Special Edition from Transform 2025 | Insights from Founders & Innovators
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Episode Summary
In this special episode of “The Executives: A Dialogue with Majid,” recorded live at Transform 2025 in Berlin, Majid engages with a diverse group of founders, builders, and change-makers leveraging AI automation and digital transformation to reshape the future. The conversation explores digital transformation as a startup default, AI-driven product innovations and their societal impact, and enterprise-ready AI platforms and tools.
The episode features insights from prominent figures in Germany’s tech scene, including Björn Hinrichs from SERVIEW, Jan Marquardt from ZIVE, Maike Voigt from UNWARE, Omer Madani from synote, Björn Hiller from Comeco, Silvia Damme from Civic Coding, Markus Paulußen from barrierefrAI, Peggy Sylopp from sinceare UG, and Falko Saalfeld from Mother Earth AI.
These innovators share real-life AI applications across various domains, from zero-hardware VR and knowledge management to civic innovation and hearing support, emphasizing accessibility, sustainability, and using technology for good. The episode concludes with Majid’s reflections on standout trends observed at the summit, offering a comprehensive look into AI and digital transformation execution across diverse sectors.
Episode Chapters
00:00 Introduction from Majid Mahmood
01:00 Björn Hinrichs, Head of Upskilling at SERVIEW
09:35 Jan Marquardt, Founder & CEO at ZIVE
13:10 Maike Voigt, Co-Founder & COO at UNWARE
17:32 Omer Madani, Co-Founder at synote
23:30 Björn Hiller, Head of Marketing at Comeco
27:08 Silvia Damme, from Civic Coding
29:40 Markus Paulußen, Founder at barrierefrAI
34:20 Peggy Sylopp, Founder & CEO at sinceare UG
38:22 Falko Saalfeld, Founder at Mother Earth AI
42:00 Final Reflections: Trends That Stood Out
About the Guest
Björn Hinrichs – Head of Upskilling at SERVIEW As Head of Upskilling at SERVIEW, Björn Hinrichs leads initiatives to enhance professional development in IT and digital transformation. Based in Hamburg, he shapes training programs and certification paths to support Germany’s evolving tech workforce. Jan Marius Marquardt – Founder & CEO at ZIVE Jan is the Founder & CEO of ZIVE, an AI-powered enterprise knowledge platform based in Hamburg. He previously scaled Haiilo to €20M ARR and now drives ZIVE’s growth—securing a €2.9M pre‑seed round in 2024 and onboarding major corporates. [turn0search0][turn0search2] Maike Voigt – Co‑Founder & COO at UNWARE Maike Voigt co-founded UNWARE, which develops accessory‑free VR solutions for industrial environments. With a background in automotive tech and product marketing, she now leads operations and strategy at UNWARE. Omer Madani – Co‑Founder at synote Omer Madani is co-founder of synote, a meeting-note automation platform that combines AI-powered transcription with actionable insights. The tool supports collaborative note-taking and seamless meeting workflows. Björn Hiller – Head of Marketing at Comeco Björn Hiller leads marketing at Comeco, a digitalization and public sector-focused tech company in Mainz. He oversees brand strategy, communications, and digital campaigns. Silvia Damme – Team Member at Civic Coding Silvia Damme works at Civic Coding’s Berlin hub, a civic-tech initiative focusing on AI solutions for social good. Civic Coding connects developers with public-sector projects. Dr. Markus Paulußen – Founder at barrierefrAI Dr. Markus Paulußen founded barrierefrAI, an agency merging digital accessibility consulting with AI tools to support disabled and elderly users. They earned recognition at Bielefeld’s InnovateNOW event. Peggy Sylopp – Founder & CEO at sinceare UG Peggy Sylopp leads sinceare UG, a German HR-tech startup connecting jobseekers with meaningful roles. The company posts openings and supports career transitions in the German-speaking market. Falko Saalfeld – Founder at Mother Earth AI Falko Saalfeld is the founder behind Mother Earth AI, an open-source “Mother Earth Telephone” that uses AI to voice environmental insights. A Berlin-based climate communicator and awardee of the K3 Climate Communication Prize 2023.
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