How should we (re-)act in our current unpredictable times, characterised by rapid change and unexpected developments? And how could we use last-minute changes, human errors and other mishaps to our advantage?

Modern life is full of chance encounters, changing plans, human errors, and other mishaps. Our times are becoming increasingly unpredictable as societies and their frameworks are in a state of rapid change. But what if we could use such unpredictability to our advantage?

USC/LSE professor, serial entrepreneur, and bestselling author Prof. Dr. Christian Busch has spent over a decade exploring how, if acted upon, unexpected encounters can enhance innovation, impact, and »active luck«. In this talk, Christian will discuss how we can leverage the value in the unexpected and create innovation, impact, and joy.

Prof. Dr. Christian Busch is a globally recognized expert on serendipity, resilience, and innovation. A professor at the University of Southern California (USC) and a fellow at the London School of Economics (LSE), he is the bestselling author of Connect the Dots / Erfolgsfaktor Zufall (»a wise, exciting, and life-changing book« — Arianna Huffington). His work has been integrated into curricula at Stanford, the American Psychological Association, and other institutions, and has been featured in Harvard Business Review, Financial Times, and the BBC.

As co-founder of the Sandbox Network and Leaders on Purpose, he has helped build global communities of high-impact innovators, and Thinkers50 named him one of the management thinkers most likely to shape the future. After losing his home in the 2025 LA wildfires, he brings a deeply personal perspective to a powerful new idea: zemblanity—and how we can break its patterns before disaster strikes.

Florian Bauer (ERSTE Foundation) will open the evening with a welcome statement and Professor Michael Meyer (WU (Vienna University of Economics and Business)) will guide us through the evening.

Please register here via Eventbrite. Free admission.

Header image: Image from Ten years NGO Academy Event on 29 September 2023, Photo: Igor Ripak