At the electronica forums, experts share practice-oriented knowledge about almost all fields of application for electronics. © Messe München GmbH
In just a few weeks, the world’s leading trade fair electronica, together with SEMICON Europa, will open its doors in Munich. From November 12 to 15, more than 3,000 exhibitors from all over the world will be presenting their latest products and solutions. The extensive supporting program impresses with practice-oriented forums, conferences and numerous special events. Thus, electronica creates an international platform for dialog that paves the way to the All Electric Society, in which the entire energy demand is covered by CO²-neutral electricity.
“electronica 2024 is already a great success,” says Exhibition Director Katja Stolle. “We have 18 full halls, an excellent supporting program and we can sense how much the exhibitors are looking forward to this year’s trade fair”. Among them are many industry experts who will share their practical knowledge in presentations and discussions at the electronica forums. These will take place on six different stages directly in the respective exhibition areas and will cover almost all areas of application in electronics. Topics range from automotive and electrical connectors to embedded, IIoT and power electronics. The program has been redesigned for 2024 by expanding existing topics and setting new priorities such as AI machine learning and women in tech.
In-depth insights into new automotive and wireless trends
Two top international conferences are taking place at the ICM (International Congress Center) at the same time as electronica. The electronica Automotive Conference on November 11 will bring together specialists and executives from the entire supply chain in the run-up to the trade fair. Among the keynote speakers are industry giants such as Peter Schiefer, Automotive President of Infineon Technologies, and Gregg Lowe, CEO of Wolfspeed. This year’s conference will focus on trends and challenges in the areas of electrification, sustainability and cybersecurity, as well as developments in interior trends and driver assistance systems. The Wireless Congress: Systems & Applications on November 13 and 14 brings together the international wireless community and will focus on the latest developments and practical applications of advanced wireless systems in the industry.
CEO talk
One of the highlights of every electronica is the CEO Roundtable, which takes place at 5:00 p.m. on November 11, the evening before the first day of the fair, at the ICM. This year, the discussion round with top-class guests will focus on the topic “Leading the way to the All Electric Society”. The CEOs Jean-Marc Chery (STMicroelectronics), Jochen Hanebeck (Infineon Technologies) and Kurt Sievers (NXP Semiconductors) will be taking part, along with Barbara Bergmeier, Executive Director Industrial Operations at Jaguar Land Rover, as an invited guest.
Shaping a sustainable future
Sustainability is a recurring theme throughout the exhibition and supporting program. In addition to numerous presentations on the various stages and at the conferences, a number of special events are dedicated to the topic. On November 13, for example, the bgreen leaders network will offer a day-long program of lectures and panel discussions on the latest trends and challenges in sustainability and the circular economy. At the All Electric Society Tour, supported by the German Electro and Digital Industry Association (ZVEI), visitors can experience the contribution of selected exhibitors to the All Electric Society live in an individual tour of their booths.
Stage for young talents
As a future-oriented sector, the electronics industry needs the best minds. The electronica Fast Forward platform gives start-ups a stage (B4.440): in cooperation with Elektor, selected young companies are given the opportunity to present their innovations and win the coveted Fast Forward Award. This year also sees the introduction of a special stand (B4.440) for influencers in the electronics scene, where big names such as Max.Imagination, DIY GUY Chris and GreatScott! will be present. Careers and young talents are another focus. The Career Area (B4.359) offers daily personal advice on applications and career planning, as well as a job market with industry information and exclusive job offers. The Young Talents Day on the last day of the fair, November 15, offers school and university students an additional program of tours, workshops and career advice with free admission.
Tip: The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research’s InnoTruck will be on site throughout the fair (Atrium between A1 and B1). On two floors, the mobile exhibition will focus on technical innovations from research to everyday applications and the associated job profiles.