Program

Innovator Circle

Our training program for the content industry

Our training program for the content industry

The Innovator Circle is a two-day training program for innovation drivers in the content industry. A special mix of trusting sparring, insights from speakers and exclusive exchange with 30 participants makes the program so unique.

At our Innovator Circle, you can make relevant contacts, gather lots of ideas for new business models, your company organization and your products, and get practical ideas on how to successfully position yourself and your company for the future.

The Innovator Circle is held in German. Please check our German Page for more information.

Update

The Innovator Circle took place on April 18 & 19 on the topic “Rethink your Product”.

Rethink your Product

In the third edition of the Innovator Circle, we focus on product management. We bring together Product Leaders and Product Thinkers to find solutions to their challenges. To do this, we look at product management from different perspectives:

Innovator Circle - Rethink your Product

How can I effectively develop my product with fewer financial resources?

How can products strengthen the brand in the long term?

How can longer-term, innovative ways be successfully supported and anchored in the company?

What exciting tools and methods take my work to a new level?

What strategic steps need to be taken to adapt my product to new technical developments and changing user behavior?

Speaker & Coaches

All speakers bring practical experience from the content industry and give feedback on the challenges of the participants as sparring partners. Learn more about the background of the speakers here:

Martin Wiens

Martin Wiens

Cecile Schneider

Cécile Schneider

Hannah Monderkamp

Hannah Monderkamp

Peter Dyllick-Brenzinger

Peter Dyllick-Brenzinger

Mathilde Cabenda

Mathilde Cabenda

Andreas Spiegler

Andreas Spiegler

Marcel Semmler

Marcel Semmler

Gopika E.M.

Gopika E.M.

Birte Loeckel

Birte Loeckel

Martin Wiens

Co-Founder of Neue Narrative

Expertise
Making the product happen: How a magazine functions without an editor-in-chief

You’ll gain insights into the organizational operating system of a self-organized media company. In the process, you’ll learn about the concept of role-based working and what the difference is between a role and a position.

Biography
Martin Wiens is co-founder of NN Publishing GmbH (Neue Narrative, 9 Spaces). There, he is trying to build a prototype for the publishing house of the future. Martin’s favorite thing to do is to design light-footed processes in which people can develop really good content collaboratively, egofree and efficiently.

Cécile Schneider

Product Lead @ BR AI + Automation at Bayerischer Rundfunk

Expertise
AI in the news channel
Today, users everywhere expect personalized content on the web. Using a news prototype as an example, we discuss how AI and automation make it possible to create personalized briefings and content for individual users.

Biography
Innovation at the interface of content and new technologies such as artificial intelligence and automation is Cécile Schneider’s focus. At Bayerischer Rundfunk, she leads journalistic product development in the AI + Automation Lab. For Telefónica Deutschland’s Big Data subsidiary and in the gaming industry, she tackled marketing automation on the web and communication, winning the German Prize for Online Communication.

Hannah Monderkamp

Managing Editor New Media at heise online

Expertise
How heise online cloned the voice of its podcast editor

Biography
Hannah Monderkamp is Managing Editor New Media in the management team at heise online, where her responsibilities include platforms and new formats. Before that, she was Head of Audience Development at Rheinische Post in Düsseldorf. She started at the media group in 2016 as a social media analyst, and later worked as head of content marketing in the digital subscription project.

Peter Dyllick-Brenzinger

Head of Product and Engineering at SPRYLAB

Expertise
“ChatGPT – Impact on the Content Economy.”
What is ChatGPT actually and what is it good for? What can you do with it already, what not? What do organizations need to prepare for now?

Biography
Peter Dyllick-Brenzinger has been working in publishing for over 10 years, always in the field of product development and AI. As Head of Product and Engineering, he is responsible for the development of Purple, the “AI-powered publishing platform”. Before that, he was Head of Product for internal CMS and editorial AI development at Axel Springer for BILD and WELT.

Mathilde Cabenda

Head of Product Management & Marketing | BOA & STOA at ZEIT ONLINE

Expertise
Rethinking together
In 6 steps to joint product innovation
How do you create a shared product vision? How do you take your product to the next level? How do you open up historically grown structures? How do you break through departmental silos and find a new agile way of working together?
Rethinking together. How to rethink not only collaboration with colleagues, but also products. 6 steps, supported by case studies & learnings from practice.

Biography
Mathilde Cabenda burns for high-quality products, strong communication and agile teamwork. She has been working at the interface between product, marketing and sales for over 10 years. As Head of Product Management and Marketing, she is responsible for the ZEIT ONLINE portals HeyStudium and BOA. She is also a freelance speaker (IHK) and moderator at events and workshops.

Andreas Spiegler

Independent Product Manager & Business Designer

Expertise
How do I enable a team to ritualize product discovery with targeted small experiments? Because a big bang is rarely the solution.

Biography
Andreas Spiegler accompanies innovation projects in the media and digital industries and supports teams on their way to self-determined product development. Previously, he worked as a managing consultant and UX designer at IBM, was responsible for all editorial products at XING as a product manager, and was responsible for strategy development and management of the digital team as a member of the executive board at brand eins.

Marcel Semmler

Director Product & Operations at Bauer Media Group

Expertise
The Product Ownership Dilemma
Product owners, in the agile-dogmatic sense, are consistently an organization’s biggest bottle neck when it comes to product development. At the same time, digital products, their users and stakeholders are becoming increasingly complex and differentiated. A plea why ownership needs to be redefined and organizational culture turned on its head.

Biography
Marcel Semmler has been involved in the development of digital business models, products and organizations for over 12 years, including at Bauer Media Group and etracker. As an enthusiast and evangelist at the interface between product, organization and technology, as well as an advocate of a product-driven corporate culture, he has been concerned for years with the question of how organizations must be transformed and positioned in order to generate the greatest possible value for the user community. He currently works as Director Product & Operations at Bauer Media Group.

Gopika E.M.

Head of Product at TIER Mobility

Expertise
Maximizing Value While Minimizing Costs: Strategies for Sustaining Your Product’s Success
focuses on the critical elements of product success, such as (1) integrating cost-saving measures into your product strategy, (2) selecting the most effective customer x monetization strategy to drive profitability, and (3) adopting a phased approach to releasing big initiatives to maximize value.

Biography
Gopika is a seasoned product leader with a proven track record of success in both B2B and B2C industries. At TIER Mobility, she heads the growth product organization and teams focused on activation, retention, engagement, and monetization. With previous experience at companies such as Zalando and Wayfair, Gopika brings a diverse and in-depth understanding of various products to the table. In addition to her professional expertise, Gopika is a mentor, speaker, and advisor, driven by the desire to solve (big) human problems.

Birte Loeckel

Product Leadership Consultant & Freelancer

Expertise
Advancing product-driven innovation
How can I drive issues forward? How can I develop innovation? How can I break down old processes and ways of thinking?

Biography
Birte Loeckel works independently in product management and helps companies build teams, scale products and establish the right processes. In workshops and interim roles she teaches the necessary product management skills to build products that customers love.

In addition to our speakers, coaches will accompany and guide participants throughout the Circle so they can make the most of their time. These are the coaches:

Coach for Team Facilitation

Michael Schieben

Sylke Jehna
Coach für Personal- und Organisationsentwicklung

Sylke Jehna

Coach for Team Facilitation

Michael Schieben

Michael Schieben is a facilitator and startup founder from Hamburg. His craft is programming, his mindset design. He helps teams develop strategies for sustainably successful product and service innovations and supports collaboration in workshops and product development processes. He is one of three co-authors of The Product Field, a visual sense-making framework for product innovation. Since founding Field.so in 2020, he has been working on software based on The Product Field.

Coach für Personal- und Organisationsentwicklung

Sylke Jehna

Hands-on for good collaboration: Sylke Jehna lives and breathes agile HR and organizational development and change support in SMEs and corporations – analog, digital and hybrid. With many years of experience as an international HR manager, she is now a people expert, workshop facilitator and Agile coach. Sylke supports people in entering into dialog, learning and working in a networked and self-responsible way, shaping changes in an agile way and finding new solutions together. Her motto is “Growing together, feeling connected – even at a distance”. Together with colleagues, Sylke has written a book about interactive workshop methods that also inspire online.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at any time to arrange a non-binding meeting with us.

Timeline 2023

06.02. - 09.04.2023

Registration

Innovation drivers wanted! Be part of the Innovator Circle – Rethink your Product! You can register until April 9, 2023.

06.02. - 09.04.2023

10.04. - 17.04.2023

Circle Matching

Based on the information you provide in your registration, we will put together your Circle. This way, we ensure that you can optimally benefit from your Circle and that an exciting exchange takes place.

10.04. - 17.04.2023

18.04.2023

Day 1: Reveal of the Circles

The Innovator Circle begins and you finally get to know your Circle, the other participants and their topics! In addition, the first speakers will join you on day 1 and you will have the opportunity to exchange ideas.

18.04.2023

19.04.2023

Day 2: Sparring and Reflection

Day 2 continues with interesting speakers and sparring sessions. You will have the opportunity to discuss your topics, questions and challenges with them and with your Circle and thus take new perspectives and inspirations with you into your everyday professional life.

19.04.2023

in May 2023

Digital Get Together

After about a month, we invite you to a digital reunion. What did you take away from the Innovator Circle? How did the other participants get on? Here you can meet again in your Circles and exchange ideas in the group.

in May 2023

WHEN?
 April 18-19, 2023

WHERE?
FrachtRaum, Hamburg

WHO?
Product People

HOW MUCH?*
early booker price: 600 €
normal price: 850 € 
reduced price for small businesses: 350 €

* All prices are gross (incl. VAT). The early booker price is valid until February 28, 2023, after that the normal price of 850 € applies. Please contact us for the conditions of the reduced price.

* Alle Preise sind brutto (inkl. Umsatzsteuer). Sprich uns zu den Konditionen für den ermäßigten Preis gerne an.

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FAQs

The Innovator Circle is aimed at product people in content companies (e.g. publishing, marketing, audio, moving image, games, tech) who see themselves as innovation drivers in their company and feel the need to exchange ideas with others in a similar role about current challenges.

All company sizes are welcome, from start-ups to corporates, and your job title or department is irrelevant. The most important thing: Bring an open mindset and the willingness to talk about your current challenges in your Circle and at the same time give the others constructive feedback on their topics.

As an innovative employee, you are indispensable for the future of your company. To help you become even more effective in your work, we have developed the Innovator Circle based on intensive feedback discussions with the industry. The special feature of the concept is the mix of 

  • trustworthy sparring in your Circle with new, valuable perspectives
  • concrete implementation tips and insights from our experts
  • The exchange with 20-25 innovation drivers from the content industry, which also results in potential cooperations for your company.

We have summarized the most important facts for you and your boss in this factsheet.

Take enough time (approx. 15-20 min) to fill out the registration form carefully. After submitting the form, you will receive a registration confirmation from us. If you have any questions, we will contact you again.

The registration is closed.

A Circle is a fixed small group of 4-6 participants who come together in sparring sessions over the two days. The goal is to give each other feedback, learn from each other’s experiences and take away concrete approaches for their own work. These sessions are moderated by experienced coaches.

The highlight: We take care of the matchmaking of the Circles and thus ensure that you can work together with people from other submarkets who meet you at eye level, have similar challenges and yet bring in completely different perspectives.
You will receive a list of all participants one week before the Innovator Circle, so that you can already get an idea of which innovation drivers and companies are on board. You’ll find out who you’ll end up in a Circle with at the Apéro Warmup – a little suspense is a must. 

After the inspiring Ignite Talks, all experts of the respective day will take an hour in parallel to give the participants concrete tips on their challenges or to answer their questions. The whole thing takes place as a World Café, i.e. you rotate between three different experts during this time – you decide with whom you would like to engage in a more intensive exchange.

In the registration form, we ask you about specific challenges or topics that are currently on your mind. This can be a current project (e.g. the development of a new product), but also structural challenges such as agile working methods or stakeholder management, as well as specific questions on general topics (e.g. How do I address the target group of Gen Z? Which business models work particularly well for you? What potential do you see in the topic of blockchain?). You are also welcome to bring in different challenges – especially if it is thematically appropriate in your Circle.

What we won’t be doing: Further develop a concrete concept – the implementation of the learnings is your homework for afterwards.

As a public funding institution, we want to give everyone the chance to participate in the Innovator Circle – especially startups and small companies, for whom expensive training or conferences are often a major challenge. The reduced price of €350 gross therefore applies to all companies that are less than three years old or have fewer than 25 employees.

The third edition of the Circle will take place in the Loft at FrachtRaum in Hamburg.

Contact

Cigdem is the contact person for corporates at nextMedia.Hamburg. As program manager, she is responsible for the Innovator Circle, Storytelling Funding, Content Foresight and the Advisory Board. The trained media businesswoman studied Publishing at the HTWK Leipzig and Book Studies at the University of Mainz.After working for DIE ZEIT, Bookwire and Holtzbrinck ePublishing, she was most recently Manager Strategy & Innovation at the Börsenverein des Deutschen Buchhandels e. V. (German Publishers & Booksellers Association).

Cigdem Boom-Aker

Program Manager
T +49 40 / 23 72 435 60
Cigdem.Aker@nextmedia-hamburg.de