The opening conversation was led by prof. dr. Stjepan Orešković, president of Poslovna škola Bled and founder of Bosqar Invest, who, together with Katja Šeruga, editor-in-chief and director of N1 Slovenija, shed light on the key challenges and opportunities of the contemporary business environment. The discussion touched on the dynamics of rapid company growth, the importance of personal competencies in leadership, and the question of how individuals and organizations can establish a sustainable and long-term development model.
In the Big Data & AI hall, experts continued the discussion on how data is becoming the new strategic currency and how to ensure the secure and ethical use of data in digital business. They also addressed the development of the Industry 5.0 concept and the use of artificial intelligence in customer support. A highlight was the panel on the application of artificial intelligence in healthcare, where representatives of Sandoz, the Public Agency of the Republic of Slovenia for Medicines and Medical Devices (JAZMP), and Better presented how advanced technologies improve the efficiency of healthcare systems.
The FinTech hall looked at the future of digital finance and highlighted the importance of financial literacy as the foundation for understanding personal finances and investments. This was emphasized by panelists Marja Milič, author of the Money-How podcast, Mitja Vezovišek from Vezovišek & partnerji, Luka Podlogar, president of the management board of NLB Skladi, and Gregor Razboršek, founder of Zlato po pošti. Among the main highlights of the conference was a panel on the global iGaming industry, where representatives of Sportradar, Comtrade Gaming, Golden Whale and Bragg Gaming Group analyzed key trends and challenges of one of the fastest-growing digital industries. Experts from Visa, Bankart, OTP Banka and Leanpay also joined discussions on the development of the latest fintech innovations.
The Smart Commerce hall highlighted the evolution of e-commerce, from subscription models and smart logistics to personalized shopping journeys and the inclusion of artificial intelligence in payment solutions. At the NextGen Leaders panel, Dejan Turk, president of the management board of A1 Slovenija and A1 Hrvatska, Marta Bulhak, chief executive officer of Pivovarna Laško Union, and Mohamed Hammam from Pfizer discussed leadership in the age of artificial intelligence. At the panel Beyond Michelin Stars, renowned chefs Igor Jagodic (Restavracija Strelec), Marko Pavčnik (Restavracija Pavus), Tomislav Marković (Noel, Zagreb) and Mojmir Šiftar (PEN Klub) opened a conversation about the interplay between creativity and business efficiency.
Game Changer Awards presented in Slovenia for the first time
As part of the conference, the special Game Changer Awards were presented for the first time this year, intended for projects, companies and individuals who push boundaries with innovation and advanced technologies and shape the future of key economic sectors.
The Gaming Racket of the Year award was won by Outfit 7, while the Streamer of the Year recognition went to creator Denk. The title LinkedIn Power Creator of the Year was won by Romina Kavčič, and the Women Equality Award went to Urška Sršen.
In the e-sports segment, the Diamant team received the E.Sports GG Award, while in the category FinTech Project of the Year the winner was Leanpay. The Cybersecurity Project of the Year award was received by ACROS Security, and the AI & Big Data Integrated Project of the Year recognition went to the project by Celtra.
In the advanced technologies segment, the Blockchain Services Project of the Year award went to OriginTrail, while in the travel-technology category the Travel Tech Project of the Year recognition was awarded to the project ALMA – a virtual tourist guide to Slovenia. A special recognition also went to Mimovrste, awarded in the category E-Comm Transformation of the Year for its advanced approach to transforming online business.
Together, the awarded projects represent outstanding progress across various technological sectors and illustrate the breadth, ambition and rapidly growing innovation potential of Slovenia and the wider region.
Metka Kejžar, director of Game Changer Ljubljana 3.0 and director of the agency DigiTalk, emphasized at the end of the event: “This year’s edition clearly showed how important it is for the business and technology community to recognize in time the changes that are reshaping global markets. Our task is to ensure space for reflection, opening new perspectives and, above all, for solutions based on data, innovation and the responsible use of technology. I am pleased that Game Changer 3.0 continues to be a platform that helps companies understand the direction of future development and make better, strategically grounded decisions.”
