TECH by Handelsblatt: Shaping Europe's technology future

“We believe in Europe. Do you?” This is the question that defined this year’s TECH by Handelsblatt conference.

The discussions held by the more than 2,000 leaders from industry, technology, politics, and academia who came together in Heilbronn from May 31 to June 2 pointed to one clear answer: yes! Launched in 2025, TECH by Handelsblatt has quickly become one of Europe's most important conversations on technology and strategic autonomy. As a co-initiator alongside founding partners Schwarz Digits and Handelsblatt Media Group, BCG contributes strategic clarity, applied AI expertise, and a cross-industry network.

In a moment worth noting for the BCG alumni community, Karsten Wildberger (BCG Managing Director and Partner, 2012 – 2012), now Germany's Federal Minister for Digital Transformation and Government Modernization, took the stage—highlighting the impact BCG alumni continue to have across business, society, and government.

Other BCGers demonstrating our thought leadership on stage:

Europe’s scaling opportunity: Michael Brigl (BCG Managing Director and Senior Partner, Head of Central Europe) joined Charlotte Morré of Handelsblatt to tackle the conference's defining question: How can Europe transition from merely adopting AI to securing a true competitive advantage?

AI agents on the loose: Andrej Levin (BCG Managing Director and Senior Partner, Head of BCG X) sat down with Sabine Klauke (EVP Head of Digital, Airbus), Stefan Paul (CEO, Kuehne+Nagel), and Joel Nygårds (CDO, Ericsson) to explore the implications of autonomous AI agents transitioning from passive tools to active decision makers.

Next-generation leadership: Kirsten Rulf (BCG Partner and Associate Director) co-hosted a masterclass with Tanja Kewes (Handelsblatt) and Lisa Birringer (SVP Global Financial Reporting & Accounting, BioNTech), examining what it takes to lead within the current European tech ecosystem.

Defense and tech: Georg Kappen (BCG Managing Director and Senior Partner) and Annika Zawadzki (BCG Managing Director and Partner) analyzed Europe’s UAV capabilities and the critical role technology plays in building long-term industrial and societal resilience.

Side event: Vordenker:innen 2026

On the second day of the conference, BCG and Handelsblatt hosted the ninth edition of the Vordenker:innen awards, honoring 29 visionary leaders from business and academia across four key categories: digitalization, resilience, innovation, and change navigation.

BCG report: “How AI Sovereignty Is Reshaping Europe’s Technology Strategy”

Published ahead of the conference, the report examines how a topic that was once seen as a policy discussion in Brussels—or a compliance responsibility for CIOs—is increasingly becoming a strategic question for CEOs. Companies across Europe are reassessing fundamental assumptions about their technology stacks. To better understand how they are navigating this transition, BCG and Statista conducted a study across various European countries between April and May 2026. The data reveals a structurally fragmented picture: While companies broadly agree that strategic autonomy in tech matters, they differ sharply on what they actually expect it to achieve.

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