Theme: #SHAPE

At TEDxDonauinsel we want to take you on a journey of young people’s ideas, stories and innovations exploring how they and we are shaping our world, locally and globally.

The Social Hub Vienna
Nordbahnstraße 47
Vienna, Wien, 1020
Austria

CLARA

Singer Songwriter

CLARA is a Singer Songwriter based in Vienna. Her Music is all about deep thinking and feelings about Society, Love, Mindfulness, Motivation and Mindset in general. Her goal is to achieve a Community where everybody feels heard and seen, so that there'll be room for those, who usually don't get enough saying.

David Witzeneder

Earthworm scientist and entrepreneur

David Witzeneder is an agronomy graduate from Austria and is driven by his passion for vermicomposting. This passion led him to establish his own worm business. Alongside his committed team, David is pioneering the design of the next generation of wormboxes. He's a steadfast advocate for local climate initiatives, with the ultimate vision of making worm composting as common as having a refrigerator in our kitchens. Beyond his involvement in the world of worms, David also finds solace and energy through meditation.

Edo Mjusik

Producer and startup CEO

He is a live musician, producer, psychologist and startup ceo.

Emma Heiling

ClimaTalk Founder & CEO

Emma Heiling is the founder and CEO of ClimaTalk (www.climatalk.org), a youth-led non-profit organisation demystifying climate policy and empowering young people in the fight for climate action.

Francis Rafal

CEO, Co-Founder Totoy

Francis Rafal serves as the CEO and Co-Founder of Totoy, an AI company dedicated to addressing functional illiteracy through human augmentation. Born to Filipino immigrants in Austria, Francis's upbringing involved bridging language gaps for his family, an experience that ignited his passion for making document understanding available to everyone. He envisions generative AI as a powerful force for positive change, one that can democratize access to information and relieve the hidden burden of language-related tasks that many individuals in diverse communities bear.

Iris Neuberg

Anti-Racism Activist and Author

Iris Neuberg is actively engaged in activism, with a primary focus on intersectional feminism and combating anti-Black racism. Since 2023, she has also graced Austrian poetry stages with her performances. In the winter of 2022, Iris marked her literary debut by publishing her first work, "Was nützt die Liebe in Gedanken," as an eBook.

Lena Köninger

Pronoia Conspiracist & Optimist

Lena, an optimist and open pronoia conspiracist from Vienna, actively strives to see the best in life and the people around her at all times. One of her favorite pastimes is uniting individuals with differing opinions for extensive discussions about the meaning of life. In her professional life, she plays a role in advancing the transition to climate-neutral mobility and has been a longstanding presence in the Austrian startup scene.

Marion Désauté

Artist - Urban planner

Marion Désauté is a multi-faceted individual—a talented artist, an urban planner, a utopian thinker, a mother, and an ardent plant enthusiast. Her grandest aspiration is to forge a deep connection with nature through her art. She achieves this by meticulously capturing its essence, observing the smallest creatures, and their intricate relationship with their habitat. Moreover, Marion is passionate about sparking people's interest in these tiny marvels of the natural world. She finds immense joy in translating the narratives of invertebrates, such as earthworms and slugs, into captivating images and words that tell stories about our planet.

Markus Wainde Wane

Student

Markus Wane, born to a Senegalese father and an Austrian mother, was brought up in Vienna. He is an alumnus of the Austrian Service Abroad program, during which he spent a year in Senegal, actively involved in developmental work. Following this transformative experience, he went on to work at the Austrian Embassy in Dakar and embarked on his academic journey, focusing on economics and international law. With a deep understanding of global inequalities, Markus is driven to use his unique perspective as a member of the diaspora to champion the cause of fair and equitable development.

Michael Spiekermann

Climate activist

Michael Spiekermann is a student and a dedicated climate activist associated with Fridays For Future Austria. He played a pivotal role in the rapid expansion of the school protest movement in 2019. Through his involvement with CliMates Austria, Michael represented the youth as a delegate at the 26th UN climate conference, as part of the Austrian delegation. Michael also serves as a member of the climate advisory board for the City of Vienna and actively participates in the youth network of the World Economic Forum, known as Global Shapers. To Michael, the climate crisis is not just an environmental issue but a humanitarian crisis. He firmly believes that championing effective political policies is crucial to swiftly reduce emissions and combat this global challenge.

Nermina Mumic

CEO & Founder

Nermina Mumic is the CEO and founder of Legitary, an award-winning tech startup that drives the monetization of music rights. With a background in data science, she holds a degree in Technical Mathematics from Vienna University of Technology. She launched Legitary as a spin-off from her PhD research in Statistics. Nermina has earned recognition as a Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree and serves as a Global Shaper at the World Economic Forum (WEF).

Sofia Surma

Founder EMPOVVER

Sofia Surma is a feminist, founder, and a passionate advocate for vulva-related topics. Since the establishment of Viva La Vulva in 2018, she has been actively engaged in dismantling taboos surrounding female* sexuality and the vulva. Her most recent project, EMPOVVER | Vulva Shop, stands as the first shop exclusively dedicated to products crafted by womxn-owned businesses.

Sophie Zechmeister

Community builder & impact entrepreneur

Sophie Zechmeister has devoted her professional life to nurturing communities, a commitment that might seem unusual for a natural individualist. Why does she do it? Because purpose-driven communities not only play a crucial role in personal well-being but also serve as powerful instruments for collaborative action in addressing the systemic challenges our world confronts. In her previous positions, such as Community Director at Impact Hub Vienna, consultant for the Impact Hub network, and Executive Director at the 1MillionStartups platform, Sophie was instrumental in cultivating communities of social entrepreneurs spanning five continents. Presently, she's dedicated to crafting tools that empower others to establish their own communities.

Stefan Yazzie Herbert

Indigenous Activist

Having grown up in a household blending Native American and Austrian heritage across different continents, Stefan Yazzie Herbert's interest in activism was ignited when he observed various small hypocrisies in the way he was treated in different cultural contexts. His almost universally intriguing indigenous background granted him numerous opportunities throughout life, but it also exposed him to microaggressions that caused him pain, unbeknownst to him for many years. As a creative professional by trade, Stefan's complex relationship with his indigenous and European identity has significantly influenced his recent work. He has embarked on a consulting role for media companies, focusing on promoting sensitivity towards the portrayal of Native Americans in media.

The Z

Musician

The Z is a rapper from Vienna. He stands out for his unique voice, high-energy performances, and his lyrics, which engage with various topics, including the environment and the climate crisis. His music is diverse, blending elements of rap, reggae, lo-fi, and boom-bap.

Weirong Li

Intercultural Communications Expert and Media Tech Entrepreneur

Weirong Li is the CEO of Raw Culture, a media tech company dedicated to offering professional opportunities for individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds with the aim of creating a positive societal impact. She is a versatile professional, serving as an Intercultural Keynote Speaker, Trainer, Moderator, and Facilitator. With her diverse background and fluency in English, Chinese, and German, she brings a unique and valuable perspective. Weirong has collaborated with various institutions, including universities, corporations, NGOs, startups, and think tanks, to promote cross-cultural understanding and cooperation.