That’s the word that comes to mind when we think about the CultTech Summit—and about you, our incredible community!
CultTech Summit 2025 is more than just another conference—it’s a space where culture and technology come together to shape the future. Following our sold-out premiere, which brought 650 participants from 35+ countries, we’re raising the bar with fresh voices and bold perspectives from across the creative and tech landscapes.
With 80+ speakers, artistic programs, and dynamic networking opportunities, the summit connects cultural leaders, startups, and investors. Backed by partners Ars Electronica and the Austrian Economic Chamber, CultTech Summit offers a platform to engage with the people shaping the next chapter of culture.
The CultTech Association has been promoting culture through technology and business for many years. Its accelerator has identified, selected and supported dozens of CultTech start-ups. At the upcoming CultTech Summit we will see a new batch of graduates from the CultTech Accelerator, as well as a full programme of discussions and cultural events - it should be a great experience to attend.
Alexander Brix
Head of Operations Europe at Canva and Angel Investor
Chief Operating Officer, kaleido.ai
We live in disruptive times. Nothing will ever be the same. The present is best viewed from the future. CultTech Association builds bridges between the culture of today and that of tomorrow. The CultTech Summit is a chance to experience this bridging.
Peter Paul Kainrath,
CEO Klangforum Wien
My first impression at the Summit was to see how many people were attending both halls, knowing that there wasn’t much advertisement done for it. It was pretty clear that this is a community that has been being built by and CultTech.
And I think this is one of the most important things for CultTech — to be able to connect to the community, to reach out. In particular, I think in the field of creative activists, this is very important because these are people that are not just showing up. You need to connect with them, you need to build a kind of sustainable and reliable relationship. As it looks so far, CultTech is doing quite well.
Gerfried Stocker
Ars Electronica
foto credit: Ars Electronica / Robert Bauernhansl
CultTech Summit is a wonderful opportunity to create a focal point in Vienna to bring a global community of people that are interested in the intersection of these two areas — culture and technology to Vienna, interact with each other, maybe do business together, or invest or create. And that has not been around for a while. I think doing it again and again can create a new movement, a new community. And there is a lot to build on top of that.
Oliver Holle
Speedinvest
I think CultTech Summit is a unique event. I'm very excited to have taken part, because I don't think there's events like this in the world — where really culture, science, and technology meet together. Yes, you have Ars Electronica — which does it in from a scientific, almost academia perspective, but here at the Summit you also have a business side, which is very refreshing. I'm very impressed by curation and just the level of overall organization. And I'm really looking forward to coming here next year because I'm sure it's going to be even bigger than now.
Oleg Stavitsky
Endel
I'm convinced that tech is not the only solution. But without tech, we will not manage to deal with all the topics and challenges we have. Culture and tech can learn a lot from each other — the key is not to use each other as a decoration. It really has to be teamwork, so it's important that events like CultTech Summit are used in a way that both sides have the feeling they’ve had some major takeaways. This is a process, we still have some way to go, because not necessarily the artists and the tech guys speak the same language. But they increasingly find this common ground, and I think this is what we have to work on — to start joint initiatives and create new constellations involving both the tech sites and the cultural sites.
Christoph Thun-Hohenstein
Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs of Austria
I'm absolutely loving the CultTech Summit. I think in a really nice way, but it's really impossible for me to walk anywhere without somebody stopping me and wanting to have a chat. It's a highly engaged audience and it's a group of people who are very passionate about music, but also about gaming and about art and classical music. Believe it or not, I've had multiple discussions on all of the following. And also Vienna is absolutely beautiful — great place to host an event like that.
Hazel Savage
Angel Investor, ex-Soundcloud
The CultTech Summit is a one-of-a-kind event that empowers arts and culture projects by leveraging the methodology and mindset of tech startup ecosystems. It’s a must-attend for anyone looking to transform their cultural and artistic initiatives into scalable, investable ventures with sustainable business models.
Nohelia Sánchez
KunturLab
A must go for people in the creative industries and changemakers.
Kathrin Obernhumer
Tabakfabrik
Pre-register now to gain early access to event information and exclusive offers.
Technology transforming creative productivity, education & cultural experiences – Nov 5, 2024, 10:00 – 12:00 GMT+1 – Ovalhalle
Join us at this year’s 2024 Demo Day to learn all about The Future of CultTech Innovation.
The CultTech Accelerator supports early-stage startups with innovations in Culture-Arts Tech to become an attractive business proposition for fundraising. The 6 month program duration offers tailored mentorship, business training and super connections to test their innovation with key stakeholders across the cultural and creative industries. At the CultTech Summit, each startup team from the current batch 5 will present their pitch to investors with the intention to raise funds and take their business to the next level.
Exhibition – Nov 6, 2024, 11:30 – 17:00 GMT+1 – Ovalhalle
This all-day event begins with a gala stage presentation of all participants, followed by personal interaction between guests and exhibitors. The exhibitors will present various initiatives from a truly global geography – California, Argentina, France and the USA, to name but a few. The core principle uniting these companies is that they are platforms and aggregators in the field of culture and technology, not individual projects.
Participants:
LAS Art Foundation is a new type of arts organisation based in Berlin — one that looks deep into our present and gives form to future imaginaries. We work with visionary artists, thinkers and institutions around the globe to develop ground-breaking projects and experiences. We investigate topics ranging from artificial intelligence and quantum computing to ecology and biotechnology — illuminating the intersections between art, science and technology
The DSL Collection, founded by Sylvain and Dominique Levy in 2005, is a family-driven cultural and entrepreneurial project focused on contemporary Chinese art. It involves their daughter Karen and emphasizes innovation through digital platforms like virtual reality, aiming to create a lasting cultural brand that reflects the family’s journey and values
Planetir is an ecosystem platform for regeneration and on a mission to unite a global ecosystem to equip changemakers with the skills, connections and opportunities to take planetary action. Planetir is building the world’s first user-owned ecosystem platform, build around the pillars of learning, connection and action
There is something that touches us all when we let go of our resistance and share a hug. Embracing Places uses immersive technology and body practice to foster connection, solidarity, and appreciation of artistic and cultural heritage. The project actively involves residents and the unique landscapes of small towns, creating site-specific, community-based artworks that resonate with the emotional significance of each place, establishing an archive of different hugs and a network of towns.
EIT Culture & Creativity (EIT CC) is the 9th Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) for the Cultural and Creative Sectors and Industries.
Artist talk – Nov 5, 2024, 11:00 – 11:30 GMT+1 – Barocke Suite A
Exhibition – Nov 5, 2024, 12:00 – 17:00 GMT+1 – MQ Libelle
Performance – Nov 5, 2024, 18:30 – 19:30 GMT+1 – Ovalhalle
Invitation only. Performance – Nov 5, 2024, 19:00 – 20:00 GMT+1 – Arena 21
Performance – Nov 6, 2024, 20:00 – 21:30 GMT+1 – Ovalhalle
Performative talk – Nov 6, 2024, 19:30 – 20:00 GMT+1 – Arena 21 – Edgar Hemery, CEO, Embodme
Artist talk – Nov 5, 2024, 16:30 – 17:30 GMT+1 – Arena 21 Eduardo Reck Miranda Professor of Computer Music, University of Plymouth,
Mahamaya Electronic Devices is a performance that addresses all the main current issues of our lives: society, psychology, science, philosophy, and spirituality. This show, featuring electronic music and computer graphics, centers around a unique text by Ivan Vyrypaev, composed entirely of questions and answers, delivered at a fast pace by four actors, attempting to address them before the audience’s eyes. The performance is both a contemporary entertainment show and a psychological training as well as a spiritual experience. According to many viewers from various countries who have seen the performance, in the end, we receive not only the pleasure of the quality of the show but also a truly valuable life experience. What kind of experience? An experience is an experience because it cannot be described in words. One must come and live it.
The performance is conducted in English.
Director and playwright — Ivan Vyrypaev
Graphic designer — the Full Metal Jacket Team
Composer — Jacek Jędrasik