Keynotes with substance.

100+ talks on international stages. From the European Space Agency and WHU to Silicon Valley. Currently: AI strategy, agentic AI, and open source in the enterprise.

Enquire about speaking
100+
Conference talks
15+
Countries
10+
Years on stage
DE + EN
Keynotes in both languages

Speaking is not an end in itself — it is the consistent application of the open-source principle to knowledge: share, discuss, stay in direct exchange with the people doing the work that matters.

What gets debated at conferences is often years ahead of what appears in analyst reports. That is not a side effect of my advisory work — it is part of it.

Current Topics

What I speak about

Agentic AI: From hype to real value

How organisations deploy AI agents strategically — and why the buzz alone will not build a business. What works, what fails, and how to avoid costly missteps.

AI & Open Source in regulated industries

How organisations in finance and other regulated sectors adopt AI and open source — without running aground on legacy infrastructure or organisational inertia.

The stable foundation for innovation

Why standardisation, clear structures, and the right questions matter more than the latest tool. And how to bring everyone along — from technology teams to the board.

Keynotes & Talks

On the stages that matter

Alexander Hendorf speaking at the European Space Agency on Structured Automation with Agentic AI
Structured Automation with Agentic AI European Space Agency
Alexander Hendorf delivering The Agent Hype Trap at hei Innovation, Heidelberg University
The Agent Hype Trap hei Innovation
Alexander Hendorf at the keynote The Future Belongs to the Curious at EWPN / Unzer, Luxembourg
The Future Belongs to the Curious EWPN / Unzer
Alexander Hendorf as keynote speaker at MongoDB World in New York City
MongoDB Data Analysis & Visualisation MongoDB World, New York City
Alexander Hendorf in conversation at a technology conference Alexander Hendorf on the PyCon DE & PyData conference stage Alexander Hendorf leading an executive workshop on AI strategy
Alexander Hendorf moderating a panel with Ines Montani (spaCy/Explosion) at PyCon DE
Panels & Moderation

Conversations with substance

I moderate panels in which decision-makers gain genuine insight — not polished talking points. With guests including Ines Montani (spaCy/Explosion), the CDO of Merck, and Dr Alexander Beck (Quoniam Asset Management).

My standard: substance over consensus. Asking the questions that matter — including the uncomfortable ones.

Panel discussion with Alexander Hendorf and fellow experts on a conference stage
Selected Talks

Where I have spoken

Active as an AI expert since 2014 — a selection from over 100 talks at international conferences and events across 15+ countries.

YearTalk / Event
2025 Structured Automation with Agentic AI
European Space Agency (ESA), Darmstadt
2025 The Agent Hype Trap: Why Buying Into the Buzz Won't Build a Business
hei_Innovation, Heidelberg University
2025 The Future Belongs to the Curious: Trends, Diversity & the Power of AI
Unzer, Munsbach (Luxembourg)
2025 Beyond Agents: What AI Strategy Really Needs in 2025
PyCon DE & PyData, Darmstadt
2025 The Future Belongs to the Curious — Keynote
Lidl Data Science Conference, Neckarsulm
2025 AI in Reality Fireside Chat: Enterprise AI & Open-Source InnovationFireside chat with Ines Montani (spaCy), CDO Merck, Dr Alexander Beck (Quoniam)
PyCon DE & PyData, Darmstadt
2025 NVIDIA GTC 2025 — Key Insights for Practitioners
Hessian AI Academy, TU Darmstadt
2025 Open-Source BusinessFireside chat with Yann Lechelle (CEO, probal:), Sylvain Corlay (CEO, QuantStack)
PyData, Cité des Sciences, Paris
2024 Why AI Projects Fail
KI Navigator, Nuremberg
2023 Solving Data Problems in Management Accounting
EuroPython, Prague
2022 Lessons Learned About Data & AI at Enterprises and SMEs
PyData, London
2022 AI and Data Science — Context and the Bigger Picture
Freie Universität Berlin
2020 The Economics of Prediction Machines
Netzwerkforum Smartproduction, ABB, Mannheim
2020 AI for Lawyers
German University of Administrative Sciences, Speyer
2019 AI for Managers — Guest Lecture
WHU — Otto Beisheim School of Management, Vallendar
2016 MongoDB Data Analysis & Visualisation
MongoDB World, New York City
2014–2019 EuroPython — Speaker & Programme Chair
Berlin, Bilbao, Basel, Rimini, Dublin and others
Speaking Enquiry

Enquiries for keynotes and talks

Keynote, talk, or panel moderation — in English and German.