Kerstin Annassi works in the field of international research and innovation funding, with a particular focus on sustainable development, energy and hydrogen partnerships, and collaboration with African partner countries. She oversees strategic funding initiatives, international collaborative projects, and science policy partnerships at the intersection of research, transformation, and international cooperation. Her areas of expertise include green hydrogen, the circular economy, innovation ecosystems, and the establishment of sustainable research and knowledge transfer partnerships.

Prof. Dr. Andrea Büttner is the Executive Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV and heads the Chair of Flavor and Odor Research at Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg. Among other roles, she serves as spokesperson for the Fraunhofer Resource Technologies and Bioeconomy Group, spokesperson for the Fraunhofer Food Industry Alliance, deputy spokesperson for the Fraunhofer Strategic Research Field Bioeconomy, and is a member of the Board of Management of the Fraunhofer Cluster Circular Plastics Economy (CCPE). Andrea Büttner places particular emphasis on sustainable and resource-efficient economic practices, as well as on sustainable consumption, product safety, and consumer protection.

Daniel Eberz-Eder, CEO of KTBL since November 2024; previously served as Senior Agricultural Advisor with a focus on managing digitalization projects in Rhineland-Palatinate and as a vocational school instructor. Received the international IBM Champion award in 2025 for Resilient Edge Computing in Agriculture. Keynote speaker (including Mobile World Congress, the German Federal Government’s Digital Summit, the Linux Foundation, and Hub Berlin). Academic background: Second State Examination, Bachelor’s and Master of Science in Agricultural Sciences from the University of Hohenheim, with study abroad stints at Wageningen University (Netherlands) and Cornell University (USA).

Dr. Christine Falken-Großer holds degrees in economics and business administration and a Ph.D. in public finance, and has many years of experience in senior positions within the German federal government. Among other responsibilities, she oversaw the coordination of the federal government’s hydrogen policy and previously worked in the areas of international energy partnerships, free trade, and fiscal policy. She also served for several years as economic and energy attaché at the German Embassy in Bangkok.

Marcus Hofmann began his professional career with an apprenticeship as an industrial clerk at Siemens AG. He then studied environmental and process engineering at Augsburg University of Applied Sciences, where he earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree. After graduating, he worked as a sales engineer in the custom machinery sector, focusing primarily on the pharmaceutical industry. He currently works as a Senior Sales Engineer at Reverion.

Graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering (Dipl.-Ing.) from the Technical University of Cologne. From 1989 to 1993, worked as a design engineer in tractor development at J. I. Case GmbH in Neuss. In 1993, joined MAE in Erkrath as a project engineer for fully automatic straightening machines. From 1994, Head of the Development and Design Department at Vogelsang GmbH & Co. KG in Essen (Oldenburg). From 2019 until the end of 2025, Head of Research and Development and Authorized Signatory at Vogelsang GmbH & Co. KG; currently serves as Authorized Signatory and Head of Innovation and Legal Affairs there.