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Two High-Voltage Days: Our Review of the 2026 Austria’s Energy Congress
On September 16 and 17, the Austrian electric power industry gathered at the Vienna Hofburg. Around 700 participants, over 40 sponsors and exhibitors, and a motto that perfectly summarizes where the industry currently stands: “Future Under Power.”
We were there with our own booth, number 6, positioned between smart meter technology and grid infrastructure. Read here about what we took away, why a wheel of fortune reveals a surprising amount about starting conversations, and why not a single pair of socks was left at the end.
Future Under Power: What the 2026 Energy Congress Was All About
The Oesterreichs Energie Kongress is the largest industry event for the Austrian electric power sector. It brings together decision-makers from industry, politics, business, and science in one place, which is exactly what makes it so interesting for us.
The program included topics such as security of supply and resilience, grid expansion, and regulatory frameworks. Particularly relevant for us: the sessions on digitalization, data platforms, and the question of how much artificial intelligence the energy system can actually handle.
Because one thing became very clear during the discussions: the energy transition is no longer just an infrastructure issue. To a large extent, it has become a data issue.
Booth 6: Wind Turbines, a Wheel of Fortune, and a Sock Shortage
We deliberately designed our booth to be more than just a brochure rack. Small wind turbine models stood on the counter, next to a hand-labeled wheel of fortune with fields like “Grand Prize,” “A Sweet Surprise Awaits,” and “Better Luck Next Time, Try Again.”
It sounds like a carnival, yet it was surprisingly effective. A wheel of fortune lowers the barrier to entry. Once someone has spun it, they are already at the booth, and laughing about a non-winning slot turns into a professional conversation about Asset Operations or data architecture in a surprising number of cases.
The grand prize was a pair of yellow socks with the slogan “I’m powered by high voltage.” To be honest, we underestimated just how popular they would be.
One visitor asked: “Can I keep spinning the wheel until I win the socks?”
Another tried a personal approach: “My boyfriend always walks around barefoot; would you give me a pair for him as an exception?”
And eventually, someone simply summarized it: “Everyone wants your socks!”
„"Ultimately, it's about energy and electricity—a basic need of our society. Without electricity, organized coexistence would be hard to imagine. At the same time, the entire energy sector is facing a massive transformation challenge. Meeting this with a positive mindset, despite all the regulations and obstacles, is personally demanding for each of us. With the slogan 'I'm powered by high voltage,' we want to make this motivation visible and inspire others with that enthusiasm."“
Matthias Gerstl
Project Implementation Manager, Beyond Tech
“I thought it was great to see how many women are actually gathered in one room in such a male-dominated industry. Also, that this space was provided directly at the congress for an hour, just for women to exchange ideas and network with each other. That surprised me and made me very happy.”
Verena participated and had several good conversations. The fact that Barbara Schmidt, Secretary General of Oesterreichs Energie and a leading figure in organizing these formats, also came to our booth afterward was the icing on the cake for her. This included socks, which she put on immediately, and a photo together.