eco Neujahrsempfang 2025: A Promising Start to the Digital Future
The Neujahrsempfang 2025 in Cologne and Berlin provided an excellent opportunity for networking and discussing the digital transformation of Germany. These events, organized by eco – Association of the Internet Industry, brought together key players from business, politics, and academia to exchange ideas and explore new opportunities.
Cologne: A Grand Reunion for the Digital Industry
The Neujahrsempfang in Cologne on January 30th felt like a large class reunion – a perfect occasion to strengthen and expand business networks. The entire eco team, along with all attendees, contributed to making these evenings truly unforgettable.
This meeting, which was held in ECO headquarters, also offered an opportunity for the manager of the association´s competence groups to meet. This meeting is held twice a year and is intended to be a point of reflection on the past and create together a new coperation, improving our work.
I took part in the event as head of the IoT Eco-Competence Group, representing RISE DE GmbH. My involvement underscores the growing importance of IoT and Ecosystems in the evolving digital landscape.
Berlin: An Inspiring Kickoff to the Digital Year 2025
The eco Neujahrsempfang in Berlin, on January 28th, was an inspiring start to the digital year, filled with engaging discussions, current topics, and a welcoming atmosphere. A major highlight was the opening keynote by Prof. Dr. Louisa Specht-Riemenschneider, who provided crucial insights into the role of data protection in digital transformation.
The event served as an excellent platform for exchanging ideas with key figures from Berlin’s digital and political spheres. Among the main discussion topics were:
- The use of AI in medium-sized enterprises
- Business development in the context of the current economic climate
- The upcoming Bundestag elections and recent political developments in Berlin
I expressed his appreciation for the opportunity to participate in the Berlin event. I stressed the importance of these meetings to promote discussions on the future of digitization and innovation in Germany.
A Look Behind the Scenes
On January 28th, industry colleagues, policymakers, and experts gathered to discuss Germany’s digital future. The keynote speech by Louisa Specht-Riemenschneider, the Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information, stood out as a crucial moment, emphasizing the importance of privacy and IT security in shaping the digital landscape.
These events highlighted the necessity of collaboration between business, science, and politics to ensure practical and forward-thinking solutions for IT security and data protection. The high turnout and engagement of attendees demonstrated the collective potential to make Germany digitally competitive.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to eco – Association of the Internet Industry for organizing these remarkable events and to all participants for the insightful conversations. The promising start to the year sets the stage for further discussions and shared progress toward a digitally advanced future!