Our first speakers 2023

Robert Axmann studied aerospace engineering in Munich and Cranfield (United Kingdom) and holds a doctorate in aerospace engineering. He also holds a degree in business administration. Robert Axmann has worked for the German Aerospace Center (DLR) for 19 years. He has been head of the DLR Quantum Computing Initiative since 2021.

Prof. Dr. Tommaso Calarco has pioneered the application of quantum optimal control methods to quantum computation and to many-body quantum systems. Currently the Director of the Institute for Quantum Control of the Peter Grünberg Institute at Forschungszentrum Jülich and Professor of Quantum Information at the Institute of Theoretical Physics of the University of Cologne, Tommaso received his PhD at the University of Ferrara and started to work as a postdoc in the group of P. Zoller at the University of Innsbruck. He was appointed as a Senior Researcher at the BEC Centre in Trento in 2004 and as a Professor for Physics at the University of Ulm in 2007, where he then became Director of the Institute for Complex Quantum Systems and of the Centre for Integrated Quantum Science and Technology. He has authored in 2016 the Quantum Manifesto, which initiated the European Commission’s Quantum Flagship initiative, and is currently the Chairman of one of the Flagship’s Governing Bodies: The Quantum Community Network (QCN). In 2020, together with the QCN, he has launched an initiative towards the creation of a consortium of European quantum industries, which has been legally established in 2021 under the name of European Quantum Industry Consortium (QuIC).

Delphine De Smedt ia a first-year Ph.D. student in quantum computing with a background in sustainable development. She is currently studying how to accelerate the classification of satellite images with classical quantum machine learning algorithms. Together with her colleagues at QBee, they are working on developing quantum computing logic around different real-world applications.

I obtained an M.Sc. in Informatics at the Technical University of München (TUM) in September 2022 and specialized in Machine Learning and Quantum Computing. We recently published an article on quantum reinforcement learning and the effect of architectural choices and presented it at the ICAART 2023 conference. I started as a HiWi at the Fraunhofer Institute for Cognitive Systems in November 2021 and since November 2022 I work there as a full-time scientist. During my courses, I was also a tutor at TUM for the course of quantum computing.

Dr. Daniel J. Egger is a Staff Research Scientist working at IBM Quantum, IBM Research Europe – Zurich. His research focuses on the control of quantum computers, integrating them in modern software stacks, and on the practical applications of quantum algorithms in finance, optimization, and natural sciences. Dr. Egger joined IBM in 2016. From 2014 to 2016 he worked in the asset management industry as a risk manager. He earned a PhD in theoretical physics in 2014 for his work on quantum simulations and optimal control of quantum computers based on superconducting qubits.

Dr Daniel Herr has a background in quantum computing. He did his PhD on Quantum Error Correction at Riken in Japan. He is now a Senior Consultant at d-fine, where he works mainly on quantum computing projects.

Johannes is product owner for quantum computing in the BMW Group IT. He chairs a working group in the Quantum Computing Application and Technology Consortium and leads the BMW Group IT Quantum Computing initiative. His interests lie at the junction of technology and business with a focus on data-driven innovation. His background is in mathematics with a Ph.D. from TU Munich.

Wolfgang Maaß is a full professor at Saarland University for Business Administration, esp. Business Informatics at the Faculty of Human and Economic Sciences and co-opted professor for Computer Science at the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science at Saarland University. He is also scientific director and head of the research area Smart Service Engineering at the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI). His research focuses on data analytic decision making, conceptual modeling, and the use of artificial intelligence and quantum technologies for innovative services. He received his PhD in computer science from Saarland University and his habilitation in business administration from the University of St. Gallen, Switzerland. His doctoral studies were funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG).

Dr. Christian Nietner is Head of Quantum Computing and Advanced Analytics at NTT DATA DACH and Co-Lead of the EMEAL Innovation Center. As a PhD in quantum physics, Christian is responsible for the technological and strategic portfolio development of NTT DATA's Quantum Computing services and in particular takes care of the development of quantum optimization and quantum machine learning algorithms. In this area, he most recently also supported the Bundesdruckerei in the design and implementation of innovative quantum algorithms.

Previously, Christian co-founded two Berlin-based tech startups, RoomAR and AVANETIX. In his role as CEO and CTO, he held overall responsibility for product development and technological implementation. The technological focus of the ventures was on machine learning, augmented reality and quantum computing. 

Prior to founding his first own company, Christian spent 3 years as a Data Scientist and Technology Consultant at The unbelievable Machine Company, implementing several machine learning projects for various industries in this role. Before that, he successfully completed his PhD in theoretical quantum physics at TU Berlin.

Lilly Palackal is a researcher specializing in quantum algorithms. She obtained her Bachelor's and Master's degree in mathematics from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) with a focus on quantum information theory. Currently, she is pursuing her PhD at TUM and at Infineon Technologies AG, where she is working on developing quantum algorithms for optimization problems in Infineon's supply chain. At Infineon Lilly Palackal leads a team working on quantum algorithms in the Supply Chain Innovation department. Her expertise lies in quantum computing, quantum algorithms, and their applications in solving optimization problems.

Benedikt Poggel studied physics at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universtität München with a focus on condensed matter theory and first contacts with quantum computing. Since 2022, he has been working on his PhD at the Fraunhofer Institute for Cognitive Systems under PD Dr. habil. Jeanette Lorenz and researches the reliable application of quantum-based solution methods to optimization problems.

As an innovation professional with experience in technology innovation and ecosystem building, I have been an Innovation Manager at Elia Group, a transmission system operator in Germany and Belgium, since 2020. In this role, I am leading the Technology Innovation pillar and Open Innovation track for peer and cross-industry ecosystems, with a main focus on discovering and establishing emerging technologies such as Quantum Computing that will shape the future of energy. Prior to this, I worked for five years in a corporate finance function while also leading digital projects, including the implementation of a Robotic Process Automation center of expertise. Prior to this, I studied business administration as a cooperative education student and gained valuable experience as a consultant for Capital Markets and Accounting Advisory at PwC afterwards.

Dr. Sebastian Senge is Accenture's Next Generation Computing lead in the ASG (DACH) region. He has an extensive background in Computer Science and is interested in Quantum Computing and Machine Learning.

Enrique Solano lives in Berlin, Germany, where he develops entrepreneurial activities as Chief Visionary Officer at Kipu Quantum, a startup designing quantum computing solutions to bring quantum advantage to the present for industry use cases. As a physicist, he has worked in Peru, France, Brazil, Germany, China and Spain, occupying leading positions in academic institutions. He constantly explores interdisciplinary ideas and initiatives merging arts, science, technology, and entrepreneurship. Apart from his pioneering works in quantum computing and quantum technologies, he develops novel interdisciplinary fields like quantum arts, neuromorphic quantum computing, quantum brain works, and the quantum metaverse.

Jonas Stein is doing his PhD at the LMU Munich at the Chair of Mobile and Distributed Systems, focusing on researching applications of quantum computing. As a research associate at the Quantum Applications and Research Lab (QAR-Lab), the computer scientist contributes his knowledge to various industrial projects, research and teaching. In particular, he coordinates the BMWK-funded project QCHALLenge, in which algorithms, concepts and tools for the low-threshold use of quantum computing in industry are developed together with the consortium partners BASF, BMW, SAP and Siemens.

Dr. Barbara Wellmann is the Lead of Quantum.Link, Deloitte’s technology consulting unit focusing on quantum technologies and its implications for the future of businesses and industries. She helps clients to leverage the benefits and to understand the risks of quantum and develops suitable long-term implementation strategies in a business context. Her particular aim is to develop ecologically sensible and sustainable concepts. Barbara completed her PhD in applied laser physics at the MQ Photonics Research Center in Sydney, Australia. Before joining Deloitte she worked at the boutique consultancy Förderbar focusing on disruptive startup incubation and innovation projects and at DB mindbox, the startup hub of Deutsche Bahn. She combines extensive innovation management and digitization expertise with industry experiences and a passion for new digital business models.