Everything You Need to Know About the WIRED & Octopus Energy Tech Summit 2024

Returning for its second edition this October in Berlin, the WIRED & Octopus Energy Tech Summit is bringing together Europe’s leading experts and visionaries in the green energy sector to explore how to accelerate the creation of a fully carbon-free energy system.

Last year’s summit focused on the urgent need for green technology in the wake of the energy crisis. Audiences heard from business leaders, startup founders, politicians, inventors, and even an astronaut.

This year, energy leaders from across the EU will meet to carve the path to a rapid global energy transition. Join us on October 10 to witness energy innovation in action and collaborate with more than 500 experts and thinkers on making the green transition a reality.

Here’s everything you need to know.

When and Where Is the Event Taking Place?

The summit is on Thursday, October 10, at Kraftwerk Berlin—the former power station of Berlin’s Mitte district and a piece of the city’s industrial history. Constructed around the same time as the Berlin wall, the building has since been renovated into an iconic event space in the center of the capital.

We encourage everyone to arrive either on foot, by bike, or via public transport—there are good public transport links nearby, including Heinrich-Heine-Str. station on the U-Bahn and the Heinrich-Heine-Str. and Michaelkirchstr. bus stops. You can see the location of Kraftwerk here.

Doors will open for registration and breakfast at 8 am, with the day’s programming beginning at 9 am.

Who’s Speaking?

Onstage will be an extraordinary mix of changemakers, business leaders, and futurists drawn from the worlds of politics, sport, energy, architecture, film, and transport.

Bertrand Piccard

Photograph: Philipp Böhlen

Photograph: Büro Jantzen/Nikolaj Karlshøj

Hear from Bertrand Piccard, who made history when he achieved the first nonstop round-the-world solar-powered balloon flight; Kevin Magnussen, one of F1’s most experienced drivers, as he explains the need for cleaner motorsports; Fredrika Klarén from Polestar, who aims to build a completely climate-neutral car by 2030; and internationally acclaimed architect Francis Kéré, who is pushing the boundaries of design with community-focused and sustainable approaches. Watch this space for more big names as they’re announced in the coming weeks.

Francis Kéré

Photograph: Lars Borges

Fredrika Klarén

Photograph: Ida Bolin

The event will cover everything from the future of EVs and global transport, to the challenges of sustainable building design and greening AI’s growing environmental footprint. Talks will range from interviews and fireside chats to panels and keynote speeches.

Also returning this year will be Yuliana Onishchuk, CEO and founder of the Energy Act for Ukraine Foundation, which is installing solar power capacity on key Ukrainian infrastructure—such as hospitals and schools—to protect against blackouts caused by the Russian invasion.

What Else Is On?

The full agenda and list of speakers is available on the summit’s website. The day will begin with coffee and breakfast before the stage sessions start, with a networking lunch and then a drinks reception at the end of the afternoon.

During the day, the Waldorf Project, a radical immersive experience, will bring VIRTUAL SERENITY, the world’s largest digital empathy engineering experiment, to the summit stage.

In what promises to be the first full realization of the potential of a connected world in the metaverse, 300 strangers will have the chance to take part in a mind-merging consciousness experience. Using cutting-edge biometric sensors and bespoke VR technology with surround-sound, participants will go on a journey of deep introspection.

Octopus Energy will also be exhibiting leading renewable and sustainable energy solutions and technology throughout the day.

How Can I Attend?

Tickets are available on the WIRED & Octopus Energy Tech Summit website, with all ticket proceeds donated to the Energy Act for Ukraine Foundation. More speakers will be announced in the following weeks—trust us, you won’t want to miss them.

This story is being updated as new speakers are announced.