Digital Transformation in Action: EDITH Innovation Day #3

Coming up on January 20, 2026, EDITH Innovation Day #3 will bring together startups, SMEs, public institutions, and innovation leaders to explore how digital technologies are transforming the way organizations work. The event will take place at TechQuartier in Frankfurt, starting at 4:00 PM, with selected program elements beginning earlier in the afternoon. Participation is free of charge with prior registration.

The EDITH Innovation Day focuses on digital transformation in practice — cutting through buzzwords and abstract concepts to highlight real-world experiences from those who are actively building, testing, and challenging digital solutions. Through keynotes, case studies, and interactive exchange, the event fosters dialogue between industry, research, and the innovation ecosystem.

EDITH, the European Digital Innovation Hub for the German state of Hesse, is a cooperation with the House of Digital Transformation (consortium leader), Fraunhofer SIT, hessian.AI (TU Darmstadt), Mittelstand-Digital Zentrum Darmstadt (TU Darmstadt), GSI Helmholtz Centre, SKAD AG, and TechQuartier, highlighting the strong collaborative foundation of the EDITH ecosystem.

“Digital transformation works best where people and organizations come together to exchange ideas and learn from one another. The EDITH Innovation Day creates exactly this space — and the House of Digital Transformation is very much looking forward to the inspiring formats of the day,”
said Hauke Schlüter, Managing Director, House of Digital Transformation (HoDT).

The evening program will open with Gregor Schmalzried, award-winning journalist and host of Der KI-Podcast (ARD), named Journalist of the Year 2024. In his talk, “How Do We Become Winners of the AI Future?” Schmalzried will explore how generative AI is reshaping our relationship with technology and what this shift means for organizations navigating their next steps in digital transformation.

From 5:15 PM to 6:00 PM, the program will feature a series of EDITH Case Studies, offering behind-the-scenes insights into applied innovation across different sectors.

• Dr. Özgür Yildiz (SKAD AG) will present the “AI Speedboat” project, demonstrating how eight Hessian municipalities are creating synergies through inter-municipal cooperation in AI adoption — from shared prioritization to faster and more sustainable implementation of digital solutions.
  
  

• Dr. Michael Kreutzer (ATHENE) will outline how startups are supported in implementing the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), highlighting ATHENE’s technical and legal expertise, practical recommendations, and freely available whitepapers and formats such as “CRA Ready”.
  
  

• Dr. Lukas Kaupp will introduce “AI Serving Grid Stability”, showing how AI can detect anomalies in energy systems at an early stage, reduce risks, and contribute to a more stable energy supply.

Together, the case studies provide concrete examples of how AI, cybersecurity, and high-performance computing are already being applied across public administration, cybersecurity, and the energy sector — including the challenges, breakthroughs, and learnings that rarely make it into polished presentations.

In addition to the main program, participants will have the opportunity to book individual 1:1 financing consultations from 3:00 PM to 7:45 PM. Organized in cooperation with WIBank and the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN) of Hessen Trade & Invest GmbH, these confidential sessions are aimed at organizations seeking guidance on how to finance innovation and digital projects. Experts will provide tailored recommendations and practical insights aligned with each participant’s specific situation. Each consultation lasts 45 minutes, and advance registration is required.

“The event highlights how collaboration between research, startups, SMEs, and the public sector can accelerate digital transformation and make it sustainable. We are pleased to welcome the EDITH community back to TechQuartier for a third time.”
- Alice Rettig, Managing Director, TechQuartier

Registration is now open.
Further information and free registration are available here.

About EDITH

EDITH, the European Digital Innovation Hub for the German state of Hessen, is one of 151 European Digital Innovation Hubs. It supports companies, startups, and municipalities across Hessen in their digital transformation efforts. EDITH brings together expertise, applied pilot projects, workshops, funding opportunities, and networking formats, with a strong focus on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, high-performance computing, and advanced digital tools.

With the goal of positioning Hesse as a smart and sustainable pioneer region in Europe, the following partners have joined forces in the EDITH consortium under the coordination of House of Digital Transformation e.V.: the Fraunhofer Institute for Secure Information Technology (SIT), the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research in Darmstadt, the digital transformation consultancy SKAD AG, the Frankfurt-based innovation hub TechQuartier, the Hessian Center for Artificial Intelligence hessian.AI, and the Mittelstand-Digital Center Darmstadt (the latter two affiliated with TU Darmstadt).

About the House of Digital Transformation (HoDT)

The House of Digital Transformation (HoDT) connects leading minds, personalities, and competencies in digital transformation. As a platform for exchange, learning, and collaboration, HoDT brings together stakeholders from business, academia, and society to actively shape digital transformation and make innovation tangible and applicable.