Edition 01.
The first KONNECTIKA evening. Around 100 exclusively invited guests from sport, business, media and brands came to Heising und Adelmann on 24 September 2026. This page shows the schedule, the speakers and the modules of the evening.
Programme
One evening, two panel rounds.
- 18:00ArrivalThe bar is open, modules and brand spaces are running from the first minute
- 18:30Flying FoodSmall plates come straight to you while the first conversations get going
- 19:00OpeningNelvie Tiafack and RHYSE Global open the evening
- 19:10Panel TalkRound 1 · Perspectives that push sport forward
- 19:35BreakCatch your breath, follow up, second round of flying food
- 20:00Panel TalkRound 2 · More angles on sport today
- 20:35Get-togetherOpen end: bar, modules and time for the people you came to meet
Panel Talk
The topics moving sport today.
Athletic performance remains the starting point. Around it, the world of athletes has changed: public life, entrepreneurship, mental health, investments, communities and new media are now part of a career that happens on more levels than the pitch, the track or the ring.
Mindset, pressure & mental health
Expectations, pressure to perform, setbacks, injuries and doubt. What happens behind the performance?
Personal brand & the creator world
How athletes build personality, story and reach over the long term and develop relevance beyond their sport.
Sports business, entrepreneurship & investments
Which skills carry over from elite sport into business, and how athletes become founders and investors.
Women's sport
Visibility, economic growth and cultural relevance. Where does women's sport stand today and what potential is still untapped?
Network & the right connections
The role relationships play inside and outside sport, and which encounters can change a career path.
The modern athlete
Which perspectives athletes can build during their active career without losing focus on performance.
On stage
The voices of the evening.
A world champion, a former pro fencer, a racing driver, a boxing promoter and a media maker. Five speakers bring their stories to the panel talk, Julian-Luca Schäfer hosts the rounds.
Speaker
Benedikt Höwedes
World Cup winner 2014 · Founder of Matchpoint · Co-commentator on Prime Video
Speaker
Léa Krüger
Former professional fencer · Founder of „Mehr als Muskeln“ · Vice President of Athleten Deutschland e.V.
Speaker
Mathilda Paatz
F1 Academy · Aston Martin Aramco Driver Academy
Speaker
Florian Winter
CEO Ringside Zone · Entrepreneur
Speaker
Sven Froberg
Media entrepreneur · Producer
Host
Julian-Luca Schäfer
Sports journalist · Commentator · Host
Photos
What it looked like.
View recap →
Modules & experiences
Hands on.
The modules give the evening something to do: try something, compete, start a conversation. For brands they are the place where guests pick up the product.
- 01Boxing MachineSignature moment
- 02Pull-up ChallengeCommunity
- 03Recovery LoungeRegeneration
- 04Hydration StationPerformance
- 05NEV® Pop-upBrand showcase
- 06SimulatorsRacing · Golf
- 07Flying BuffetFood
- 08Startup StageIdeas need access
- 09DJ & content momentsOpen end
Startup stage
Ideas need access.
Young companies introduce themselves to athletes, brands and investors. No pitch contest, just a conversation at eye level with people who have built something themselves.
Guest list
Invite only.
The guest list is curated. Athletes, creators, entrepreneurs, brand decision-makers, investors and founders. Partners can invite their own athletes, creators and guests and become an active part of the evening.
Next edition
Edition 02. In the making.
KONNECTIKA is designed as a series. The next edition brings new guests and new topics. The newsletter is the only way onto the invitation list.