That was exactly what the ADG Bank Innovativ Day 2026, held on September 22 and 23 at Montabaur Castle, was all about. Under the motto „Strong Innovation Through Strong Foundations“ Decision-makers from the financial sector gathered to discuss current developments, share experiences, and work together on the The Future of Banking to watch. As a partner of the ADG, we at TeleskopEffekt helped organize the event.
The topics covered on the first day quickly made it clear how the diverse challenges for banks today. The discussion focused not only on new technologies, but also on how innovation can work within existing structures.
Andreas Kötter of ZAM eG demonstrated in his keynote address „Regulation as a Catalyst for Innovation“, ...that regulatory requirements need not be viewed solely as restrictions. The use of artificial intelligence was also examined from various perspectives. Markus Pohl of BaFin addressed the ICT Risks when using AI, while Stephan Lohß from ImmBlend demonstrated how AI, Augmented Reality, and New Roles can transform banking sales. Markus Gauder of QIDF GmbH and Philipp Wölfing of Raiffeisenbank im Grabfeld eG focused on a specific target group and the question of how a Reaching Young Adults Through a New Kind of Counseling Experience can. In addition, Magnus Prohm of Atruvia AG Modern Work Environments and the BankingWorkspace into the spotlight. And Philipp Marcello Schulden of Union Investment took advantage of Cryptocurrencies held by Geno customers under the microscope.
The panel discussion featuring Peter Rausch of ADG and Carsten Graf of PSD Bank Braunschweig eG offered another perspective. To wrap up the day, Andre Radivojevic of genokom and Diyar Takak of DG Nexolution discussed new experiential spaces for cooperative banks and the path forward „From the Counter to the Metaverse“.
The Range of Topics shows that innovation in banking is no longer just a technological issue, but affects business models, processes, and customer experiences, as well as work practices and, ultimately, the entire organization.
An essential part of the "Bank Innovativ" Day was therefore not only the presentations, but also the subsequent Workshops and Discussions.
Dr. Julia Breßler and Dominik Baumann led interactive workshops based on the day's themes took the idea further and worked together to develop results. This step, in particular, is crucial: An idea alone doesn't change anything. Innovation only becomes effective when it leads to discussions, concrete considerations, and, ultimately, the first steps.
The Exchange The interaction among the participants played a central role in this process. Many organizations are facing similar questions. How can innovation be structurally embedded? How can new technologies be used effectively? And how can change be achieved without overwhelming employees?
The feedback session once again highlighted precisely these commonalities: When it comes to both challenges and opportunities, there are a lot of overlap. This makes it all the less sensible for each bank to seek solutions on its own. Within the cooperative financial group, there is the possibility to, To share experiences, learn from one another, and make faster progress together.
The second day of the event focused more on the people and organizations driving the change.
Christian Buchholz of the verrocchio Institute for Innovation Competence explored the question of how Turning "change fatigue" into the energy to move forward can. Philipp Schilling and Annalena Fink from WG-DATA demonstrated the role that Gamification in AI Transformation can play. Valentina Aschenbrenner of msg for banking explained the connection between Customer Experience and Employee Experience took center stage. The topic of trends was also approached from a practical perspective: Silvana Schädle of Volksbank Allgäu-Oberschwaben and Katrin Weiland of Volksbank Bodensee-Oberschwaben explored the question of how banks can Trend Observations: Concrete Findings can apply to their own organizations. This brought us full circle back to the event’s central theme. Innovation does not arise solely from recognizing new possibilities. The foundation for innovation is an environment in which people can embrace change, experiment with it, and develop it further together.
Perhaps this is precisely one of the key strengths of the ADG Bank Innovativ Day: it brings together people who are working on similar topics but who bring different experiences and perspectives to the table. This personal exchange creates something that no trend study or presentation can replace: the opportunity to, to share real-life experiences, ask questions, and learn from one another.
Innovation, therefore, does not necessarily mean that every bank has to develop everything on its own. Sometimes the first step is simply to recognize that others are already facing a similar challenge and may have gained experience that your own institution can benefit from. Axel Gürntke of ADG aptly summarized his most important insight from the two-day event:
„Progress rarely begins with a perfect plan. It begins with the first step.“
For us as a team, Axel Gürntke’s statement paints an accurate picture of innovation in banking. A strong foundation does not mean that every answer is already set in stone. It means that the conditions are in place to take the next step. To that end, the ADG Bank Innovativ Day 2026 has created a space for inspiration, discussion, collaboration, and, above all, personal exchange within the cooperative financial group.
And thus also for what ultimately drives innovation: not just to search for the perfect solution, but to take action together.
This is the key takeaway we’re taking away from the ADG Bank Innovation Day 2026.
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