IMPACT 2026
Last week, our annual event for partners and friends of SBA Research, IMPACT, brought together experts, practitioners, and decision-makers from research, industry, and the open-source community. The afternoon provided an opportunity to discuss the latest developments in security, AI, and innovation, celebrate our long-standing relationships, and mark 20 years of SBA Research’s contributions to cutting-edge cybersecurity and trustworthy digital innovation.
The program featured a mix of talks and discussions, fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration while reflecting on two decades of research excellence, impactful partnerships, and future-oriented innovation.
The event opened with welcoming remarks by Rupert Pichler (Section Chief “Innovation and Technology” at BMIMI), Stefan Riegler (Head of the Research and Innovation Group at BMWET), Julia Faustner (Program Management COMET at FFG), Wolfgang Kastner (Vice Rector Digitalisation and Infrastructure at TU Wien) and Allan Hanbury (Head of Research Unit of Data Science at TU Wien), and Manuela Baccarini (Vice-Rector for research and international affairs at the University of Vienna). They highlighted the importance of collaboration between research institutions, public authorities, and industry in advancing cybersecurity, innovation, and technological development.
This year’s keynote was delivered by Karl Olsberg, titled Why We Cannot Imagine the Future with AI. In his keynote, he invited the audience to reflect on the challenges of imagining a future shaped by AI and the importance of carefully considering its far-reaching implications.
The keynote was followed by a lively panel discussion on Who Shapes the Future?, featuring Karl Olsberg, Helmut Leopold (AIT), Carina Zehetmaier (paiper.one), and Markus Klemen. The discussion offered diverse perspectives on the opportunities and challenges of emerging technologies and encouraged the audience to reflect on who ultimately influences the direction of our future.
The Vienna Morphing Orchestra brought a creative and artistic dimension to the event, offering a musical interlude that complemented the programme’s focus on innovation, technology, and the future.
In SBA Time Travel, Markus Klemen, Edgar Weippl, and Gernot Goluch (BCS) took the audience on a journey through the past, present, and future of SBA. The session highlighted key milestones, developments, and achievements, reflecting on how the research center has evolved and what lies ahead.
Matteo Maffei, key researcher at SBA Research and Professor at TU Wien, and presented insights into cybersecurity research in Vienna, highlighting the importance of scientific research in addressing today’s evolving digital threats. The programme continued with Highlights of Current Research Activities, presented by Aljosha Judmayer, who offered an overview of ongoing research projects and emerging developments.
The event concluded with networking, providing the opportunity to connect with peers and continue the conversations in an informal setting.
© Katharina Schiffl