Agenda

Alexander Rabe

Managing Director of eco – Association of the Internet Industry

Germany as an Economic Location: Data Centers as the Key to Digital Sovereignty

Strong, high-performance data centers are the backbone of digital transformation and the guarantors of digital sovereignty—making them one of Germany’s most important locational advantages. Operators of digital infrastructures act as growth engines, innovation drivers, and multipliers for numerous industries and sectors.

With the increasing deployment of AI, their significance will only continue to grow. As the engine of transformation, digital infrastructures—especially data centers—play a key role by providing essential computing power, data processing, and networking capabilities.

In his talk, Alexander Rabe examines the economic and political relevance of data centers in an illustrative way, drawing on a recent study conducted by the German Economic Institute.

Kilian Wagner

Bitkom e. V., Head of Sustainable Digital Infrastructures

Data Centers as a Strategic Key Resource: Between Ambition and Reality

Ongoing digitalization and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence are drastically increasing global demand for computing capacity. While leading nations are consolidating their technological leadership in data centers through massive investments, Germany risks falling behind. Yet high-performance data centers are not only the technological backbone for AI, cloud services, and all digital applications, but also a strategic asset for transformation, economic competitiveness, and digital sovereignty.

This talk highlights the current state of the German data center market, provides international benchmarks, and illustrates where Germany is lagging. At its core lies the question of how politics and business can jointly set the course to ensure that Germany remains not just a user but also a shaper in the global competition for data, AI, and digital infrastructures.

Andreas Köppl

Geschäftsführer LAN Concept

From DCIM to DCAM – The Next Level of Data Center Automation

Description: Data centers are reaching the limits of traditional monitoring (DCIM). This presentation demonstrates how DCAM can enhance efficiency, security, and sustainability through automation. Using practical examples and guidelines, it outlines the path toward the autonomous data center.

James Cameron Glickenhaus

Director, investment manager, and automotive visionary

Hydrogen transformation in the mobility sector

Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg

Former Minister of Defence and Economic Affairs

The Changing Balance of Global Power

In a time of growing geopolitical tensions and economic upheaval, Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg addresses the current economic and trade policy challenges in transatlantic relations. In his keynote, he analyzes the global political landscape and explores the key question: How can Europe remain capable of acting both economically and geopolitically?

Zu Guttenberg warns: “We will not recognize the United States — or the world — after Donald Trump's time in office.” His message is clear: Europe must act decisively to prevent a geopolitical power vacuum — with Germany, as the continent’s economic backbone, leading the way.

Look forward to a keynote that is both critical and forward-thinking — with a clear call for responsibility, economic foresight, and transatlantic strategies for the future.

Petra Jenner

SVP and General Manager EMEA at Splunk

Strategic Leadership in Disruptive Times: Securing Long-Term Success Through AI and Digitalization

Digitalization and AI: A Leadership Matter – Not Just a Departmental Issue.

Digitalization and artificial intelligence must be embedded in corporate strategy. They are not merely IT topics, but critical levers for future readiness, growth, and resilience. These technologies do not just transform processes—they fundamentally change the way we think, make decisions, and lead.

However, technology alone is not enough. Its impact depends on a culture that embraces change.
Today’s leadership means embodying this culture—and empowering employees to actively shape the transformation.

Dipl.-Ing. Yvan Engels

Consultant for Information Technology Cabling

Sustainable IT Cabling – Future-Proof and Resource-Efficient

How can environmental friendliness and economic efficiency be united in IT infrastructure? The new international standard ISO/IEC 14763-5: "Sustainability" sets clear benchmarks for a more environmentally friendly IT infrastructure. But what does this mean specifically for cabling? Yvan Engels' presentation highlights the most important aspects of sustainable IT cabling and outlines practical strategies for successfully harmonizing sustainability with economic efficiency.

Heiko Zschocke

Head of Fiber Optic Technology at Metz Connect

DCCS – Passive Network Infrastructure for Data Centers

METZ CONNECT, Fiber Optics Department, is a manufacturer of products for passive network infrastructure. The focus is on products developed in-house or based on proprietary process architecture, manufactured at the Blumberg site!
The main focus is on the processing quality of our products, which in turn guarantees stable long-term performance of the optical connection in operation!

A prime example is our DCCS product line in fiber optic design.
A custom-designed housing with built-in fiber optic connectors and pre-assembled trunk cable is tool-free mounted into a corresponding 1U rack – and the cabling is complete.
This allows customers to easily calculate installation costs in advance, as the assembly effort remains manageable.
The presentation provides insights into the processing of the components, refers to their use in installation environments, and includes statements regarding relevant standards!

André Gerlach

Spokesperson and a founding member of the BdNI

Skills Shortage in the IT Infrastructure Industry – Opportunities and Limitations of AI

The IT infrastructure industry faces a major challenge: the shortage of qualified professionals. Artificial intelligence is often touted as a solution – but how realistic is that?

In his presentation, André Gerlach explores the areas where AI is already supporting the planning, construction, and evaluation of IT infrastructure projects, where its limitations lie, and whether it can truly mitigate or even eliminate the skills shortage.

Lars-Hendrik Thom

Regional Technical Support Manager, Panduit

Fault Managed Power – The Future of Power Distribution

Around 1890, Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla, together with George Westinghouse, competed to determine the best technology for the large-scale power supply of the United States. Edison favored direct current, while Tesla and Westinghouse advocated alternating current — and won, because it could be transmitted over long distances with lower losses and reduced material requirements. The trade-off: high voltages, which to this day require special safety measures.

On the consumer side, much has changed in the last 30 years: IT equipment usually requires low direct voltages (5 V or 12 V), and UPS systems also operate on direct current, repeatedly converting it — with corresponding losses — between alternating and direct current.

But what if Edison could win this time? Fault Managed Power offers, for the first time, the possibility to transmit direct current over greater distances safely and with low losses — with integrated protective mechanisms that enable even non-specialists to lay cables and operate systems without the usual high-voltage safety precautions. The technology is already UL-certified and standardized in North America. For international and European standards, adjustments are still required.

Panduit’s presentation sheds light on the background, explains how the technology works, and shows how this pioneering form of power transmission will be available in Europe from 2026.

Hartwig Bazzanella

Managing Director of NCB GmbH and Board Member of VIRZ

AI with HPC, Photonic and Quantum Computers: Functionality, Differences, and Potential

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly becoming a key technology—not only in traditional IT data centers, but also in the OT (Operational Technology) environment. High Performance Computing (HPC) structures, which until now have been used primarily in IT, are now also being applied in the OT sector. However, conventional systems quickly reach technical and physical limits in this area.

Traditional HPC systems are often no longer sufficient. This is where specialized photon and quantum computers come into play, opening up entirely new possibilities. The presentation provides a clear and accessible overview of current technologies, their fields of application, and future potential.

Daniel Bender

Senior Project Manager at Boston Server & Storage Solutions

When AI Heats Up: How 2-Phase Liquid Cooling Sets New Standards

In his presentation, Daniel Bender highlights why dual-phase liquid cooling is gaining importance right now and how this innovative cooling technology has been specifically optimized for AI and HPC environments.

Using a practical example from the University of Münster, Daniel Bender illustrates how the technology is already being successfully applied. In addition to a clear introduction to how 2-phase cooling works, the talk provides an overview of its efficiency benefits, including energy savings, improved space utilization, and noise reduction. Finally, the role of liquid cooling in future IT infrastructures is explored, along with an explanation of why early adoption is advantageous.