New to the agenda: Cross-sector networking for exhibitors
Steffen Schulze, Head of Communications and Marketing at AUMA
© AUMA | Steffen Kugler
The M1 – Future Trade Fair Congress is aimed at companies wishing to strategically develop their trade fair presence. This innovative format offers marketing decision-makers, trade fair managers and communication professionals’ practical strategies and ample opportunity to share experiences.
The aim of the new M1 – Future Trade Fair Congress is to offer exhibiting companies their own platform for exchange, guidance and further development. AUMA is organising the M1 initially for a period of three years in collaboration with the Conference Group of Deutscher Fachverlag. The publisher contributes its wide-ranging expertise as an events professional, with publications in the exhibiting sector, whilst AUMA contributes its industry expertise. In particular, the findings of the annual AUMA Exhibitor Outlook – for which more than 400 exhibiting companies are regularly surveyed – shape the framework for the congress programme.
Accordingly, whilst trade fair participation remains one of the top marketing tools, the demands for impact, efficiency and measurable results are simultaneously increasing. Yet, particularly in many small and medium-sized enterprises, there are fewer specialised trade fair experts today. This is precisely where M1 comes in: as a forum where companies may learn from one another, share experiences and pick up concrete ideas for their own trade fair practices – from lead generation and brand presentation to the question of how trade fair success can be better measured. Resilience in economically volatile times is also a key theme of the event.
“This is precisely where M1 comes in: as a forum where companies may learn from one another, share experiences and pick up concrete ideas for their own trade fair strategies – from lead generation and brand presentation to the question of how trade fair success can be better measured.”
The congress premiered on 30 September and 1 October 2025 in Frankfurt am Main. More than 100 participants took the opportunity to exchange views on key challenges and future topics facing the trade fair industry. The format combines keynotes, workshops and best practices, blending inspiration with practical recommendations for trade fair participation. The open dialogue between companies is particularly valuable: experiences, successful models and even unanswered questions are discussed across different sectors. Feedback from participants on the first edition was consistently positive and has impressively confirmed the need for this format.
The M1 is to take place once a year and will tour the trade fair cities as a roadshow. This is a deliberate move to reflect the diversity of the German trade fair industry and to extend the exchange to the regions and to the exhibiting companies. The aim is to establish the M1 Congress as a permanent platform and, in the long term, as a flagship event for the exhibiting sector – as a venue where current trends, new strategies and concrete solutions come together.
With this offering, M1 contributes to strengthening the trade fair industry: it supports companies in making their trade fair participation more strategic, effective and sustainable.
The second edition will take place on 28 and 29 September 2026 in Cologne.
Impressions | M1 – Future Congress Trade Fair
Steffen Schulze (born 1978) has been Head of Communications and Marketing at AUMA since 2021. A qualified journalist, he previously worked in communications for Deutsche Bahn, the Federation of German Industries and three Federal Presidents.
