Mind the Tech Berlin
Mind the Tech returns to Berlin as Israel and Germany mark 60 years of diplomatic ties
Calcalist and Bank Leumi’s flagship conference gathers top entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers to examine AI, cyber, and innovation in a turbulent global landscape.
The Mind the Tech conference, hosted by Calcalist and Bank Leumi, is returning to Berlin and will bring together leading entrepreneurs and investors from Israel and Europe on one stage. The conference, which will be held on December 2 and 3, will mark 60 years of diplomatic relations between Israel and Germany. Discussions will focus on critical issues such as strategic partnerships, AI transformation, cyber, and turning innovation into an engine for growth in challenging times.
“After New York, London, Tokyo, and Dubai in recent years, we are returning with the flagship of our international conferences to Berlin because Germany is, in many ways, the gateway to Europe,” said Calcalist publisher Yoel Esteron. “The meeting between Israeli high-tech entrepreneurs and the German business community is essential for fostering cooperation and strengthening ties between the two countries.”
Bank Leumi CEO Hanan Friedman said ahead of the conference: "We are coming to Berlin at a time when, on the one hand, Israel's risk indicators have improved significantly, and on the other hand, the global environment is changing rapidly and is in one of the most turbulent periods in recent decades. Alongside this, the AI revolution is in full swing, and will continue to change the existing order in business entities in most sectors. At the upcoming conference, we will analyze this complex situation, explain the many opportunities it brings to those who are able to leverage it, and explain how it is precisely the power of the unique Israeli DNA to lead the necessary adjustments to existing challenges, and those that lie ahead."
One of the most prominent participants at the conference will be Kai Wegner, the mayor of Berlin. Wegner, who took office in April 2023, is the first mayor from the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in more than two decades. He served for 16 years as a member of the Bundestag (federal parliament), including on the Committee on Economics and Technology. He is focused on strengthening Berlin as a global, economic, and cosmopolitan city while leveraging Germany’s position as a European technology powerhouse.
Andreas Jahn is a member of the federal executive board of BVMW, the umbrella organization of small and medium-sized businesses in Germany, which represents more than 300,000 companies. He holds a key position in the organization, the backbone of the German economy, and is responsible for international economics, foreign trade, and investment. Jahn also leads the organization's efforts to promote cooperation between German companies in international markets.
Former Air Force Commander, Major General (res.) Amikam Norkin, will lead an in-depth discussion at the conference on the changing world of security and security technology together with Marcel ‘Otto’ Yon, founder of the Bundeswehr Cyber Innovation Hub, the German military's digital innovation unit. Norkin is one of the leading figures in Israel's defense-tech ecosystem. During his tenure in the Air Force (2017-2022), he led technological breakthroughs and complex operational challenges. He is currently a managing partner at Ace Capital, a venture capital fund focused on cyber and deep technologies.
Yon, a serial entrepreneur in artificial intelligence, led the acceleration of breakthrough technologies for the German defense system through the Innovation Unit. He is currently an investor in the defense-tech sector and serves as president of the European DefenceTech Association, which promotes technological innovation in European security.
Hilla Haddad Chmelnik is the co-founder and CEO of Moonshot Space, which focuses on space innovation and deep technologies. She holds a bachelor's degree in aerospace and aeronautical engineering from the Technion and additional degrees in diplomacy, business administration, and public policy from Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew University. She was a member of the Iron Dome development team and served as Director General of the Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology.
Hila Zigman is a general partner at Cyberstarts, a venture capital fund that focuses on early-stage Israeli cyber companies. The fund's notable investments include Fireblocks, Wiz, and Axis.
Kamaldeep Manaktala is the Deputy CEO of Aroundtown, one of Europe's largest commercial real estate groups. The company manages a vast portfolio of properties across the continent and is listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Manaktala brings extensive experience in finance, capital markets, and strategic growth, and leads the group's operations in key European markets. At the conference, he will discuss how real estate companies are entering the green energy and data center sectors.
Dr. Nikolai Ardey is the Director of the Innovation Group at Volkswagen, one of the largest and most influential car manufacturers in the world. Ardey leads the entire group's technological innovation strategy, which is critical to its positioning as a leading player in the electric and autonomous vehicle revolutions. Under his management, research and development takes place in areas such as artificial intelligence, software, and battery technologies.
Filip Dames is a founding partner at Cherry Ventures, one of Europe's leading early-stage venture capital funds. Dames brings significant hands-on experience to the fund, having been part of the founding team of Zalando, one of Europe's leading e-commerce giants. He currently identifies and nurtures emerging European entrepreneurs, focusing on consumer technologies and building fast-growing companies.
Artificial Intelligence and Digital Growth
Luise Gruner is the Managing Director of ASDV, the digital investment arm of German media and communications conglomerate Axel Springer. ASDV focuses on early-stage technology investments in media, digital, and e-commerce in Europe and the U.S. Gruner has extensive experience in media innovation and digital growth, connecting the traditional media industry to the global innovation arena.
Another notable participant is Eveline Steinberger CEO, The Blue Minds Company; Venture Partner, JVP; Shark on Austria’s Shark Tank.
Alexander Kudlich is a general partner at 468 Capital, a venture capital fund focused on investing in growth-stage startups. Since 2020, he has invested in more than 100 companies from 17 countries. Kudlich previously served as CIO of Rocket Internet, where he helped launch and manage dozens of technology companies around the world.
Larissa Schneider is the founder and COO of Unframe AI, which develops a managed AI platform for enterprises. Unframe AI enables large corporations to rapidly implement customized AI solutions, with an emphasis on security and a pay-for-results business model. She is considered an expert in enterprise AI risks and information security strategies.
Dr. Yonatan Cohen is the founder and CTO of Quantum Machines, one of the world's leading companies in quantum computing. Cohen, who holds a PhD in physics from the Weizmann Institute, leads the development of the company's Quantum Orchestration platform, a control system that operates quantum computers of any type. He is considered a global expert in the transition from theoretical research to the realization of commercial quantum systems.
Dorit Dor is a co-founder of Qbeat Ventures, a venture capital fund focused on investing in early-stage deep-tech companies. Dor has extensive technology experience, having served for years as the CTO of cybersecurity giant Check Point. Today, she leverages her deep expertise in information security and AI to identify and mentor the next generation of groundbreaking technology entrepreneurs.
David Schroeder is a Senior Portfolio Manager at TechFund and Ventures, the venture capital arm of Deutsche Telekom, one of the world's largest communications and technology companies. Schroeder is responsible for managing the company's strategic technology holdings and integrating innovation into its core businesses. He is an expert in the TMT (technology, media, and telecom) sector, connecting startups with Deutsche Telekom's 5G and global network strategies.
Opportunity for Selected Startups
The conference will also be attended by Ron Prosor, Israel’s Ambassador to Germany, who previously served as Israel’s Ambassador to the UN and the UK and as Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In his current role, he is leading the strengthening of strategic and economic ties between the two countries. Prosor prioritizes collaborations in innovation and deep tech and helps connect the Israeli ecosystem with leading German corporations.
The conference will be moderated by Fiona Darmon, Managing Partner at Sunvest Capital Partners. Also participating in the conference will be Ambassador Ron Prosor; Boaz Levy, CEO of Israel Aerospace Industries; Qbeat Ventures founder Dorit Dor, who until recently served as VP of Technology at Check Point; El Al's VP of Information Security, Tsofit Shachar; CEO of The City People, Ron Chen; Volkswagen's Innovation Director in Tel Aviv, Hemdat Sagi; Director of the Women's Hospital at Rabin Medical Center, Prof. Asnat Walfisch; Managing Partner and Head of Energy and Natural Resources at KPMG Germany, Michael Salcher; Partner and Head of Technology at KPMG Israel, Dina Paska-Raz; Founder and VP of Operations at Unframe, Larissa Schneider; Founder and VP of Technology at Quantum Machines, Dr. Yonatan Cohen; CEO of ClalTech, Daniel Shinar; Director of Corporate Banking at Bank Leumi, Liat Shuv; Director of Capital Markets at AroundTown, Frank Rosen; and Founder of Entrepreneurship and Showcase IL, Hilla Ovil-Brenner.
At the end of the main part of the conference, the traditional showcase will take place - a pitch event for the 14 Dream Team startups selected to participate in the conference. The selected startups are: Skana Robotics, AI Maverick, Always Connect, ALVIV Laser Solutions, LepreCon, Curesponse, LumenGuides, dot SAGA, Datricks, Imagry, RespirAI, Starget Pharma, and QuamCore.
The entrepreneurs will present their companies to conference participants, potential investors and partners, and members of the Leadership Board, a small committee of senior executives who accompanied the selection and preparation process of the Dream Team. The Leadership Board includes: Director of Technology and Life Sciences at Gornitzky GNY, Attorney Yuval Horn; CEO of LeumiTech, Maya Eisen Zafrir; Founder of Angel Invest, Jens Lapinski; and Col. Yishai Kohn, Planning, Economics, and IT Department, DDR&D, the Ministry of Defense's research and technological development body. In his role, Kohn is responsible for strategic and budgetary planning for future development projects and for the implementation of advanced technologies.
In addition, AroundTown will host a special VIP forum featuring senior CEOs to discuss real estate and technology and strategic collaborations; and LeumiTech will lead a roundtable on digital health.
