The HANNVOER MESSE Digital started with a top-notch panel titled “Forward to the New – New opportunities for progress?” The “Who's who” of industry, led by German minister of economics Peter Altmaier, discussed whether the pandemic has opened a new window for shaping social and technological conditions. It became clear that the corona crisis is accelerating digitalization in industry and that it will be even more important in the future to adapt agile business models.

Which was the case for HANNOVER MESSE 2020 itself, which had to be canceled due to the corona pandemic and was staged virtually for the first time as the Digital Days. “We made history with the HANNOVER MESSE Digital Days, demonstrating impressively that we can also organize digital events. For us as a trade fair organizer, this is an important step forward towards hybrid events. With our high level of trade fair expertise, our digital know-how and our content-related expertise, we are ideally prepared for a fresh start after the crisis,” says Dr. Jochen Köckler, Chairman of the Board of Management of Deutsche Messe AG. “In the future, we will digitally extend the content of HANNOVER MESSE or address individual trends or topics with digital formats. The content of the Digital Days will continue to be available online and promote networking between companies and visitors.”