Diversity, equality, inclusion, and the role of women in the tech industry were the big topics on the main stage of IFA Berlin 2023 today. Experts like Janet Adams, Chief Operating Officer at Singularity Net, explained how artificial intelligence could be used to remove bias, which was important because “the future of humanity depends on diversity”. Greater diversity would help our world to solve some of its key challenges in an age of reduced resources.

As studies show, diversity helps to drive innovation – but women make up just a quarter of all computer-science related jobs. Professions need to be gender neutral, said pilot and engineer Dr Sarah Qureshi, the CEO and co-founder of Aero Engine Craft Private Ltd in a session on “propelling women leaders to new heights.” This was not about “man vs woman”, she said, because it was “professionalism that should count the most”. The world needed more real role models to change the perception of what women can achieve.

IFA Outdoors is this year’s IFA Sommergarten, with street food stands, relaxation and co-working zones, and plenty of activities from kicking a football to cooking demonstrations. On Sunday, TikTok cooking star Abir El Saghir came to visit IFA. In just two years the young celebrity chef has gathered more than 23.4 million followers. Award winning Abir answered questions from visitors and handed out home-made desserts from her native Lebanon. Her videos may be short, but a lot of effort goes into their making, she said: it usually takes around seven to nine hours to produce one single sixty-second TikTok video.

On Monday, football fans should come to the Sommergarten to meet Bundesliga – and now Champions League – sensation FC Union Berlin. From 13:30 they can look forward to meeting the club’s trainers and players, win signed merchandise and have their picture taken with the stars. At 1500, the players will compete with fans on who scores most against the goal wall.

Since Friday, the IFA NEXT stage has been hosting daily pitch battles, as start-ups compete for the attention of investor judges. Come to Hall 27 to see the all-deciding pitch battle at 1615 on Monday afternoon.

IFA 2023 is taking place from 1-5 September at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds (Messedamm 22, 14055 Berlin). Tickets are available online in the ticket shop at www.ifa-berlin.de.

IFA Management GmbH is a joint venture of gfu Consumer & Home Electronics GmbH (owner of the IFA trademark rights) and Clarion Events Ltd, which is responsible for organising IFA in Berlin