Key Takeaways from Innovation Day 2025 in Munich
What does it take to drive meaningful innovation in a world shaped by uncertainty and rapid change? At Innovation Day 2025, more than 550 leaders from business, media, and marketing gathered at the House of Communication in Munich to explore that very question.
Under the theme 'Together We Are Unlimited,' the 21st edition of the flagship event - hosted by Serviceplan Group in partnership with REPUBLIC, Ad Alliance, The Trade Desk, Samsung Ads, and Adobe - offered a day of insight, provocation, and hands-on experience at the intersection of human creativity and technological transformation.
Visionary voices on stage
Opening the day was 'gonzo futurist' Ian Beacraft, who challenged the audience to reimagine work itself in the age of AI. “We’re moving from doing the work to designing the work,” Ian said, drawing parallels with the Industrial Revolution. “As AI takes over what we once did manually, our value shifts to orchestrating - not executing.”
Dr. Léa Steinacker, award-winning journalist and tech sociologist, argued for a more symbiotic view of artificial intelligence: “The future lies not in substitution, but in synthesis. The next frontier isn’t cognitive - it’s collective intelligence.”
The geopolitical spotlight came from Prof. Dr. Carlo Masala, who called on Europe to act with greater strategic courage in a shifting world order. “Standing on the sidelines is no longer an option,” he warned, citing the urgent need for new alliances and pragmatic thinking.
And in a session that blended inspiration with business savvy, musician and entrepreneur Shirin David made the case for brands to fully embrace the creator economy. “The only risk is a shitstorm,” she said. “It’s a shame more brands aren’t brave enough to take that risk.”
From masterclasses to machine learning
Across 26 masterclasses, attendees dove into real-world case studies and emerging best practices. Topics ranged from AI-powered media planning and reputation management in the age of deepfakes, to leadership in AI transformation. Experts from Serviceplan Group, LAYA Group, Adobe, Samsung Ads, and The Trade Desk joined forces to share practical tools and strategies for brand leaders.
Meanwhile, hands-on experiences like the 'Agent Martini' station and live demos of AI policy monitoring systems showed how AI agents are already shaping business strategy in real time.
A message for the future
Florian Haller, CEO of Serviceplan Group, summed up the event’s spirit, “‘Together we are unlimited’ isn’t just a theme - it’s a commitment. In an age of division and acceleration, collaboration across cultures, disciplines, and technologies is the strongest driver of growth, creativity, and trust.”
