2026 Speakers
Keynote speakers
To be announced soon.
Career talks
Luisa Last
Coordinator of the PhD Program in Science and Policy accredited by ETH Zurich, and the Universities of Zurich and Basel
Dr. Luisa Last is trained as an environmental scientist with expertise in biodiversity, molecular ecology, microbiology, as well as science and policy training. Dr. Last is an Educational Expert with Engage, an ETH domain joint initiative, and actively designs and facilitates impactful capacity building workshops. As Postdoc at ETH Zurich, she was involved in multiple foresight and stakeholder engagement activities together with the Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture and the European Commission (4th SCAR Foresight). As the EU Fellowship Program Officer for the RESPONSE Doctoral Program, she supports emerging researchers in their efforts addressing global challenges. Additionally, she co-edits the blog Engaging in a Science and Policy Dialogue, fostering critical discussions at this intersection.
Dominic Hoepfner
Executive Director of Genomic Sciences at Novartis and Honorary Professor at University of Basel
Dominic received his Ph.D. from the University of Basel for his work on microtubule organization and organelle dynamics followed by a postdoc in the Netherlands where he unraveled basic peroxisome biogenesis pathways that made it into the biology textbooks. He joined Novartis Biomedical Research in 2005 and has since worked on disease and compound target identification using high-throughput genetics. This journey has taken him from yeast to haploid mouse embryonic stem cells to CRISPR in primary cells and organoids. Today, Dominic is leading the CRISPR screening platform of the Discovery Sciences department. He is also teaching genetics and drug discovery courses at the University of Basel and the ESBS biotech school at Strasbourg.
Kateryna Portmann
Senior Product Manager at ANYbotics and Swiss chapter co-lead for Women in Robotics
Kateryna is a senior product and technology leader at the intersection of robotics, AI, and responsible innovation, currently serving as Senior Product Manager at ANYbotics, teaching in the Fast Future Executives Micro MBA and at HWZ, and co-leading the Swiss chapter of Women in Robotics. A mother of two and recognized by the IFR as a Women in Robotics, she has led global product portfolios in robotics and digital health, translating emerging technologies into scalable, ethical solutions while mentoring future leaders on responsible innovation.
Douglas Häggström
Innovation Manager, Innovation Office, University of Basel
Douglas has a diverse background spanning corporate, consulting, start-up, non-profit, and academic sectors. He joined the Innovation Office in 2021 to support the launch of the INCATE program, which fosters the development of early-stage antibiotic therapies through a public–private partnership, as well as the Swiss Leading House Africa innovation instruments. He is currently developing another public–private partnership to advance therapies against Neglected Tropical Diseases. Douglas is passionate about enabling individuals and groups to create impact, and he has contributed to building multiple networks and communities. He co-founded DayOne, Global Entrepreneurship Week Basel, and Powher – Female Entrepreneurship Basel, and is the founder and president of the Australian Swiss Academic and Innovation Network (ASAIN). His previous experience includes work in consulting, teaching, media, pharma, and fintech industries.
Lara Brantschen
Junior Innovation Manager for Entrepreneurship Education,
Innovation Office, University of Basel
Originally from Lugano, Lara moved to Basel to pursue her academic studies, earning a Bachelor’s degree in Business and a Master’s degree in Business and Economics with a major in Strategic Management. In her role as Junior Innovation Manager for Entrepreneurship Education, she is shaping and expanding the university’s entrepreneurial education programs as well as helping students and researchers develop the skills and tools they need to succeed in their innovation journey. She also leads the Innosuisse Consortium for the Northern Region of Switzerland, which offers workshops, courses, and events to support entrepreneurial talent at every stage. Passionate about community building, she enjoys creating meaningful connections and contributing to a vibrant innovation ecosystem – always with a positive and forward-thinking mindset.
Natasha Konstantinova
A unique blend of business executive and creative mind, whose experience spans reputation, crisis & change management, leadership, executive coaching, PR, music, education, and communication. For over two decades, Natasha ran global, regional, and corporate teams in Healthcare, Consumer Electronics, and IT for Fortune 500 companies, as well as in NGO and educational institutions. Throughout her career, she has led large-scale organizational transformation initiatives and played a key role in corporate crisis response teams, from cyber-attacks, corruption cases, M&A activity, and healthcare crises, to shifts in business models, and the establishment of new joint ventures, among many others. Natasha also worked to brand and re-rebrand multinationals, SMEs, and start-ups. She used her skills to position products, services, companies and individuals, and worked with leaders to use communication as a strategic tool to align teams, earn trust, and shape a strong reputation inside and out. Today, Natasha empowers entrepreneurs, executives, multinationals, and business leaders to stand out, build their brands and credibility, and manage their reputations. Natasha is a member of the faculty at several European business schools and institutions and also trains & coaches teams and individuals in crisis & change management, communication, and leadership presence. Her work draws on research and expertise in high-performance leadership, cognitive neuroscience, adult learning, executive coaching, and emotional intelligence. Natasha is also the head of ‘Talent and Academy’ for the Swiss Biotech Association and volunteers as a judge and mentor for the Healthcare Startup Accelerator, helping to advance the future of life sciences and biotech in Switzerland and beyond.
More speakers to be announced soon…
Workshop
Petra Wüst
Dr. Petra Wüst heads the consulting firm Wüst Consulting GmbH in Basel. She is an expert in self-branding and self-marketing and has worked internationally as a trainer, speaker and coach for over 20 years. She also teaches at the University of Basel and is the author of several renowned books.