Hospitality Gamechanger Summit
Labs & Masterclass
An AI-based translation system for the speakers’ presentations will be available to participants on their own smartphones. Please note that group work sessions cannot be translated, as they require direct interaction between participants and a basic understanding of the workshop’s official language.
Language: English
"I FEEL SPACE - The Art of Playfulness & Resonance: Spatial Experience in Hospitality"
SPEAKERS
Robert Grimm, Philipp Kirnbauer, Joanna Dickinson, Corina Meroth Timon Grau, Melchior Grau.
Working mode:
Keynote-style presentation and interactive group work
What makes a space truly memorable in hospitality? I FEEL SPACE explores how spatial design can intentionally create resonance between people and place – shaping emotion, interaction, and shared experience.
Designed as a live research dialogue, this BEAM Lab brings together architecture, hospitality thinking, and applied experimentation. Following a keynote on playfulness as a design process by Robert Grimm, Head of Delivery at Bjarke Ingels Group, participants will work in small groups, led by experts in each field, to analyze how light, acoustics, and materiality influence human perception and needs. The findings are then shared, discussed, and connected to real-world international architecture projects.
Why join this Lab:
- Get a deeper understanding of how spatial design directly impacts guest experience and behavior
- Hands-on group work with practical insights into light (GRAU) , acoustics, and haptic design (Vitra)
- Access to leading expertise and perspectives from international players such as Bjarke Ingels Group, GRAU Licht, and Vitra
Language: German
The 5 Trillion Dollar Business Case – Food as the Next Big Thing after the Internet
SPEAKERS
Christian Hamerle, Jörg Reuter, Tilo Hühn, Christian Sina, Roger A. Jann
Working mode:
Keynote-style presentation and interactive group work
This BEAM Masterclass explores how food and wellbeing are evolving from a cost factor into the primary driver of future economic value. Based on insights from the Food System Economics Commission and the “5 Trillion Dollar Business Case,” the session addresses the urgent need to rethink the global food system from agriculture to consumption.
Participants will explore how a systemic transformation of the food ecosystem can be designed and implemented at scale, bringing together perspectives from hospitality, foodservice, agriculture, and healthcare.
The Masterclass is structured around four thematic tables, each guided by leading experts from nutrition, foodservice, healthcare, and strategy.
Why join this Masterclass:
- Understand food and wellbeing as the next major economic growth engine
- Explore systemic transformation of the global food ecosystem from farm to fork
- Work with experts on actionable strategies for real-world impact
IMPORTANT: This Masterclass includes a pre-session before the event on Tuesday, 19.05 at 11:00 AM. Further information will be provided after registration for the Masterclass.
Language: German
FutureHotel Projections 2035 by Fraunhofer IAO – Hotels at a Turning Point: More Than a Place to Sleep
SPEAKERS
Dr. Vanessa Borkmann, Dr. Constanze Heydkamp, Manuela Pattis, Silvia Unterweger
Working mode:
Keynote-style presentation and interactive group work
How will hotels look in 2035—and what role will they play for guests, employees, regions, and society? This BEAM Lab by HGV and Fraunhofer IAO translates cutting-edge futures research into tangible scenarios for the hospitality industry. Building on insights from the FutureHotel Innovation Network at Fraunhofer IAO, the session explores how hotels can evolve from traditional accommodation providers into service hubs for destinations and meeting points for locals.
Participants will engage directly with the authors of the Fraunhofer study and representatives of the local hospitality association to discuss concrete future scenarios, new business models, and bold perspectives for a rapidly changing industry. Rather than predicting a single future, the focus is on understanding possible development paths—and identifying actionable opportunities in the here and now.
Why join this Lab:
- Think beyond the obvious: Rethink hotels as platforms, connectors, and places people genuinely want to belong to
- Turn future into action: Translate future trends into concrete, actionable ideas
- Get challenged (in a good way): Exchange with forward-thinking peers and rethink your business model
Language: English
Hospitality: A catalyst for new food development and introduction
SPEAKERS
Matteo Piano, Lisa Althuber
Working mode:
Plenary presentation
Innovation in food rarely fails because of a lack of creativity. It fails because development and market introduction are often disconnected from real-world hospitality dynamics. This masterclass addresses that gap directly—offering a clear perspective on how hospitality can function as a catalyst, not a bystander, in new food innovation.
Led by Matteo Piano, a strategist specialising in brand, value creation, and growth, this session reframes hospitality not as the endpoint of product development, but as an active co-creator throughout the entire lifecycle. Participants will gain a structured understanding of how foodservice environments can act as controlled innovation spaces—accelerating learning, reducing risk, and strengthening successful market entry. Additionally, the Kitchen Lab at NOI Techpark will be introduced as a central space for food innovation and product development.
Why join this Masterclass:
- Practical lessons drawn from real-world errors in new food innovation
- A systemic framework for integrating hospitality into innovation strategy
- Methods to reduce development risk and accelerate market adoption
Language: German
Innovations in Financing Hospitality Projects: From Equity Capital to Natural Capital
SPEAKERS
Martin Schweitzer, Anne Aubrunner, Landbanking Group – Katarina Furlan, Sparkasse, Raphael Kofler, Sven Sallaerts, Magnus Busch
Working mode:
Plenary presentation
The “BEAM Finance Masterclass” brings together leading voices from hospitality, finance, and sustainability to explore how the financing of hospitality projects is evolving beyond traditional capital structures.
The session is structured around two focused panels.
The first panel explores crowdfunding and mezzanine capital as tools for authentic community building and brand development, with funds acting as strategic partners alongside traditional bank financing. The second panel focuses on sustainability and natural capital, showing how regenerative hospitality projects in the Alpine region can be financed through nature-based value creation, supported by real-world insights from pioneering projects and their banking partners.
The discussion is enriched by perspectives from leading financial institutions and industry experts, bridging financial theory with practical hospitality applications.
Why join this Masterclass:
- Understand how crowdfunding and mezzanine capital can combine financing with brand building and community engagement
- Explore how natural capital can enable new financing models for regenerative hospitality projects
- Gain real-world insights from finance, banking, and hospitality experts on future-ready investment structures