Jury of Innovation Awards

Alex Menneking

Head of hubraum, the tech incubator of Deutsche Telekom

Axel Menneking is a prominent figure in the tech industry, currently serving as the Head of hubraum, the tech incubator of Deutsche Telekom. He has a strong background in innovation, entrepreneurship, and digital transformation. At hubraum, he plays a crucial role in identifying promising startups, providing them with resources such as funding, mentorship, and access to Deutsche Telekom's vast network. Under his leadership, hubraum has become a key player in supporting innovation in telecommunications and adjacent sectors.Axel is also known for his commitment to promoting a culture of innovation and collaboration, emphasizing the importance of partnerships between established corporations and startups. His vision is to create an environment where groundbreaking ideas can thrive and contribute to the evolution of technology.

Benjamin Kang

Vice President of SMEs Cooperation Division 
KETI

Benjamin Kang is currently Vice President of SMEs Cooperation Division at Korea Electronics Technology Institute.

Benjamin was awarded B.S. in Mathematics at Hannam University and M.A. in Business Administration at Ajou University, and now working on his Ph.D. in Technology Policy Course at Yonsei University.

In 2011 and 2017 he has won two awards, which are Chairman Award (Korea Semiconductor Industry Association) and Minister Award (Minister of Trade, Industry, Energy) by supporting Korean SME's global industrial competitiveness in Semiconductor Area and Sensor Industry.

He also attained a patent on sequential circuit design method for low power implementation and a clock gating circuit used in the method. 

Dr. Thomas Gries

Univ.-Prof. Prof. h.c. Dr.-Ing. Dipl.-Wirt.-Ing. Thomas Gries

Director/Professor

RWTH Aachen University

Thomas Gries received the Dipl. Ing. degree in mechanical engineering and the Dipl. Wirt. Ing. degree from RWTH Aachen University, Germany, in 1989 and 1992, respectively, and the Ph.D. degree from RWTH Aachen University in 1995. From 1995 to 2000 he worked at the Lurgi Zimmer AG, Frankfurt/Main, Germany, as the Head of the Department and Central Division of Technologies for Fibers. In 2001, he became a Professor at RWTH Aachen University for textile machinery and the Director of the Institut für Textiltechnik (ITA). Since 2013, he is honorary Professor with Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russian Federation. He has authored and coauthored more than 850 scientific articles and held more than 160 presentations, mainly at international congresses.

Prof. Dr. Michael Maskos

CEO
Fraunhofer ICT-IMM

Prof. Dr. Michael Maskos, graduate chemist, heads the Fraunhofer ICT-IMM as a director since 2014 in combination with a full professorship in the field of Chemical Process Engineering / Microfluidics at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany. Before that he was CEO of the former Insitut für Mikrotechnik Mainz GmbH(IMM). In 2000 he obtained the Reserach Award of the Boehringer-Ingelheim Foundation and in the same year went to McGill University in Montreal, Canada, as a research scholar of the German Academy of Natural Scientists Leopoldina. Back in Germany Maskos moved to Berlin where he took the lead of the Division Durability of Polymers at the Federal Institute of Materials Research and Testing (BAM). In 2015 Maskos won the Literature Prize of the Chemical Industry of Germany for the textbook "Polymers: Synthesis, Characteristics and Applications".

Nils Müller

CEO
TRENDONE

Nils Müller is the CEO of TRENDONE, which he founded in 2002 and has managed ever since. As the market leader for trend research & innovation consulting in Germanspeaking countries, TRENDONE defines today's standards for targeted future orientation in a rapidly developing world, with a view on markets, industries and societies. With the help of the globally active network "LaFutura", Nils Müller brings together leading futurists and visionaries at an international level. Nils sets enthralling standards for multimedia-based journeys into the future with active audience particiation with his "Journey into the Future" and the brand-new "Creators Keynote".

Joern Beissert

Deputy Head of Mission, Head of Economic Department of German Embassy to Seoul

Joern Beissert is the Deputy Chief of Mission at the German Embassy in South Korea, where he manages diplomatic relations and promotes cooperation between Germany and South Korea in various sectors.

With a strong background in international relations, he engages with government officials and business leaders to strengthen ties and enhance mutual interests. Joern focuses on areas such as trade, technology, and sustainable development, contributing to the growth of German-South Korean relations.