Natalia
Hatalska

CEO and founder of the institute for future studies infuture.institute. One of the most influential and recognized experts in the field of trend analysis and forecasting. Financial Times placed her on the New Europe 100 list - a list of 100 people from Central and Eastern Europe who "change societies, politics or the business environment of their region and present a fresh approach to prevailing problems". Recognized as one of the 50 most influential women in Poland and twice awarded in the poll "Who does Polish business listen to?" as one of the 10 most important authorities in Polish business. Twice honored with the title of Digital Shaper for her contribution to the development of Poland's digital economy. In 2022, she was included in the Forbes Women Poland list and the Esomar Insight250 list - containing 250 people from around the world, including innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, who "focus on improving the quality of market research". Analyst, journalist and author of numerous research projects, appreciated among others by the Audience Award of the Polish Congress of Market Researchers and Opinion. Author of the bestseller book „The Age of Paradoxes. Will Technology Save Us?”.

Artur
Kurasiński

Entrepreneur, creator, investor, and innovation advocate, specializing in the analysis of digital and startup trends. Author of books, audio dramas, games, and comic books. A tech realist. Digital curator, creator, storyteller, and technology patriot. For more than two decades, he has been observing and explaining the impact of technology on our lives. He is the author of one of Poland’s most widely read technology blogs, Kurasinski.com, the TECHNOFOBIA podcast, and the books Startupowcy (Startup Founders) and RzeczpospolitAI. A speaker and participant at leading technology conferences in Poland and around the world. Co-creator of Aula Polska, Poland’s longest-running startup meetup series, as well as the Aulery awards. In his private life, he is the father of Róża and Malina, and an enthusiast of indoor football and tabletop role-playing games.

Marcin
Sawicki

From Television to AI: A journalist who reinvented his professional toolkit around artificial intelligence and now teaches companies how to do the same. An AI practitioner and educator, and co-founder of the School of Prompting. He helps organizations and professionals learn how to use large language models effectively in their everyday work—intelligently, securely, and without losing their own voice. He has led AI training projects for organizations including Siemens, Lenovo, Enea, TVN, and the Eurozet Group, and co-created corporate AI Days, including three editions of the Lenovo AI & Robotics Day. He came to AI after a 30-year career in journalism, including work on Dzień Dobry TVN. Rather than fearing automation, he rebuilt his professional practice around it—and today develops his own AI agents. He is the author of the blog rewolucjaai.com and has moderated panels at the Microsoft AI Summit, the European Economic Congress (EEC) in Katowice, and Masters & Robots.

Dr Ewelina
Kurtys

Dr Ewelina Kurtys is a neuroscientist and strategic advisor at FinalSpark, where she works on pioneering biocomputing using living neurons as an energy-efficient alternative to silicon-based AI. She holds a PhD in neuroscience and has authored 20+ peer-reviewed publications. She is also the founder of Ekai Ltd, a UK-based consultancy supporting science-driven companies in commercialization, partnerships, and go-to-market strategy. With a background spanning biology, engineering, and technology commercialization, she focuses on translating cutting-edge R&D into real-world computing systems and scalable innovation. Her work sits at the intersection of neuroscience, engineering, and entrepreneurship, with a strong focus on bio-inspired computing and next-generation computing paradigms beyond traditional silicon.

Paula
Januszkiewicz

Paula Januszkiewicz is the Founder and CEO of CQURE and CQURE Academy, companies she established back in 2008. She is also an Enterprise Security MVP, honorable Microsoft Regional Director, and a world-class cybersecurity expert, consulting Customers worldwide. In 2017, Paula graduated from Harvard Business School. She delivers keynotes and sessions at the biggest world conferences such as RSA, Black Hat, Microsoft Ignite, SecTor Canada, Australian Cyber Conference, GISEC, GITEX, LEAP, and many others. She is often a top-rated speaker, including being chosen as the No. 1 Speaker at Microsoft Ignite (among 1,100 speakers at a conference with 26,000 attendees) and at Black Hat Asia 2019. At the RSA Conference, two of her sessions were among the top 5 best rated. Paula is known for her unique stage presence that is always well-received among diverse audiences, often gathering thousands of people! Paula has over 20 years of experience in the cybersecurity field, performing penetration tests, architecture consulting, trainings, and seminars. Every year, she takes over 200 flights to provide cybersecurity services for CQURE’s Customers. Paula and her Team also design security awareness programs for various organizations, including awareness sessions for top management. Together, they create various security tools (CQTools) supporting penetration tests, incident response, and forensics, which are shared with the community. Paula is a member of the Technical Advisory Board at the Royal Bank of Scotland/Natwest. And to top it all off, she has access to the source code of Windows!

Sebastian
Kondracki

Expert in digital transformation with a focus on innovation and artificial intelligence (AI). Chief Innovation Officer at Deviniti. Author of the book "Python and AI for E-commerce." He researches the impact of openness (open science, open data, and open source) on creativity and innovation. He specializes in large language models (LLMs) and generative AI systems for business applications. He is the creator of the SpeakLeash (ˈspix.lɛʂ) project and Spichlerz, a toolkit designed to build Poland’s largest high-quality dataset and the Bielik large language model. Bielik models have received many awards in Poland and internationally. He is also the initiator of the Citizen Bielik initiative, which aims to develop citizen-generated datasets. He is the author of many industry reports, including "Open Data and Artificial Intelligence" (GRAI), "Artificial Intelligence SumUp for Business 2022," "Review of Open-Access Polish Language Resources with Significant Potential for AI in Business," and "Generative AI in Business." An expert in machine learning, natural language processing (NLP), natural language generation, and business applications of generative AI. He also specializes in collaborative intelligence, human-AI teamwork, business idea validation, lean startup methodologies, and the management of exploratory projects. He lectures in postgraduate programs, including at the Warsaw School of Economics. He is a member of the Future Council, an advisory body to the Prime Minister established to develop recommendations for initiatives and solutions supporting Poland’s continued development. The Council consists of scientists, business representatives, and experts specializing in areas such as artificial intelligence, space technologies, biotechnology, financial technologies, and dual-use technologies (with both civilian and military applications).

Dorota
Sędek, MBA

Entrepreneur, CEO, business coach, and strategist specializing in distributed team management, VR/AI, and digital transformation. A tech realist with a rebel spirit. For nearly 20 years, she has managed multi-million-dollar budgets and teams ranging from 4 to more than 500 people across the retail, fitness, beauty, automotive, and IT industries. Founder of Alterland – a VR and AI platform for remote collaboration, recognized by the NVIDIA Inception, AWS Startups, and Innocheck by Innosuisse programs – as well as Can Do! Consulting, where she has trained hundreds of managers. Member and contributor of the Forbes Business Council. Holds an MBA and has also studied Business Psychology. Speaker at conferences dedicated to the future of work, remote leadership, and AI. A Remote CEO, she runs her company from anywhere in the world, proving that remote work is not a privilege but a strategy that can be successfully implemented while also being a full-time mother and wife. Privately, she is a biohacking enthusiast, constantly searching for the key to achieving maximum productivity, and a certified diver (with scuba gear or on a single breath).

Dr Joanna
Mercik

An expert in education, communication, and the application of artificial intelligence in business and the public sector. She is an Assistant Professor at the University of Silesia, coordinator of the university-wide course "GenAI Tools in Practice", a member of the AI Working Group at the Polish Ministry of Digital Affairs, and leader of the GRAI section on Awareness, Competencies, and Digital Well-being. She is also a co-creator of the Obywatel Bielik project, which brings together academia, culture, and citizens to develop a Polish multimodal AI model. Her mission is to bridge the humanities and technology through education grounded in ethics, empathy, and innovation. She is the author of numerous academic publications and a speaker at national and international conferences on education and technology. She has extensive experience in teacher education, delivering training on Generative AI, higher education pedagogy, and modern approaches to teaching and knowledge transfer.

Dr Paweł
Gora

Scientist, IT specialist, philanthropist, and entrepreneur working primarily on applications of artificial intelligence and quantum computing, particularly in transportation and medicine. A graduate of the Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics, and Mechanics at the University of Warsaw (M.Sc. in Mathematics, M.Sc. in Computer Science, and Ph.D. in Computer Science), he later worked as a researcher at Sano Science and is currently a research scientist at Jagiellonian University. He is the founder and president of the Quantum AI Foundation and the chairman of the board of QWorld. He also serves as a board member of the Quantum Technologies Committee of the Polish Chamber of Commerce. In addition, he collaborates with several startups as a technical and business advisor. In the past, he completed software engineering and research internships at Microsoft, Google, CERN, and IBM Research, and was a member of the Council for Digital Affairs.

Paweł
Wróblewski

He works as Strategic Sales & Growth Manager – Eastern Europe & Global Delivery at Tieto. He is responsible for business development and building partnerships that support the digital transformation of enterprises across Central and Eastern Europe, combining expertise in application modernization, data platforms, and AI solutions. For over 20 years, he has helped organizations leverage emerging technologies to build competitive advantage, combining a business perspective with experience in delivering complex IT projects. He believes that AI delivers the greatest value when it is part of a well-planned organizational transformation rather than an end in itself.

Wojciech
Kozicki

CEO of inProjects, a Szczecin-based technology company, entrepreneur, and engineer with over 20 years of experience in IT and telecommunications. His career spans operator infrastructure and one of the first IPTV implementations in Poland to large-scale GIS systems, including the main telecommunications network information system developed for UKE (the Office of Electronic Communications). Currently, he is above all an AI practitioner: he is leading the implementation of an AI chatbot for the City of Szczecin, has transformed his own company toward agent-based software development, implements RAG systems and agent orchestration solutions, and provides training in these areas. At WERIN, a company building fibre-optic networks in Poland and Germany, he applies AI to reduce bureaucracy and optimise technical processes. He is also a co-owner of mWARS, a meal-ordering service operating on more than 100 trains daily. Despite his fascination with technology, his approach to AI is highly pragmatic: it should shorten working time, not simply look impressive on a slide. Privately, he promotes sport, following the philosophy of Mr Kleks: “to run, jump, fly, swim…”

Agnieszka
Rusak-Tyma

Agnieszka Rusak-Tyma works at the intersection of science and design as an Art Director, Brand Doctor, Pharmacy Manager, and entrepreneur. She is the founder of the Swedish Art's Studio and the creator of the Brand Clinic concept, where she synergistically combines science with an artistic vision of the world—translating the language of business into the language of visual perception. As the founder and Creative Director of Art's Studio, as well as a licensed pharmacist with nearly 20 years of experience, she combines an analytical, clinical approach with visual communication, brand strategy, and emerging technologies. She specializes in creating trust-based brands—particularly for the healthcare, beauty, aesthetic medicine, and premium sectors. She designs visual identities, high-converting websites, brand communication, editorial art direction, motion design, AR, and customer experience systems. Her proprietary Brand Clinic methodology: Audit → Diagnosis → Treatment Plan → Aftercare → Brand Longevity treats a brand as a living system that requires proper diagnosis, a coherent strategy, and long-term care. Creating within a Human-Centric approach, she uses artificial intelligence as a tool to support the creative, strategic, and business process—from AI imagery and film production to the design of automation systems and AI agents.

Radosław
Zacha

Entrepreneur, CEO General.pl, internet marketing expert and AI enthusiast. With over 20 years of experience, he creates websites and SEO strategies, supporting companies and startups in their online development.

Michał
Olejarski

Programmer, entrepreneur, COO of General.pl, and a certified Google Ads specialist. Since 2013, he has been developing websites, e-commerce stores, advanced web portals, and CRM systems, helping businesses grow and scale.

Łukasz
Roszak

Software engineer who isn't afraid of change. Over the years, I've worked as a QA engineer and an Engineering Manager. Today, I'm excited by something new—applying artificial intelligence to the day-to-day operations of a company building products for the healthcare and social care sectors. Outside of work, I'm developing a startup in the occupational health and safety space. I enjoy listening to industry audiobooks and proudly serve as my family's chauffeur :). Whatever time is left goes into my ever-growing woodworking backlog, capoeira, and the occasional nap.

Daniel
Czapiewski

Entrepreneur and expert connecting technology, marketing, and business. Founder and CEO of STETTINER, he has been involved in the digital industry and the development of innovative products for over 20 years, using technologies including AI, AR/VR, and mobile technologies. He has co-created projects for Polish and international brands and public institutions, including EWA – an AI-powered survey interviewer for the City of Szczecin – and the award-winning Żabu project, recognized, among others, in the Effie Awards. He is currently also involved in the development of advanced simulators and training systems for the defense sector, utilizing VR and AR technologies. A motorsport fan and co-creator of the largest Polish sim racing community - https://uniracers.eu/. Since 2019, he has been a member of the Board of the West Pomeranian ICT Cluster.

Marcin
Kaczmarek

IT specialist, CEO of Consileon Polska, and Board Member of the West Pomeranian ICT Cluster. For more than 20 years, he has worked at the intersection of IT and business—as a practitioner, manager, and entrepreneur who has witnessed and contributed to the industry’s evolution, from the early days of IT outsourcing in Poland to today’s challenges involving AI and the development of technology products. He knows artificial intelligence through real-world implementations, not theory. In his day-to-day work, he uses AI in projects for major automotive corporations and banks across Europe—from initial concepts to solutions running in production.

Dr Monika
Sońta

An expert in the field of communication, creativity, and artificial intelligence in education. A sociologist of technology, specializing in organizational culture and internal communication. A certified facilitator of FORTH, LEGO®️ SERIOUS PLAY®️, PLAYMOBILpro, Design Sprint, and PROSCI methods. She has over 20 years of international experience in HR and communication. She is an Assistant Professor at Kozminski University and the local coordinator of the 4InnoPipe2 project. She conducts research on creativity in organizations in the age of AI. Visiting Scholar at Riga Business School.

col. Paweł
Doniec

Interview: Cybersecurity and Modern Threats - Building Digital Resilience

Deputy Commander of the Military Cyber Defense Component
One of the leading experts in Polish cybersecurity. Creator and organizer of CSIRT MON structures, operating continuously in 24/7/365 mode for the sake of information system security in the Polish Armed Forces. Responsible for building digital resilience and developing monitoring systems for threats and incident response. Successfully conducted organizational transformation, building one of the most advanced structures in the field of military cybersecurity. Represents Poland in international cybersecurity initiatives, including PESCO Cyber Rapid Response Teams, supporting response to cyber incidents in EU and NATO countries.

Łukasz
Jędrzejczak

Interview (moderator): Cybersecurity and modern threats - building digital resilience

For over 25 years, he has been involved in cybersecurity, combining experience gained at the Detection Division of the Cybercrime Unit of the KGP, the Ministry of National Defense of Poland, and the advisory sector. From 2018 to 2024, he led the cybersecurity area at the MON as Head of CSIRT and Deputy Commander of the Military Cyber Defense Component. He is a respected speaker at international conferences, lecturer, and author of publications dedicated to cybersecurity. Currently, as a Partner and Director at Deloitte Central Europe, he is responsible for the Defense, Cyber, and NATO cooperation areas. He is a practitioner who has been involved in building digital resilience of organizations and the state in the face of modern threats.

Marcin
Madey

Chairman of the Board and Country Manager, SUSE Polska
Manager with many years of experience in the IT industry, specializing in strategic management and supporting digital transformation of Polish companies and public institutions. Before assuming leadership at SUSE Polska, he successfully managed local offices of such global technology companies as Micro Focus or Novell. At SUSE, he is responsible for the overall business development in the Polish market and promoting advanced solutions based on open source, which form the foundation of today's innovation. He is a passionate advocate for building independent and secure IT infrastructure – in data centers, clouds and edge environments. In the era of artificial intelligence revolution, the area of particular interest to Marcin is providing scalable and trusted operational environments for AI. Under his leadership, SUSE Polska promotes modern infrastructure solutions optimized for AI (such as the NVIDIA-backed SUSE AI Factory project), which enable companies to deploy artificial intelligence models efficiently and securely. During the AI Connect 2026 conference in Szczecin, Marcin will share his expert perspective on how open-source, agile infrastructure determines the success of commercial artificial intelligence deployments in modern organizations.

Paweł
Kozłowski

President of the IT Cluster, focused on promoting Szczecin on Poland’s technology map. Since 2023, he has served as Director of the Technology Department at Kongsberg Maritime Poland, where he is responsible for developing one of the company’s key organizational units. His role includes coordinating process standardization, tool optimization, and the development of the team’s technical competencies. His work focuses on improving operational efficiency and ensuring the high quality of delivered solutions. He is jointly responsible for shaping Kongsberg Maritime Poland’s long-term technology strategy and implementing management processes. With more than 17 years of experience delivering investment projects in Poland and internationally, he specializes in strategic planning, engineering team management, and organizational transformation. Throughout his career, he has been responsible for key elements of major projects, including the construction of a modern combined-cycle gas turbine power plant at the Gorzów Heat and Power Plant and the implementation of an Automated People Mover system at Los Angeles International Airport. He holds an engineering degree and postgraduate qualifications in finance and energy. He combines an analytical approach with a strong people focus, believing that effective solutions are created by teams that share a common goal and have the space to take action.

Arkadiusz
Kocikowski

Responsible for the development of the Modern Technologies Industrial Park in Stargard. Director of the Investor and Economic Projects Support Office. Scholarship recipient and graduate of the Swedish Institute Management Programme in Stockholm.

dr Krzysztof
Pietrusewicz

Dr. hab. Eng. Krzysztof Pietrusewicz, Professor at ZUT, is a Polish engineer and specialist in automation and robotics, holding a habilitation degree in technical sciences and serving as a professor at the West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin. He is a graduate of Szczecin University of Technology, where he completed his degree in Automation and Robotics in 2002. He received his PhD in Technical Sciences in 2005 and his habilitation in 2012. For many years, he has been associated with the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at the West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, where he conducts research and teaches. His scientific work focuses on advanced automation and robotics systems, innovative technological solutions, and the implementation of modern control methods in industrial systems. A long-standing advocate of artificial intelligence methods for solving practical problems, he actively participates in research and development projects, speaks at scientific conferences, and has authored publications on modern control methods and automation. He also holds academic and organizational positions, contributing to the development of science and technology in Poland.

Jacek
Wójcikowski

Director of the Investor and Exporter Services Centre at the Marshal’s Office of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. Previously, he served as First Counsellor and Head of the Trade and Investment Promotion Department at the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Copenhagen. He began his career in economic diplomacy, export promotion, and investment promotion in 2001 at the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Dublin. He also worked as a manager at the Irish consulting company NKC and was involved in securing external funding for infrastructure projects. He completed postgraduate studies in local and regional development management. He is Dean of the West Pomeranian Exporters’ Corps within the Polish Exporters Association.

Piotr
Kowalski

Experienced leader with a proven track record in international technical sales and business development. Highly skilled in B2B sales of large-scale, complex technical solutions for data center colocation, telecommunications, and hyperscale cloud data centers, with increasing levels of responsibility and regional scope, including four years of experience across the Middle East and Africa. A strategic thinker with a strong passion for product innovation and business development in emerging technologies, with specialized expertise in thermal management (HVAC), industrialized construction, and hyperscale data centers. Former Technology Specialist at Vertiv’s Global Innovation Office and EMEA CTO Office liaison, responsible for collaboration with RISE (Swedish research institutes), with a focus on data center innovation and research, including fuel cells, immersion cooling, heat recovery, and sustainability.

dr Magdalena
Ławicka

As Chief Operating Officer of the IT Cluster - one of the largest clusters of technology companies in Poland. She is responsible for the organization's strategic growth, building long-term partnerships, and shaping the development directions of the regional innovation ecosystem. She leads numerous initiatives that support the competitiveness and growth of technology companies while strengthening collaboration between business, academia, and public administration. At the same time, as an Assistant Professor at the University of Szczecin, she is involved in research and development projects, focusing on the practical aspects of knowledge and technology transfer. She specializes in team management, the creation and implementation of organizational strategies, and the initiation of knowledge transfer processes in the context of dynamic technological change. Deeply committed to fostering a culture of collaboration and cross-industry networking, she focuses on building lasting partnerships between the business, academic, and public sectors.

Robert
Sikora

Currently Lead Software Engineer and Team Leader of the Navigation team at Kongsberg Maritime Poland, where he develops solutions for marine navigation systems. An enthusiast and practitioner of Artificial Intelligence and its business applications, he also shares this knowledge on his self-titled YouTube channel, where he explains in an accessible way the technology that is shaping today's world. His passion gave him the opportunity to participate in the implementation of solutions for the world's first autonomous ship — Yara Birkeland. He holds a degree in Business Management from WSB Merito and in Automation and Robotics from the West Pomeranian University of Technology, combining technical education with a business-oriented perspective on innovation.

Monika
Duszkiewicz

Coordinator of the IT Cluster Office, she works in project management, cross-sector cooperation and the development of initiatives at the intersection of new technologies, business and creativity. She combines an analytical approach with creative thinking, turning unconventional ideas into concrete results. She is particularly interested in the synergy of art, design and technology, and in the potential of innovative projects. At AI-CONNECT 2026 she is the author of the artistic concept, script and dramaturgy of the project opening the conference, which she also directs.

Agnieszka
Rusak-Tyma

She works at the intersection of science and design as an Art Director, Brand Doctor, Pharmacy Manager and entrepreneur. She is the founder of the Swedish Art's Studio and the creator of the Brand Clinic concept, where she synergistically combines science with an artistic vision of the world - translating the language of business into the language of visual perception.

Marzenna
Koszykowska

A first-category judge of the Polish Dance Federation, visual artist, dance teacher and certified teacher of physical education and postural correction. Since 1995 she has run the Szyk Dance School in Szczecin, which she founded. Dancers from her school compete successfully at the highest level, including the Polish, European and World Championships.