Mar
The American-European Chambers of Commerce and Business Associations invites you to join us for another wonderful European Networking Event.
Come and mingle with entrepreneurs and a range of professionals involved in cross-border business in a very relaxed and European atmosphere. This event attracts many international business professionals from different European countries. Members of the partnering organizations and their guests have priority access to tickets for this event.
Complimentary appetizers, beer, wine and soft drinks will be served.
Mar
The American-European Chambers of Commerce and Business Associations invites you to a timely discussion about Democracy and Disinformation.
Reliable information is vital for a prosperous economy and democracy. Business leaders, public officials and voters all require reliable information on which to base their decisions. Venerated news organizations and trusted local outlets have lost subscribers and viewers to a panoply of platforms and influencers peddling misinformation, disinformation, fringe ideology, and conspiracy.
Artificial Intelligence-driven tools such as generative AI promise powerful new efficiency gains but also pose new threats when in the hands of bad actors.
Influence is Profitable
Our every movement online is being commodified. The lines between fact and fiction are blurring and, in many cases, being intentionally blurred for profit. Marketeers harvest likes and dislikes to target us with tailored messaging. On the growing stage of online influencers, ambitious individuals increase their following through extreme, unfounded positions while others aim to misinform and manipulate for nefarious purposes.
But what about the Foundations for Prosperity?
History reveals that societies thrive in periods of peace, and peace tends to persist between democracies engaged in commercial and cultural exchange. Vibrant economies rely on the rule of law, the free flow of ideas, and broad-based access to essential public services.
What are the solutions – and business models – for lifting trustworthy information above the mire of disinformation?
Speakers:
- Andy Pergam – Executive and innovator at the nexus of media and technology, particularly focused on access to information, AI, emerging tech, and platform governance. Andy helped establish the Oversight Board — a global, independent, quasi-judicial institution designed to hold Meta to account on content and social issues. He headed new ventures while on the executive team at local publisher McClatchy and was a senior editor at The Washington Post. He’s co-founder of Camber, an organization design firm that helps tech and media companies launch and implement new initiatives. He holds a Master’s Degree from the Columbia Journalism School.
- Florence G’sell – Professor of private law, University of Lorraine, leads the Digital, Governance and Sovereignty Chair, Sciences Po, and currently visiting professor at Stanford’s Cyber Policy Center’s program on the Governance of Emerging Technologies. With a background in tort law, judicial systems and comparative law, Florence focuses on digital law and issues related to the regulation of online platforms, the way law can address new technologies (Blockchain, Metaverse), the notion of digital sovereignty and, more generally, digital policies in the EU and the US. She has edited and published several books on digital issues, including Le Big Data et le Droit (Dalloz, 2021) and Justice Numérique (Dalloz, 2022).G’sell graduated from Sciences Po and is admitted to the Paris Bar. She obtained her PhD in private law from the University of Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne and holds the French “agrégation de droit privé et sciences criminelles”.
- Nolwenn Godard – Software executive with experience in the private and public sectors (from Sofi, PayPal, and Ubisoft to the California State). While Director of the California Office of Data and Innovation, she had the opportunity to develop Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-12-23 on Generative Artificial Intelligence (gen AI) and the State of California Benefits and Risks of Generative Artificial Intelligence Report, as well as to implement the Equity Executive Order N-16-22. She has served as Co-President for the Alliance for Inclusive Artificial Intelligence at UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, which believes that the future of relevant, unbiased, innovative, and ethical analytics will be built with diversity and inclusion. She earned a Master of Business Administration degree from ESSEC Business School.
- Alexander Schaefer – Vice President of Engineering – Artificial Intelligence at SAP, and Head of the SAP Innovation Center North America. He leads a team with the mission to build relevant, reliable, and responsible Business AI and to closely collaborate with the AI ecosystem in the Silicon Valley, both with universities and startups. He has a background in software engineering and throughout his career worked on a variety of innovation topics, including in-memory database technology, distributed ledger technology, AI/ML applications, reinforcement learning, and generative AI. He holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the Hasso Plattner Institute, University of Potsdam.
Moderator:
Tracey Grose – Founding Principal, Next Curve Strategy and Vice Chair, GABA Board of Directors. Tracey helps leaders concretize strategic vision into actionable comprehensive and sustainable initiatives. She works with CEOs of mid-size companies and nonprofit organizations as well as public sector leaders in the US and Europe. She helps energize teams to boost innovation and prepare for growth. Tracey also assists European companies in gaining foothold in Silicon Valley through the development of partnerships or the search, due diligence, closing, and integration of a US-based company. Tracey holds a Master’s Degree from the Goethe University Frankfurt in Political Science with minors in Economics and Sociology.
Complimentary appetizers and drinks will be served.
Jun
The American-European Chambers of Commerce and Business Associations invites you to join us for another wonderful European Networking Event.
Come and mingle with entrepreneurs and a range of professionals involved in cross-border business in a very relaxed and European atmosphere. This event attracts many international business professionals from different European countries. Members of the partnering organizations and their guests have priority access to tickets for this event.
Complimentary appetizers, beer, wine and soft drinks will be served.
May
The 1984 film The Terminator predicted a robot apocalypse beginning in 1997. A few decades later, in 2015, Chris Urmson (then a Director at Google) famously predicted that his eleven-year old son might never need a driver’s license. A year later, at CES Las Vegas, Seven Dreamers announced laundroid, the first fully automatic laundry robot, with a huge booth – and a demo video.
It’s 2019, and the humans are still in charge – and operating motor vehicles. It is assumed that Chris Urmson’s son has gotten his Learners Permit, and researchers still call laundry folding “one of the most perplexing challenges in robotics”, though a Sunnyvale startup (FoldiMate) seems close to solving a part of the equation.
We’ll dig beyond the marketing hype to better understand the deep technology challenges that remain to be solved, as well as focus on the near-term business opportunities:
– What are the key components of a robot’s perception system, and where are the key technology challenges?
– Will most robots eventually be able to leave their safety cages? When will they be safe/perceptive enough to operate around humans? Which industry will lead this trend?
– Cobots (collaborative robots) are designed to work with humans instead of replacing them. But the first generation of cobots did not sell well. Will this category become more important in the future?
– How do we teach robots of the future? Will they still require deep programming, or will they have the ability to learn by example like human workers? Which companies are most innovative in this area?
– The tech industry thrives on creating developer platforms, the success of which formed Microsoft, Apple, and Google, among others. Will there be a similar platform for robotics? Which company is leading this race?
– We already have some simple robots in the home, such as the dishwasher and laundry machine. Why have we not seen more automation in the last decade? What are the big challenges for consumer adoption?
– After manufacturing, which industry will be next in leading the march to robot automation?
Location:
Capgemini Applied Innovation Exchange
425 Brannan St.
San Francisco, CA 94107
Date and Time:
Tuesday, 6/18 6-9pm
Cost:
Early Bird until June 11: Members $15
Regular: Members $20
$50 Day of event
Enter “Eurocham” for discount
Mar
Enjoy a sunset cruise on the Bay celebrating Europe Day 2019
EuroCruise 2019
11 bilateral European-American business organizations in the Bay Area cordially invite their members & friends to celebrate Europe Day 2019 on May 9, 5:30-9:00pm. Mix and mingle with the European business community while enjoying beautiful sunset views of the Bay over a glass of champagne and delicious appetizers. DJ Champagne will provide the musical setting for this unforgettable European-American evening.
TICKETS
Early Bird Members: $99
GA Members: $119
Early Bird Non-Members: $129
GA Non-Members: $149
Tickets include an open beer & wine bar + appetizer buffet
if you are member with any of the participating organizations, please contact them directly for the discount code.
Dec
Join us for a unique New Year’s Reception hosted by the European Chamber of Commerce in San Francisco. It’s a unique opportunity to mingle with the European-American entrepreneurial community in the Bay Area!
January 16, 6pm – 8pm.
Dec
Berlin Jazz Trio & Aaron Lington Jazz Orchestra
Wednesday, December 12, 2018 | 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM
SF Jazz | 201 Franklin Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
All proceeds from this event will directly benefit the Butte County Fire victims. As a #WunderbarTogether project, this concert is supported by the German Consulate General in San Francisco.
A collaboration of German Jazz musicians starring Marc Secara (Vocals), Peter Weniger (Saxophone) & Wolfgang Koehler (Piano) together with the superb, San Francisco-based Aaron Lington will perform compositions of the Great American Songbook, as well as European music in stunning and swinging arrangements.https://www.sfjazz.org/tickets/productions/berlin-jazz-trio-aaron-lington-jazz-orchestra/
Dec
The GACC West cordially invites you to the
2nd Germany California Water Symposium
&Holiday Reception with Berlin Jazz Trio
Thursday, December 13, 2018 | 3:30 PM -8:30 PM
German Consulate General | 1960 Jackson St., San Francisco, CA 94109
With a focus on transatlantic approaches, U.S. and German water experts will provide you with valuable insights on the current state of the water industry in California and opportunities on how to overcome any existing challenges. In two different panel sessions, you will also learn more about the innovative approaches of 11 German companies.
The event is part of a German water technology trade mission supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy taking place from December 10-14. The German companies participating in this trade mission will meet with private businesses, research institutions, and government representatives to exchange ideas, discuss new developments and lay the groundwork for future cooperation.
After the panel discussion, we invite our members and friends to a Holiday networking reception with our special music guests: Berlin Jazz Trio, who will play benefit shows in San Francisco for the fire victims of Butte County. For more information on their benefit show at SF Jazz click here.
FEATURED SPEAKER S
- Clifford Chan, Director of Operations and Maintenance, EBMUD (tbc)
- Scott Bryan, President, Imagine H2O (tbc)
- Falk Woelm, Advisor for International Activities, German Water Partnership
- Stefan Peikert, Managing Director & Partner, AHP International
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
- Water utilities and municipalities
- Integrators and installers
- Investors
- Civil engineering firms
- Project developers
- Industry and government representatives
- Researchers and students
- Renewable energy specialists
GERMAN COMPANIES
Dr. Kueke GmbH
Dr. Kueke GmbH is a supplier of water treatment technology using chlorine dioxide, with applications ranging from drinking water to cooling systems to swimming pools to breweries. Their procurement manager, Boris Hinz, is looking forward to exchanging thoughts with decision-makers in California with the final goal of opening up avenues for applications on the west coast.
ECO INNOVATION GROUP
Eco Innovation Group is a German production and development company exemplifying visionary engineering and many years of experience in water treatment despite their young age. Bringing extensive experience in water treatment and irrigation in Africa, their Managing Director, Asaad Farag, is looking for potential partner firms for knowledge exchange and collaboration with the ultimate goal of opening a production facility in California.
Huber SE
More than 40,000 installations of HUBER plants worldwide contribute to a sustainable use of water, energy and resources. They provide solutions for sewage sludge treatment and drying, membraneplants for water reclamation as well as a substantial range of support services. Their board member Rainer Köhler is looking forward to establish contact with potential partners and gain an understanding of their planned projects.
KS Ing.-Bausysteme Handelsgesellschaft mbH
KS is a german SME providing an innovative solution for water-drainage for bridges. Their CEO, Hubert Steinbauer, is looking forward to guided tours of bridges to gain an overview of the structures and the current state of water-drainage.
KSB SE & Co. KGaA
KSB is a manufacturer of water and wastewater pumps and in this function the 4th largest manufacturer worldwide. They offer holistic solutions spanning the entire water treatment supply chain, from water extraction to water and wastewater pumps and water transport. Their Sales Director, Stefan Borst, is looking for potential partners for knowledge exchange and future collaborations as well.
Neuguss Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH
Neuguss is an innovative service provider for pond water treatment and water homogenisation using Oloids. Oloids enable up to 50% of energy savings through energy-efficients oxygen diversion in the water.
Putzmeister
Putzmeister is a manufacturer of custom-made industry pumps for usage in water treatment plants and drinking water pipelines. They employ a holistic approach, supplying a complete water transportation infrastructure. They are European market leaders and have a subsidiary operating on the East Coast, and their Product Manager Tobias Lutz is looking for potential business partners and knowledge exchange.
Raedlinger Primus Line
Raedlinger Primusline offers an innovative solution for trenchless pipeline sanitation. With a flexible, kevlar-strengthened high-pressure hose, their solution can support pressures of up to 82 bar / 1180 psi. They have already completed more than 50 projects in Northern America and their VP of Development, Andreas Fleischmann, is looking for partners for knowledge exchange and potential future collaboration.
Roeders Textiles
Roeders is a classic German family-owned company manufacturing an innovative felt which can be used for water filtration and pressure hoses. The attributes of felt (higher permeability at equal filter performance) make it a more cost-effective solution than traditional filters. Their Key Account Manager Andreas Kiesel is looking forward to meeting future potential partners to gain an overview of the California market and raise awareness of their innovative technology.
VEGA Grieshaber KG
VEGA is a multinational company operating in more than 80 countries (including the United States East Coast) and employing more than 1400 employees. Their new instrument measures water level, density and pressure reliably at a low-cost. They are motivated to learn more about the Californian water and wastewater market and get an overview of how their new technology could be applied on the West Coast as well.
Weber Entec GmbH & Co. KG
Weber Entec is an innovative market leader for disintegration of biomass using ultrasonics. Their CEO, Christian Eichhorst, is looking forward to a fruitful exchange of knowledge and establishing first contacts for a planned market entry to California in about 2-3 years.
SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS
Nov
GABA California invites you to the annual Gala Event at the St. Francis Yacht Club on January 25th, 2019.
As a deeply-rooted community of German-American business professionals, we hope you will join us in celebrating our collective success in building a dynamic organization that unites the California Bay Area and German businesses. This gala celebration will acknowledge our achievements and pay tribute to our proud members. There is limited seating, please purchase your tickets soon.
GABA Award of Excellence
We are proud to announce Thomas Südhof, recipient of the 2013 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, as our 2019 GABA Award of Excellence Winner!
Program
The tradition continues – we present GABA Gala 2019, an elegant evening at the St. Francis Yacht Club in San Francisco.
Our 200 Gala guests will experience a splendid dinner, live entertainment, and an award ceremony celebrating a distinguished German-American who has exhibited passion and excellence in business, technology and cultural exchange.
6:00 – 7:00 PM Reception
7:00 – 7:10 PM Welcome Speeches by GABA Chair & Consul General Hans-Ulrich Südbeck
7:00 – 7:30 PM First Course
7:30 – 8:00 PM Award Ceremony & Presentation
8:00 – 8:30 PM Main Course
8:30 – 8:50 PM Interview with Award Winner
8:50 – 9:00 PM Closing Remarks
9:00 – 10:30 PM Mingle at the Dessert Buffet accompanied by Live Music
Cost:
Members: $165.00
Non-Members: $195.00
Nov
GABA and the German Consulate present this opportunity to meet leading corporate fund managers from Europe and the U.S. who will share their views of next year’s overall financial climate and funding for international technology companies.
Come and join us for a Financial Outlook for the year 2019. It has become a tradition that the Financial Outlook event concludes GABA’s event season and is hosted in the festive atmosphere of the German Consulate General in San Francisco. Our panel of distinguished speakers will reflect on the past twelve months and share their perspectives on trends and expectations for the upcoming year. Plenty of snacks and treats also remind us of our Weihnacht traditions.
Location:
German Consulate General
1960 Jackson Street (at Gough)
San Francisco, CA 94109
Date and Time:
Thursday, Dec 06, 2018
06:00 PM – 09:00 PM
Agenda:
6:00 – 6:30 pm Registration / Networking Reception
6:30 – 8:00 pm Program
8:00 – 9:00 pm Networking
Complimentary appetizers, German Christmas specialties, beer and wine will be served.
Cost:
$20 members, $35 non-members, $50 at the door