Details zur Moderator/in: Dr. Ute Hillmer
Vita: Dr. Ute Hillmer is Senior Director at Vector, where she leads technology-driven innovation and transformation initiatives. With more than 30 years of experience in innovation management and communication in the tech industry, her career began in Palo Alto, Silicon Valley, at Sun Microsystems Inc. She then took on global roles in technology marketing at Hewlett-Packard Inc. The demands of family life led her to shift gears – a move that opened up unexpected opportunities. Over two decades, Ute built and led multiple ventures in innovation management and consulting.

With Better Reality Ventures, she supported large corporations, mid-sized companies, and start-ups as they explored emerging technologies. She partnered with a Swedish colleague to develop eLearning solutions for schools and businesses and also founded a nonprofit forest kindergarten. In short: she has consistently balanced entrepreneurial tech ambition with strong personal values.

Ute served on the executive board of the MFG Innovation Agency of the State of Baden-Württemberg, where she supported regional start-ups and fostered cross-sector collaboration. Today, at Vector Informatik GmbH, she brings her multifaceted experience to the table – bridging strategic innovation and cultural transformation to pave the way for long-term success.

She holds a degree in industrial engineering and earned her PhD in innovation management in London. Ute is also a certified leadership and NLP coach, applying neuroscience-based methods to strengthen teams, foster trust, and build resilient, adaptive leadership cultures.

What drives her work is a deep commitment to making transformation tangible by engaging with people rather than imposing change from the top down. Her approach is grounded in the belief that real change starts on a personal level, where trust, empathy, and dialogue lead the way.