AI Grid Summit 2026
Over the course of two inspiring days October 14–15, 2026 at Forum Digitale Technologien, the summit will bring together young researchers, professors, AI experts, alumni, and ecosystem partners to exchange ideas, foster new collaborations, and explore the latest developments in artificial intelligence. Through interactive workshops, deep-dive scientific sessions, networking opportunities, and career-focused activities, the event creates a unique space for learning, connection, and innovation.
Program
October 13, 2026 - Networking with Women in AI
Time | Session | Speakers |
|---|---|---|
17:30 – 18:00 | Registration | |
18:00 – 18:10 | Welcoming Remarks | Laure Poirson (AI Grid), Jenny Gyurakovics (Women in AI) |
18:10 – 18:30 | Networking Session I | |
18:30 – 18:45 | Impulse Keynote „How to Use LinkedIn to Boost Your Career“ | Dr. Maria Börner (Women in AI DACH) |
18:45 – 20:30 | Networking Session II |
October 14, 2026 - Day 1: Connecting AI Research, Innovation and Application
Time | Session | Speakers |
|---|---|---|
09:30 –10:00 | Registration & Welcome Coffee | |
10:00–10:05 | Opening Remarks | Laure Poirson (AI Grid) |
10:05–10:10 | Welcome & Introduction to FDT | Dr. Ursula Ohliger (Forum Digitale Technologien) |
10:10–10:20 | Welcome Remarks | Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Wahlster (AI Grid, DFKI) |
10:20–10:30 | Welcome Remarks | Patrick Schubert (BMFTR) |
10:30–10:35 | Introduction & Overview of the Day | Laure Poirson (AI Grid) |
10:35–10:40 | AI Grid: Achievements & Highlights | Laure Poirson (AI Grid) |
10:40–11:10 | Member Spotlights: Impact Stories
Young AI researchers share their research experiences in AI Grid | AI Grid Members: Sönke Erdmann, Teresa Kutzner, Michael Krah, Erik Voigt, Milan Ferus-Comelo |
11:10 – 11:25 | Keynote Impulse
„About Technology Transfer?“ | Dr. Tina Klüwer (AI Nation) |
11:25–12:15 | Fishbowl Discussion: From Lab to Real-World Applications | Moderator: Dr. Aljoscha Burchardt (DFKI)
Speakers: Dr. Tina Klüwer (AI Nation), Dr. Susanne Perner (TU Berlin), Jakob Haardt (Eurice Group) |
12:15 – 12:20 | Group Picture | |
12:20 –13:30 | Lunch & Poster Session | |
13:30 – 15:50 | Applied AI Workshops – AI For Impact | |
Forecasting the Last Mile of Power Grids with Time Series Foundation Models | Manuel Treutlein (Netze BW, KIT) | |
Unlocking Healthcare in Germany: From Problem to Prototype in a Fragmented Market | Abdul Ulfat (Open Prometheus) | |
AI for Precision Medicine: From Foundation Models to Tumor Tissue Profiling in Computational Pathology | Christina Embacher & Jonas Dippel (Aignostics) | |
15:50–16:20 | Networking Break | Optional: Guided Visit to FDT |
16:20–18:00 | Science Deep-Dive Sessions | |
Responsible AI (AI Competence Centers) | Prof. Birte Platow, Dr. Elke Witt (AI Competence Centers) | |
Small Language Models | Dr. Philippe Thomas (DFKI) | |
Hands-On RAG: Build Your Own Document Q&A System | Felix Boelter, Mario Tormo Romero (HPI) | |
Preprocessing EHR Data: Common Pitfalls and Best Practices | Dennis Fast (BHT), Carolin Cissée (MHH) | |
18:00 – 20:30 | Networking Evening + Dinner | |
AI Grid x Software Campus Alumni Meetup | Vivek Chavan, Maryam Arabshahi | |
PowerPoint-Karaoke |
October 15, 2026 - Day 2: Career Opportunities in AI
Time | Session | Speakers |
|---|---|---|
09:00 – 09:30 | Registration & Welcome Coffee | |
09:30 – 09:40 | Welcome & Introduction | Laure Poirson (AI Grid) |
09:40 – 09:55 | Inspiring Impulse: „Finding the Career Path That Fits You“ | Birte Seffert (GSO) |
09:55–10:00 | Workshop Introduction & Group Allocation | |
10:00 – 12:00 | Boost Your Career Workshops | |
Transferring Your Research Skills to Other Industries: A Hands-On Workshop on CV Writing | Maria Börner & Jenny Gyurakovics (Women in AI) | |
Application Check: How to Stand Out Among 100 Applications | Birte Seffert (GSO) | |
Mapping Your Path in Academia: Understanding Career Paths | Andrea Adams (TU Berlin) | |
From Researcher to Entrepreneur: Developing Your Entrepreneurial Skill Set | Koral Nuñez (AI Nation), Philipp Heinicke (Science & Startups) | |
12:00 – 14:00 | Lunch and Career & Opportunities Marketplace (Explore different stations, exchange with experts and discover opportunities for collaboration, career development and entrepreneurship) | |
Start-Up | Jakob Tesch (Gretchen AI), Koral Nuñez (AI Nation), Abdul Ulfat (Open Prometheus) | |
Public/Policy | Patrick Gilroy (TÜV Verband) | |
Industry | Madhura Thosar (JungHeinrich), Frederic Voigt (Warburg Bank) | |
Science | Kerstin Lenhof (Universitätsmedizin Göttingen & CAIMed), Birte Seffert and Tobias Renner (GSO) | |
Research Opportunities | Mareike Grau (AI Service Center Berlin Brandenburg, HPI), Carsten Walbiner (DAAD), Michael Samjatin & Myron Sydorov (BRISA) | |
14:00 – 14:10 | Summit Highlights and Outlook |
Speakers
ACCELERATOR Program Manager, AI NATION | JUNI
Senior Data Scientist, Aignostics
Senior Data Scientist, Aignostics
Executive Director, AI Nation
Founder, Open Prometheus
Group leader/Professor, University Medical Center Göttingen & CAIMed
Energy Informatics Specialist, Netze BW / KIT
PhD Student, DFKI
PhD Student, Otto-Friedrich-University Bamberg
Research Associate / PhD Student, DATEXIS, Berliner Hoschule für Technik
Data Scientist & IT Owner, Bosch Global Real Estate
Research Associate, Fraunhofer IPK
Research Associate & PhD Student, Peter L. Reichertz Institut (MHH)
Scientist, OFFIS - Institute for Information Technology
Master´s Student / Independent Researcher, University of Amsterdam / University of Potsdam
AI Engineer, KI-Servicezentrum @ HPI
Head of AI and Education, TÜV Association
AI Engineer, KI-Servicezentrum @ HPI
Lead "Governance of Digital Finance", GIZ
Chapter Lead, WAI Berlin
Head of Berlin Office, EURICE GmbH
Startup Advisor, Science & Startups
Project Lead, AI Grid
Founding Director and CEA, DFKI German Research Center for AI
AI Lead, M. M. Warburg
Germany Ambassador, Women in AI
Head of Advisory and Funding Programs, GSO
Head of Scientific Strategy, BIFOLD
Principal Researcher, DFKI
Senior Researcher, DFKI
Innovation Manager, TU Berlin
Professor, TU Dresden
Policy Officer, BMFTR
Head of Section Research Programmes, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD)
Partners
Communication Kit
Share a glimpse of the AI Grid Summit – help others discover AI Grid
We’re glad you’re part of the AI Grid community and attending the Summit. If a conversation, idea or moment stays with you, share it on LinkedIn. Your post can give AI Master’s and PhD students and AI experts a personal look at the community and the conversations happening here.
The Communication Kit includes a SAMPLE LINKEDIN POST with space for your own reflections and suggested people to tag, plus CANVA and POWERPOINT TEMPLATES with simple instructions for using each one.
AI Grid Summit Photo Gallery
Looking for a professional photo to share?
During the Summit, our photographer will capture moments from the event and update the photo gallery. Browse the gallery to find professional photos of the Summit, the community and the conversations taking place.
You’re welcome to use a photo in your own LinkedIn post or share it with colleagues and friends. Please visit the gallery HERE.
Travel Costs and Reimbursement
Community-Only Event
Please note that the AI Grid Summit is intended exclusively for the AI Grid Community. Entry to the event venue will only be granted to confirmed community members and official guests. Tavel and accommodation costs will be reimbursed to the confirmed AI Grid members, alumni and some categories of invited quests.
Before You Book
Before booking your trip, please make sure to carefully read our reimbursement guidelines and follow the procedure outlined there: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1ZKDg8R5xzu-738L8QTNaP5V2yTIS5qcx?usp=sharing. Please book your travel and accommodation as early as possible to avoid unnecessary costs and limited availability. Failure to follow the guidelines will result in non-reimbursement.
Transportation
Participants are responsible for organising their own transportation to and from the summit venue, including local public transportation. The following transportation options are eligible for reimbursement for AI Grid Members and Alumni: 2nd class train travel, bus travel or car travel (only with prior approval). Please always choose cost-effective travel options. Important note for Deutsche Bahn bookings: Deutsche Bahn issues invoices only during the booking process, and invoices cannot be requested or modified afterwards. Please make sure to enter the correct Talentik GmbH billing details exactly as stated in the reimbursement guidelines. Non-compliant invoices cannot be reimbursed.
Accommodation
Accommodation coverage: up to 2 hotel nights covered for AI Grid Members and Alumni. This accommodation policy does not apply to members living in Berlin, Potsdam, or nearby locations. When booking your hotel, please ensure that it is an officially registered hotel (not a private host or Airbnb), as an official invoice is required for reimbursement. Please note that hotels should be booked as early as possible. Late bookings closer to the event date may result in longer travel times to the venue.
Reimbursement
Reimbursement requires official invoices and, in some cases, screenshots comparing available travel options. All required documents must be submitted according to the reimbursement process described in the guidelines. Please note that reimbursement is only available for confirmed members and alumni of the AI Grid Community. Bookings that do not follow the reimbursement guidelines may not be eligible for reimbursement. If you have any questions regarding your bookings, please contact us at info@ai-grid.org.