The Art of Making

Data is becoming one of manufacturing’s most valuable assets, but only if it can be shared securely, governed transparently, and transformed into real business value. In this episode of The Art of Making, host Maxim Mommerency is joined by Wolfgang Kniejski and Christoph F. Strnadl to explore how data-driven business models, manufacturing data spaces, and data space federators are shaping Europe’s industrial future.

Together, we discuss how manufacturing data spaces enable trusted and sovereign data sharing across value chains, why federated trust frameworks are essential for scaling beyond pilot projects, and how companies can move from isolated data initiatives to sustainable, revenue-generating data ecosystems. The conversation highlights the importance of governance, interoperability, and collaboration in turning industrial data into long-term competitive advantage.

Whether you are a manufacturer, startup, technology provider, or ecosystem builder, this episode offers practical insights into how data spaces can unlock innovation, resilience, and new forms of industrial value creation.

Wolfgang Kniejski is a Senior Project Manager at EIT Manufacturing with more than 30 years of international experience in business development, innovation management, and technology transfer. He previously led the Access-to-Market team for Digital Tech at the EIT Digital Accelerator, and brings deep expertise in international market access, business modelling, IP valorisation, and startup and scale-up coaching.

Christoph F. Strnadl, Ph.D., CBPP is CTO at Gaia-X AISBL, where he defines and implements the technical foundations and trust frameworks for digital ecosystems and data spaces. He is a recognised expert in business process management, data monetisation, and data platforms, and a co-author of several Springer publications on digital business and IT governance.

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What can manufacturing leaders learn from rock bands? 🎸 In this episode of The Art of Making, recorded live at Manufacturing Day 2025 in Vienna, host Maxim Mommerency sits down with James Taylor – renowned keynote speaker on creativity, artificial intelligence, and innovation – to explore what he calls SuperCollaboration™. 

Drawing from his early career managing Grammy-award-winning artists and rock bands, James shares how the same principles that keep creative teams performing at their best—trust, shared purpose, and psychological safety—are also key to driving innovation in manufacturing. Together, we unpack how AI is transforming creative collaboration, how leaders can balance structure with experimentation, and why the future of manufacturing belongs to organisations that collaborate like great bands. 

James Taylor is an award-winning keynote speaker and internationally recognised expert on creativity, innovation, and artificial intelligence. A former music industry manager who worked with members of the Rolling Stones and other top artists, James now advises global organisations on unlocking the creative potential of their people and embracing AI as a partner in innovation. 

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In this special gondola episode, we speak with Christian Rebernik, serial founder and CEO of Tomorrow University. Christian shares what drove him to found a new kind of university, why today’s education system is failing startups (and vice versa) and how we can rethink skills development for a world shaped by digital transformation and climate crisis.

From Berlin to Vienna, from startup building to building builders: Christian reflects on the power of purpose, what startup DNA can bring to higher education, and why systems thinking, sustainability, tech fluency and curiosity are core skills for the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Christian is a serial entrepreneur, mentor and angel investor who is currently CEO & founder of Tomorrow University of Applied Sciences. He previously held leadership roles at startups and scaleups including Parship and N26. 

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In this special gondola edition, we dive into one of the most underestimated drivers of startup success: leadership. 

Our guest, Magdalena Przelaskowska, joins us straight from the slopes of Skinnovation to talk about the kind of leadership that actually matters: the type that shapes culture, builds trust, drives performance, and enables resilience in a scaling company. 

Together, we reflect on how founders can become better leaders without falling into the trap of performative management or Silicon Valley clichés. Tune in for a crisp and candid conversation on the reality of building great teams—and staying human while doing it. 

Magdalena is a founder, startup mentor, angel investor, co-organiser of the Unicorn Ski Cup, and former Startup Program Manager at Google EMEA.  

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In the first episode of our new startup series, Industrial Tech Talks, Felix Wassman, CEO of RESONIKS, discusses the startup’s journey from coffee beans to airplane wings. He shares insights on the importance of location for startups, the evolution of their technology from supply chain solutions to structural integrity testing, and the challenges of navigating pivots in the startup landscape. Felix emphasises the role of AI in enhancing their testing methods and reflects on the European tech scene, highlighting the potential for growth despite challenges.  

Felix Wassmann is the co-founder and CEO of the Netherlands-based startup RESONIKS, which specialises in acoustic resonance testing solutions for the manufacturing industry. 

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