, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗌 𝗀𝗈 𝖿𝖺𝗋 𝖻𝖾𝗒𝗈𝗇𝖽 𝗂𝗅𝗅𝗎𝗌𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌—𝗋𝖾𝗆𝗂𝗇𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗎𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝖻𝖾𝗅𝗂𝖾𝗏𝖾 𝗂𝗇 𝗐𝗁𝖺𝗍’𝗌 𝗉𝗈𝗌𝗌𝗂𝖻𝗅𝖾. 𝖨𝗇 𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝗇𝖾𝗐 𝖻𝗈𝗈𝗄, 𝖣𝗂𝖾 𝖬𝖺𝗀𝗂𝖾 𝖽𝖾𝗋 𝖱𝖾𝖽𝖾 (“𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝖬𝖺𝗀𝗂𝖼 𝗈𝖿 𝖲𝗉𝖾𝖾𝖼𝗁”), 𝖬𝖺𝗋𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗋𝖾𝗏𝖾𝖺𝗅𝗌 𝗁𝗈𝗐 𝗐𝗈𝗋𝖽𝗌 𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝖻𝖾 𝖺𝗌 𝗉𝗈𝗐𝖾𝗋𝖿𝗎𝗅 𝖺𝗌 𝗆𝖺𝗀𝗂𝖼—𝗍𝗈𝗎𝖼𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗌, 𝗌𝗎𝗋𝗉𝗋𝗂𝗌𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝗂𝗇𝖽𝗌, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗌𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝖾𝖺𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀. 🎤 𝖮𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖳𝖤𝖣𝗑𝖪𝖺𝗋𝗅𝗌𝗋𝗎𝗁𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗀𝖾, Marion 𝗍𝖺𝗄𝖾s 𝗎𝗌 𝗈𝗇 𝖺 𝖽𝖾𝖾𝗉𝗅𝗒 𝗉𝖾𝗋𝗌𝗈𝗇𝖺𝗅 𝗃𝗈𝗎𝗋𝗇𝖾𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁 𝗌𝖾𝗅𝖿-𝖽𝗈𝗎𝖻𝗍, 𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗋𝖺𝗀𝖾, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖽𝗂𝗌𝖼𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗒 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗆𝖺𝗀𝗂𝖼 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇 𝗎𝗌 𝖺𝗅𝗅.

• Ruth Roschatt

  Ruth Roschatt is Head of Marketing at PROGEN, where she is dedicated to turning complex research into clear compelling stories that connect with real people. A passionate communicator, Ruth loves helping others to find their voice and to share their stories with confidence. She also co-founded the bioRN MarCom Meetup to bring marketing professionals in the life sciences together, making a space for collaboration and growth.

• Sebastian Vorberg

  Sebastian Vorberg, 𝖫𝖫.𝖬. (𝖧𝗈𝗎𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗇) 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆-𝗮𝘁-𝗟𝗮𝘄, 𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗮𝘄, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 VORBERG.law / QuR.digital 𝗂𝗇 𝗛𝗮𝗺𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗴. 𝖶𝗂𝗍𝗁 𝗅𝖾𝗀𝖺𝗅 𝖾𝗑𝗉𝖾𝗋𝗍𝗂𝗌𝖾 𝗌𝗉𝖺𝗇𝗇𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝙂𝙚𝙧𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙐.𝙎., Sebastian Vorberg 𝗂𝗌 𝗌𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖿𝗎𝗍𝗎𝗋𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝗆𝖾𝖽𝗂𝖼𝖺𝗅 𝗂𝗇𝗇𝗈𝗏𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝖻𝗒 𝖻𝗎𝗂𝗅𝖽𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗌𝗍𝗋𝗈𝗇𝗀 𝗅𝖾𝗀𝖺𝗅 𝖿𝗋𝖺𝗆𝖾𝗐𝗈𝗋𝗄𝗌 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝖼𝗎𝗍𝗍𝗂𝗇𝗀-𝖾𝖽𝗀𝖾 𝗍𝖾𝖼𝗁𝗇𝗈𝗅𝗈𝗀𝗂𝖾𝗌. 𝖥𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝗉𝗁𝗒𝗌𝗂𝖼𝗂𝖺𝗇𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗁𝗈𝗌𝗉𝗂𝗍𝖺𝗅𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗅𝗍𝗁 𝗂𝗇𝗌𝗎𝗋𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖽𝗂𝗀𝗂𝗍𝖺𝗅 𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗅𝗍𝗁 𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗋𝗍-𝗎𝗉𝗌, 𝗁𝖾 𝖺𝖽𝗏𝗂𝗌𝖾𝗌 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗄𝖾𝗒 𝗉𝗅𝖺𝗒𝖾𝗋𝗌 𝖽𝗋𝗂𝗏𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗋𝖺𝗇𝗌𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗆𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗂𝗇 𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗅𝗍𝗁𝖼𝖺𝗋𝖾. 𝖲𝖾𝖻𝖺𝗌𝗍𝗂𝖺𝗇 𝗂𝗌 𝖺𝗅𝗌𝗈: • 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖨𝗇𝗌𝗍𝗂𝗍𝗎𝗍𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝖰𝗎𝖺𝗅𝗂𝗍𝗒 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖱𝖾𝗀𝗎𝗅𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗈𝖿 𝖣𝗂𝗀𝗂𝗍𝖺𝗅 𝖬𝖾𝖽𝗂𝖼𝗂𝗇𝖾 (QuR.digital) • 𝗖𝗼-𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 & 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗸𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖦𝖾𝗋𝗆𝖺𝗇 𝖥𝖾𝖽𝖾𝗋𝖺𝗅 𝖠𝗌𝗌𝗈𝖼𝗂𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝖨𝗇𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗇𝖾𝗍 𝖬𝖾𝖽𝗂𝖼𝗂𝗇𝖾 (𝖡𝗂𝖬) • 𝗟𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘁 Kiel University’𝗌 𝖬𝖺𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗋’𝗌 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗀𝗋𝖺𝗆 𝗂𝗇 𝖬𝖾𝖽𝗂𝖼𝗂𝗇𝖾 𝗂𝗇 𝖧𝗈𝗌𝗉𝗂𝗍𝖺𝗅 𝖬𝖺𝗇𝖺𝗀𝖾𝗆𝖾𝗇𝗍 • 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖤𝗍𝗁𝗂𝖼𝗌 𝖢𝗈𝗆𝗆𝗂𝗍𝗍𝖾𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖧𝖺𝗆𝖻𝗎𝗋𝗀 𝖬𝖾𝖽𝗂𝖼𝖺𝗅 𝖠𝗌𝗌𝗈𝖼𝗂𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝖠 𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗅𝗂𝖿𝗂𝖼 𝖺𝗎𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗋 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗎𝗀𝗁𝗍 𝗅𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋, 𝖲𝖾𝖻𝖺𝗌𝗍𝗂𝖺𝗇 𝖻𝗋𝗂𝖽𝗀𝖾𝗌 𝗅𝖺𝗐, 𝖾𝗍𝗁𝗂𝖼𝗌, 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗂𝗇𝗇𝗈𝗏𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇, 𝗁𝖾𝗅𝗉𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖽𝗂𝗀𝗂𝗍𝖺𝗅 𝗆𝖾𝖽𝗂𝖼𝗂𝗇𝖾 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖼𝗁 𝗂𝗍𝗌 𝖿𝗎𝗅𝗅 𝗉𝗈𝗍𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗂𝖺𝗅.

• Tanja Reilly

  anja Reilly is an experienced advisor, speaker, and entrepreneur with over 15 years of international expertise in sustainability, ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance), supply chain compliance, and digital transformation. She supports companies in driving their sustainable transformation — from complying with regulatory frameworks like CSRD, LkSG, and EUDR to embedding ESG into core strategies, procurement, and risk management. Professional Background: Founder, Ability Hub GmbH (since 2025) Developed a digital knowledge platform to help companies — especially SMEs — navigate ESG requirements with practical tools, training, and resources. Senior Strategic Business Development Manager, EcoVadis (2015–2024) Co-led the development of the DACH region. Advised companies on improving sustainability performance and ESG ratings across supply chains. Client Project Lead, digital spirit GmbH (2010–2015) Led e-learning and compliance training projects focused on corporate culture and responsible business conduct. Business Development, RWD GmbH (now els AG) (2007–2010) Focused on growth and innovation in digital learning and knowledge management solutions.

• Yehdega Tedros

  Yehdega is a Release Project Manager in tech and the founder of Szurrna, a creative platform blending African culture, philosophy, and design. With a background in political science and experience in Silicon Valley’s tech ecosystem, she bridges global innovation with indigenous wisdom. Her work explores how African philosophies like Ubuntu can guide ethical technology, foster unity, and inspire social impact. She speaks and creates at the intersection of culture, technology, and community healing.

• Yevgen Nebesov

  Yevgen Nebesov is a systems architect based in Bruchsal, Germany. He provides consultancy services to companies across various sectors, including railways, logistics, and medical devices. Yevgen’s expertise spans software architecture, team leadership, business analysis, and programming. He aims to address multiple sources of uncertainty—technical, operational, political, and business domain—within organizations. Passionate about advancing software architecture, Yevgen actively contributes to its evolving discourse. He explores how technical artifacts shape behavior and power dynamics in organizations, and how to leverage the power of artifacts to gain influence without authority and make organizations a better place.