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The annual conference on artificial intelligence
On October 21, 2026, the annual AI conference “AI for SMEs” will take place for the seventh time at the Chamber of Industry and Commerce for Munich and Upper Bavaria. Companies will have the opportunity to gain new insights into the topic of AI, exchange ideas with experts from business and academia, and learn about numerous best practices from the Bavarian startup scene. In addition we’ll discuss practical questions—such as how AI can be successfully implemented and utilized in companies.
Practical breakout sessions and inspiration for everyday business life
Participants can deepen their knowledge in a total of four breakout sessions. Among other topics, the focus will be on the current issue of AI agents in the workplace. In addition, the ethical, legal, and human aspects of the technology and its use in companies will be explored.
Startup landscape, exchange, networking, and new collaborations
Participants will gain comprehensive insight into the diverse applications of AI solutions: A total of ten startups will present their approaches in 2-minute pitches. Afterward, participants will have the opportunity to engage with the startups and other experts in the networking area, ask questions, and build connections.
AI from research for small and medium-sized enterprises
fortiss is contributing several technical presentations to the conference program. In a presentation, our partner Bayern Innovativ will introduce the EU-funded project edih dina (Digital Innovation & Artificial Intelligence), which supports companies and government agencies in their digital transformation and the implementation of AI solutions. In a breakout session, Dr. Axel von Arnim and Claus Pribbernow will present the research project “FussbaLLLiebe” and provide insights into the use of neuromorphic processors for intelligent, wearable sensor systems. In another session, Florian Angermeir will demonstrate which tasks are suitable for AI-supported automation and will highlight both the necessary prerequisites as well as the limitations and risks of automation to provide a realistic assessment of the potential applications of AI in the field of cybersecurity. In addition, Prof. Dr. Alexander Pretschner, scientific director of fortiss, will discuss success factors, challenges, and concrete approaches to introducing AI in small and medium-sized enterprises during the panel discussion “How Do I Bring AI to SMEs?"
Overview
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Moderation: Franziska Neuberger, Head of Digitalization and ICT, Chamber of Industry and Commerce for Munich and Upper Bavaria
Time Topic 13:00 h Welcome
Speaker:
Franziska Neuberger, Head of Digitalization & ICT, IHK für München und Oberbayern
Dr. Wolfgang Fischer, Director Operations, Projects and Policy, appliedAI Institute for Europe
Prof. Dr. Alexander Pretschner, Scientific Director, fortiss13:15 h Introduction to AI
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Alexander Pretschner, Scientific Director, fortiss13:35 h Presentation of the EU project edih dina - Digital Innovation & Artificial Intelligence
Speaker: David Rottenegger, Bayern Innovativ
Presentation content:
Digital transformation in general, and the introduction and application of AI solutions in particular, present companies with major challenges while also opening up significant opportunities.
Starting in September 2026, the edih dina project, funded by the EU with almost €6 million, will support business and public administration in practical digital transformation. The presentation will provide participants with more information about the project and its benefits for companies.13:50 h Panel: How can SMEs implement AI?
Panel participants: Prof. Dr. Alexander Pretschner, fortiss;
David Rottenegger, Bayern Innovativ;
Dr. Wolfgang Fischer, appliedAI Institute for Europe;
Praxispartner (tbd)
Panel content:
Artificial intelligence offers significant opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises—from more efficient processes and new business models to reducing the workload on employees. But how can companies get started in practice? What conditions need to be in place, and what are the biggest challenges? In this panel discussion, we’ll explore how SMEs can successfully launch and implement AI projects. You can look forward to concrete insights.14:20 h Start-up Pitches: A look at the region’s AI landscape
Participants will gain insights into the best practices of ten AI start-ups. The pitches will showcase what AI can do and the areas in which these technologies are being used. Afterwards, participants will have the opportunity to exchange ideas and network with the start-ups in the exhibition area and ask questions about the use cases and AI in general.14:50 h Break, networking, exhibitors
Network with each other and with the experts from our presentations in the exhibitor and networking area.15:20 h Presentation: The Bavarian AI Innovation Accelerator
Speaker: Dr. Till Klein, Head of AI-Regulation, appliedAI Institute for Europe
The Bavarian AI Innovation Accelerator supports the implementation of the EU AI Act while also promoting innovation in the field of AI. The goal is to bridge the gap between research and practice in order to systematically identify the greatest challenges faced by companies and public institutions in implementing the legal requirements and to address these challenges through new or existing solutions.15:30 h Introduction to Breakout Sessions
Four breakout sessions will be held simultaneously, each lasting 25 minutes. Participants will then have 5 minutes to move to the next workshop room.15:30-17:00 h Breakout Session #1: New Colleagues: AI Agents in the Workplace
Speaker: Manuel Jimenez Merida, applied AI Institute for Europe
Foundational models are increasingly becoming part of everyday work life. They have evolved from simple chatbots into “agent-like” tools capable of thinking, planning, and acting independently. This interactive session will explore the ethical, legal, and human issues raised by the use of these agents in the workplace.15:30 - 17:00 h Breakout Session #2: FussbaLLLiebe: Highly innovative wearable sensor system prototypes
Speakers: Dr. Axel von Arnim, fortiss
Claus Pribbernow, LSI Corporation
This breakout session will present a highly innovative, wearable sensor system prototype designed specifically for use in soccer. The wearable device captures motion data via an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and processes it directly on the device using a neuromorphic processor. This enables reliable detection of athletic activities and the derivation of relevant performance metrics for training and analysis.
The technology opens up a wide range of applications far beyond sports. Potential application areas range from industrial automation, robotics, and smart sensor technology to medical technology and assistive systems, as well as aerospace, mobility, and security and defense applications.
The FussbaLLLiebe project is funded by the Bavarian State Ministry of Economic Affairs, Regional Development, and Energy (StMWi) and is being implemented in close collaboration with industry partners interactive wear and adidas.What to expect:
- Neuromorphic wearable for real-time analysis: Presentation of the innovative sensor system prototype for real-time analysis of motion data.
- Energy-efficient AI technology: The combination of classical algorithms with spiking neural networks (SNNs) for energy-efficient data processing directly on the device.
- Wide-ranging application potential: The technology developed in the FussbaLLLiebe project opens up applications far beyond sports—including in industry, robotics, medical technology, mobility, aerospace, and anywhere else where energy-efficient real-time sensor technology is needed.
15:30 - 17:00 h Breakout Session #3: Using AI to Enhance Security in Software Development
Speaker: Florian Angermeir, fortiss
Artificial intelligence makes it possible to efficiently automate security activities in software development. In this breakout session, we’ll examine typical use cases, explore which tasks are suitable for AI-supported automation, and delve deeper into selected use cases in an interactive manner. In doing so, we’ll highlight both the necessary prerequisites and the limitations and risks of automation. The goal is to provide a realistic assessment of the potential applications of AI in the field of cybersecurity.What to expect:
- Typical use cases for AI in cybersecurity
- Requirements, limitations, and risks of AI-supported automation
- Interactive exploration of selected use cases
15:30 - 17:00 h Breakout Session #4: From chatbots to automation – finding the right AI tool
Speaker: Nicolas Junge, appliedAI Institute
This presentation provides a clear, non-technical overview of the most important types of AI tools—from simple chat tools to automation platforms and custom-developed systems. It also highlights how these tools differ from one another. You’ll learn when each tool is appropriate, what factors to consider, and how to choose the right solution for your specific problem.17:00 - 18:00 h Networking
End of the event. Take the opportunity to continue exchanging ideas and networking in the networking and exhibition area.
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The event is aimed in particular at small and medium-sized companies, as well as their employees, IT managers, and decision-makers who would like to better understand AI, learn about its potential applications, and exchange ideas with experts and other companies.
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Date
21. Oktober 2026 13:00 - 18:00 hLocation
Chamber of Industry and Commerce for Munich and Upper Bavaria, Max-Joseph-Straße 2, 80333 MunichLanguage
GermanRegistration Fee
Free of charge
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The event is presented by fortiss GmbH, the edih dina project, the appliedAI Institute for Europe gGmbH, and the Chamber of Industry and Commerce for Munich and Upper Bavaria.
