What Europe's digital Sovereignty needs now: Annika von Mutius Speaks at Unternehmertag

“Digital sovereignty means independence through strength. And in Europe, we are strongest when we act together,” the German Federal Ministry for Digital Affairs stated after the #EUSummit25. At the summit, leading European companies pledged investments of more than €12 billion in key technologies.

But what does this really mean? Why do European companies still face such significant hurdles? And why does it so often feel as though progress is simply not fast enough?

These are some of the questions we will explore at the upcoming Unternehmertag,among others with Dr Annika von Mutius, who has been engaging with thetopic of digital sovereignty for years. In a recent guest commentary for Handelsblatt,she presented a seven-point plan outlining what must change if Germany is not to miss the AI opportunity. One of her key messages:

“The battle for Europe’s technological sovereignty is not lost, but it will be ruthless. Believing that throwing money at a mountain of dysfunctional innovation programmes is the solution, is not only unwise, but short-sighted.”

Germany’s innovative strength, she argues, is fundamentally there, but in a rather peculiar state. Financial resources exist, yet are often misallocated, flowing into fragmented digital initiatives or external consultancy. Talent is available, but many leave. World-class research and powerful models exist, yet too often fail to make the leap into the real economy.

As co-founder and CEO of Empion, Annika von Mutius builds technology ratherthan merely talking about it. With a PhD in mathematics, experience at a robotics start-up in Silicon Valley, and advisory roles for the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy and the Federal Ministry for Digital Transformation and Government Modernisation, she brings a rare combination of technical expertise, entrepreneurial pragmatism and political insight.

Add to that her role on the board of the German AI Association, and it becomes clear why she is regarded as one of the most compelling voices in the debate on Europe’s digital sovereignty. Or, as she once put it herself: Europe doesnot lack ideas, it needs the courage and the structures to turn them intoreality.

We are very much looking forward to welcoming Annika von Mutius to Unternehmertag 2026 and to a sharp and forward-looking discussion.

‍