Invest AG invited guests to the Equity Lounge hosted by ventopay

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AI as a driver for digital transformation and growth

Around 70 experts and decision-makers accepted Invest AG’s invitation to the Equity Lounge in Hagenberg.

The host of this year’s event was ventopay gmbh, which made its premises available for the expert meeting.

The focus of the event was on the question of how artificial intelligence is transforming companies, accelerating innovation, and opening up new growth opportunities.

Under the guiding theme “AI in focus – opportunities, innovation, corporate transformation”, the Equity Lounge offered a compact program featuring several expert presentations that explored different perspectives on the use of AI.

It became clear that business models, products, and organizations are undergoing significant change due to intelligent technologies.

Around 70 female experts and decision-makers discussed current developments in artificial intelligence and digital transformation at the Equity Lounge in Hagenberg. © ventopay gmbh

The keynote “Digitalization: yesterday’s news” by Johannes Reichenberger (Founder & MD mocca-group.ai & CEO ventopay) and Leo Strohmayr (MD mocca-group.ai) kicked off the event. In their presentation, they placed the strategic dimension of AI at the center and outlined clear guidelines for action for companies:

“AI belongs under the responsibility of top management—not the IT department. Companies need to think big but start small: take action now, gain early experience, make mistakes, and learn from them—instead of falling behind. AI does not create value as a standalone tool, but in the background—where it rethinks processes, products, and decisions. Simply digitalizing existing processes does not go far enough—it is about fundamentally transforming business models and organizations.”

Insight into the market dynamics around AI: Leo Strohmayr (mocca-group.ai) highlighted the far-reaching commercial impacts and the transformation of existing business models. © ventopay gmbh

Additional impulses were provided by practical presentations from different perspectives: Andreas Stöckl (FH Hagenberg) demonstrated how AI agents are already transforming and increasingly automating software development.

Georg Steinbacher (Atikon) explained how artificial intelligence, as a kind of “DNA,” is fundamentally redefining product development, while Stefan Kaltenbrunner (Conova) highlighted, among other things, infrastructural developments around AI gigafactories and their significance for Austria as a business location.

In addition, Jochen Borenich (jbx Tech) presented strategic trends that will have a decisive impact on Europe’s digital future.

The program was rounded off by another contribution from the host, ventopay, which illustrated the practical application of AI in day-to-day business and in software solutions for large-scale catering.

Johannes Reichenberger (mocca-group.ai & ventopay) explained how AI is integrated along the value chain at ventopay and, as a platform approach, unlocks sustainable efficiency and innovation potential. © ventopay gmbh

The presentations clearly demonstrated that AI is no longer an isolated technology topic. Rather, it is increasingly evolving into a central driver of digital transformation.

Concrete examples—from AI-supported software development and data-driven decision-making to new approaches in product development—illustrated how companies are already achieving measurable competitive advantages today.

In addition to the content-driven insights, personal exchange played a central role. Participants used the opportunity to share experiences, gain new perspectives, and take away concrete approaches for application within their own organizations.

Intensive exchange and personal networking shaped the supporting program of the Equity Lounge at ventopay’s premises in Hagenberg. © ventopay gmbh

“The added value of the Equity Lounge lies in the combination of expertise and dialogue. Especially when dealing with a dynamic topic like AI, this is particularly valuable, as many developments can only truly be understood through personal exchange,”

says Philipp Schupfer, COO of Invest AG.

Gernot Hofer, CEO of Invest AG, adds:

“The event demonstrated how practical and tangible the entry into AI has become. It is less about large lighthouse projects and more about concrete first steps and their consistent implementation.”

Representatives of Invest AG together with the host ventopay and speakers at the Equity Lounge in Hagenberg. © Invest AG

The Equity Lounge is a format organized by Invest AG for its partner companies, with the aim of fostering cross-company exchange on current market trends and specific challenges. The rotating host concept provides insights into different organizations and highlights the importance of networking in successfully translating technological developments such as artificial intelligence into practical applications.