OUR SPEAKERS OF 2025
Markus Goldhacker | How to explore and even shape the dynamics of our brain
Markus Goldhacker studied Physics and Psychology at the University of Regensburg, focusing on neuroscience and artificial intelligence. During his PhD, he explored how the synchrony of brain activity changes over time, uncovering hidden patterns and developing new methods to analyze them. He then worked as a Data Scientist in the Neurosurgery Department at the University Hospital of Regensburg, analyzing functional brain scans of brain tumor patients. Later, he joined the mechanical engineering industry, where he developed data-driven models for predictive maintenance. Since September 2020, he has been a Professor of Data Science at OTH Regensburg, in both the Mechanical Engineering Department and the Regensburg School of Digital Sciences. His current research focuses on Brain-Computer Interfaces and Neurofeedback, exploring how these technologies can enable people to self-regulate their brain function.
Antonia Assenova | We Coded AI. It Decoded Us. Now Let’s Recode Both.
Born in communist Bulgaria and witnessing its transformation to democracy, Antonia is a visionary leader and founder of OZERIAN, with nearly two decades of experience in digital transformation, process automation, and organizational development. Having held leadership roles in Stuttgart, Berlin, and Munich, she has been at the forefront of technological innovation and organizational change.
Guided by a deep belief that technology should serve the greater good — fostering inclusion, respect, and community — she has dedicated her work to one of today’s most critical topics: Responsible AI.
Driven by a passion for continuous growth and the courage to embrace new challenges, Antonia’s personal journey has taken her far beyond traditional paths. From acting workshops and writing performances to tennis matches that tested her resilience, she has discovered the transformative power of stepping outside her comfort zone. These experiences have shaped her conviction that true innovation begins where fear ends.
At OZERIAN, she empowers organizations and public institutions to establish responsible and sustainable AI practices, ensuring that technology becomes a force for good. Her mission is to inspire bold, future-oriented action and to help create a world where technology benefits everyone.
Reinhard Dischner | The key to succeeding as a leader
As the son of an entrepreneur, Reinhard Dischner (born 1968) has inherited the entrepreneurial spirit. After studying economics in Germany and Spain, he quickly moved into the international arena.
Reinhard is a cosmopolitan manager with a keen sense for people, products, and processes. Over the past two decades, he has made company history at PUMA — transforming the brand from the “junk table to the catwalk” and making the ‘cat’ cool again — a remarkable success story. A true global citizen, he has travelled to 35 countries and led a multicultural team representing 25 nations.
A man of action, Reinhard impresses with his vision, determination, and resilience. He stands out for his analytical thinking and his ability to inspire and motivate people to perform at their best. He always delivers.
As the father of two boys, he has experienced the generational shift from the baby boomers to Generation XYZ first-hand — both professionally and personally.
Despite all his achievements, one quality defines him above all: his humanity.
Dennis Faltermeier | From coma back to life – A story of willpower
When Dennis Faltermeier “woke up” from a three-week coma in January 2009, the prognosis was grim. At just 19 years old, he had suffered a severe traumatic brain injury, cerebral hemorrhage, and right-sided paralysis following an accident.
Suddenly, he was fully dependent on a wheelchair and the support of others — unable to swallow, speak, or think independently. The brain hemorrhage had destroyed large parts of his brain.
Today, however, Dennis has earned a university degree, regained his driver’s license, and works at a Max Planck Institute. He goes to the gym three to four times a week, outpaces his father while cycling, and simply enjoys the life he fought to reclaim.
In his talks, Dennis addresses resilience and mental health, emphasizing how vital psychological well-being is to us as human beings.
Having experienced some of the deepest lows imaginable, he shares how he managed to survive, recover, and rebuild his life — against all odds.
Elena Reimchen | Inclusion in Sports – Breaking Barriers, Creating Opportunities
Elena Reimchen combines elite athletic experience, scientific expertise, and social commitment. A former competitive synchronized swimmer and professionally trained ballet dancer, she lived and trained in Germany, Austria, and England. Motivated by her passion for movement, she went on to study Sports Science and later Health Science at the Technical University of Munich.
While working as a research assistant, Elena encountered the barriers that often prevent people with disabilities from participating in sports. This experience inspired her to specialize in inclusive sports, focusing her research on how children with and without disabilities can learn to swim together. She examined the attitudes of swimming instructors toward inclusion and identified the key competencies required to design truly inclusive swimming programs.
Drawing on the determination and perseverance she developed in competitive sports, Elena is now dedicated to making sports accessible to everyone, regardless of physical or mental ability. Her work aims to create equal opportunities for participation and social interaction through everyday sports — helping to build a more inclusive society.
Franz Rösl | Humus – the basis of life
Since 2022, Franz Rösl has been Managing Director of the Rösl Group in its second generation. A graduate civil engineer (FH), he is responsible for more than 120 employees across three locations — the company headquarters in Arrach, and branches in Regensburg and Liemehna, Saxony. The group’s service portfolio includes earthworks, demolition, transportation, waste disposal, recycling, and stone and earth processing.
For more than 25 years, Franz Rösl has managed the Liemehna compost and soil plant near Leipzig, where he continues to conduct research on composts. He is deeply engaged in studying humus quality and the effects of natural substances on health processes. His vocation is to promote healthy soil as the foundation for the health of water, plants, animals, and people.
To this day, he collaborates with numerous organizations, scientists, and practitioners. As a speaker on soil health for over 20 years — and as founder and chairman of the Interessengemeinschaft gesunder Boden e.V. — Franz Rösl received the City of Regensburg’s first Environmental Prize in 2018 for the work of the “IG gesunder Boden.”
Event Location
Location: Degginger, Wahlenstraße 17, 93047 Regensburg