After months of heavy lifting, we are proud to present our schedule for NEXT14, which is only 24 days away now. Doors will open at 8.30 on Monday morning, May 5. The first workshop session starts at 9.30, and we will kick off the event (and by coincidence, the Berlin Web Week) with the opening session at 13.30.

We are promising a successful start to Berlin Web Week, with an exciting programme of events across 3 stages and about 30 workshops. More than 150 international speakers, among them Google consultant Brad Templeton (Singularity University), sci-fi author Cory Doctorow, IT security expert Mikko Hypponen, futurologist Scott Smith, multiple entrepreneur Morten Lund and German Minister of the Interior Thomas de Maizière, will provide 1,800 delegates with valuable insights into the new digital normality.

On Monday, May 5, Brad Templeton of Singularity University will give a keynote address. A Google consultant and founder of the world’s first dot-com, he is an expert on mobile connectivity and was recently involved in the development of Google‘s self-driving car.

The impact of technological transformation on society and the economy is a subject researched by best-selling author Cory Doctorow as well as trend researchers Jessi Baker and Scott Smith, among others. Baker and Smith will reveal in their presentations how purchase decisions are no longer being influenced by traditional advertising, but by data capture and analysis.

Meanwhile data security is the core theme of Mikko Hypponen of F–Secure. The Finnish IT expert is in demand worldwide for successfully defending systems against virus attacks.

On May 6, German Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière will hold his keynote address on further security issues in the digital economy and on the digital agenda of the German Government. The German Minister for Economy and Energy‘s parliamentary secretary, Brigitte Zypries, will also speak at NEXT. The presence of both political figures indicates the increased importance of the digital economy.

This development can be traced back in large part to ambitious start-ups, and not just in Berlin. As a result, a stage dedicated to subjects relevant to start-ups, and for starts-ups to present their own business ideas, will once again be set up at NEXT Berlin 2014. Many young entrepreneurs from across Europe have applied to partake in the NEXT14 Start-up Pitch, with international attention, exciting contacts and an attractive prize package in store for the winners. Vote for your favourite start-ups and help them kick-start their business.

While start-ups may have concentrated previously on services, recently there has been growth in the hardware area. In the NEXT14 Demo Area, visitors will experience technology trends such as augmented reality and new interfaces to try on and try out. They can look forward in particular to the interactive presentation of Lumacode which, using Oculus Rift technology, invites them to partake in a virtual parachute jump over Berlin.

NEXT14 is complemented by events such as the NEXT Party on 5 May and additional events and conferences as part of Berlin Web Week.