INSIDEOUT Summit

Description

We're racing toward "faster, bigger, newer" — but building the future without upgrading the builders. 72% of innovators face mental health challenges. AI advances exponentially while human capacity stays unchanged.

INSIDEOUT Summit 2026 isn't another conference. It's an immersive experience where 300+ founders, investors, and innovation leaders from 10+ countries explore what happens when inner growth drives outer impact.

Through keynotes, panels, lightning talks, a startup showcase, and formats like Lego Serious Play networking, you'll walk away with:

• New perspectives on leading in a world that moves faster than we do
• Real connections rooted in shared purpose, not business card exchanges
• Practical tools for resilience and high performance as an innovator

Four themes. One day. A shift in how you build. Human 2.0 · Purposeful Innovation · Authentic Connection · Growth Unlocked

Ready to build the future from the inside out?

Agenda

09:30-10:30 - Registration & Breakfast - Doors open. Take your time to arrive, check in, and settle into the space. Pick up your badge, ease into the atmosphere, and start the day with relaxed, meaningful conversations. Enjoy a warm breakfast powered by Purora - a simple, comforting start designed to bring people together before the day unfolds.

10:30-10:50 - Opening - We begin by coming together. Opening remarks by our co-host partner Mastercard Austria and hosting partner weXelerate set the tone for the day, welcoming you into the experience, sharing what lies ahead, and inviting you to be fully part of the conversations to come.

Speaker: Eleftherios Kousakis - Vice President, Account Management, Mastercard

10:50-11:15 - Keynote: Thriving Through Uncertainty - Pressure, change and uncertainty are increasing - and it's hard to sustain your thinking and performance under these conditions. 

In this session you'll learn five evidence-based domains that elite performers use to maintain clarity, focus, and impact when everything feels unstable. Learn how to regain your sense of control, and build the habits and skills to sustain your decision making, energy and performance through pressure, change and uncertainty. 

Practical tips, grounded in neuroscience and psychological research to consistently perform at your best.

Speaker: Phil Dobson - Founder, BrainWorkshops

11:15-11:50 - Lightning Talks - Five ideas. Five voices. Five short moments that might stay with you longer than expected. Powered by FFG, this session brings together a curated lineup of innovators presenting solutions that are actively shaping a better world, from bold concepts to real, funded initiatives already in motion. Expect a series of 5-minute lightning talks: concise, inspiring stories that offer a glimpse into what’s possible when innovation meets purpose  

Speakers: 
Kris Hofmann - Creative Director, Vox Body
Armin Knöbl - Chairman, Silosophie
Gabriella Chihan Stanley - Founder & Team Lead, Shrine
Tayebeh Saghaei - Founder, SpinCell
Stefan Wöhrer - CEO, OWNER and System Developer, HOMIT Verkehrswegebau FlexCo

11:50- 12:20 - Panel: “Humanizing Impact Finance” - As part of INSIDEOUT Summit’s core theme - “Humanizing Innovation” - this panel explores the idea that meaningful, lasting impact begins with people, not just capital or products. “Humanizing Impact Finance” brings together voices from across the ecosystem to discuss how financial decisions can be guided by empathy, ethics, and real human needs.

From investors to founders, the conversation will highlight how purpose-driven capital can create sustainable change, why human-centered approaches matter more than ever, and how impact finance can move beyond numbers to truly transform communities.

Speakers:  
Margit Mayr - Impact Investment Manager, Erste Social Finance Holding
Johann Heep - Social Banking Expert at Erste Group Social Banking
Wolfgang Weingraber - CEO & Co-Founder, byeagain GmbH

Moderator: Petra Capin - Co-founder, tech2impact

12.20-12:40 - Coffee break - Grab a cup and recharge for what’s next. A great moment to reflect - or meet someone new.  

12:40-13:30 - Roundtable Discussions: Where Ecosystems meet - Collaboration in Practice - Collaboration sounds great on stage. In practice, when startups, corporates, funders, researchers, and humanitarian organizations come together, it can often be slower and more complex than expected, with different expectations, timelines and ways of working.
This roundtable, hosted by REDpreneur (the Austrian Red Cross’ global social innovation program), brings together 5–6 parallel table conversations with people from across the system.

Whether you are a founder, funder, corporate, operator, or researcher, we invite you to join a real exchange on what makes collaboration work, where it breaks, and how innovation grounded in real human needs, humanitarian work included, can emerge when different worlds succeed in connecting. No pitching. No panels. Just a few table, a few questions, and the kind of conversation you usually only get over dinner.

12:40-13:30 - Moderated Networking - LEGO® Serious Play® - A playful, moderated networking session using LEGO® Serious Play®, designed to spark meaningful connections, fresh perspectives, and engaging conversations in an interactive and inspiring way.

Moderator: Sabine Reitmayer-Wawer - Business-, Conflict- & Teamcoach | LEGO® Serious Play® Facilitator | Owner, E61 GmbH | Sabine Reitmayer-Wawer

13:30-14:30 - Lunch break - Time to recharge, connect with fellow participants, and spark new conversations in a relaxed atmosphere.

14:30-15:00 -  Keynote “Fintech Is Everyone's Business Now” - powered by Mastercard, exploring new pathways to growth and innovation.  

Speaker: Andreas Spengel - Senior Vice President, Digital Partners, Central Europe -  Mastercard

15:00- 15:30 - Panel discussion “The Funding Reality Check”, powered by Mastercard, featuring insights on investment trends and scaling ventures.

Speakers:
Maximilian Schausberger - Managing Director - Elevator Ventures Beteiligungs GmbH
Dudu Gencel - Teamlead Startup City - Vienna Business Agency
Julia Hubo  - Investor, Motive Partners

Moderator: 
Amit Grinvald - Communication Strategist & Pitch Coach

15:30-16:00 - Fireside chat “Behind Every Growing Business” - An honest conversation, powered by Mastercard. In this fireside chat, two founders take the stage to share the journeys behind what we often simply call “success.” Through personal stories, pivotal decisions, and lessons learned along the way, they offer a more human perspective on building something meaningful. Expect real insights, honest reflections, and moments that go beyond the highlight reel. 

Speakers: 
Michael Wüst, CEO of Zen 
Friedrich Hubel - COO & Managing Director, Pliant GmbH

Moderator: Alexandra Love, Mastercard

16:00-16:30 - Coffee Break - A perfect moment to recharge, refresh, and connect with fellow participants.

16:30-17:30 - Mastermind: Thriving Through Uncertainty - This 50-minute interactive session goes beyond habits to build genuine capacity for navigating pressure, change and uncertainty. You'll work directly with the five evidence-based domains to consistently perform at your best.

Through guided exercises and interaction, you'll apply the framework to your current challenges, and learn techniques that allow you to master your nervous system, regulate your emotions, recover from setbacks and respond more resourcefully to challenges. Cognitive skills to achieve adaptable high performance - built for founders.

Speaker: Phil Dobson - Founder, BrainWorkshops

16:30-17:30 - Mentoring Sessions - Three rounds of 20-minute one-on-one sessions, offering personalized guidance, insights, and valuable connections.

17:30-17:45 - Wrap up - We’ll close the day with a few final thoughts and thank-yous. Then it’s time to celebrate together!

17:45 - 22:00 - Evening Networking & After Party - Keep the INSIDEOUT energy going! Connect with fellow attendees, spark inspiring conversations, and enjoy an evening full of good vibes. Drinks, snacks, and a relaxed atmosphere are on us, the perfect way to unwind, mingle, and celebrate the day together.

 

 

Accessibility

Wheel-chair accessible venue