The Saxon Innovation Conference 2025

It was clear early in the morning - today was going to be a very special day. The attractively designed exhibition hall was bustling with activity as the exhibitors at the innovation conference checked in and prepared their stands. The nominees and participants of the Saxon State Awards for Founding, Transfer and Innovation were allowed to present their innovative ideas in the showcase area at the center of the conference. The various support networks of futureSAX, teams from the InnoStartBonus start-up support program and the participants of the Innovation Exchange and Investors Roadshow found their home for the day nearby.

The numerous guests who soon streamed into the trade fair were presented with a picture that illustrated the entire spectrum of Saxony's innovation ecosystem. Countless exhibits aroused curiosity and invited visitors to linger. Whether it was a giant, autonomous agricultural machine, a silent rehearsal room or a robot woman - there was (almost) nothing at IK25 that didn't exist. The real highlight, however, were the founders, entrepreneurs and transfer players who made the exchange something very special with their enthusiasm and passion for their projects.

Innovation on all stages

State Secretary for Economic Affairs Thomas Kralinski, Markus H. Michalow, Managing Director of Mittelständische Beteiligungsgesellschaft Sachsen mbH and Bürgschaftsbank Sachsen GmbH, together with Susanne Stump, Managing Director of futureSAX, opened the conference on the large main stage. The focus was on SCALE2030, the motto of the conference. With growth into the future, how can we achieve this? Susanne Stump knew:

"Innovation is the order of the day."

And there was to be more than enough of it in the hours to come. More than 100 speakers inspired the audience on 5 stages. Philipp Westermeyer, Founder of the OMR Festival, Gülsah Wilke, Co-Founder of 2hearts, Dr. Alexander Mrozek, CEO of Oetker Digital, and many others were able to provide our guests with important food for thought on the main stage. In addition, teams presented their ideas in short pitches at the Saxon Investors Roadshow and the Innovation Exchange. Even the youngest members of the futureSAX network, the NextGen, did not miss out. Three teams with three bold ideas were in the spotlight on the big stage and showed how innovation starts at a young age.

On the other stages, the focus was on topics such as venture clienting, financing social innovations and insights into the start-up and deep-tech ecosystem in Saxony. It was particularly noticeable that there were large crowds everywhere, with most of the chairs in the rooms occupied.

Innovation on all stages

State Secretary for Economic Affairs Thomas Kralinski, Markus H. Michalow, Managing Director of Mittelständische Beteiligungsgesellschaft Sachsen mbH and Bürgschaftsbank Sachsen GmbH, together with Susanne Stump, Managing Director of futureSAX, opened the conference on the large main stage. The focus was on SCALE2030, the motto of the conference. With growth into the future, how can we achieve this? Susanne Stump knew:

"Innovation is the order of the day."

And there was to be more than enough of it in the hours to come. More than 100 speakers inspired the audience on 5 stages. Philipp Westermeyer, Founder of the OMR Festival, Gülsah Wilke, Co-Founder of 2hearts, Dr. Alexander Mrozek, CEO of Oetker Digital, and many others were able to provide our guests with important food for thought on the main stage. In addition, teams presented their ideas in short pitches at the Saxon Investors Roadshow and the Innovation Exchange. Even the youngest members of the futureSAX network, the NextGen, did not miss out. Three teams with three bold ideas were in the spotlight on the big stage and showed how innovation starts at a young age.

On the other stages, the focus was on topics such as venture clienting, financing social innovations and insights into the start-up and deep-tech ecosystem in Saxony. It was particularly noticeable that there were large crowds everywhere, with most of the chairs in the rooms occupied.