Quarterback Legend Tom Brady, Tech and AI Pioneer Meredith Whittaker and More: These Are the First OMR26 Speakers
Here We Go Again: Here's What You Can Expect at the OMR Festival on 5 and 6 May in Hamburg
After OMR25 is before OMR26. And to give you a first idea of what we have planned for May 5th and 6th, 2026, at the Hamburg Messe, today we are announcing the first speakers—earlier than ever before. Among them: football legend Tom Brady and Meredith Whittaker, President of the Signal messenger.
Even though this is mainly about the first names who will be speaking on the big stages at the OMR Festival 2026 next May, here are a few of the usual notices first. The ticket shop has been open for a few days, and it seems there are still a few Festival Passes available at the "Super Early Bird" price. So, for anyone who wants to guarantee their spot at OMR26 and save some money—be quick and grab them now.
The Festival Pass includes all program events, access to all stages, applications for Masterclasses, Guided Tours, and visits to exhibitors—in short, the complete festival experience. Additionally, for OMR26, we are also offering the slightly more expensive Black Pass as a second ticket category. For everyone who wants even more: access to the exclusive networking area, premium catering, and more. You can find all the details about the Black Pass, including all its added benefits, here.
Of course, the entire festival program is far from complete this early on. But we can at least name a few names that might give a sense of the diverse range of topics we are aiming for again at OMR26. And as always, it's worth keeping a regular eye on our festival page from now on. A lot will be happening here in the coming weeks and months.
7-time Super Bowl Champion Tom Brady
In pretty much every sport, there's the debate about the GOAT, the "Greatest of All Time." In football, however, it's hardly a discussion. And there's a simple reason for that: Tom Brady. The former quarterback won the Super Bowl, the championship title of the U.S. NFL, a total of seven times—more than any single franchise in the league. For several weeks now, a life-sized bronze statue has stood in his honor in front of the New England Patriots' stadium, where he won six of his seven titles. A football helmet in one hand, the other raised in a celebratory fist. This is likely how fans most loved to see him. In 2022, the most victorious player in NFL history ended his active career as a professional athlete with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Since then, he has continued on the entrepreneurial path he embarked on years ago.
With his health and wellness brand TB12 (standing for Tom Brady and his long-time jersey number 12), he built a business model in 2015 based on what always distinguished him as a player: an absolute focus on performance and health through supplements and nutritional tips. The next major step followed in early 2024. TB12 merged with his fashion brand, "Brady Brand," and the sportswear company "NOBULL," under which the new company now operates. Tom Brady himself is the second-largest shareholder.
In parallel, Brady has launched his own films and documentaries through his production companies "199 Productions" and "Religion of Sports", as well as partnerships with entities like ESPN and Disney. The docu-series "Man in the Arena" immediately earned a Sports Emmy. With “Shadow Lion,” Tom Brady also co-founded the digital creative studio that is suitable for all projects. And for years, he himself has been a fixture in international pop culture. The Simpsons, South Park, Ted 2, cover athlete for the "Madden NFL" video game—his personal brand is huge. And it remains so after more than two decades at the pinnacle of the football world. How does one achieve that? And how do you translate that personal, athletic success into sustainable business models beyond sports? Tom Brady will provide the answers in May on the Conference Stage at OMR Festival 2026.
Signal President and AI Researcher Meredith Whittaker
In an interview with Die Zeit, Meredith Whittaker laid out the history of the current AI boom. The AI giants are building technology powered by the surveillance business model, she explained: "They provide us with their services for free, while in the background, profiles are created from the gigantic amounts of data generated and stored, and access to them is sold to the advertising industry." This, she says, is the economic engine that drives the technology industry. And AI is the latest technical approach propelled by this engine, making use of this data and the massive reach and infrastructure pooled in the hands of a handful of large companies.
In this, Whittaker has first-hand knowledge. She founded Google's Open Research Group, which she led for over a decade, before joining NYU as a research professor where she cofounded and directed the AI Now Institute. She continues to serve as the institute’s chief advisor. Her perspective draws on her diverse experience, informed by her time in industry, academia, and also government. She was appointed as Senior Advisor on AI to FTC Chair Lina Khan in 2021.
In September 2022 she joined the Signal Foundation as its President, stepping into the role full time after serving on Signal’s Board of Directors since 2019. The Signal Foundation develops the world’s largest truly private communication app, with an unflinching focus on privacy preserving technologies that enable the right to private communications.
Signal represents the counterweight to the surveillance business model, proving that tech can be done differently. This commitment to privacy and Signal’s longstanding reputation for rigor and transparency have made it critical infrastructure across the globe, from militaries, to governments, to human rights workers and journalists. It’s the only communications app endorsed by the European Commission for use by its members, and the Swedish Military recently formally recommended its use.
Across the world, and particularly in Europe, demand for privacy, and adoption of Signal only continues to grow. Meredith will provide more insights into her perspective on the tech and AI world at OMR26 on the Conference Stage.
What Else to Expect at OMR26
Of course, Tom Brady and Meredith Whittaker are just the beginning of many more names we will be announcing in the months leading up to the OMR Festival 2026. And they are representative of the mix of topics we want to bring to the main stages: a blend of international and national decision-makers from (digital) business, culture, sports, politics, and more, in order to offer a program that is as diverse as possible—one that inspires, entertains, and provides plenty of takeaways and food for thought.
Alongside Brady and Whittaker, next year's lineup will also feature tech expert, podcaster, and investor Philipp Klöckner delivering his now almost legendary keynote. Rolf Schumann, Co-CEO of Schwarz Digits, will explain what digital sovereignty in Europe can look like. Hande Cilingir, Co-founder and CEO of Insider, will reveal how to build a SaaS unicorn from Turkey. And TV chef and entrepreneur Steffen Henssler will show how he built an extremely successful culinary brand out of necessity.