Understand the decisions.
Six focused expert talks, each up to 20 minutes including discussion. Explore the reasoning behind an approach, its constraints and its relevance to your work.
STARTPLATZ × ECODYNAMICS23—27 NOV / 2026
AI WEEK
DÜSSELDORF
Exceptional AI expertise.
Direct access. Real depth.
Five days of technical depth, strategic perspective and direct dialogue with experts who build, deploy and operate AI. Understand the developments that matter — and the decisions behind them.
Explore the expertise
MEDIENHAFEN23–27
NOVEMBER
05Focused afternoons
14–17Planned core hours · CET
In personSTARTPLATZ Düsseldorf
The people. The knowledge. The depth.
Expertise
Behind every theme are specialists who know AI in detail and understand what it means for an organisation. Examine the choices behind real systems, discuss their limitations and ask the questions that matter to your work.
Technical depth
Models, architectures, security and operations, explained through the decisions made in implementation.
Business perspective
Connect technical developments to the workflows, responsibilities and priorities in your organisation.
Direct expert dialogue
Discuss your questions with experienced practitioners and peers who share responsibility for making AI work.
The full expert line-up will be introduced here once confirmed.
From insight to implementation
Apply expertise.
With precision.
Bring a live or clearly defined AI project. Develop your approach with expert input, structured application sessions and time to work through the details.
Work through the implementation.
Three focused sessions with repeated entry times. Work on a defined challenge with specialist guidance, connecting the method to a concrete application.
Advance your own project.
Continue your work in a dedicated project area. Experts and technical assistants help you address open questions and develop your next steps.
These parallel formats are planned for Business, Local AI and Security. Vibe Coding combines a masterclass with project development. Creative AI has its own format and a closing showcase.
23–27 November 2026
Your week.
At a glance.
Five focused afternoons, followed by conversations, demonstrations and new perspectives. The weekday themes are confirmed; individual sessions will follow.
Monday23 NOV
14:00–17:00AI in Business
Explore the theme18:00*
AI startup pitches
Opening evening
Tuesday24 NOV
14:00–17:00Local AI & Open Source
Explore the theme18:30–20:30*
People & AI agents
Society & philosophy
Wednesday25 NOV
14:00–17:00AI Security
Explore the theme18:00*
AI Tinkerers Düsseldorf
Live demos only
Thursday26 NOV
14:00–17:00Vibe Coding for Business
Explore the themeFrom 17:00
Project presentations
The afternoon continues
Friday27 NOV
14:00–17:00Creative AI
Explore the themeFrom 17:00
Creative showcase
Closing the week
All times are CET. *Monday to Wednesday evening times are provisional. Thursday’s project presentations and Friday’s showcase follow the afternoon from 17:00; no additional evening event is planned on those days.
The programme
Five fields.
Expert depth.
The weekly sequence is confirmed: Business on Monday, Local AI on Tuesday, Security on Wednesday, Vibe Coding on Thursday and Creative AI on Friday. Individual sessions and contributors are being finalised.
01Monday · 23 NovemberBest Practice
AI in Business
The expert perspective
How do AI systems become part of an operational workflow? Explore the interaction between people, agents and existing systems through experience from implementation and day-to-day operations.
Application areas under development include document processes, organisational knowledge and automation.
From insight to application
Expert talks, three repeated application sessions and supported project work connect the underlying approach to concrete business challenges.
For your projectAssess an approach, work through its application and discuss implementation questions with experts.
Session topics and speakers will be announced with the detailed programme.
Call for Experts · Business
Bring a business case with substance.
Share an AI implementation, operational workflow or agent deployment. Show the decisions, constraints and lessons that other organisations can use.
Propose a session Opens a prepared email
02Tuesday · 24 NovemberLocal AI &
Open Source
The expert perspective
Open models, local AI and infrastructure under your control. Explore how model choices and operational requirements relate to your use case, particularly when sensitive data is involved.
HR is one of the planned application areas.
From insight to application
Expert talks and guided application sessions provide a basis for examining local deployment options. A supported project area offers time to work through the details.
For your projectEvaluate options for local AI and deepen your understanding of what operating it requires.
Specific sessions, contributors and technical requirements will follow.
Call for Experts · Local AI & Open Source
Share the choices behind your infrastructure.
Contribute expertise in open models, local deployment or sensitive-data use cases. Bring technical depth and experience from running the systems.
Propose a session Opens a prepared email
03Wednesday · 25 NovemberAI Security
The expert perspective
Which tools and data should an agent access? Where can an AI application be vulnerable? How should credentials and permissions be protected?
These three areas frame the planned sessions, connecting security principles to specific implementation questions.
From insight to application
Focused expert talks and guided application sessions run in parallel. Continue the work with specialist and technical support.
For your projectAnalyse a defined security question and identify the next checks or improvements it calls for.
Sessions cover a defined scope; they do not constitute a full security audit of participants’ systems.
Call for Experts · AI Security
Put security expertise into the conversation.
Propose a contribution on agent permissions, application vulnerabilities or credential security. Frame a precise question and a concrete method for addressing it.
Propose a session Opens a prepared email
04Thursday · 26 NovemberVibe Coding
for Business
The expert perspective
Hamidreza Hosseini opens the afternoon with a one-hour masterclass. Build on that foundation to develop an AI-assisted application or prototype, individually or as a team.
The afternoon concludes with project demonstrations and a discussion of the results.
The planned sequence
- MasterclassOne hour with Hamidreza Hosseini
- Project developmentWork on your application or prototype
- Project presentationsDemonstrations from 17:00
Planned core hours: 14:00–17:00 CET. Check-in details, project tracks and technical requirements will follow.
Call for Experts · Vibe Coding for Business
Show how AI-assisted development holds up.
Bring experience in building business applications with AI. Propose a technical contribution, project case or expert support for the application sessions.
Propose a session Opens a prepared email
05Friday · 27 NovemberCreative AI
The focus
Develop a creative work across image, video, audio or voice. Examine how AI supports the choices behind the result, from the initial concept to its execution.
Interactive voice formats may also be included, depending on the final programme.
From insight to application
Focused creative development with specialist and technical support. A shared showcase is planned from 17:00.
For your workDevelop a considered creative output, present it and discuss the decisions behind it.
The session format, briefs and required tools will be published with the detailed programme.
Call for Experts · Creative AI
Connect creative direction with execution.
Share your approach to AI-supported image, video, audio or voice production. Bring a considered workflow, a clear brief and work that demonstrates your craft.
Propose a session Opens a prepared email
Beyond the afternoon
Perspectives
worth sharing.
Monday opens with AI startup pitches. Tuesday explores people and AI agents. Wednesday hosts AI Tinkerers Düsseldorf with live demos of AI projects. Evening times remain provisional; contributors and demo details will follow.
AI ventures.
In focus.
The opening evening brings together a curated selection of AI startups from the Rhineland, from early ventures to more established companies. Discover their propositions and the people behind them.
People. Agents.
Responsibility.
How do people retain control? What rules do AI agents need? A conversation about society and philosophy that connects Tuesday’s technical focus to questions of responsibility.
AI Tinkerers
Düsseldorf
Wednesday evening is AI Tinkerers Düsseldorf: live demos of working AI systems, code and prototypes. Every contribution is a demo, with technical questions and direct discussion with the builders. No slide presentations or sales pitches.
*Evening times are provisional.
Call for Partners
Help shape
the week.
Bring the expertise, a real implementation or an established format that can make a theme stronger. We welcome organisations and communities with something substantive to contribute.
Discuss a partnershipOpens a prepared email. You can also write directly to ai-week@startplatz.de.
23–27 November 2026
For those
shaping AI.
For decision-makers, technical leads, developers, operators and consultants with implementation experience — across business and the public sector.
Bring an active or clearly defined AI project. Reserve the dates; the detailed programme and registration will follow.
A nominal attendance fee
The amount will be announced when registration opens.
Registration coming soon
Booking links will appear here as individual events become available.
Session requirements
Each application session will specify the tools, access and preparation required.
Session languages
Sessions are currently planned primarily in German. Any English-language sessions will be identified in the detailed programme.
Convening AI expertise in Düsseldorf
Your hosts.
STARTPLATZDÜSSELDORF
Organiser and meeting place for the week.
ECODYNAMICS
Co-organiser with Hamidreza Hosseini.
Further confirmed contributors and partners will be announced with the programme.
In person, in the Medienhafen
Meet us
in Düsseldorf.
STARTPLATZ Düsseldorf
Speditionstraße 15a
40221 Düsseldorf
23–27 November 2026
Monday to Friday
Gallery
The place.
The possibilities.
A look at STARTPLATZ Düsseldorf. Select an image to see it in full.
