Horizons by heise 2023: An Event Full of Insights, Inspiration, and Networking for the Digital Future

On November 27 and 28, 2023, industry experts and designers from the digital working world gathered in Hanover to take part in Horizons by heise. This unique event was aimed specifically at decision-makers and offered a whole host of inspiring moments. Let’s take a look at some of the highlights of this groundbreaking event.

Focus Topics, Inspiration, and Future Prospects

Horizons #23 focused on four key areas: artificial intelligence, next generation & recruiting, IT security, and digitalization. At a time when these topics are dominating the digital transformation agenda, the event offered in-depth insights and practical perspectives. The focus was on content independence in order to offer participants real added value for their business decisions.
By hosting the event at the Künstlerhaus Hannover and the Cumberlandsche Galerie, Horizons not only underscored its claim, but also promoted a growing movement in German-speaking countries. The venue itself became a stage for the exchange of ideas and innovations. Thanks to the unique locations, new lecture formats took place in the stairwell and cinema hall, among other places.

Networking Platform for Decision-Makers

Horizons Night on the evening of November 27 offered an opportunity for networking. Horizon Night was opened by, among others, our Minister of Economic Affairs Olief Lies, co-founder and member of the management team at heise Medien Jörg Mühle, and the two other founders Marius Felzmann and Christian Bredelow.
In addition to knowledge transfer, Horizons #23 became an exclusive networking platform for around 250 participants. The importance of personal connections and networks was particularly emphasized here. Decision-makers were able to exchange ideas in an informal setting, make new contacts, and explore potential collaborations.

Strong Partnerships and Next-Generation Thinking

Horizons #23 was once again characterized by strong partnerships this year. Heise Medien collaborated with renowned organizations such as CISO Alliance e.V., G Data Academy, Google Chrome, hannoverimpuls, Hencke Systemberatung GmbH, t3n, and the Unternehmerverbände Niedersachsen e.V. (UVN). Johanna Heise, member of the program committee and native of Hanover, emphasized the importance of talent acquisition and new work for shaping the future.

Ron Kneffel and Janine Richter on Horizons #23

Our information security and data protection experts Ron Kneffel and Janine Richter were of course in attendance at this special event. In his presentation “Cyber security as a competitive advantage in digitalization,” Ron Kneffel drew attention to the opportunities offered by cyber security in the digital space and reiterated the importance of closing security gaps, securing supply chains, and reviewing backups and contingency plans. He also spontaneously moderated a panel discussion on the topic “How can I future-proof my company?” Kneffel has been an expert in information security, IT emergency and risk management for more than 20 years. He is familiar with the security problems that occur repeatedly in the digital space and are often overlooked or neglected.

Outlook for Horizons 2024

With a successful Horizons #23 full of knowledge, inspiration, and networking, we look forward to the future with excitement. The announcement of Horizons 2024 has us eagerly anticipating the event, and we are proud to be able to participate in this groundbreaking event again next year. With Horizons by heise, Heise Medien has created a platform that promotes exchange between decision-makers and designers of digital change.