being up on stage. It’s a great feeling to be part of a conversation with an audience that’s as curious as I am about how we should live in the future. Wherever I go, from tech conferences like Tech Open Air, re:publica and Codemotion to design festivals to TEDxBerlin, all of my talks relate to big topics of being human in an increasingly digital world.
From my experience attending hundreds of such conferences and events, I know what separates a good talk from a great one. The best talks are a transformative venture into a new topic, picking up the listener, taking them on a wild ride and returning them home safely, touched and moved, richer in insights and experiences. Just like a rollercoaster.
Current Topics
The following are the topics I’m currently most fascinated by. While the big questions may defy easy answers, the goal is to start a discussion about what kind of future we wish for. I’m a strong believer in the endless potential of human creativity, and if I inspire people to share my belief, the effort will be worth it. Let's go for a ride.
Unthinkable:
A Brief History of the Impossible
- 'Impossible' is often a biased feeling that prevents us from trying.
- Many things we take for granted today were once considered impossible.
- Innovation is like solving a puzzle: added pieces must fit existing problems.
Brains Run on Fun:
The Serious Powers of Play
- Play can address complex real-world problems like education and politics.
- It can help us engage with complex systems playfully and change our perspective.
- Play allows us to explore possible futures and rediscover our creativity.
Artificial
Intelligence:
A Car for the Mind?
- AI may be more like a “car for the mind” than a bicycle, accelerating our thinking.
- We can learn from humankind's history of automation for its future.
- An inner compass can help us to determine the right direction.
Creating a talk is about crafting a story. I stick to the metaphorical structure of the rollercoaster ride: the high peaks – the long view, the big, philosophical questions – and the fast, unexpected parts: thought-provoking ideas that may provide glimpses of answers to the big questions. Surprises, laughter, perhaps even tears. The audience walks away with new perspectives, sparked conversations, the impetus to act, and thoughts to chew on in the long run.
