The most important 2022 startup events – in Hamburg and beyond

22 February 2022

Live, online, hybrid. The events that players on the Hamburg startup scene must not miss

Events open to the public, such as trade fairs and congresses, are ideal for attracting attention to your own product in the startup and digital scene. But in the time of the pandemic, planning and actually organizing events of this kind are more complex than ever, and definite dates cannot be set. We are nevertheless venturing a preview of the most important events over the months ahead, both in Hamburg and beyond.

Hamburg Copenhagen startup forum in the spring

Events that are organized partially digitally from the outset may be seen as relatively secure. This applies both to the Hamburg Games Conference being held in hybrid format on 2 and 3 March and to the hybrid Europe Days on 15 March, where bridges will once again be built between Israeli and German startups.

“Connecting the North – inventing the future”: at the Hamburg Copenhagen Startup Forum (HCSF), Hamburg will be scouting out Greentech startups with ideas geared to the future that aim to expand into the Nordic region via Copenhagen. Registrations for the pitch to investors in Hamburg can be made up to 18 March. The HCSF is a joint project of the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce, Hamburg Invest, Copenhagen Capacity and the German-Danish Chamber of Commerce.

Food and Logistics from March to May

For the keen traveller, the digital and creative festival South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas between 11 and 20 March is a must. Much closer to home is the Hamburg Digital Hub Logistics, the showcase on 23 March for the first Logistics StartAperitivo. Last November, a similar format for entrepreneurs was a complete success.

The next diary entry is for 26 and 27 April with the D3con in the Hamburg-Dammtor Cinemaxx. This event turns on digital advertising, while the Internorga from 30 April to 4 May in the Hamburg Messe addresses the food sector. The OMR Festival will at last be held once more also on 17 and 18 May in the Hamburg Messe and Congress – for many the climax of the year in the city. However, whether Entrepreneur’s Day will take place in May as it did last year has not yet been decided.

The most eventful startup months are June …

One thing is certain here: The events will be coming thick and fast in June. Things kick off on 30 May with the Hannover Messe (Hanover Trade Fair, which is billed as the most significant industrial trade fair in the world and runs to 2 June. Also on 2 June, the Fischauktionshalle (Fish Market) in Hamburg-Altona will showcase the Hamburg Innovation Summit. A day earlier, on 1 June, the two-day Hamburg Open launches a trade fair for technical and creative people in the media sector.

Things continue on 13 June with the Food Innovation Camp in the Hamburg Chamber of Commerce. The Aircraft Interiors Expo, and two other related trade fairs, will from 14 to 16 June emphasise Hamburg’s significance for the aviation sector. On 20 June, the New Work Experience in the Elbphilharmonie (Elbe Philharmonic Hall) will present innovations from the world of work. Digitalisation in B2B procurement will be promoted at the Procurement Summit on 22 and 23 June. Those preferring Berlin on those two days have the Hub.Berlin to visit. This congress is being organized by the Bitkom digital association.

… and September – with Bits & Pretzels, Fintech Week & Co.

Things really get busy again in September. It gets going with Solutions and the issue of digital transformation at Kampnagel between 7 and 9 September. On 8 September, innovative media is on the agenda at Scoopcamp. The Reeperbahn Festival will be drawing not only music fans to the neighbourhood between 21 and 24. September; the Next Conference will provisionally take place in parallel on 22 and 23 September. Those unable to decide may perhaps be better off at the DEMEXCO (Digital Marketing Expo & Conference) in Cologne on 21 and 22 September. From there, the road is not that far to Munich for Bits & Pretzels from 25 to 27 September. In Hamburg, Fintech Week from 26 to 30 September concludes the month. In September 2021, there were also the Hamburg Climate Week and the finals of the Startup Champs competition for GreenTech startups. Dates for 2022 have not yet been set.

Between 4 and 6 October a Hamburg delegation will make its way to the Expo Real property trade fair in the Bavarian capital, along with selected startups. For the rest of the month, there is plenty to see in Hamburg, for example at the Social Media Conference on 18 and 19 October at the Empire Riverside Hotel, or at the Payment Summit at the same venue on 25 and 26 October. The Online Career Day (Hamburg Chamber of Commerce) follows on 27 October and the Food and Design fairs Eat&Style and Blickfang on 29 and 30 October in the Hamburg Messe and Congress.

Two of the best loved startup events in the world are on the agenda for late autumn. Down south in Lisbon, the Web Summit is being held between 1 and 4 November. Finally, fans of the north will feel at home at Slush in Helsinki on 17 and 18 November.
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