The Rise of AI Conference 2026 marks 10 years of building Europe’s AI ecosystem, and this is an event you won’t want to miss!
On 6 May in Berlin, selected decision-makers from the worlds of business, policy, research, investment and entrepreneurship will come together for a highly curated in-person experience focusing on the issues that matter now: Europe’s technological sovereignty, trusted AI infrastructure, real-world implementation, regulation and long-term competitiveness.
This is not just another large-scale AI expo. Rise of AI is designed to facilitate relevant conversations, meaningful connections and direct access to the people shaping AI in Europe. It is where founders meet investors, corporate leaders meet innovators, and policy meets real-world deployment.
To celebrate our 10th anniversary, we will be bringing together familiar voices from the past decade alongside a new generation of builders who are committed to Europe’s own path in AI. If you want to be among the people who will drive the next phase of AI in Europe, now is your chance to join us in Berlin.
Secure your ticket and be part of the 10th edition of Rise of AI.
Join in Berlin for the full Rise of AI experience — or follow selected stage content online.
The anniversary speaker dinner on 5 May is our most exclusive in-person gathering, reserved for Premium ticket holders only — an elegant evening with speakers and selected VIP guests, and a rare opportunity to meet Europe’s leading AI minds in a far more personal setting before the conference begins.
Join Partner Events in Berlin.
German AI Month mAI turns May into a nationwide platform for AI exchange across Germany. By registering your own AI event, you become part of a broader ecosystem initiative, increase your visibility, and create network effects that help you reach new audiences across business, research, policy, and society.
The AI Topic Tables turn the start of the day into focused exchange, bringing together investors, researchers, builders, and operators for direct conversations on enterprise AI, infrastructure, agents, compute, and Europe’s path to real-world deployment.
The Meta Stage brings together the bigger picture of AI — from policy and sovereignty to society and strategy — making it the place for the conversations shaping Europe’s AI future.
The Applied AI Stage turns AI into practice, showcasing real-world use cases, implementation insights, and business impact for those building and scaling AI in organizations.
The Cognitive Lab explores where AI meets health, policy, and sovereignty, making it a relevant space for deeper discussions on how AI is shaping real-world decisions and Europe’s strategic future.
The Pîabo Media Lounge is where Europe’s AI story gets discussed, recorded, and amplified through interviews, live podcasts, and conversations on infrastructure, governance, and society.
Special Ticket Requests
Press Tickets: Contact riseofai@piabo.net
Partnerships & Sponsorships: Contact us at fabian@riseof.ai
AI Ecosystem Pass:
Discounted tickets for researchers, government officials & students – apply at contact@riseof.ai
Rise of AI brings together leading voices across research, policy, business, startups and investment.
For our 10th anniversary, we are welcoming back outstanding speakers from the past decade — alongside new voices helping define the next chapter of AI in Europe.
Over the years, more than 300 brilliant minds have taken the Rise of AI stage.
The official Speaker Call for Rise of AI Conference 2026 concluded at the end of 2025.
Still, great speakers can surface at any time—so we remain open to strong submissions and relevant recommendations until shortly before the event.
If you think you’re a fit, send us your details.
Every submission is reviewed with care.
Around 92 % of our partnership slots for Rise of AI Conference 2026 are already confirmed.
We’re still welcoming a limited number of additional partners and can tailor the collaboration to your goals.
If you want to be part of Europe’s AI ecosystem at Rise of AI, let’s talk.
We are proud to once again welcome journalists from leading outlets like Handelsblatt, Capital, ZEIT, FAZ, WirtschaftsWoche, Manager Magazin and more.
To apply for a press pass or schedule interviews during the event, please contact our official PR team: riseofai@piabo.net.
Want to speak directly with the hosts?
Reach out to Veronika or Fabian Westerheide—we personally read and answer every message: contact@riseof.ai
Following guests and attendees have confirmed their public presence at Rise of AI:
Rise of AI connects diverse stakeholders from across Europe. Here, you’ll encounter key representatives from business, society, and research within the German AI ecosystem.
At our conference, decision-makers are in the majority. Most of our attendees hold top-tier positions such as CEO, CIO, CTO, or Managing Partner. At Rise of AI, leaders converge.
We also facilitate vital interactions with innovation drivers. 21% of our guests are Heads of AI, Transformation Managers, or Heads of Digitalization, underscoring our commitment to fostering progress.
Research and development of AI are strongly represented as well, with 11% of our guests being esteemed professors and senior researchers. We champion knowledge exchange at the highest level.
In addition, key roles like Data Scientists, Developers, Engineers, and AI Architects make up nearly 10% of our participants, enriching our professional tapestry.
With our AI Ecosystem Pass, we open doors for promising young talents, offering them an opportunity to engage with potential future employers or project partners.
Moreover, AI startups and companies are presented with invaluable opportunities to network with reputed investors and economic influencers, making Rise of AI an essential hub for AI advancement.
Your attendance at Rise of AI Conference 2026 paves the way to the frontline of European AI expertise, enabling direct interaction with leading speakers and key figures in the industry. We ensure you have ample private spaces, breaks, side events, and lounges for meaningful networking.
NETWORKING
Our focus is on fostering genuine and valuable connections. To facilitate optimal networking, we carefully design our conference with ample time and space for interactive dialogue. Instead of impressing with high attendance numbers, we value quality over quantity in interactions.
We believe in building lasting connections that fuel progress and collaboration. To maintain this intimate networking environment, we limit the participant count to 200.
WORKSHOPS
Experience the thrill of exploring vital topics in an informal, small-group setting. Our workshops, consistently a favorite among attendees, allow for hands-on exploration and learning. In 2026, we’ll continue this tradition with live workshops on various topics in Berlin.
APPLIED AI STAGE
Our Applied AI Stage centers on practical insights into launching, scaling, and going global with AI businesses; securing funding; hiring talent; and adopting best practices for integrating market-ready solutions.
META STAGE
At the Meta Stage, we delve into overarching policy and business concerns such as the Geo AI Strategy and the European AI Act. We also focus on critical aspects of AI Sustainability, AI Security and the ongoing wave of Generative AI.
Over the years, we have succeeded in creating a wide, interactive AI network with real interpersonal connections. It is a personal wish of Fabian and Veronika to be there for the Rise of AI community before, during and after the event.
We are very happy to hear that founders and investors meet at Rise of AI, or that researchers won new project partners. We have countless of these stories. Therefore the best thing is to attend and experience it for yourself.
We personally take care, that Rise of AI is sustainable as an event for itself.
Our min contribution is streaming the event for free. Thousands have and will attended Rise of AI without the need to travel.
However for our 300 physical guests, we provide a high quality experience.
Our catering is vegan-first, we offer gluten free options and our partners source only organic products.
Due to working for years with the same partners, we reduce waste and improve energy efficiency.
Our print materials are recycled, we only use reusable porcelain and avoid useless give aways.
Furthermore, we only use living plants for decoration and plant them in our forest afterwards.
Rise of AI started with 10 people discussing the Singularity in 2014. Today Rise of AI is Europe’s most influential platform for the growing Artificial Intelligence industry.
Our mission is to build a thriving European ecosystem. We aim for AIs, which serve us and all human benefit with a longer and happier life.
Therefore we organize the yearly Rise of AI Conference. Furthermore, we educate, create awareness, advise and invest within the young but growing AI industry.
Our CEO, Fabian Westerheide, is an international expert on Artificial Intelligence strategy, entrepreneur and venture capitalist. An avid sci-fi lover from childhood, Fabian has turned his lifelong passion for technology and human progress into his mission.
As CEO of Pandora Events Berlin and Co-Founder and COO of Rise of AI Conference, Veronika Westerheide has many years of experience in organizing high-quality, exciting tech and AI events. She is well-connected with leading AI companies, associations and other stakeholders.
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