On 23 March 2026, the EU AI Hack: Policy Hack for Strategic EU Governance project, a Student Engagement Fund (SEF)-supported project, together with the Hertie AI Policy Initiative, will host an evening event in Berlin exploring one of the key challenges facing Europe today: how to bridge the gap between AI governance on paper and its real-world implementation.

​This evening is the opening event of the CIVICA EU AI Hackathon - a three-day student-led hackathon taking place 17 - 19 April in Berlin, organised by students from Hertie School,IE University, and SNSPA. Before the teams get to work, this pre-hack evening sets the stage: a candid, practitioner-led conversation about the real state of AI governance in Europe, built around three fault lines running through it right now:

  • ​Public infrastructure: How do governments modernise fast enough to matter, without deepening dependence on American big tech?
  • ​Automated decisions: What does meaningful accountability look like when AI is making high-stakes calls about people's lives?
  • ​Democratic integrity: Can European institutions defend against AI-powered disinformation while still giving innovators room to move?

Event details:

Date: 23 March (18:30 - 21:00)

Format: In-person

Venue: Ojin AixHaus, Berlin

Audience: Open to students, researchers, and professionals interested in AI governance and innovation

 

​Speakers:

​Hussam Al Erhayel — Head of Projects, Better Politics Foundation

​Hussam leads programmes at the Better Politics Foundation working to help politicians embrace tools and processes that give citizens greater decision-making power. He brings a civil society lens on democratic innovation, political trust, and what it takes to reimagine political leadership for the 21st century.

​Michael Bornholdt — Senior AI Solutions Architect, Merantix Momentum

​Michael works at the intersection of AI strategy and enterprise implementation, and has previously led conference programming on the societal threats and opportunities of AI. He brings a practitioner's view on what it actually takes to deploy AI solutions in complex, real-world organisational contexts.
 

​Justus Baumann — Managing Director, Future Matters

​Justus leads a think tank focused on science-based strategies against global catastrophic risks, advising high-profile AI governance initiatives across the US, UK, and EU. He brings a strategic policy lens on how AI governance organisations communicate risk, build coalitions, and turn research into durable policy change — having coordinated organisations at the UK AI Safety Summit.

​Regina Overchyk — Innovation Ecosystem Builder & AI Safety Researcher

​Regina has spent 13+ years designing incubators, accelerators, and venture studios that have supported 100+ startups across deep tech, sustainability, and emerging markets. She brings a foresight and tech anthropology perspective on how we build AI innovation that anticipates societal impact rather than reacting to it.

Find out more details and register.