Speakers at UNLEASH 2025

Ermias "Amiaz" Habtu began his career as a presenter after studying business administration. He became known through TV formats such as the VOX quiz "Who knows, who doesn't?", the ZDFneo magazine "Abgefahren - Wissen auf Rädern" and, since 2014, as host of the VOX show "Die Höhle der Löwen". He has also hosted sports and music formats, was the announcer for the Cologne RheinStars and is a regular at the BBL AllstarDay. Amiaz is also active musically: his first EP was released in 2019, followed by his debut album in 2025.
Last year, Amiaz hosted UNLEASH at the Astor Grand Cinema in Hanover.

Tijen Onaran is an entrepreneur, investor and thought leader for digitalization and diversity in business. With projects at the intersection of technology, diversity and politics, she is one of the leading driving forces in her field. She began her political career in the Bundestag and European Parliament, and today she brings this experience to her entrepreneurial and journalistic activities - for example as an author for Handelsblatt. She is also culturally active on the board of trustees of the ZKM Karlsruhe and socially active as patron of the Special Olympics Baden-Württemberg.

Michael Kessler is the founder and Managing Director of HERO Software, the leading cloud-based ERP platform for the skilled crafts sector in German-speaking countries. Together with co-founder Philipp Lyding, he is pursuing the vision of making the European skilled trades sector fit for the future through digital processes. Since its launch in 2020, HERO has become a fast-growing tech company with over 200 employees. The doctor of engineering studied in Hanover, Los Angeles and Zurich and combines in-depth technological expertise with entrepreneurial vision.

Dr. Ijad Madisch is the co-founder and CEO of ResearchGate, the professional network that connects the world of science. Frustrated by his own experiences as an isolated researcher, Ijad Madisch founded ResearchGate with two friends in 2008. Since then, ResearchGate has grown to more than 26 million scientists worldwide, making it the largest network of its kind. Madisch's network has received over 100 million dollars in funding from renowned investors such as Benchmark Capital, Founders Fund and Bill Gates.

Belit Onay (Bündnis 90/Die GRÜNEN) is the first mayor of a German state capital with a migration background and the fourth Green to hold this office in a major German city. During his term of office, he has campaigned for socially just urban development, a shift towards more cycling and public transport and affordable housing, and is committed to an open, diverse and sustainable urban society. He also promotes culture as a unifying element and supports Hanover's bid to become European Capital of Culture.

Doris Petersen has been Managing Director of hannoverimpuls GmbH, the business development agency of the city and region of Hannover, since January 2020. Her aim is to support entrepreneurial commitment, identify and develop growth topics and thus further develop Hannover into a first-class business location. Making Hannover and the region attractive to companies is one of many aspects of this. Doris Petersen has many years of experience in business and politics from her various positions in Germany and abroad. She is the first female member of the management board of hannoverimpuls.

Thomas Hoppe has been the national chairman of the DIE JUNGEN UNTERNEHMER association since 2023. Persistence, drive, perseverance and strength of will are important virtues for Hoppe. This also fits in with his CV, as he now wears many hats: Thomas Hoppe is Managing Director and founder of Schülerkarriere GmbH, one of Germany's largest career networks for students. Thomas Hoppe also founded the office-sharing company work connect GmbH and owns a consulting and investment company for start-ups, InvConNet GmbH.

Franziska Teubert has been Co-Managing Director of the Bundesverband Deutsche Startups e.V. since 2019, where she is responsible for communications, events and members, among other things. She founded Kater Demos Verlag in 2015 and was the editor of Kater Demos Magazin. She began her career in 2012 at the agency for political communication Kompaktmedien in Berlin, where she was responsible for agency development and new client business as a member of the management team from 2017 to 2019. Born in Berlin, she studied communication science at the Free University of Berlin and George Washington University in Washington, D.C.

Franziska Pohlmann is a director, entrepreneur and host of CreateF - The Female Founders Show. With her focus on strategic storytelling, financing and visibility, she accompanies female founders on their way to investment and impact. As a film director and producer at Bold & Salty GmbH, she creates visually powerful stories - from urban fantasy to female empowerment.

Stephan Jung is an innovation expert, speaker and CEO of InoventiQ Asset Management GmbH. As a thought leader for future trends, he was, among other things, managing director of a billion-dollar real estate fund and board member of the German Council of Shopping Places. He is Senator h. c. in the European Economic Senate and Vice President of the German Association for AI Transformation.
He has received international recognition through his collaboration with Faith Popcorn and recommendations from the Obama administration. Stephan Jung is a sought-after speaker at institutions such as the ECB and interview partner of leading media such as Handelsblatt and Süddeutsche Zeitung.

Juliane Hahn is a founding partner of the venture capital fund Signature Ventures, which specializes in early-stage investments in the areas of blockchain, distributed ledgers and new internet infrastructure. The fund finances outstanding founders who are shaping the next generation of the internet in a more secure, open and privacy-oriented way. Juliane Hahn is active as a business angel, consultant and board member in various tech companies. She is also a board member of the German Private Equity and Venture Capital Association and co-founder of initiatives that actively promote diversity in the VC sector.

Journalist and presenter Josina Kelz is an editor at Neue Presse, where she heads up editorial marketing. Among other things, she is responsible for the NP events and moderates the events. These include the NP sports gala in the Theater am Aegi with 1,200 invited guests from the worlds of sport, politics and celebrities and the NP stage at the Maschsee Festival.

Ana Hansel is the founder of HistaFood. She is affected by histamine intolerance herself and realized that there are hardly any products that are suitable for a low-histamine diet. This has made her everyday life with low histamine considerably more difficult. That's why she developed HistaFood, organic foods suitable for a low-histamine diet. They are also vegan, gluten-free, lactose-free and most of them are also suitable for a low-fructose diet. The focus is on 100% natural ingredients, without compromising on taste. HistaFood is therefore THE brand for all common food intolerances.

Ümit Konuray is an experienced trainer, coach and facilitator from Cologne. With his energetic and empathetic manner, he manages to get people moving, promote a change of perspective and facilitate genuine encounters. In Hanover's start-up ecosystem, he is known as the moderator of the legendary leanlab start-up weekend format.