Speakers
Dr. Moritz Bächer
- Lab Director, Disney Research Imagineering in Zurich
Moritz Bächer is the Lab Director of Disney Research Imagineering in Zurich, where he drives novel solutions for storytelling with robotic characters and leads hardware and software research for projects like the BDX Droids and Olaf. His work focuses on developing artistic interfaces for generative motion models and deep reinforcement learning, enabling robots to perform highly dynamic motion, express emotion, and autonomously interact with humans. Moritz holds a Ph.D. from the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and a master’s degree from ETH Zurich.
Dr. André Scholz
- Head of Innovation Departement “Autonomous Factory”, Siemens AG
Dr. André Scholz is leading the ‘Autonomous Factory’ innovation department in Digital Industries – Factory Automation at Siemens AG. The focus of his current work is on the exploration of Physical AI in Robotics and the development of Industrial-ready solutions.
Ryan Finnigan
- Senior Vice President, Humanoid.ai
Ryan Finnigan, SVP of Strategic Partnerships at Humanoid, brings over 14 years of experience in automation and robotics.
He has worked with five of the top 20 integrators in the materials handling and supply chain automation space, as well as numerous leading startups, including Covariant, where he led European go-to-market efforts.
He later founded his own GTM consultancy focused on robotics and automation.
This breadth of experience enables Ryan to shape Humanoid’s commercial strategy and deliver high-impact business development and sales outcomes across multiple sectors.
Prof. Dr. Tamim Asfour
- Spokesperson, Robotics Institute Germany (RIG)
- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Institute for Anthropomatics and Robotics (IAR), High Performance Humanoid Technologies (H2T)
Tamim Asfour is the Spokesperson of the Robotics Institute Germany (RIG) and Full Professor of Humanoid Robotics at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Germany. He directs the High Performance Humanoid Technologies Lab (H2T) at the Institute of Anthropomatics and Robotics. His research focuses on the engineering 24/7 humanoid robot systems that integrates artificial intelligence, informatics, and mechatronics to perform versatile tasks in the real world while learning from humans, experience and interaction with the environment. Tamim is the developer of the ARMAR humanoid robot family. He has been a visiting professor at Georgia Tech, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, and the National University of Singapore. He IEEE Fellow, Editor-in-Chief of the Robotics and Automation Letters (RA-L), Founding Editor-in-Chief of the IEEE-RAS Humanoids Conference Editorial Board, and the scientific spokesperson of the KIT Center “Information · Systems · Technologies” (KCIST).
Prof. Dr. Yulia Sandamirskaya
- Head of a Research Center “Cognitive computing in Life Sciences”, ICLS/ZHAW
Prof. Yulia Sandamirskaya is heading a Research Centre „Cognitive Computing“ at the Institute of Computational Life Sciences at the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW), Wädenswil. Her lab develops brain-inspired, neuromorphic technology for robot perception, cognition, and control. With a Dr.rer.nat. in Neuroinformatics from Ruhr-University of Bochum, she was leading a research group „Neuromorphic Cognitive Robots“ at the Institute of Neuroinformatics of ETH Zurich / UZH and the Application Research team of the Neuromorphic Computing Lab at Intel. She was listed among 30 women in robotics you need to know about in 2020 and got a „Future maker“ award from Business insider in 2022. Today, Yulia’s group promotes human-centred robotics with emphasis on safety, usability, and value-creation.
Dr. Anca Georgiana Rusu
- Program Manager, Innovation Booster Robotics
- Community Manager, EPFL Robotics
- Executive Director, Swiss Robotics Association
Dr. Anca-Georgiana Rusu is Program Manager at Innovation Booster Robotics, Community Manager at EPFL Robotics, and Executive Director of Swiss Robotics. As EPFL’s focal point for robotics, she leads initiatives to build a strong Swiss robotics ecosystem, including the Innovation Booster on Robotics and the creation of the Swiss Robotics Association, while coordinating lab visits, international research promotion, outreach activities, fundraising, and major robotics events in Switzerland.
Previously, she spent over six years at EPFL’s International Risk Governance Center, leading interdisciplinary research on the governance of emerging technologies. Dr. Rusu holds a Master’s degree in Social Sciences from the University of Lausanne and a PhD from Paris Dauphine University, where her research focused on organizational communication in emerging technologies, with a particular emphasis on artificial intelligence.
Dr. Sylvain Calinon
- Senior Researcher, Idiap Research Institute
Dr Sylvain Calinon is a Senior Research Scientist at the Idiap Research Institute and a Lecturer at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL). He heads the Robot Learning & Interaction group at Idiap, with expertise in human-robot collaboration, robot learning from demonstration, geometric representations and optimal control. The approaches developed in his group can be applied to a wide range of applications requiring manipulation skills, with robots that are either close to us (assistive and industrial robots), parts of us (prosthetics and exoskeletons), or far away from us (shared control and teleoperation). Website: https://calinon.ch
Dr. Dominic Gorecky
- President of the Board of Directors & Co-Founder, Swiss Cobotics Competence Center (S3C),
- Head of Swiss Smart Factory & Swiss Health Tech Center, Partner, Executive Board Member,
- Digital Shaper 2022
Dr. Hakan Girgin
- Innovation Manager, S3C
- Robotics Researcher
Lukas Ziegler
- Robotics & Al Advocate with Global Influence
Lukas is the founder of a leading media house dedicated to robotics companies, working with innovative startups as well as global industry leaders such as ABB and NVIDIA. He is also a lecturer at the Business School of Warsaw University of Technology, where he teaches Industry 4.0 to MBA students.
He serves as a Venture Partner at ffVC, supporting emerging deep-tech and robotics startups, and has built a global community of more than 250,000 robotics enthusiasts across Europe and the United States. Through his media platforms, Lukas’s content reaches over 100 million people annually, educating and empowering a worldwide audience on the transformative potential of robotics and advanced technologies.
Dr. Baptiste Busch
- CEO & Cofounder, AICA
Baptiste Busch holds a PhD in robotics and machine learning for human-robot interaction from Université de Bordeaux, France. He worked as a postdoctoral researcher at LASA EPFL on human-robot interaction in industrial settings before co-founding AICA in 2019. With a solid technical background and hands-on experience in developing advanced software, he is devoted to creating solutions that bridge the gap between complex robotic tasks and seamless execution.
Prof. Dr. David Romero
- Professor, Tecnológico de Monterrey University
Prof. Dr. David Romero is Professor of Advanced Manufacturing at Tecnológico de Monterrey (Mexico) and Scientific Vice-Chairman of the World Manufacturing Foundation. His research spans Circular Manufacturing, Product-Service Systems, Cyber-Physical and Human Systems, Advanced Production Management, Green Virtual Enterprises, and Technology & Engineering Management in the context of Industry 4.0.
He is an active member of leading international scientific and professional bodies (IFAC, IFIP, IEEE, and Collaborative Networks), an Agenda Contributor to the World Economic Forum on Advanced Manufacturing and a World Manufacturing Forum Ambassador. Author of 200+ scientific publications, Prof. Romero serves on numerous academic, industrial, and governmental advisory boards and is widely known as the originator of the “Operator 4.0 / 5.0” and “Digital Lean Manufacturing” concepts.
Prof. Dr. Sarah Dégallier Rochat
- Professor & Head of Humane Digitale Transformation, Bern University of Applied Sciences
Katrin J. Yuan
- Boardmember | CEO Swiss Future Institute | Chair AI Future Council
Katrin J. Yuan is an award-winning executive with a background in technology and transformation. With a Master of Business Administration and studies in IT and finance, Katrin is fluent in six languages. She is a Board Member, Chair of the AI Future Council, lectures at four universities, and serves as a Jury Member for the ETH. Katrin is an influential executive networker, investor and speaker. Her expertise extends to AI tech future and Boards, enforcing AI and a diverse data-driven approach.
Devendra Jain
- Initiatives Lead, Frontier Technologies for Operations, World Economic Forum
Devendra Jain leads a portfolio of technology and innovation initiatives at the World Economic Forum – exploring the transformative potential of frontier technologies such as AI, Robotics and Quantum in shaping the future of manufacturing while amplifying human ingenuity. He aims to channelize a multi-stakeholder community of experts worldwide to empower industries for the future and guide policymakers with frameworks that foster inclusive economic growth.
With over 15 years of experience, including a decade driving large-scale digital transformation initiatives from vision to value realization, Devendra specializes in building data-driven cultures and managing organizational change to enable meaningful impact. He holds an MBA and a Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science, and thrives at the intersection of business and technology, driving responsible innovation for industry and society.
Dr. Milan Kumar
- CIO, ZF Commercial Vehicles (CVS)
- Global CIO & CDO Awards Winner
- CIO Series Author
- Forbes Tech Council
Dr. Milan Kumar is a global technology leader, Global Chief Information and Digital Officer (CDIO), TEDx speaker, author, educator, and startup mentor. He currently serves as CIO of ZF Commercial Vehicles in Bern, Switzerland, leading global digital transformation initiatives with a strong focus on data monetization.
Previously, he held senior roles as CIO, CDO, and board member at WABCO (NYSE: WBC) and Volkswagen Group, supporting digital transformation across numerous Fortune 500 companies including BMW, General Motors, British Airways, Atlas Copco, Morgan Stanley, and others. Dr. Kumar holds a PhD in AI Management, completed executive education at Harvard Business School, is a global keynote speaker, and has received multiple awards including Swiss CIO of the Year.
Dr. Xavier Comtesse
- Innovation Strategist, Futurist, and Thought Leader *Digital Transformation*
Dr. Xavier Comtesse is a recognized expert in digital transformation, with a strong background in computer science, research, and innovation across academia and industry.
He holds a PhD in Computer Science and has worked with multiple organizations on integrating advanced digital technologies into real-world applications. His interdisciplinary approach bridges technical depth and strategic insight to address complex technological challenges. Dr. Comtesse has contributed to numerous research and innovation initiatives, with a focus on AI and machine learning, while emphasizing governance and accountability in AI deployment. He is a frequent international speaker and actively mentors the next generation of technologists and researchers.
Dr. Justinas Mišeikis
- Strategy and Partnerships Manager, SonyAI
Justinas Mišeikis, PhD, EMBA, is a robotics expert and angel investor with a decade of experience spanning computer vision, sensor fusion, and human-robot interaction. Having previously led AI development for service robots and personal assistants, he now focuses on the strategic commercialization of breakthrough technologies for global technology leaders. His work focuses on turning complex research into measurable business impact, supported by a portfolio of over 15 publications and extensive patent activity.
In a capacity distinct from his corporate role, Justinas is representing the Humanoid Robotics World Championship, bringing his technical rigor to define the benchmarks for the next generation of humanoid robots.
Dr. Vo Gia Loc
- Founder and CEO, Apicoo Robotics
Dr. Vo Gia Loc is a robotics expert and entrepreneur leading Apicoo Robotics, where he is expanding automation solutions into the heavy industrial welding sector in Vietnam.
He founded Apicoo Robotics to democratize automation for SMEs, developing the SusGrip smart grippers (2- and 3-finger) based on a proprietary hybrid parallel-scissor mechanism, optimized for high-mix, low-volume production. Previously, he contributed to the Indy7 collaborative robot at Neuromeka and conducted postdoctoral research at the Italian Institute of Technology (IIT), working on the COMAN humanoid and the WALK-MAN robot for the DARPA Robotics Challenge. Dr. Loc holds a PhD in Robotics from Sungkyunkwan University, specializing in quadruped locomotion and biologically inspired control.
Benjamin Regener
- Advanced Engineering & Strategic Consulting, NuclearIQ Solutions LLC
Benjamin Regener is the founder of NuclearIQ Solutions and former Team Head for Condition Monitoring, Calculation, and Simulation at Kernkraftwerk Leibstadt, Switzerland’s largest nuclear power plant. With over 12 years of experience in safety-critical environments, he has established the technical and regulatory foundations for deploying robotics systems—including humanoids, quadrupeds, and autonomous platforms—alongside remote inspection, advanced sensing, digital twins, and additive manufacturing.
His expertise spans multiphysics simulation (FEA, CFD, structural dynamics), vibration diagnostics, fracture mechanics, material forensics, robotic system integration, sensor fusion architectures, and additive manufacturing qualification, with extensive experience interfacing with Swiss regulators. Through NuclearIQ Solutions, he now applies nuclear-grade engineering rigor to critical infrastructure worldwide, enabling qualified, auditable robotic systems with fully understood failure modes.
Dr. Christian Hugo Hoffmann
- Founder & Director, AI Startup Center (Zurich)
Christian is the founder and director of the AI Startup Center in Zurich, where he has already established over 30 AI startups in less than a year, including renowned spin-offs from ETH Zurich and Cambridge University. He sees himself as a cluster-preneur who successfully builds and manages entire clusters or business and innovation ecosystems rather than individual ventures. He particularly empowers that the innovations of the startups find their way into the economy and established companies in a sustainable manner – so-called success stories. He was himself an entrepreneur and AI entrepreneur for many years, with a successful exit and start-up experience in various countries, including Germany, Switzerland, and Malawi. With not only extensive practical experience, but also a PhD in finance and a PhD in philosophy (ethics of AI), Dr. Dr. Christian Hugo Hoffmann is a proven expert and thought leader on questions of ethical capitalism. More information at: www.christian-hugo-hoffmann.com
Marco Failla
- Co-Founder and CTO, Wheemo.Tech
Marco Failla is the CTO of Wheemo, where he leverages advanced axial flux technology to deliver high-torque density solutions for the robotics and automation industries. An ETH Zürich graduate in Robotics, Systems, and Control, Marco is the architect behind WheemX, a proprietary design tool. He combines deep expertise in FEA and simulation to transform years of motor development knowledge into impactful, high-performance actuation systems.
Fabien Mugnier
- Senior Robotics Leader, ex-1X, ex-Dyson, ex-Softbank Robotics
Dr. Lukasz Ostrowski
- Development Manager and Head of Embodied AI & Robotics, SAP Research & Innovation
Dr. Lukasz Ostrowski is Development Manager & Head of Embodied AI & Robotics at SAP, focusing on bringing innovation into SAP at scale. With 10+ years leadership experience, he specializes in disruptive innovation in collaboration with line of business and industry leaders. Happy to connect on cognitive robots and innovation opportunities.
Simon Enderli
- Director, Bern Economic Development Agency
Simon Enderli is an experienced executive with over 20 years of expertise in economic development, business growth, and stakeholder engagement across both the private and public sectors. He currently serves as Head of the Bern Economic Development Agency, where he focuses on strengthening regional competitiveness, fostering innovation, and promoting investment.
Previously, he led the Swiss Entrepreneurs Foundation and served as President of the Swiss Entrepreneurs & Startup Association, playing a key role in advancing the Swiss startup ecosystem. His career includes senior positions in finance, international sales, and market development. Simon Enderli holds a degree in Business Economics and is fluent in German, English, and French.
Edwin Yap
- Founder, Mr. Robot
Edwin Yap is a Malaysian entrepreneur driving AI, robotics, and Industry 4.0 adoption across Southeast Asia. He is CEO of Jemco Manufacturing, leading smart warehouse, automation, and AI-driven solutions, and founder of Mr. Robot, an AI robotics company focused on practical humanoid and service robots that augment human work.
Through strategic partnerships such as with AgiBot, he has showcased embodied-AI humanoid robots internationally and supports Malaysia’s robotics ecosystem through training, pilot projects, and cross-border collaboration. He is a frequent speaker on smart manufacturing and human–machine collaboration, with a mission to build a human-centric robotics ecosystem in the region.
Yuichiro Kawasumi
- Chief Engineer, Kawada Technologies Inc.
Yuichiro Kawasumi is a Chief Engineer at Kawada Technologies, Inc., specializing in humanoid software and social implementation. He began his career developing the HRP-2 series with AIST, establishing core humanoid control expertise. This led to the successful spin-out of NEXTAGE, a torso-type robot that transformed high-end research into practical factory automation. Building on this real-world success, Kawasumi recently launched a project to develop next-generation legged robots in late 2025. Returning to his roots in full-body mobility, he aims to pioneer the next era of humanoid automation to solve critical global labor shortages.
Yijing Wang
- Lead of International Cooperation, Shanghai AI Research Institute
Yijing Wang is an international cooperation professional specializing in artificial intelligence, industrial digital transformation, and multilateral partnerships. She currently leads international cooperation initiatives at the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Research Institute (SAIRI), where she works on building global platforms for industrial AI collaboration (with a focus on Physical AI), capacity building, and applied innovation. With prior experience in the United Nations system, she brings a strong background in international organizations, global governance, and cross-border project development, with a particular focus on AI policy, industry applications, and Global South cooperation.
Jan Lässig
- Specialist in digital art mediation and cultural education, Aargauer Kunsthaus
Jan Lässig is a specialist in digital art mediation and cultural education. With a background in English linguistics and literature, art history, philosophy, and multimedia arts, he develops innovative educational formats that bring art to life using different technologies such as AR and AI. As a specialist at Aargauer Kunsthaus and as a project manager and multimedia producer at Studio Freisicht, he designs and implements digital projects that enhance museums in forward-looking ways.
Marc Moal
- Global Head of Contract Manufacturing, Nestlé Nespresso
Marc Moal is Global Head of Contract Manufacturing at Nestlé Nespresso, overseeing worldwide manufacturing operations for coffee machines, with a strong focus on automation, digitalization, and collaborative robotics. His career spans semiconductor, medical device, and consumer product industries, where he has led large‑scale industrial transformations, quality turnarounds, and technology‑driven manufacturing partnerships. Marc regularly contributes to global manufacturing forums and speaks on the future of intelligent, responsible production systems
Philippe Hegi
- Founder and CEO, Bebop Robotics
Philippe Hegi is the Founder and CEO of Bebop Robotics, leveraging a unique dual background in Electronics Engineering and Business Administration. He possesses deep expertise in corporate innovation and finance, having served as Head of Finance for Swisscom’s Innovation Department and its Data, Analysis, and AI division. Beyond his own venture, Philippe actively supports the entrepreneurial ecosystem as a startup coach, jury member, and non-executive board member for SMEs. He combines technical acumen with strategic financial leadership to drive growth in the deep tech and robotics sectors.
Dr. Diego Paez-Granados
- Head of SCAI Lab ETH Zürich & SPF |
Co-Founder Qolo
Dr. Paez is the Head of the Spinal Cord Injury and Artificial Intelligence Lab (SCAI Lab) at ETH Zürich and Swiss Paraplegic Research (SPF) in Switzerland. He holds a visiting faculty position at the Cybernics Research Institute, University of Tsukuba, Japan.
With a focus on personalised healthcare, his lab develops advanced machine learning and wearable sensing technologies for assistive decision-making systems, especially focused on modelling disease onset and develop digital biomarkers.
Passionate about enhancing healthcare, Dr. Paez is dedicated to creating patient digital twins and leveraging them to develop preventive technologies that support healthcare workers and caregivers. His research interests span human modelling, human-robot interaction control, explainable models for machine learning in healthcare applications, and biosignal processing.
Prof. Dr. Jianwei Zhang
- Founding Director, Institute of Technical Aspects of Multimodal Systems, University of Hamburg
Prof. Dr. Jianwei Zhang, the founding director of the Institute of Technical Aspects of Multimodal Systems at the University of Hamburg. He is a member of the German Academy of Science and Engineering and an International Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. He earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Artificial Intelligence from the Department of Computer Science at Tsinghua University, completing his Ph.D. in Robotics at the University of Karlsruhe. His research and development interests encompass Robot perception and manipulation, Multimodal LLMs, applications in Industry 4.0, Humanoid Robots, and more. He has published 800+ papers and books, along with multiple best paper awards. He has spearheaded 10+ large-scale international R&D projects. He served as the General Chair of the Flagship Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS) 2015 in Hamburg.
Shawn Claude Cowdrey
- Innovation Manager (Robotics and AI), Wandelbots
Shawn Cowdrey is an Innovation Manager at Wandelbots, working to make robot programming more accessible through a unified software platform for industrial robotics. His focus is on transferable skills across emerging robot form factors, including humanoids, AMRs, and quadrupeds, enabling automation workflows to move seamlessly between different machines.
With a background in Mechatronic Engineering and experience at Omron Automation, he has supported real-world robotics deployments in the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical sectors. At Wandelbots, he has prototyped applications at the intersection of industrial robotics and embodied AI, including a humanoid showcase on the Unitree G1 platform, bringing a pragmatic, industry-grounded perspective on where humanoid robotics delivers real long-term value.
Simon Fischinger
- CEO, Synapticon
Simon Fischinger is a distinguished leader in the field of embedded systems and robotics, serving as CEO at Synapticon. With over 12 years of dedicated leadership at the company, he has been instrumental in positioning Synapticon as a core technology enabler for the next generation of high-performance motion control and integrated drive systems. With a rare blend of deep technical mechatronic knowledge and global operational expertise, Simon continues to drive the innovations that make humanoids and advanced robotic systems more capable, safe and efficient.
Arijana Selimi
- CEO, Roboswiss AG
Arijana Selimi is the CEO of Roboswiss AG, a Swiss technology company focused on AI-driven robotics, automation solutions, and Robot-as-a-Service models for retail, hospitality, construction, and facility management.
She works closely with international robotics manufacturers. She is focused on developing in-house software solutions and data platforms which are connected with the robotics hardware. This in-house developed software drives the market introduction of humanoid robots and Robots-as-a-Service across Switzerland and Europe. Her vision is to build an integrated robotics ecosystem that brings intelligent automation into traditional business sectors and accelerates the future of autonomous services.
Daniel Schlecht
- Software Engineer, Swiss Cobotics Competence Center (S3C)
Daniel is a Swiss industrial software engineer part of the Swiss Cobotics Competence Center (S3C) team. He has a background in electrical engineering, automation, and sustainable energy systems. He holds a Master of Science in Engineering and has worked on applying machine learning to optimize complex technical and biological systems.
Professionally, Daniel develops and leads software projects in collaborative robotics, combining industrial software development with project leadership. In parallel, he has long-standing experience as a lecturer and vocational teacher, teaching control engineering, software engineering, and mathematics. He is also a certified Scrum Master with experience in agile and blended-learning environments, and is active in the digitalization of technical education.
Alexander Schwarz
- Robotics Solution Architect, NVIDIA
Alexander Schwarz is a Robotics Solutions Architect at NVIDIA, where he guides developers building next-generation Robot Brains and World Foundation Models with NVIDIA Cosmos and Isaac. He holds an M.Sc. in Robotics, Cognition, Intelligence from TU Munich and conducted research at Johns Hopkins University, TU Delft, and ETH Zurich.
Krzysztof Walas
- Co-founder and CTO, Lute
Krzysztof Walas is Co-founder and CTO of Lute, where he leads the development of AI-driven robotic systems and their transition from research to scalable products. He was also Co-founder of MAB Robotics and an Advisor to Nomagic, with hands-on experience in industrial and logistics robotics. He has contributed to major European innovation programs, including projects with the European Space Agency such as SpaceShip and PhiLab. In parallel, he is an Assistant Professor at Poznan University of Technology and a board member of the AI, Data and Robotics Association.
Dr. Jorge Peña Queralta
- CEO and Co-Founder, Binabik.ai
Dr. Jorge Peña Queralta leads a research group on Physical AI for Mobile Robotics at the Centre for AI, Zürich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW). With 10+ years working on robotics and machine learning applied to the physical world, his lab works on Robotic Foundation Models, Physical Agentic AI, and Reinforcement Learning for legged and wheeled robots, including humanoids and quadrupeds.
He is also CEO and Co-Founder of Binabik.ai, a Swiss startup building an agentic operating system for humanoid robots. The focus of Binabik is to deploy humanoids in industrial setting with just a few hours, and not weeks, of data collection.
Barbara Horvath
- Co-founder & CEO, Inveel GmbH
Barbara Horvath is the co-founder of Inveel GmbH, a startup focusing on developing sensory skins for robots . Following her doctoral studies at NIMS in Japan, she embarked on a researcher journey, spending time at NIMS and CNRS (France) before joining the Paul Scherrer Institute in Switzerland from 2015 to 2019. Transitioning to the corporate sector in 2020, she worked as an Engineer and later as Global Project Manager. In 2024 she founded Inveel where she serves as the CEO.
Richard Bouveret
- CEO & Chairman, Blue Solutions
Richard Bouveret has been CEO and Chairman of Blue Solutions and Bluebus, both 100% subsidiaries of the Bolloré Group, since September 2022. He joined the Group at a pivotal moment with the mission to position both companies as leaders in solid-state batteries and electric buses, drawing on deep expertise in mechatronics, electrification, vehicle lifecycles, and cutting-edge automotive technologies.
An engineering graduate of École Nationale Supérieure des Mines de Nancy, Richard brings over 28 years of international automotive experience, including senior leadership roles at Valeo and the ZF Group, where he led business and talent development, industrial performance optimization, commercial transformations, and M&A strategies. Having worked across North America, Europe, Turkey, India, China, South Korea, and Japan, he is recognized as a pragmatic and passionate leader, combining visionary structuring with a strong focus on talent, performance, and sustainable growth.
Al Costa
- CEO and Co-Founder, TeknTrash
Al Costa is the CEO of TeknTrash, a UK-based robotics company focused on deploying humanoid robots in real industrial environments. One application is waste management at recycling plants where tasks can be dangerous and unsanitary. He leads the company’s strategy, technology direction and international partnerships, with a strong emphasis on turning advanced robotics into practical, scalable solutions for hazardous and repetitive work
Dr. Anna Antonakis
- Senior Researcher, Institute of Design Research, Bern University of Applied Sciences
Dr. Anna Antonakis is a senior researcher in the field of Social Design at the Institute of Design Research, Bern University of Applied Sciences. Drawing on science and technology studies, she investigates questions around digital technologies and representations, inequalities and security/ies and focusses on how power operates in and through the design of processes, narratives and (digital) artifacts. She holds a PhD in political science from the Freie Universität Berlin.
Johan Cuda
- Scientific Collaborator, Bern University of Applied Sciences,
- Lecturer, University of Lausanne
Johan Cuda is a scientific collaborator at the School of Engineering and Computer Science, Bern University of Applied Sciences and a part-time lecturer at the Department of Language and Information Sciences, University of Lausanne. His work focuses on computational methods applied to game studies and the use of machine learning to analyse video game textual content. His current work at BFH focuses on the study of narratives of technology and algorithmic biases.
Urs Gehrig
- Partner and Head of Business Development, Lighthouse Consulting AS
Urs Gehrig is Partner and Head of Business Development at Lighthouse Consulting AS (lighthouse.no). He holds degrees in Electrical Engineering (HTL), Law (lic. iur.), and Secondary Education.
Previously at Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), he led the Competence Center Predictive Maintenance and the Enterprise Asset Management workstream in the S/4 SBB program. He lectured on Digitalized Maintenance (ZHAW) and GenAI & Human-AI Interaction (FHNW).
Urs focuses on embodied AI, robotics, and autonomous systems for industrial asset management. He contributes to the International Humanoid Forum (2025/2026) and serves on advisory boards including EU Horizon 2020 LOCATE, POLIMI (UIC), and AIPM (UIC P700). He is a Certified SAFe® 5 Agilist. Urs is Chairman of SUGRail SIG for Intelligent Asset Management since 2019.
He is a passionate drummer and composer.
Yossi Bar
- CEO, LEM Surgical AG
Yossi is the CEO and founder of LEM Surgical and a seasoned leader in the area of surgical robotics (ex-R&D Director at Mazor Robotics; former COO/VP R&D at Radiaction).
He comes from a mechanical-engineering/med-tech R&D background and pursued further Philosophy and Management studies at Tel-Aviv and Reichman Universities.
Dr. Andrea Schneider
- Customer Insights Manager at SBB
- Co-Owner The Behavior Lab GmbH
Andrea Schneider, Ph.D., is a cognitive psychologist applying human-centered approaches to future mobility and technology innovation. She manages customer insights and innovation collaborations at Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) and has led research and UX initiatives across academia and industry, including at the EPFL+ECAL Lab. She is also co-owner of Behavior Lab GmbH. Her work bridges academia, industry, and society to ensure emerging technologies and innovations serve genuine human needs.
Dr. Dominik Boemer
- Manager, Advanced Robotics, FEV Consulting
Dr. Dominik Boemer is a Manager at FEV Consulting, the techno-strategic consulting arm of the FEV Group. He is a core member of FEV Consulting’s Advanced Robotics practice and advises leading robot manufacturers, suppliers, and end-users, with a particular focus on humanoid robotics. His work centers on market, technology, and business strategy, as well as cost and value management and benchmarking in Advanced Robotics.
https://www.fev-consulting.com/advanced-robotics/
Adelya Fatykhova
- Architect, SAP Research & Innovation
- Global Architecture Lead for Embodied AI Agents
Adelya Fatykhova is the Global Lead Architect for Embodied AI & Robotics at SAP SE. Her 10+ years at SAP in engineering & innovation span digital health, business process automation, continuous learning and self-adaptive systems, multi-agent architecture, and most recently, embodied AI and robotics. Adelya specializes in architecting scalable industry-ready cyberphysical systems embedded within the context of business applications and processes, applying agentic AI to solve business challenges in the physical world.
Mwenda Munasha
- Global Lead Smart Manufacturing Process & Innovation, Clarios
Mwenda is passionate about cars and technology. He is actively engaged in driving digital transformation. Mwenda aims to integrate Smart Manufacturing & Industry X.0 technologies to create business growth, increase operational effectiveness and enhance the value creating process.
He is passionate about discovering new technologies and applying them to solve the most challenging issues in manufacturing operations and follows a principled people oriented leadership.
Some of the key technologies he applies in executing a strategic roadmap include Digital Twins with simulations for material flow, process twin and physics simulations; AI application; Automation & robotics; IoT; Analytics, AR/VR.
Mwenda has had project leadership in large scale brownfield and greenfield projects globally from start to installation, ramp-up and handing over to production teams.
In pursuit of applying the new technologies Mwenda’s approach is to put humans at the centre of it. Believing in abundant human potential.
Mario Fürst
- Country Program Manager Siemens Xcelerator, Siemens
Mario Fürst has been with Siemens for more than 16 years. He hasdeveloped in-depth expertise in digital transformation, especiallyin relation to cultural changes. First as a mechanical engineeringcomputer scientist, then as project manager and beginning of2019 he built and led the Digital Enterprise Business from scratch,where he has mastered the art of demonstrating the benefits ofnew technologies and concepts for customers. Since 2025 MarioFürst is resposible for the Siemens Xcelerator Ecosystem Growthas Country Program Manager in Switzerland. Whether for SMEs orlarge corporations, national or international companies: Mario Fürsthas implemented and supported numerous digitization projects inhis career. With a great team, he is committed to the success ofcustomers on the way to digitialization. Always with the aim that theindustry can go one step further.As an external speaker and guestlecturer, he also passes on his knowledge and experience of digitaltransformation and the role of advanced tech to Swiss universities.With more than 15 years of experience and through his network inindustry, he strives to exchange and share his experiences in thefields of manufacturing technologies, industrial automation, digitalbusiness transformation, mind-set change, community building,leadership and lifelong learning.
Dr. Gennady Plyushchev
- Founder, Skyentific
Dr. Gennady Plyushchev is an entrepreneur and robotics hardware specialist based in Lausanne. He earned his PhD in Physics from EPFL in 2009 and later conducted research at EPFL and CERN. Since 2016, he has built a robotics-focused YouTube channel with over 100,000 subscribers, translating advanced robotics concepts into practical engineering insights. Through this platform, he has supported companies as a robotics consultant, with a focus on hardware development and implementation. He is the founder of Skyentific, a startup dedicated to bringing affordable, capable robotics into everyday life.
Anne Chevrier
- President Think Act Manufacturing CCI France Suisse
Leading ThinkAct Manufacturing – uniting French-Swiss industrial leaders across Industry 4.0 (digital twins, IoT, automation), Industrial AI (cobots, AI agents, logistics), and Integrated Supply Chains (traceability, resilience) to drive Europe’s reindustrialization.
Dassault Systèmes Marketing Manager Switzerland, advancing the 3DEXPERIENCE® platform mission: virtual twin experiences for sustainable innovation across manufacturing, infrastructure, life sciences, aerospace, automotive, energy, and high-tech industries – partnering with NVIDIA for Physical AI-powered transformation.
Loïc Delineau
- CEO & Co-Founder, coprod
Christian Haltiner
- Managing Director, Dassault Systèmes Switzerland
Christian Haltiner joined Dassault Systèmes in August 2016 in the role as Managing Director for our strategic market Switzerland. He is a member of the executive board of Dassault Systèmes EuroCentral.
Christian Haltiner has more than 20 years of experience in the IT sector and has a profound understanding of sale methodologies and partner management. After successful years as sales director at global market leaders like Canon or Microsoft, he joined the executive board of Rotring Data AG, where he got a deep understanding of modern innovation platforms, process optimization and manufacturing. These days he focuses on the topics of “virtual twin” and digital continuity across all industries.
Carlos Bento
- Manufacturing & Engineering Manager, Nestlé Nespresso SA
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