Save the Date: "The Great Reshuffle. Who Holds the Cards in Tomorrows World?"

After the great success of the last Unternehmertag, we are already deep into planning mode for the next edition – and we can’t wait to share what’s coming!

“The Great Re-Shuffle. Who holds the Cards in Tomorrow's World?” is the topic of the 19th Unternehmertag, which will take place from 18 to 20 March 2026 at the Althoff Seehotel Überfahrt on Lake Tegernsee, Germany.
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The great reshuffling has long since begun. The tectonic plates of the global order are shifting with unprecedented force – and with far-reaching consequences for the economy, technology and security. The West, once a shining example of democracy, human rights, technological excellence and economic strength, risks losing its leading role. Autocracies are redrawing the global map, breaking rules when they get in the way, and using economic dependencies and digital control as instruments of power.
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In the midst of this transformation, technological progress is becoming a geopolitical factor: those who control the key technologies of the future – especially in artificial intelligence, robotics, semiconductors or quantum computing – will help determine who dominates economically, militarily and societally. AI systems today not only analyse markets but fight cyberwars, automate industrial processes and transform the world of work at breakneck speed. Those who fall behind are left behind.
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Europe is under pressure – from outside through global power shifts, and from within through stagnation, overregulation and a paralyzing lack of innovation. While China invests billions in technological sovereignty and the US dynamically opens new AI markets, we in Europe often lack courage, speed and the will to lead. Instead of empowering start-ups, new regulations are invented. Instead of betting on future technologies, the focus remains on the past.
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The warnings are not new: back in 2018, political scientists Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt warned that democracies today are not toppled by coups, but eroded from within – by elected leaders who undermine democratic norms and by citizens who may not want to abolish democracy but long for change. Today, we stand at just such a turning point. Autocracies are gaining ground, democracies are faltering. The cards are being reshuffled – and no one knows who will ultimately shape the game.
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Who will shape the future – the Trumps, Putins, Xis and Mileis of this world? Or can the democracies regain control? Are there still leaders in the free West who combine vision, courage and resolve?
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These are the questions we will explore at the 19th Unternehmertag at Lake Tegernsee – together with CEOs, start-up founders, politicians, scientists and 600 other guests who gather against the stunning backdrop of the lake for a summit of excellence. Three days full of inspiring conversations, groundbreaking innovations and exclusive insights into a world where bold decisions are driven by creativity and foresight.

Stay tuned!