October 9, 2026 | Confident in a Male-Dominated Field – Communication & Presence
Buy ticketTrainer: Fenna zur Horst
- Focus: Making an effective impression in technology-driven teams.
- Content: Recognizing and managing status dynamics (High Talk/Low Talk), commanding the space in video conferences, techniques for dealing with interruptions (stopping “mansplaining”).
- Result: Increased visibility and standing in meetings and during presentations.
December 4, 2026 | The Art of Negotiation & Strategic Self-Marketing
Buy ticketTrainer: Fenna zur Horst
- Focus: Confidently negotiating salary, projects, and resources.
- Content: The psychology of negotiation in an IT context; precisely defining one’s own market value; handling objections and “killer phrases.”
- Outcome: Participants leave the workshop with a personalized “argumentation guide” for their next performance review.
September 11, 2026 | AI, Cloud & Co. – How Women Are Helping Shape Tech Trends
Moderator: Anna Göbel | Women in Tech by heise | Community Manager
Speaker: Fenna zur Horst | Business Coach & Trainer
The future won’t wait for us. Why should we wait for it?
AI, the cloud, and new technologies are changing the rules of the game. Those who merely react will fall behind. Those who help shape the future will create it.
This community meeting explores how we can actively harness technological change instead of letting it dictate our path—with clarity, curiosity, and concrete ideas for charting our own course.
November 20, 2026 | The courage to change — the future awaits outside your comfort zone
Moderator: Anna Göbel | Women in Tech by heise | Community Manager
Speaker: Fenna zur Horst | Business Coach & Trainer
Change rarely begins with a big step. It begins with the decision to take the first one.
New technologies, new roles, new expectations—change has long been part of everyday life in the tech world. Yet it’s often not a lack of skills that holds us back, but uncertainty, habit, or the fear of making the wrong decision.
In this community meeting, we’ll explore why change is so difficult for many people, how we can be more courageous in dealing with uncertainty, and how small decisions lead to real growth. We’ll include interactive exercises and concrete ideas to help you take the next step.
Because courage doesn’t mean not being afraid. Courage means moving forward anyway.
Q1/27 | Tech Skills of the future — What really matters tomorrow
Moderator: Anna Göbel | Women in Tech by heise | Community Manager
Speaker: Fenna zur Horst | Business Coach & Trainer
The most important skill for the future isn’t being able to do everything. It’s knowing what really matters.
AI, the cloud, and automation are rapidly changing the demands of the tech industry. But which skills will truly make a difference in the future? And which skills will remain valuable even as technologies continue to evolve?
In this community meeting, we’ll take a look together at the skills that will gain importance in the coming years—technical, strategic, and personal. The goal isn’t to chase every trend, but to consciously shape your own path of development.
Because the future isn’t shaped by knowledge alone—but by the ability to learn the right things.
1:30–1:40 p.m. | Welcome
Johanna Heise | heise group | Head of Brand and Culture
The event will be opened by our patron and founder, Johanna Heise, who launched our Women in Tech initiative.
1:45 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. | News from the WiT Community
Anna Göbel | Women in Tech by heise | Community-Managerin
In this presentation, our Community Manager Anna shares exciting insights into the life of our community—from diverse events and interactive workshops to active discussions in our LinkedIn group.
2:05 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. | Women's Perspectives on the Tech Industry
Interview with Liane & Dom
2:35 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. | Level Up: New Role Models for Women
Sabine Buch | Technology and Innovation Expert, Entrepreneur, and International Keynote Speaker
How Gaming Brings Tomorrow’s Heroines to the Forefront.
3:05 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. | Panel discussion on diversity and careers
Moderator: Stella-Sophie Wojtczak | Editor-in-Charge of Podcasts and Video at t3n, journalist, and lecturer
How can we achieve career opportunities that are truly equitable in practice? In the “Diversity & Career” panel, four women will share their personal experiences, shed light on real challenges, and discuss concrete ways to increase diversity in the workplace.
1:00 p.m. – 1:40 p.m. | Welcome reception in the GreenLounge
Moderator: Fenna zur Horst | Business Coach & Trainer
Opening Remarks: Johanna Heise | heise group | Head of Brand and Culture
We’ll kick off the afternoon with you all and a welcome drink in the Green Lounge. Afterward, Fenna will open the event with some general remarks about the Women in Tech Initiative and our partnership with KfW, and she’ll provide a brief overview of the day’s schedule.
1:40 p.m. – 2:20 p.m. | Panel: From Talk to Action! How We Can Make “Women in Tech” a Reality
Marta Lambert & Sophie Oertel | KfW
Johanna Heise & Anna Göbel | heise Medien
True equality of opportunity comes from commitment, taking a clear stand, and strong solidarity. In this panel discussion, four female leaders from two companies will share how an idea gave rise to impactful “Women in Tech” initiatives.
Learn why strategic empowerment is bringing about lasting change in the tech industry, which concrete success stories are already setting a precedent within companies, and how members benefit directly from the strength of this network. We’ll take an honest and in-depth look at opportunities, career-enhancing benefits, and the hurdles on the path to a truly diverse culture.
Be inspired by practical insights for the future!
2:20 p.m. – 3:10 p.m. | Keynote: Courage Fuels Your Career! How Challenges Become Opportunities and Decisions Lead to Success
Sabine Buch | President of the European Institute for Neurodiversity
Sabine Buch speaks candidly about her unconventional path into IT, the challenges she faces as a woman in a technology-driven industry, and the setbacks that have shaped her. She explains why careers rarely follow a straight path, how courage is becoming one of the most important skills for the future, and why curiosity, authenticity, and belief in one’s own strengths are often more crucial than a perfect résumé.
3:10–3:40 p.m. | Coffee Break & Networking
Use the break to network and test your knowledge in a relaxed setting with our mini-quiz. The prize will be raffled off at the get-together!
3:40 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. | Keynote & Workshop: do IT right! Strategic Networking and Visibility in Tech Structures
Fenna zur Horst | Business Coach & Trainer
Navigating Successfully and Gaining Visibility in Tech Organizations: This workshop shows you how to strategically highlight your professional expertise and leverage informal power structures to your advantage.
What you’ll take away:
- Clarity: An analysis of your own professional landscape.
- Network: Sustainable peer consulting for strong collegial connections.
- Practical benefits: A personalized, immediately actionable strategy for your day-to-day work.
5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. | Bytes & Balance
More information to come.
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. | Get-together
We’ll wrap up the day together at the get-together that follows. Use the time to ask questions, have good conversations, enjoy culinary treats, and have a cool drink. And with a little luck, you might even win a prize from the quiz drawing!
