Another edition of the E-commerce Berlin Expo wrapped up, leaving the industry buzzing with excitement. The insights, as always, were nothing short of amazing, as they sparked conversations and ideas that will shape the future of online retail. At EBE24, the e-commerce community not only showcased new trends but also showed off its innovative spirit. What else was special about this edition? Read below!
Grand Opening like never before
It wasn’t the first edition of EBE, but the first one with a special opening. Efe von Thenen (CMO at ePages and Chairman of the Advisory Board at the E-commerce Berlin Expo) started the event to bring everyone in the e-commerce world together. In front of thousands of attendees, he summarized e-commerce trends and pointed out how to navigate through the event’s line-up.
Then, it was time for the show to begin.
Numbers don’t lie: this was the biggest edition yet
E-commerce Berlin Expo 2024 was the biggest edition to date. Let’s start by talking about a space of 14,965 square meters, which is 20% bigger than any event like this before. And over 17,000 people registered to come and mingle with other industry professionals.
Most of the crowd, about 65%, were from different parts of the shopping world like stores, wholesalers, brands, and the media. Another 26% were e-commerce service providers. And, even though this was a global event, 70% of the attendees were from Germany, making it a local event with a worldwide feel.
Creme de la creme of the e-commerce industry
There was a packed schedule packed with big names that don’t typically attend conferences, exhibit, or speak publicly. Here’s to mention giants like Tesla, Alibaba.com, Amazon Freight, Uber, SAP, eBay, DHL, DPD, and TikTok – among many, many others. Almost 100 world-class speakers and more than 280 exhibitors created a one-of-a-kind expo experience.
It was like the all-stars of the e-commerce world were all in one place.
And it gives food for thought: can anyone really afford to miss out on something this big in the e-commerce industry?
This event was a prime spot to see what’s next in online shopping and make connections that could change the future of e-commerce.
Hundreds of exhibitors from all over the world
The Expo was a global marketplace with more than 280 exhibitors.
Big names like Tesla, eBay, FedEx Express, Riverty Group, ALLEGRO, and Amazon Freight were there, along with Descartes Systems, Artefact, Smarketer, SAP, Kaufland Global Marketplace, Stripe, and PlentyONE. Other key players included Actindo, JTL, Rithum, DPD, Dubai Commerce City, and Nova Post.
It offered attendees a chance to see the latest innovations and solutions from literally every corner of e-commerce.
Almost 100 world-class speakers across five stages
The agenda featured nearly 100 top speakers from leading companies and brands.
Attendees got to hear from experts at Universal Music, IKEA, BMW, Thomann Music, Philips, Unilever, Refurbed, HSE, Otto, and giants like Alibaba.com, Amazon Freight, Uber, SAP, & TikTok. Speakers like Dr. Christian Maaß from Thomann Music, Ralf Kotthoff from Universal Music, Farzin Saber from IKEA, Kilian Kaminski from Refurbed, and Sahra Al-Dujaili from TikTok shared their insights.
The lineup also included Serkan Otles from Philips, Radharaman Jha from flaconi, Norman Nielsen from OMIO, Moritz Bernhard from Uber Direct, Pia Schörner from BMW, and Jörg Heinemann from OTTO, making it a powerhouse of knowledge and innovation in the e-commerce sector.
Over 50 Hours of Insights Across 5 Stages and 2 Masterclass Tracks
The E-commerce Berlin Expo unfolded with an impressive lineup with 85 speaker sessions and 16 masterclasses, resulting in over 50 hours of content. Two days! A variety of topics were covered, giving attendees a chance to learn about the latest trends and tech in e-commerce.
AI Stage: where tomorrow met today
The AI Stage, curated by Anna Graf and Lea Horn from Arvato Systems, became a central point for discussing artificial intelligence and the latest technological advancements.
It goes without saying that AI is one of the key focuses in business nowadays. However now, as the subject has evolved, the Expo was able to shift from broad discussions to inviting experts who could present actual use cases, and demostrate AI’s practical applications beyond mere buzzwords.
Florian Müller from Fiverr captivated the audience with his exploration of Generative AI’s role in boosting creativity. Sven Haiges of SAP shared insights into the company’s exploration of Web3, NFTs, and Blockchain, while Dr. Anamika Datta, formerly with Zalando SE, painted a flashy picture of the future of shopping with VR/AR and AI technologies.
5 panel discussions for dynamic dialogues
The Expo also hosted five panel discussions – and they all stole the show! For example, “Delicious Dispatch”, covered future of food delivery within e-commerce, featuring Katharina Hauke of Lieferando, Dr. Daniel Kundt of KoRo, and Björn Kuse of HelloFresh. There were also panels on automotive trends, logistics, or conversational e-commerce. Every visitor was able to find something to suit their tastes at the Expo.
Strong media network with over 50 industry partners
With the support of more than 50 e-commerce media partners, the event showcased its value in the industry. Esteemed partners included IAB Europe, bevh, BDOA, Handelsverband Österreich, IMRG, SIBB, Casaleggio Associati, media:net, EACA, HDE, and Händlerbund – just to name a few! The Expo’s extensive collaboration network was instrumental in promoting e-commerce dialogue and innovation further.
A night to remember: the exclusive EGA Networking Party
The EGA networking party was the talk of the (Berlin) town, with over 600 attendees for an evening of unparalleled networking at the top world level. Safe to say that it was one of the best networking events in the industry! By invitation only, and with the majority of attendees being VIPs, the party became a hotspot for representatives in retail, e-commerce, media, and speakers from EBE. The night also celebrates the winners of the prestigious E-commerce Germany Awards.
The Expo will see you in 2025
Mark your calendars for 2025 because the E-commerce Berlin Expo is coming back with something truly special!
For the first time ever, the Expo will span two whole days, giving everyone more time to explore, learn, and connect.
Head over to the website now to learn more and sign up for the exhibitor waitlist or visitor waitlist. The organizers will see you on Feb 19-20, 2025, for an unforgettable experience.
