TEDxTUWien

Speakers

Speakers may not be confirmed. Check the event website for the latest lineup.

• Alexandros V. E. Ioannou-Naoum

  University Assistant and Doctoral Researcher at TU Wien, exploring climate-responsive and circular strategies for the transformation of the built environment

  Alexandros V. E. Ioannou-Naoum is a researcher and teacher at TU Wien’s Institute of Building and Industrial Construction, operating at the interface of architecture and civil engineering. His work explores how buildings can drastically reduce energy demand through integrated and passive energy-design methods, renewable energy systems, and principles of the circular economy. In this context, he develops scenario-based frameworks that link building datasets, material performance and lifespans as well as thermal and energy-performance analyses to map pathways to transform existing building stock and to enable its adaptation to a changing global climate. He is the author of Architecture Follows Climate (Birkhäuser 2024, https://birkhauser.com/en/book/9783035627817), which reveals how centuries of climate-adaptive architectural intelligence can be reinterpreted to reshape the next generation of resilient, energy-autonomous, and resource-efficient buildings.

• Damita Pressl

  Journalist, moderator, public speaking coach

  Damita Pressl is an award-winning journalist, moderator and public speaking trainer. Born and raised in Vienna, she worked as a news anchor and TV host on Austrian national television before moving to Zurich to join the renowned Neue Zürcher Zeitung. She currently works independently, moderating panels and conferences all over Europe, and has shared a stage with personalities ranging from Ursula von der Leyen to Jane Goodall. Additionally, Damita teaches public speaking and publishes her long-form newsletter Matter of Fact. Her academic background is in psychology and journalism.

• Florian Michahelles

  Professor of Ubiquitous Computing

  Florian Michahelles is a full professor for ubiquitous computing at TU Wien. He investigates how we can apply technology to support humans in their tasks and activities while keeping the human user in control. How can we wrap computing capabilities into proactive services, how can we leverage AI to free users from routine and mundane tasks, and let them focus on what we humans are best at: creativity, problem solving, critical thinking, and social collaboration.

• Hayden Arp

  Songwriter & Performer

  Hayden Arp is a songwriter whose work is equal parts intimate and electrifying. With a distinct lyrical voice, a bright personal charisma, and a penchant for ambitious collaboration, Hayden has built audiences around the world, from the US to his adopted home of Vienna. Raised in the Washington DC area, Hayden taught himself composition, production, guitar, piano, and singing from the age of 11, releasing multiple records before the end of high school, and earning himself admission into the prestigious Oberlin Conservatory of Music. In the years that followed, Hayden released “For Gabriel,” an EP that The Fader called “Tingling, gorgeous,” and toured the US 9 different times. In 2020, he moved to Vienna Austria. Since then, Hayden has established himself as a central figure in the Viennese music scene. His 2022 LP With Eliza was praised in outlets such as Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung and Kulturnews, and his 2025 single Coming Up For Air peaked at #3 in the FM4 charts.

• Jacqueline Uhl

  Psychologist & Certified Profiler

  Fascinated by human connection and the hidden patterns behind dating behavior, Jacqueline Uhl started quite early deep diving into psychological mechanisms. As a psychologist and Certified Profiler, she combines psychological insights with the skills of reading body language, micro expressions, and personality patterns. Her mission is to help people spot red flags early, break old patterns, and live the fulfilling relationship they truly deserve.

• Julia Pichler

  Director, Education Lab

  Julia Pichler is the Director of the Education Lab, where she leads the strategic development of a network that empowers educators and strengthens education systems to spread and scale impactful innovation. Her passion for equitable and future-ready learning began in the classroom, where she taught through Teach for Austria and witnessed how education can transform lives. As a CODA – a hearing child of Deaf adults – Julia has long navigated between worlds, translating not only language but systems, roles, and perspectives. She brings this lens of inclusion and empathy to her work in education policy, education leadership, and school development. Julia holds a master’s in Education Policy and Analysis from Harvard University and is an active lecturer, trainer, and advisory board member committed to advancing equity and innovation in education.

• Melanie Tinhof

  Architect & Researcher in Neuroarchitecture and Mental Health

  Melanie Tinhof is an an Architect & Researcher from Vienna exploring how architecture can actively improve mental health. Her work bridges neuroscience, psychology, and design uncovering how form, light, sound and materiality influence our body, emotions and cognitive state. After several years in corporate strategy and marketing, she returned to architecture with a clear mission: to create spaces that heal. Through her project CORE, she investigates the impact of spatial form and natural materials on stress, focus, and emotional balance. Melanie is currently completing her master’s thesis at TU Wien, where she combines scientific research with real-world prototyping. Her goal: to redefine architecture as a living system that nurtures the human mind rather than depleting it.

• Moritz Grabosch

  Founder of FLUXX LIVE GmbH (Munich) | Corporate Trainer, Coach & Author

  Moritz empowers people for better job performance and personal growth. With a background as a musical stage performer in his early years and a career as an entrepreneur in the music industry, he not only grew into a convincing stage personality, he also built the foundation for his second career as a corporate sales & management trainer. After years in the automotive industry and countless international projects as a trainer & coach he co-founded the training agency FLUXX LIVE GmbH, based in Munich. Together with his team he creates and delivers effective training that helps sales & management teams to deliver better performance while staying healthy and satisfied, because it depends on one another. Working with brands like BMW, Audi, Harman/Kardon, just to name a few, in over 20 countries worldwide gives Moritz a comprehensive understanding of what people want and need, to shape the future for the better. And that is his personal mission. Because the future belongs to us!

• Moritz Novak

  Entrepreneur

  Moritz Novak has graduated from TU Wien among the best 10% of his year. Under his leadership, the TU Wien spin-off developing mobility solutions for spacecraft raised funding from multiple international investors, secured over €80 million in letters of intent from customers and won three contracts with the European Space Agency (ESA). After just three years, GATE Space has emerged as a leader in space technology — and its CEO, Moritz Novak, a Forbes 30 Under 30 and TU Wien Under 30 listmaker, is driving the commercialization and democratization of access to space.

• Peter Windischhofer

  CEO & Co-founder

  Peter Windischhofer is one of the three founders of refurbed. Prior to founding the company, Windischhofer worked as a consultant at McKinsey for several years, advising large eCommerce companies in Europe. He studied business administration in Vienna, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and San Francisco, and during his study abroad in China, he founded an online review platform for Chinese language schools. In 2020, he, along with refurbed Co-Founder Kilian Kaminski, was selected for the Forbes "30 under 30 Europe" list. Windischhofer is not only an expert in Scale-Up entrepreneurship, but also in the field of sustainability. He is a strong advocate for the circular economy and responsible consumption, with a mission to enable people to consume more sustainably.

• Phila Rembold

  Postdoctoral Researcher, Quantum Physicist

  Phila Rembold is a researcher at the Atominsitut of TU Wien who explores the limits of quantum technologies. In her work, she finds new ways to control and benchmark quantum systems to judge their potential, bridging theory with experiment in collaborations around the world. Her special interest is entanglement, the ultrastrong correlations that set quantum systems apart from anything else. In her talk she will let you in on the mechanisms behind it, demystifying the resource that underpins the quantum technology of the future.

• Toni Mitev

  Magician

  Toni Mitev is a magician from Vienna, Austria, with over 15 years of experience captivating audiences worldwide. Blending stage grandeur and close-up intimacy, he crafts original illusions that push the limits of magic. A proud member of the Magic Club Vienna, Toni draws inspiration from the city’s charm, creating performances full of elegance and wonder. Beyond the stage, he explores the art’s history and techniques through magic books, accompanied by his cat Shocky—and fueled by endless cups of coffee.

• Verena Kuen

  Founder, 1030 Innovation Partners | Innovation Strategist Helping Leaders Navigate What’s Next

  Almost two decades ago, Verena Kuen initiated and led one of the first global innovation programs in Corporate Pharma — convincing top management to explore entirely new opportunity spaces beyond R&D. Over four years, she built a company-wide movement that redefined how innovation could drive growth and relevance. This pioneering work inspired her to found 1030 Innovation Partners, an innovation studio that helps organizations explore future opportunities, turn them into tangible offerings, and evolve their business models. Her work bridges strategy and implementation — shaping clear visions and enabling internal structures that make ongoing innovation possible. As a lecturer at WU, MCI, and Columbia University and a board member of CEOs FOR FUTURE, she empowers leaders to navigate uncertainty with clarity and build organizations that shape, rather than follow, the future.