Whether it’s political dialogue, a specialist conference or our own event format – at Materna, we continually create spaces where people can come together, share perspectives and work collaboratively on issues shaping the future. Over the past few months, our colleagues have once again demonstrated what sets us apart. We connect people, set ideas in motion and bring digitalisation to life in a wide variety of contexts.
The issues that are currently on our minds are wide-ranging: artificial intelligence, digital sovereignty and resilient infrastructure are just a few prominent examples. Yet, regardless of the specific subject matter, it is time and again evident that progress arises where different perspectives come together and are explored further through collaboration.
In this section, we provide insights into selected moments and say thank you to everyone who made them possible!
On 21 April, the Graduate Award was once again presented as part of the Smart Government Forum in Berlin. For over seven years, Materna has been using this award to recognise outstanding final-year projects in the field of digital government and to specifically support young talent with innovative ideas.
This year, the prizes went to Jonathan Grundmann (1st place), Jan Scheffelmeier (2nd place) and Taha Omrane (3rd place). Their theses focus on process mining in public administration, biometric access authorisation and the use of artificial intelligence to modernise administrative structures.
They impressively demonstrate how new approaches and academic perspectives can help to further advance the digital transformation of public administration.
The data:unplugged event on 26 and 27 March once again highlighted that the key questions surrounding AI are no longer purely technical. Materna contributed to the discussion with expert insights and set out important priorities.
The focus was on topics such as data quality, governance and the development of sustainable structures. It became clear that whilst generative AI enables rapid progress, long-term success requires a robust data foundation and clear framework conditions.
At the same time, it became clear in many discussions that it is not just about technology, but about responsibility, attitude and the consistent implementation of transformation within the organisation.
TRANSFORM took place in Berlin on 17 and 18 March, bringing together executives and decision-makers from across various sectors. Materna was represented at the event as a partner and contributed its own insights to the discussion. The event focused on topics such as digital sovereignty, the use of AI and the further development of business models in a dynamic environment.
In his presentation, Michael Hagedorn, CEO of Materna, demonstrated how critical infrastructure can be made more resilient through the integration of IT and OT, and the role that data rooms play in creating transparency and making complexity manageable.
The discussions at the event made it clear that transformation extends far beyond technology and is increasingly focusing on strategic and organisational issues.
On 27 February, we were delighted to welcome Ina Brandes, Minister for Culture and Science of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, to our headquarters. Following a brief tour of the premises, the focus was on our development and strategic direction within the context of North Rhine-Westphalia as a hub for innovation and technology.
Our discussions centred on digital sovereignty as a strategic prerequisite for government and business, the use of AI and data management as drivers of innovation, and cyber resilience as the foundation for stable and trustworthy systems. Specific projects illustrated how these themes are already being put into practice today.
The visit demonstrated once again how important close cooperation between politics, academia and technology companies is for sustainably strengthening innovative capacity and competitiveness. Special thanks also go to the Dortmund Chamber of Industry and Commerce, which initiated and facilitated this exchange.
On 25 February 2026, Materna once again created a space for open discussion with ESM Connect in Dortmund. Through this dedicated event format, Materna brings together experts who wish to develop service processes in a strategic and practical manner.
The focus was on topics such as the future of ITSM, working with SAP Solution Manager, Cloud ALM and the use of AI in service management. These perspectives were complemented by practical insights and discussions centred on organisation, data and platforms.
The open exchange at the event was particularly valuable. Questions were not glossed over but discussed in depth; challenges were put into perspective and experiences were shared.
E-world energy & water took place from 10 to 12 February and is one of the most important platforms for the energy and water sectors in Europe. For Materna, the trade fair was a key opportunity to initiate dialogue on current topics such as data-driven transformation, AI in energy processes and secure IT architectures.
Discussions with trade visitors highlighted just how great the demand is for practical, implementable solutions. This was particularly evident through the use of immersive technologies, which make complex infrastructures visible and understandable, thereby supporting well-informed decision-making.
