Powering the future of energy and climate tech for a decade

Main Stage

09:30 Welcome Address

Corinna Enders, CEO, dena – German Energy Agency

09:40 Keynote

Patricia Espinosa Cantellano, CEO and Founding Partner of onepoint5, Former UNFCCC Executive Secretary, Former Minister of Foreign affairs of Mexico

09:50 Keynote

Europe’s Energy Transition: Time for a Pivot?

Ann Mettler, Member of the Board, European Innovation Council

10:00 Panel

The Global Energy Race – Innovation, Power and the New Balance

• Ann Mettler, Member of the Board, European Innovation Council
• Norela Constantinescu, Deputy Director, IRENA Innovation Technology Center
• Simon Bennett, Energy Technology Analyst, International Energy Agency

moderated by Pia Dorfinger, Director Start-up Ecosystem, dena – German Energy Agency

10:45 SET Award Finalist Pitches + Q&A

Category: Clean Energy & Storage

• Alternō
• Flower
• Tilt Energy

moderated by Felix Krause, Managing Partner, Vireo Ventures

11:15 SET Award Finalist Pitches + Q&A

Category: Mobility & Transportation

• CLIP.bike
• Finmile
• Gridio

moderated by Felix Krause, Managing Partner, Vireo Ventures

12:00 Networking Lunch

13:00 Panel

Critical Energy Infrastructures – A ‘Space’ for Innovation?

• Rita Rinaldo, Head of Projects and Studies Implementation Division, European Space Agency
• Dr. Severin Fischer, State Secretary for Economy, Energy, and Business of Berlin
• Rutuja Jagtap, Operating Partner, Vyom Capital 
• Paolo Caporossi, Technical Account Manager, TITAN4 (ESA BASS start-up) 

moderated by Florian Dötzer, Head of TUM Venture Lab Aerospace

powered by European Space Agency

13:45 SET Award Finalist Pitches + Q&A

Category: Industry

• Cyclic Materials
• encentive
• InPlanet

moderated by Jessica Burley, Investment Manager, Planet A

14:15 SET Award Finalist Pitches + Q&A

Category: Buildings & Construction

• Birdsview
• mykor
• WAS Company

moderated by Jessica Burley, Investment Manager, Planet A

14:45 Panel

The Energy Launchpad: Getting Energy Innovation to Scale

• Franz Zöchbauer, Director of Corporate Innovation & New Business, VERBUND AG
• Michael Bez, Business Development Digital Uitlities, Innovation Management, EnBW AG
• Dr. Christian Schaffner, Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, ETH Zürich
• Prof. Dr. Rene Hofmann, Head of Institute of Energy Systems and Thermodynamics, TU Wien

moderated by Geraldine de Bastion, Founder, Global Innovation Gathering

15:30 Coffee Break

16:00 Keynote

Anita Otubu, Senior Director, Universal Energy Facility, Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL)

16:10 SET Award Finalist Pitches + Q&A

Category: Quality Energy Access & SDG-7

• Acecore
• BioMassters
• Imagine Powertree

moderated by Marie-Sophie Ando, Senior Investment Manager, Vorwerk Ventures

16:45 Keynote

From SaaS to Steel: Lessons from Scaling Start-ups and Why Climate DeepTech Is a Different Beast

S. Manoj Harasgama, Serial Entrepreneur and Founder of Crosstown H2R

16:55 Panel

Scale-Up Finance for Energy & DeepTech 

• Marta Czekaj, Private Credit Investments, DWS Group
• Felix Ries, Vice President – Growth Capital & Solutions, BNP Paribas
• Niklas von Kuczkowski, Senior Director, LIQUIDITY
• Tobias Lechtenfeld, Executive Director, Tech for Net Zero

moderated by Kelsey Emms, Founder, MoxonPeak

17:40 Deep Dive

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powered by PLAN-B NET ZERO

18:00 Panel

Beyond the SET100 List: SET growth stories

• Patrick Rietl, Managing Director, Nyobolt (SET 2025)
• Leo Anderson Naveda, Technical Sales Manager, Modvion (SET 2022)
• Nidhi Pant, Co-Founder, S4S Technologies (SET 2021)
• Pia Dorfinger, Director Start-up Ecosystem, dena – German Energy Agency

moderated by Geraldine de Bastion, Founder, Global Innovation Gathering

18:30 Networking Break

19:00 🏆SET Award Ceremony 2026 🏆

Ceremony Opening

• Corinna Enders, CEO, dena – German Energy Agency
• tba, BMWE – Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy
• Barbara Gessler, Head of the European Commission’s Representation in Germany

Award presenters

• H.E. Veronika Wand-Danielsson, Ambassador of Sweden 
• Benjamin Wannenwetsch, UK Government’s Head of Investment in Germany and Deputy Country Director for Business and Trade
• H.E. Ms. Saqlain Syedah, Ambassador of Pakistan 
• H.E. Dac Thanh Nguyen, Ambassador of Vietnam 
• H.E. Francisco Quiroga, Ambassador of Mexico 

moderated by Geraldine de Bastion, Founder, Global Innovation Gathering