Damir Tomicic - Founder and Managing Director of Business in Tech

Founder & Managing Director

Damir Tomicic

Serial entrepreneur, keynote speaker, and one of Europe's most recognized technology thought leaders. Three decades of building global companies and shaping digital policy at the highest levels.

30+ Years in Tech Leadership
70+ Countries
2M+ Community Members Led
Expertise

Where technology strategy meets execution

Damir brings a rare combination of executive leadership, technical depth, and policy influence. Having built and scaled enterprise software companies, advised Fortune 500 executives, and shaped technology policy at the European Parliament and United Nations, he bridges the gap between strategic vision and practical implementation.

Serial Entrepreneur

Three decades of building and scaling

A track record of founding, growing, and leading technology companies through multiple industry cycles and technological transformations.

1994

Deutsche Telekom

Executive leadership at a Deutsche Telekom subsidiary, pioneering Germany's earliest B2B e-commerce strategies during the dawn of the commercial internet.

2001

Axinom Group

Co-founded and led as CEO/CFO for 23 years. Built a global enterprise software company serving industry leaders in aerospace and media. Navigated the dot-com crash, financial crisis, and pandemic while scaling internationally.

Media & Entertainment: Sky/Comcast, ZDF, Arte, RTL, ZEE5

Aerospace: Lufthansa Solutions, Delta Airlines, Airbus, Boeing

Aerospace Media Entertainment Global Scale
2002

Technology Associations & Microsoft

President of INETA Europe (International .NET Association) for 20 years, growing the community to 2 million members globally. Co-President of IASA (International Association of Software Architects) for 5 years. Microsoft Regional Director for German-speaking markets, advising Microsoft C-level executives for 17 years.

INETA IASA Microsoft
2024

Business in Tech

Founded to provide AI Advisory, Tech Advisory, and Venture Advisory services. Bringing three decades of hands-on experience to help organizations navigate AI transformation and technology strategy.

Keynote Speaker

Shaping technology policy worldwide

A sought-after voice on AI governance, digital sovereignty, and responsible technology. Speaking at the intersection of technology and policy at the world's most influential forums.

Nairobi

United Nations

Internet Governance Forum

Brussels

European Parliament

Digital Single Market

Washington D.C.

U.S. House of Representatives

Technology Policy

Thought Leader

Current leadership positions

Active roles spanning advisory, technology ventures, and European digital policy.

Business in Tech

Founder & Managing Director

AI Advisory, Tech Advisory, and Venture Advisory. Providing strategic guidance to enterprise organizations on AI transformation, multi-agent platform architecture, and technology due diligence for M&A.

run.events

Co-CEO & Chief Strategy Officer

Strategic leadership for one of Europe's most technically advanced event management platforms, serving events from executive gatherings to conferences with 150,000+ participants.

reTECH Europe

Distinguished Fellow

Advancing European digital sovereignty through research and policy engagement. Focused on building digital infrastructure that is secure, open, and human-centered.

EU Mentor & Ambassador

Technology in service of people

Active engagement in shaping responsible AI, climate technology, and the next generation of European tech leaders.

EU BEFuture Programme

Official EU mentor for emerging European technology leaders and entrepreneurs

European AI Forum

Contributing to AI governance frameworks and responsible AI policy in Europe

Carbon Drawdown Initiative

Ambassador advancing practical climate technology solutions

IThilft gGmbH

Ambassador for Digital Accessibility and AI-enhanced user experiences

Damir Tomicic & Thomas Bothe

Kintsugi Leadership

The Golden Seam Principle
Coming 2026

A leadership philosophy forged through three decades of building

Co-authored with systems philosopher and executive coach Thomas Bothe, this book distills lessons from building and leading technology companies through multiple economic cycles, technological disruptions, and organizational transformations.

Drawing on the Japanese art of Kintsugi, it offers a framework for leaders navigating complexity, failure, and reinvention in the age of AI.

Foundation

Core Values

Respect

Every interaction begins here. Genuinely valuing how another person sees the world, especially when that view challenges my own. Trust is built on respect, and trust is the only foundation on which anything worth building can stand.

Inclusion

Technology that excludes people is not innovation. The best solutions emerge when the people most affected by a problem are present in the room where it is being solved. Inclusion is not a principle I add at the end. It is the lens I apply at the beginning.

Equal Chances

Background, circumstance, and geography should not determine who gets access to excellent technology, meaningful work, or the opportunity to contribute. Equal chances is not idealism. It is a design requirement.

Work with Damir

Whether you need AI strategy guidance, technical architecture advisory, technology due diligence for investments, or a keynote speaker for your next event.