Disruption as Opportunity: Highlights from the AOE Summit 2025

On June 26, 2025, the AOE Summit transformed Spark Frankfurt into a vibrant innovation hub for about 150 of AOE’s customers and partners. Under the guiding theme “Disruption as Opportunity,” the event spanned two floors and offered plenty of room to think beyond boundaries.

A Grand Opening: Inspiration on All Levels

Kian Gould, CEO and founder of the AOE Group, and moderator Saskia Naumann kicked off the event with a bang.

Kian made one thing very clear in his opening keynote: We’re living in an era of unprecedented acceleration. Following the standstill brought on by the pandemic and inflation, it’s time to move beyond “fear-driven cost savings” and embrace bold innovation and digital sovereignty.

AOE is walking the talk: Its strategic alliance with STACKIT is paving the way for sovereign IT infrastructure in Germany and Europe. And in the realm of AI? Flexibility is the name of the game. Whether using in-house or open-source models—what matters is picking up speed where it counts.

Leading Disruptions in the Age of AI

Katrin J. Yuan opened the day with a powerful keynote. Her core message? AI is already here. If not in Germany, then certainly in China or the U.S. The risks? Huge. The opportunities? Just as big. Those who don’t adapt now will become side characters in their own story tomorrow.

The takeaway? Don’t block—adapt! Activate those neurons, validate, reflect—and integrate AI into your thinking and doing.

Racing Toward the Future

Ulrich Irnich, former CIO of Vodafone Germany and now Executive Tech Advisor, took the audience on a tour through the telecom industry’s ongoing revolution. His key point: Disruption and AI aren’t edge cases—they’re the new game changers.

But despite all the tech talk, one thing remains constant: people are at the heart of it all. It's about creating connections—with empathy, responsibility, and ethics. Data security, fair algorithms, and social impact must not be left behind.

His conclusion: Leaders must actively shape the opportunities presented by disruption and AI—with a clear stance, responsible action, and a radar for emerging possibilities (“Zero X”).

The Future of Mobile Payments in Europe

Daniel Koenen, Commercial Director at Bluecode, presented a compelling vision for a European mobile payment solution that doesn’t need to hide behind Alipay and others. His message was clear: Payments need to become smarter, faster—and more European.

His call to action: Let’s bring digital payments to Europe—secure, interoperable, and with real added value for merchants and customers alike.

Tradition Meets Tech: Reinventing Real Estate Brokerage

Wolfram Gast, Chief Digital Officer at VON POLL IMMOBILIEN, demonstrated how even a traditional company can drive—and shape—digital transformation. He introduced his digital twin “AI-Wolfram,” who now welcomes customers on the portal and will soon deliver video-based valuations.

His closing words to a visibly impressed audience: The future has already begun. It’s up to us whether we watch or help shape it.

Next-Gen Payment: Turning Complexity into Delight

Guillaume Vaslin, Founder and Head of Design, and Hannah Gatter, Design Lead at ENNOstudio (part of the AOE Group), showed how complex payment processes can become “enjoyable moments”—with the power of design.

Their premise: No one really wants to pay—but everyone wants it to work seamlessly.

Their approach: AI-driven innovation—from quickly evaluating user interviews to ideation—leaves more room for true creativity and empathy. Their equation: Design Thinking + AI + real user feedback = future-proof payments.

From Lab to Business Value: Making AI Work

After lunch, a high-profile panel explored how companies can move AI from experimentation into real business impact. Under the title “How Do We Bring AI Use Cases Out of the Lab and Into Business Value?”, panelists Sarah Rojewski (AI Consultant & Change Manager), Daniel Pötzinger (CTO, AOE), and Christian Gaege (AI Architect, AOE) shared their insights.

The consensus: The age of experimentation is over. Now is the time to embed AI seriously into value creation.

Immersive Learning: Virtual Trainings in 3D

Christian Rathemacher (CEO) and Sascha Haenlein (Team Lead, Project MATHILDA) from weltenbauer., a long-time AOE partner, gave an impressive look into the future of training. Their topic: virtual 3D training environments—from emergency lanes to farmers’ market drama.

Their message: Virtual worlds aren’t just playthings. They’re the future of training—safe, immersive, and hyper-realistic.

Accessibility Starts with Mindset

Meanwhile, speaker, coach, and trainer Sven Albert focused on digital accessibility. His belief: Accessibility starts in the mind—and ends in solutions that include everyone.

His conclusion: Good UX is inclusive UX. Accessibility makes digital offerings better for everyone and strengthens brand and business alike. It's not a nice-to-have—it’s a true business driver.

Gold Standard in Customer Delight: The congstar NPS Story

After a coffee break, Anke Drewicke, Head of Marketing and Sales at congstar, took the stage. AOE and congstar have worked closely together since 2008—and achieved a lot along the way. In her presentation, “Gold Standard in Customer Delight: The congstar NPS Story,” she showed how congstar turns customer satisfaction into measurable success.

Her focus: NPS (Net Promoter Score)—a global standard for measuring customer satisfaction and willingness to recommend. At congstar, the score is an impressive 60—a strong indicator that their customers are true fans.

Her message: Customer satisfaction is the gold standard—and the best foundation for sustainable growth.

Digital Sovereignty in the Age of AI

On the Rooftop Stage, Daniel Pötzinger (CTO) and Stefan Rotsch (Senior Solution Architect) wrapped up the talks with “Digital Sovereignty in the Age of AI.” A wake-up call and practical guide rolled into one.

Their call to action: Digital sovereignty is not a luxury. It's a prerequisite for actionability, security, and competitiveness in the AI era. The time to act is now.

Innovation Management in the Digital Age

Peter Brugger, Senior Project Manager at Horváth, took attendees on an exploratory journey through the challenges and success factors of modern innovation management. His talk: “Innovation Management in theDigital Age”—a deep dive into how innovation units can stay future-ready in times of economic stagnation and digital pressure.

His takeaway: Innovation management needs a rethink—networked, data-driven, and focused on what truly moves the business forward.

Closing Remarks: Looking Beyond the Horizon

To close the day, Kian Gould once again took the stage to reflect on the summit’s goal: to deliver actionable impulses and new perspectives. The shared conclusion from everyone in attendance? The Summit offered more than theory—it brought practical, directly applicable ideas to life and opened up views toward horizons that are closer than we think.

After the official program, it was time to unwind: discussion, networking, and great conversations—topped off by a stellar Summit Expo and a dinner that left nothing to be desired.