Conference Program

DEBEST 2023 Conference Program presents a blend of academic rigor and unique cultural experiences. Set predominantly at the scenic Villa la Collina, this year promises intellectual engagements and immersive excursions, including the innovation journey from Lago Di Como to the sustainable charm of Freiburg and the iconic Black Forest.

18 October 2023

Day 1 (Wednesday): Arrival day and joint dinner

Reception in the evening at Villa la Collina


19-21 October 2023

Day 2-4 (Thursday-Saturday): DEBEST conference (Villa la Collina)

The three DEBEST conference days at Villa la Collina.

Villa La Collina offers a world class environment and infrastructure for DEBEST.

All main activities, including reception and dinners, will be hosted at Villa la Collina.

Conference social event will be hosted by boat at the island of Bellagio.


22-24 October 2023

Post DEBEST innovation excursion

After DEBEST 2023, an innovaton excursion to Freiburg in the southwest corner of Germany and the Black Forest innovation region is being offered as an option.

In the morning of Sunday Oct. 22, we will leave by ship to Como and from there by train to Freiburg, Germany (5 hours). A stopover might be made in Lugano, with a ship cruise over Lago di Lugano to Gandria.


22 October 2023

Lago Di Como to Freiburg

Train Ride across 3 countries from Italy, Swaziland to Germany passing all beautiful rivers and lakes.


23 October 2023

Freiburg Green City in Germany, the so called Capital of the Black Forest

The day will start with a visit to the old city center and the daily large farmers’ market around the cathedral. Then, three different Digital Ecosystem Based Sustainable Transformation perspectives are planned including:

Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy

Freiburg is the Sustainable Green City of Germany. The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy is the largest European Research Center of its kind for our energy transition:

Smart Green Accelerator

In the inspiring setup of the Smart Green Acceleratur, the startup scene of the Digital Green Economy gets active.

Key startups and the founding frameworks will be introduced.

Sick Sensor Intelligence

Sick Ltd. is a world leader in industrial sensor technologies as the basis for Industry 4.0, Mobile Robotics, Emission Monitoring and Controlling, and the foundation to generic coordination and logistic activities. Sensor Intelligence and AI are cornerstones of Digital Ecosystems with respect to Sustainable Transformation.

The day will end with a visit to the Greiffeneck beer garden under the Golden October chestnut trees above the city.


24 October 2023

Black Forest Panoramic Tour

We will offer a 360 degree Black Forest panoramic tour. It will bring us along the most famous vinyards of he Glottertal valley, to the 1000 year old monestary of St. Peter with it´s strong innovation history for astromomy and the clocks, to the German Clock Museum at Furtwangen University. In the evening, the life time experience of the famous Black Forest Hot Spring can be enjoyed.


End of Conference and Post-Activities

Travel home for innovation excursion participants

From Freiburg, Frankfurt and Zürich airports can be conviniently reached by train in 2 hours. Milano airport can be as well be reached conviniently within 5 hours. From the Euroairport Basel-Freiburg, all European destinations can be convinienty reached. Euroairport is only 1 hour away from Freiburg by airport bus. The trains from Freiburg connect you conviniently and efficiently to many German and Swiss locations, e.g. Berlin or Lausanne/Geneva. There are as well direct train links to Paris (3 hours).”