Successful Anniversary: 20 Years of the South Tyrolean Economic Forum

Top speakers inspired the sold-out MEC in Bolzano | Energy, technology, and innovations of tomorrow

Marking its 20th anniversary, the South Tyrolean Economic Forum welcomed around 400 guests to a memorable celebration at the MEC Congress Center in Bolzano. Leading figures from business, society, and technology gathered under the central theme "Energy & Technology for a Better World" to experience inspiring keynotes, take part in thought-provoking discussions, and build meaningful connections. The Start-up Arena showcased forward-thinking business ideas, offering fresh insights and creating fertile ground for new collaborations and partnerships.

After a warm welcome by Arno Kompatscher, Governor of South Tyrol, and Gerhard Brandstätter, President of the Südtiroler Sparkasse, the event continued under the moderation of Christian Pfeifer, Editor-in-Chief of the Südtiroler Wirtschaftszeitung, who led the audience through an engaging afternoon of international perspectives and cutting-edge topics.

• Isabel Hartung | Former CEO of Trumpf Laser Technologies, multiple supervisory board member in Tech & AI, family businesses & private equity
  “Courage, Transformation & Resilience in Companies.”
• Cornelius Matthes | CEO of Dii Desert Energy/Desertec 3.0, Dubai/VAI
  “Clean Energy from the Desert – From Vision to Reality.”
• Katherina Reiche | Chairwoman of the Board of Westenergie AG, Essen
  Panel Discussion: “Energy: Secure. Affordable. – Is it Feasible?”
• Larissa Leitner | Co-Founder & Co-CEO of the HR Tech start-up Empion, Berlin & member of the Südstern network
  “Artificial Intelligence in HR: The Beginning of a New Era?”
• Robert Kunze-Concewitz | Former CEO of the Campari Group, Milan & London
  “Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast – How Leadership Can Turn Dreams and Ideas Into Reality.”

The event impressed with innovative ideas, forward-looking models, and inspiring insights into the potential of renewable energy and artificial intelligence. A clear vision for the future emerged—shaped by sustainability, technological progress, and responsible leadership. The successful event was rounded off by a relaxed get-together with South Tyrolean specialties, offering space for informal exchange and networking with clients, partners, and friends.

MCI Rector Andreas Altmann expressed his delight at the successful anniversary event and emphasized the importance of actively involving young talent: "The Economic Forum is far more than a business conference offering insights on technology, innovation, entrepreneurship, and the future of our region. It fosters collaboration between our partners and the university, inspires young people, and connects the economy with the next generation. Supporting this kind of interaction has been the goal of the South Tyrolean Economic Forum for 20 years now—and it is a great pleasure to see how successfully the event has developed over time."

About the South Tyrolean Economic Forum

The South Tyrolean Economic Forum has established itself as a leading business conference and international meeting point south of the Alps. The event is organized in partnership by Südtiroler Sparkasse, Unternehmerverband Südtirol, Südtiroler Wirtschaftszeitung, Stiftung Südtiroler Sparkasse, the network of South Tyroleans abroad "Südstern", the publishing house Business Bestseller, and MCI | The Entrepreneurial School^®.