Bionic arms, AI marvels, and tech visionaries: Prague plugs into big ideas this week

A girl with bionic arms, a young artificial intelligence (AI) researcher, and a specialist in brain-computer connectivity are among just a few of the international innovators, visionaries, and tech experts who will converge at Future Port Youth 2023. The international conference in Prague aims to stimulate young people's interest in technology, digital skills, and entrepreneurship.

For the third year in a row, the event brings world leaders in their field to Prague, who will impart to young people their vision of the future and their enthusiasm for the technologies with which they want to improve the world.

The event, intended for high school and university students and their teachers, will take place in Prague 5 on Nov. 9. at the Next Zone center in Prague’s Smíchov area.

Speakers will talk about a wide range of hot-button social issues ranging from deep fakes, the postive and negative consequences of AI, and whether or not real meat can ever be produced without killing an animal.

Among the most remarkable conference speakers is 18-year-old Brit Tilly Lockey, who has prosthetic bionic arms (due to contracting septicemia as a baby) and is also an ambassador for bionic development.

Other technology experts at the event include AI researcher Samay Lakhani, another 18-year-old, who will give a talk on AI and brain-computer connectivity. The American Lakhani, who runs a summer course for teenagers, has won multiple worldwide awards for his contributions to AI.

Mansoor Hamayun, a British entrepreneur whose company Bboxx provides access to electricity and clean drinking water in neglected regions is also a confirmed speaker, as is tech entrepreneur Yesika Aguilera, who previously featured on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list of the world’s most influential young individual. Aguilera will deliver the opening keynote speech – focusing on the importance of today for tomorrow.

The conference will also feature Czech speakers representing the technology sector. Roman Laus, CEO of Mewery, will discuss the future of food with a focus on cultured pork and microalgae. Rozárie Hašková, an influencer in environmental policy, will also speak.

Czech entrepreneur and AI expert Jan Romportl, a partner at venture capital firm Presto Ventures, will officially launch his new product Elin.ai, aimed at maintaining mental well-being in young people who spend a lot of time on social media.

Organizers will also name the winners of the Future Port Awards, a novel competition designed to spotlight student projects that use technology to address global challenges based on UN Sustainable Development Goals. The awards have already garnered strong interest from students across three continents, with 33 projects from 19 countries vying for the top honors.

Thousands of students from 29 countries have already registered for the conference. Most of them will be watching the event live from their classrooms instead of their regular classes; 200 students will be coming to Prague.

“We are thrilled by this enormous interest. We have applications not only from Europe, but also from Asia, America, and Africa,” says CEO of Future Port Youth Martin Holečko.