Prof. Dr. Matthias Weiß as a panelist at the Lake Constance Business Forum 2025
The eighth Lake Constance Business Forum (BBF) took place on October 9, 2025, in Friedrichshafen under the motto "Creating Perspectives". It brought together leading figures from the fields of politics, business, and science to discuss the challenges and opportunities of a sustainable future. Prof. Dr. Matthias Weiß, Chair of Innovation Management and member of the Leadership Excellence Institute Zeppelin (LEIZ), was a panelist in the discussion panel "Alone under the sun". Other panelists included:
- Cem Özdemir, Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture and leading candidate of the Green Party for Baden-Württemberg 2026,
- Victoria Neuhofer, entrepreneur and sustainability expert,
- Antje Passenheim, expert in international environmental policy.
In his contribution, Prof. Dr. Weiß emphasized the importance of innovation-oriented and ethically reflective management education. He argued that current business administration teaching must be more strongly oriented toward the real challenges of the future, integrating both scientific findings and entrepreneurial practice. “It's not about ideology, but about securing the best future for companies”, said Weiß. His assessment of mobility was particularly provocative: “The combustion engine will no longer be worthwhile in ten years” – a statement that sparked discussion about infrastructure, energy efficiency, and technological transformation.
The discussion covered a wide range of topics, from global energy policy – such as the question of whether the US should be understood as a petro-nation and China as an electric nation – to legal innovations such as the legal opinion from Vanuatu, which recognizes environmental protection as a human right. The role of populist movements and geopolitical risks was also critically examined.
The LEIZ congratulates Prof. Dr. Weiß on his committed contribution and sees his participation as an important impetus for the ethical and strategic development of leadership and innovation management in times of change.