What event highlights will 2026 offer for startups? This article gives you an initial overview of the most important trade fairs, congresses and festivals whose dates have already been set.
Events in Hamburg in
the first quarter
January 14 + 15: HAMBURG OPEN - this trade fair focuses on media technology.
February 24: Social Entrepreneurship Forum – the event for everyone who promotes social entrepreneurship.
March 17 + 18: d3con - “The Future of Digital Advertising” is the motto of this event.
March 13 - 17: INTERNORGA - startups have their own exhibition area at this leading food trade fair.
March 25 + 26: nextMedia Festival - about chances and challenges of the media industry.
Events in the second quarter
April 10 + 11: FUTURE LEADER SUMMIT – the successor to ChefTreff, but on a larger scale.
April 14 - 16: Aircraft Interiors Expo - the trade fair for the aviation industry.
April 27 - 29: German Creative Economy Summit - the largest national industry get-together for the entire creative industry.
May 5 + 6: OMR Festival - the spectacle once again attracts world stars and tens of thousands of guests to Hamburg.
June 2: Health & Life Science Venture Day – the pitch event for startups in the health industry.
June 18: Hamburg Innovation Summit - business, science and politics come together at this event.
June 22: Food Innovation Camp – where food startups will find the best networking opportunities.
June 24 + 25: Procurement Summit - the trade fair for digitalisation and innovation in procurement.
Startup events in the 2nd half
July 2 (not confirmed yet): AI.SUMMIT - artificial intelligence in all its diversity.
August 25 + 26: techcamp - Hamburg's most relaxed Tech Conference.
September 1 - 4: SMM – the leading trade fair for the maritime industry.
September 4 + 5: AiDiA – the Afro-German Pitch becomes a two-day festival.
September 8: KI-Summit – here, too, the focus is on artificial intelligence.
September 9: scoopcamp – the conference for the publishers of the future.
September 16-19: Reeperbahn Festival - one of the world's largest music festivals of its kind.
September 17 (not confirmed yet): NEXT Conference - innovation meets inspiration, according to the event's own description.
September 22 - 25: WindEnergy Hamburg – a leading trade fair for the energy transition.
October 20 - 22: Hydrogen Technology EXPO / Carbon Capture Technology EXPO - two future topics in one trade fair package.
Events outside Hamburg
The startup ecosystem in Germany has a lot of event highlights to offer, here is just a small selection:
April 20 - 24: Hannover Messe - a classic that also provides a stage for many startups.
September 23 + 24: DMEXCO Cologne - the focus is on digital marketing.
September 28 - 30: Bits & Pretzels Munich - the startup festival is closely linked to the Oktoberfest.
October 5 - 7: EXPO REAL Munich - the international trade fair for real estate and investment.
International Highlights
These international events are definitely worth a visit:
March 12 - 18: SXSW in Austin/Texas
June 17 - 20: Viva Technology in Paris/France
November 9 - 12: Web Summit in Lisbon / Portugal
November 18 + 19: Slush in Helsinki / Finland
