Digital transformation in action

Realize LIVE day one: energy, connection and momentum

Day one started early — and with intent.

Starting strong

Run Club set the pace, with 70 runners taking in the western waterfront at sunrise, finishing with an exclusive event t-shirt and a strong sense of community before the day had even properly begun. Lead by local guides from WERUN313 to start the event in style.

That momentum carried straight into the programme:

• 40 hands-on training sessions
• 30 breakout sessions
• Innovation Hub
• Solutions Center

…all running ahead of the General Session — setting a clear tone that this is an event built on doing, not just listening.

Learning in action

Training sessions are full, rooms are at capacity, and the whole event feels in motion. Training continues for the remainder of the event and when you get back to the office with the 60 days Siemens Xcelerator Academy access.

Innovation Hub: where curiousity meets action

Monday has set the pace for the next two days…

…136 attendees across the programme with 83 before we even had the first coffee break taking part in one of 10 themed topic areas

Designed for participation, not observation, the space uses a clever “lights on, lights off” system to signal where help is needed — pulling people into live challenges in real time.

From workforce evolution and onboarding to deep technical sessions, it’s practical, hands-on and constantly evolving.

Standout moments

Some sessions are already creating real buzz.

The panel featuring the US Navy expert Robert Stukes and Adam Sheppard from Northrop Grumman, mainstage speakers in 2025, was packed out — one of those sessions where the energy speaks for itself.

Full house for the first General Session

The General Session brought everyone together — building on an already high-energy start to the day.

Tony Hemmelgarn was joined by Steve Hoinka from PepsiCo, and the focus was clear and grounded in real-world application — not just vision, but how organisations move faster with confidence.

The themes landed consistently:

• Data connection, learning and prediction are critical before anything is built
• Instability can’t simply be fixed later — it must be designed out upfront

And the messaging came through in sharp, memorable lines:

• when change is constant, clarity is the competitive advantage
• for AI to work, data must be trusted and in context
• faster engines, with smarter execution will deliver trusted outcomes

It reinforced a shared direction — connecting engineering, data and execution earlier to avoid risk and unlock better outcomes.

Tony also shared an exciting new product launch so check the Siemens channels later this week for more details. The Techcellence Awards wrapped the afternoon… but for the winners you will need to wait until Wednesday.

Accenture evening reception

Design & Simulate, Make and Manage – there’s a game for that! Attendees got stuck into building bikes, playing games and tasting the local cuisine as the sun set on a successful day.

If you missed it, you are in danger of being left behind!

Tomorrow in the General Session you can hear from Joe Bohman and Ed Pleet from Shape Corp, if you want to get a sneak peak of Ed’s content then take visit the blogcast Ed recorded back in May with Magnus Edholm.

Day one has been about connection in every sense — from the first strides at Run Club to packed sessions, shared insights and conversations that carried long into the evening. A combination of energy, curiosity and eagerness to engage is setting the tone for the week. And if today is anything to go by, day two won’t slow down — it will build, deepen and connect, Fast.