Theme: Within reach

“Within Reach” means that groundbreaking ideas and transformative thoughts are within reach. It symbolizes the accessibility of innovation, change and an inspiring future. Stay tuned for talks that don’t just present ideas , but also bring them within reach. Mark your calendars for March 23, 2024 and let’s bring the future within reach together!

Konzerthaus
Konrad-Adenauer-Platz 1
Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, 79098
Germany

Barbara Studer

Neuroscientist

As co-founder and CEO of “Hirncoach,” a groundbreaking start-up with effective mental health & fitness programs for older adults and youths, Barbara Studer is at the forefront of holistic well-being initiatives. With a background in directing a centre for learning and memory at the University of Bern, Switzerland, Barbara Studer brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to her mission of promoting brain health. Beyond her professional endeavors, Barbara is a devoted mother of three and a vibrant personality who finds joy in music, dance and laughter, embodying the essence of her message: to strengthen your brain and body and embrace the present moment with wonder and joy.

Ben Kindler

Chef

42 years old, 5 children from 3 to 18, dream job chef and this includes 2 companies, author of 4 cookery books, currently writing a book about his life, has travelled a lot all over the world, especially in Asia. He loves vintage cars, old Vespas, drums and the mountains.

Carsten Witte

Psycho-oncologist

Carsten Witte was a career soldier in his first life. His second life began with the diagnosis of cancer in 2011, at the young age of 24. He obtained his high school diploma and pursued studies in health education. As a psycho-oncologist he has been leading psychosocial support at the Center for Radiation Therapy in Freiburg for the past four years. After successfully treating several lung metastases, he founded the support group "Jung und Krebs" (Young and Cancer) in 2014. Now established as a nonprofit charitable organization, Jung und Krebs provides a platform for exchange among young adults with and after cancer, with a focus on life rather than the illness.

David Bachmann

Foodsaver

David Bachmann, coinitiator of Foodsharing Freiburg, has been at the forefront of the battle against food waste for over a decade His commitment to social and environmental justice led him to shape the foodsharing movement, elevating dumpster diving to coordinated efforts with supermarkets. He has played a pivotal role in establishing sharing stations all across Freiburg and has mentored countless aspiring food savers.

Jochem De Schutter

Postdoc University of Freiburg

Jochem De Schutter was born in Antwerp, Belgium. He studied Mechanical Engineering at KU Leuven, where he received his master's degree in 2013. Afterwards he also studied Philosophy in Leuven, obtaining his master's degree in 2015. He then moved to Freiburg and worked as a research and teaching assistant at the University of Freiburg, at the Laboratory for Systems, Control and Optimization. Since 2017, he was a PhD student under the supervision of Prof. Moritz Diehl. In January 2024, he successfully defended his PhD thesis with the title "Periodic Optimal Control Methods for Nonlinear Energy Conversion Systems".

Jonathan Weber-Trebesch

Foodsaver

Jonathan Weber-Trebesch, dumpster-diving pioneer and community collaborator, discovered the transformative power of collaboration within his local grocery store’s dumpsters. Beyond his adventures in foodsharing, Jonathan Weber-Trebesch is a dedicated advocate for social and environmental causes, actively involved with organizations like Greenpeace and the Step-Stiftung.

Patricia Schmidt

Deputy Headmistress

Our speaker Patricia Schmidt would like to rethink schools and lessons from the ground up. She is herself a deputy headmistress and therefore sees it as their task is to pass something on to others, to encourage and inspire them to take new paths. Her vision: courage to change schools from the inside out, so that the focus is on the learners’ individual learning process.

Petronela Sandulache

Founder of CorDiFio Health

Petronela Sandulache’s journey to the TEDxFreiburg stage was shaped by a deeply personal experience – a tragic loss that ignited a passion for women’s health advocacy. Inspired by the insights of Prof. Alyson McGregor, Petronela Sandulache found solace and purpose in her quest to raise awareness about the unique health needs of women. She is a Health Equity Advocate and CorDiFio’s founder – an impact-driven non-profit organization – to raise awareness of misdiagnosis through education while empowering individuals with their health, with the ultimate vision that a life can be saved with knowledge. One heart at a time!

Sebastian Oberlin

Choirmaster

Sebastian Oberlin studied music and math in Freiburg and obtained a master’s degree in Innovative Choir Leading from the Royal Academy of Music in Aalborg (Denmark). He works as a choir leader, is training to become a high school teacher and has multiple music projects (like Neilon or Kaleidoskop). He is always searching for new ways of teaching music, using „Instant Music“ to break the boundaries between humans and music which is predominately noticeable in western music culture. You can follow Sebastian Oberlin at his website to stay up to date with his latest projects.

Tanzschule Gutmann

Dancer

The Gutmann Dance School was founded in 1984 by Anneliese and Peter Gutmann and taken over by Matthias Blattmann, Johnny Schmidt-Brinkmann and Christian Spengler in 1998. The dance school organizes up to 300 dance courses every week in its locations for around 10,000 active dance enthusiasts from the Freiburg region: the variety of couple and social dances can be discovered at the Gutmann Dance School, urban dance at the Dance Academy Freiburg, ballet, Modern and jazz at the Krain Ballet School, vintage swing at Swing-in’ Freiburg and fitness courses at the Ladies Dance Club. The West Coast Swing, in particular, is taught almost daily at the Gutmann Dance School. You can find more information at tanzschule-gutmann.de.

Vincent van der Holst

CEO Boas

Vincent van der Holst is the founder of BOAS. This fast vintage fashion platform saves jeans from toxic landfills and donates 90% of profits to save lives. He dedicates his career to move the trillions in profits to solve the world’s biggest problems. He has overcome his own challenges like anxiety and burnout, so he now focuses on helping others. When he’s not working to use Profit for Good, Vincent van der Holst cycles: He pedaled from Amsterdam to Paris in one day and he’s currently training for a world record attempt.