24. September 2025

Swiss {ai} Weeks

Artificial Intelligence is transforming our lives – but how exactly? What does it mean for our work, our education, our democracy, and our everyday life? And what does AI with Swiss values actually look like?

During the Swiss {ai} Weeks, people and organizations engage in Switzerland’s largest AI action program to find answers to these questions. From September 1 to October 5, 2025, more than 160 events across Switzerland will focus on the responsible design and use of Artificial Intelligence.

Test-Driven Design meets Generative AI

Test-Driven Design (TDD) has been considered a proven – though often debated – method for ensuring software quality for decades. It promises fewer bugs, clearer requirements, faster development, and better team communication.

Today, Generative AI opens up new possibilities: it can automate TDD processes, reduce development efforts, and enhance collaboration within teams.

Online Discussion with Iryna Dohndorf

In our online discussion on October 2, 2025, our expert Iryna Dohndorf (Karakun) will speak from 12:00 noon about the basics of TDD, its opportunities and limitations – and how Generative AI can help take this method to the next level.

Register now and join for free:

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    26. August 2025

    Karakun joins the SDS network

    The digital future of Switzerland requires independence, security, and sustainability. That is why we are delighted to announce that Karakun has become a member of the Souveräne Digitale Schweiz (SDS) network.

    The network brings together companies, public administrations, research institutions, and other stakeholders to jointly develop solutions for a sovereign digital infrastructure in Switzerland. Its goal is to shape digital transformation in a way that remains independent of individual technology providers, trustworthy, and future-proof.

    Karakun contributes software engineering expertise from Basel

    As a software engineering company based in Basel, we have been developing tailor-made solutions for clients across a wide range of industries for many years. Our work is guided by open standards, transparency, and sustainability. By joining the SDS network, we aim to contribute our expertise and actively help shape Switzerland’s digital sovereignty.

    Benefits for businesses and society

    Digital sovereignty is far more than a buzzword. It stands for:

    • Investment security through open technologies
    • Data sovereignty and protection of sensitive information
    • Capacity for innovation through cooperation instead of dependency
    • Sustainability through future-oriented architectures

    These values align closely with our mission to support companies in the long term with high-quality software solutions.

    More information about the network: netzwerksds.ch

    Interested in digital sovereignty and sustainable software solutions? Get in touch with us to learn more about our work and our involvement in the SDS network.

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    25. July 2025

    Digitale Woche Dortmund 2025

    The Digitale Woche Dortmund is the leading decentralized digital festival in the Westphalian region. For many years, companies, organizations, and public institutions have opened their doors to inspire tens of thousands of visitors with current digital topics.

    In 2025, the event series will once again bring together professionals from business, government, and society. IT decision-makers can expect a diverse program featuring hands-on workshops, insightful keynote talks, interactive meet-ups, and focused discussions – all curated by the Dortmund digital community with a clear focus on relevance, collaboration, and innovation.

    Our Offering

    Karakun is contributing with two exciting formats that combine technical expertise and open exchange:

    man and woman talking into megaphone in front of yellow background. Karakun logo is on the lower right.

    Was Dein Browser über Dich verrät

    As in previous years, Karakun expert François Martin will demonstrate what information common browsers share with the websites we visit – and what we can (or can’t) do about it.

    This talk is in German.

    When?
    Monday, September 1, 2025, 15:00-16:00

    Register now

    Hackergarten Dortmund

    Hackergarten is a collaborative format where people from diverse backgrounds come together to work on projects – whether it’s writing functional software, improving documentation, or creating new learning resources. The goal: valuable contributions that benefit the wider community.

    When?
    Thursday, September 4, 2025, 18:00-21:00

    Register now

    11. July 2025

    AI Discovery Session

    Artificial Intelligence (AI) is more than just a hype. It is changing how we work, make decisions, and shape the future. But what does that mean for your business in concrete terms? Where does real value emerge? And how can you get started – in a strategic, feasible, and legally compliant way?

    Explore AI. Identify opportunities. Develop a strategy.

    Our AI Discovery Session provides orientation: compact, practical, and tailored to your business context. In a half-day on-site workshop supported by targeted preparation and follow-up, we build a common understanding, analyze potential use cases, and define first steps towards implementation.

    Goals of the AI Discovery Session

    • Establish a basic understanding of AI: technology, applications, and limitations
    • Communicate relevant legal frameworks (data protection, EU AI Act, GDPR, compliance)
    • Identify AI potential within your company’s specific business context
    • Evaluate concrete use cases and introduce suitable tools
    • Draft a possible implementation roadmap
    • Address participants’ individual questions

    Our method: interactive and hands-on

    The session combines short input segments with active dialogue. For use case development, we apply elements of design thinking and structure ideas using an evaluation matrix based on value and feasibility. Demos and screenshots make AI opportunities tangible, while an open Q&A addresses individual concerns directly.

    Do you want to find out which AI use cases make sense for your company? We’re happy to support you.

    Download Flyer (German)
    Get in touch with us

    1. July 2025

    Claude Honegger appointed to BoD

    As of July 1, Claude Honegger has been appointed as a new member of the Board of Directors of Karakun AG. Dr. Elisabeth Maier, co-founder and former CEO of Karakun, has taken over as the new Chair of the Board. The leadership team of the Basel-based software company is now completed by current CEO Markus Schlichting, Christoph Erb, and Luc Haldimann.

    With Claude Honegger, Karakun has brought on board a true heavyweight in the IT industry: the former CIO of Credit Suisse is also a board member of swissICT and brings over 30 years of experience in delivering technology solutions in the banking sector and in managing large, complex, global organizations. Today, he acts as an advisor, investor, and board member, supporting both established companies and a number of startups.

    At the Annual General Meeting in June 2025, Dr. Elisabeth Maier was also appointed Chair of the Board as of July 1. She succeeds René Stierli, who is stepping down along with Dr. Dirk Krampe and Christian Ribeaud. The board is now completed by Karakun Executive Board member Christoph Erb, Karakun CEO Markus Schlichting, and Luc Haldimann, Co-CEO of Unblu, who has been a member of the Karakun Board since 2019.

    Markus Schlichting comments: “With Claude Honegger joining our Board of Directors, we have gained an industry expert whose extensive know-how will greatly benefit both our clients and our internal teams. We sincerely thank the departing members René Stierli, Christian Ribeaud, and Dirk Krampe for their valuable contributions to the Karakun Board.”

    Looking ahead, Schlichting adds: “We are now well positioned for upcoming challenges and future growth. With our portfolio of products and services and the proven expertise of our team, we will continue to deliver groundbreaking projects in areas such as open source and AI.”

    Download Press Release (DE)
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    18. June 2025

    Swiss Digital Ranking 2025

    Switzerland’s digital economy continues to thrive – as shown in the 2025 Swiss Digital Ranking by Netzwoche. In the “Custom Software” category, we’re proud to have secured 17th place – a strong result for an independent and agile company like Karakun.

    Table of the results of the Swiss Digital Ranking by Netzwoche.

    Source: Netzmedien Swiss Digital Ranking 2025

    Custom software for Basel and beyond

    For us, this ranking is more than just a number – it reflects our technical expertise and the value we deliver to clients in Basel and beyond. Our B2B services range from end-to-end software development to process and system optimization. In addition, our experts offer deep know-how in text analytics based on linguistic, statistical, and AI-powered methods.

    Digital Transformation? Karakun!

    Let’s tackle your next digital challenge together – with a custom software solution that fits your needs exactly.

    Write us!
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    4. June 2025

    Digitization and Cloud Transformation

    On June 24, 2025, the Swiss Software Festival will convene leading figures from Switzerland’s IT sector at uptownBasel. Karakun is honored to participate as a “Mönch” sponsor, actively supporting the Swiss software ecosystem.

    A highlight of the event will be a presentation by our Senior Software Engineer, Mike Mannion, titled “Beyond the Tech: Leading the Organisational Shift to the Cloud”. In this talk, he will explore strategies for organizations to successfully navigate not only the technological but also the organizational aspects of cloud migration.

    Additionally, our Board Member and former CEO, Elisabeth Maier, will contribute her expertise as a member of the festival’s advisory board.

    Organized by swiss made software, in collaboration with Women in Tech® Switzerland, Swico, and baseltech, the festival offers a platform for exchanging ideas on innovative software solutions and digital advancements.

    For more information about the event, please visit the Swiss Software Festival website.

    22. April 2025

    prostep ivip Symposium 2025

    From May 13–14, 2025, everything at the prostep ivip Symposium at the bcc Berlin Congress Center will revolve around future-proof processes, tools, and standards for digital product development. Karakun will be on-site at booth no. 20, showcasing the latest version of our data management solution EXOKNOX.

    EXOKNOX is specifically designed for data-intensive scenarios and helps companies accelerate their engineering processes – from component development to Digital Twin integration. The solution brings order to the growing complexity of distributed development projects and promotes efficient data management in digital engineering.

    Talk: FDX based Function Data Process Applied in Engineering

    On May 13, from 14:20 to 14:50 PM, our expert Michael Baumann will share insights into the practical use of the FDX standard in engineering projects.

    The talk will explore how the standardized FDX format improves the handling of function data – a real gamechanger for modern automotive development.

    Meet our Experts

    Our experts Dr. Hans-Dirk Walter and Michael Baumann look forward to meeting you – whether at our booth or in the presentation hall. Feel free to reach out and schedule a personal meeting at the event. We’re also happy to give you an individual and non-binding live demo of EXOKNOX in a virtual meeting.

    Dr. Hans-Dirk Walter

    Dr. Hans-Dirk Walter

    Member of the Board

    Michael Baumann

    Michael Baumann

    Head of Digital Engineering Solutions

    9. April 2025

    Karakun GmbH with new offices

    Since April 1, 2025, we have been welcoming clients, partners, and colleagues to our new premises at Kanalstrasse 25 in 44147 Dortmund.

    Our new office is located on the Dortmund Industrial Campus in the Dortmund harbor. The campus also houses the Digitale Werkbank, a center focused on the digitalization of medium-sized industrial enterprises (SMEs). It also serves as the event location for our regularly hosted Hackergarten Dortmund – a gathering where developers collaborate on open-source projects and learn from each other.

    Our new location brings us even closer to our existing and future clients and partners. For our team members, it offers modern workspaces, more room for innovation, and ideal conditions for our growing team in Germany.

    We look forward to many inspiring encounters in our new office – on-site or virtually.

    2. April 2025

    be-digital basel Forum 2025

    We are pleased to support the be-digital basel Forum 2025 as a sponsor on April 9, 2025, at the AI Innovation Center in Allschwil. The event is held under the theme “AI – The Underrated Revolution” and provides a platform for exchanging insights on the latest developments in artificial intelligence.

    During the networking apero, our experts Dr. Elisabeth Maier and Dr. Holger Keibel will showcase Karakun’s latest AI solutions at our stand. They will be available for in-depth discussions and will provide hands-on demonstrations of our technologies. Take this opportunity to learn more about innovative AI approaches and connect with industry peers.

    About be-digital

    be-digital is a platform dedicated to promoting digital entrepreneurship and enhancing the competitiveness of the Basel region. It strengthens the regional ICT sector and effectively supports SMEs in their digital transformation.

    visit event website

    21. February 2025

    Swiss NLP Days 2025

    The Swiss NLP Days 2025 is the leading event in Switzerland for anyone working with Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) – whether from a technical or strategic perspective. Karakun is not only a sponsor but also actively contributing to the organisation: We are exhibiting at the NLP Expo, supporting the organizing committee with our expertise, and are involved in shaping three NLP Crash Courses. These free events take place every two weeks and provide participants with hands-on insights into NLP, GenAI, and the underlying techniques.

    Crash Course: ChatGPT – Tips and Tricks!

    A highlight of our involvement is our first NLP Crash Course on February 25, 2025. The topic: “ChatGPT – Tips and Tricks.” We offer you the opportunity to learn about the latest developments, exciting use cases, and practical examples from the ChatGPT ecosystem.

    Our Speakers:

    • Reto Vogt – Freelance Journalist & Author, Program Director “Digital Media and AI” at MAZ Institute for Journalism and Communication
    • Markus Stauffiger – CEO & Co-Founder at Archipanion by 4eyes GmbH
    • Sandra Wendland – Global Digital Marketing Manager at Lionbridge
    • Moderation: Elisabeth Maier, Board Member & Co-Founder at Karakun

    The online event “ChatGPT – Tips and Tricks” will take place on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, from 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM. Participation is free. Register today at https://swiss-nlp-days-2025.org/nlp-crash-course/.

    Other Crash Courses we are planning:

     

    Meet us at the NLP Expo

    In addition to the Crash Courses, we will also be present at the NLP Expo. Visit us and learn how Artificial Intelligence helps companies achieve process-oriented automation, innovative digital services, and business-relevant insights.

    The NLP Expo will take place on May 13, 2025, at the Mehrzweckhalle Teuchelweiher in Winterthur. We look forward to engaging with you!

    16. January 2025

    Karakun supports XP Conference 2025

    We are excited to announce that Karakun is a proud sponsor of the 26th International Conference on Agile Software Development (XP 2025), taking place from June 2 to 5, 2025, at the FHNW Campus in Brugg-Windisch, Switzerland.

    As a company deeply rooted in the agile community, we recognize the significance of this premier event, which brings together researchers, practitioners, and thought leaders to explore advancements in agile methodologies.

    XP 2025’s theme, “Adapt – Uncovering better ways to deliver valuable software products,” resonates with our commitment to continuous improvement and innovation in software development.

    By sponsoring XP 2025, we aim to contribute to the exchange of knowledge and best practices that drive the agile movement forward.

    We look forward to engaging with fellow professionals at XP 2025 and collectively advancing the future of agile software development.

    For more information about the conference, including registration details and the full program, please visit the official XP 2025 website.