DMEXCO 2026: What to Know Before You Go

DMEXCO 2026 takes place on September 23–24 at Koelnmesse in Cologne, Germany, marking another edition of Europe's leading trade fair and conference for digital marketing, advertising, and the digital economy. Organized by Koelnmesse GmbH with BVDW as the ideational and professional partner behind the DMEXCO brand, the event draws marketing, commerce, media, and tech professionals from across Europe and beyond for two packed days of exhibition, keynotes, and networking. This guide covers what DMEXCO actually is, who it's for, what's confirmed for 2026, and how to prepare so the trip produces real business relationships rather than a bag full of flyers.

DMEXCO 2026 at a Glance

What Is DMEXCO?

DMEXCO — the Digital Marketing Exposition & Conference — is a trade fair and conference combined, not a pure speaker-stage event. According to Koelnmesse, the organizer, DMEXCO has run annually in Cologne since evolving from its earlier "Online Marketing Düsseldorf" format, and it now bills itself as Europe's leading event for digital marketing and technology. Since 2025, the format has expanded internationally with DMEXCO Asia in Singapore.

The event combines a working exhibition floor with keynotes, panels, and masterclasses, organized under four themed "Worlds" and three content tracks — giving attendees both a place to evaluate vendors directly and a full conference programme running in parallel.

When and Where Is DMEXCO 2026?

DMEXCO 2026 runs Wednesday, September 23, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and Thursday, September 24, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., at Koelnmesse, Messeplatz 1, 50679 Cologne — specifically Halls 6–8 and the Congress Centre North, accessible via the South and North entrances.

Only digital admission tickets are issued for 2026. After purchasing a ticket or redeeming a voucher code, attendees must download the DMEXCO app, where the ticket appears automatically in the app's ticket wallet — there's no physical badge to collect on-site.

Have a look at the DMEXCO 2026 Agenda!

Who Should Attend DMEXCO?

DMEXCO is built for professionals across the digital economy rather than any single specialty. Based on the event's own positioning and its four Worlds, the audience breaks down roughly as follows:

• Marketing and brand leaders use the event to track trends across advertising, media, and brand strategy, with CMOs and brand officers from companies like Klarna, Deutsche Telekom, and Robert Bosch among past and confirmed speakers.
• Agencies and consultants engage with the World of Agencies to discuss how AI is reshaping agency positioning and client work.
• Commerce and retail professionals use the World of Commerce to evaluate retail media, e-commerce platforms, and customer data strategy.
• Media and advertising specialists attend the World of Media for programmatic, publisher, and advertising-impact discussions.
• Technical and product teams head to the World of Tech for adtech and martech evaluation as third-party cookies decline and AI reshapes the stack.
• Startups and founders use the dedicated Start-up Area to meet the people who control budgets, investment, and partnership decisions directly.
• Students, trainees, and young professionals have dedicated ticket tiers and networking access through the Digital Pioneer Network at BVDW.

The Four Worlds of DMEXCO

DMEXCO organizes its exhibition and much of its programming into four themed areas, plus a dedicated startup zone:

World of Agencies

Focused on how agencies remain relevant as AI reshapes marketing work, covering strategic insight for agency leaders navigating that shift.

World of Commerce

Covers retail media, e-commerce, and the technologies and strategies shaping digital commerce.

World of Media

Centers on media trends, data, and advertising impact, with an emphasis on breaking down traditional channel boundaries.

World of Tech

DMEXCO's adtech and martech hub, covering how AI, the decline of third-party cookies, and new data strategies are reshaping the technology stack marketers rely on.

Start-up Area

A dedicated space for digital marketing startups to meet decision-makers on budgets, investment, and partnerships directly, without going through typical outreach channels.

What's the Theme at DMEXCO 2026?

DMEXCO 2026's motto is "Scaling Intelligence," which the organizer describes as marking the pivotal shift from AI experimentation to real value creation. Rather than treating AI as a novelty to demonstrate, this year's programming is oriented around how marketing, commerce, and media organizations move from testing AI tools to deploying them at scale — a theme that runs through sessions across all three content tracks: Business & Society, Marketing & Media, and Tech & Future of Web.

The participants learning journeys!

Confirmed Speakers at DMEXCO 2026

DMEXCO 2026's agenda is live, with a substantial confirmed speaker roster spanning brand leaders, agency executives, and independent analysts. Notable confirmed names include:

• Sir Martin Sorrell, Founder and Executive Chairman, S4 Capital
• Daniel Hulme, Chief AI Officer, WPP
• Benedict Evans, Independent analyst
• Michael Komasinski, CEO, Criteo
• Dr. Boris Ewenstein, CEO, OTTO GmbH & Co. KGaA
• David Sandström, CMO, Klarna
• Douglas Lamont, CEO, Tony's Chocolonely
• Susanne Aigner, Head of Advertising Germany, Netflix
• Florian Haller, CEO, Serviceplan Group
• Ulrich Klenke, Chief Brand Officer, Deutsche Telekom AG

Find out about the speakers!

DMEXCO 2026 Ticket Prices

All ticket types include access to the expo and conference on both days, networking via the DMEXCO app, and VOD access to keynotes, panels, and masterclasses after the event.

Get your DMEXCO 2026 ticket

How to Prepare for DMEXCO 2026

Buy your ticket and set up the DMEXCO app early.

Since 2026 uses digital-only admission, you'll need the app before arrival — download it, log in with the email used at purchase, and confirm your ticket appears in the wallet well before September 23.

Choose which Worlds match your goals.

With four themed areas plus the Start-up Area, deciding in advance whether you're there for agency strategy, commerce, media, or tech saves significant time versus wandering all of Halls 6–8.

Build a shortlist from the exhibitor list and agenda

rather than planning on the fly — the live agenda and exhibitor guide are both available through the DMEXCO app ahead of the event.

Book travel and accommodation early.

Koelnmesse's partner hotel allotments are limited, and the Deutsche Bahn event-fare discounts and Lufthansa Group special fares are both tied to the event dates.

Prepare your professional materials

including a way to share your details quickly — a digital business card works better across two packed expo days than a stack of paper cards that runs out by lunch on day one.

How to Network at DMEXCO 2026

Before the event: identify which Worlds and sessions match your goals, and use the DMEXCO app's agenda planning to line up meetings in advance rather than hoping to find people on the floor.

During the event: the DMEXCO app includes badge scanning specifically for networking — use it to capture new contacts quickly during expo-floor conversations, since two days packed with sessions and stand visits leaves little time to fumble with paper cards. A KADO digital business card works alongside this well: share your details by QR code or link in seconds, and add a quick note on what you discussed right after the conversation ends, so the context isn't gone by the time you're comparing notes at the end of the day.

After the event: follow up within a few days while the conversation is still specific. DMEXCO's VOD access means you can also reference a session you both attended, which makes for a stronger follow-up than a generic "great to meet you" message.

Create your free KADO digital business card before DMEXCO 2026, so you're ready to share your details from the first stand you visit.

Final Checklist Before You Go

• Buy your ticket and confirm it's showing in the DMEXCO app wallet
• Book accommodation through the official partner hotel portal
• Check train, car, or flight options — including DB and Lufthansa event fares
• Choose which Worlds and tracks match your goals for the two days
• Build a shortlist of exhibitors and sessions from the live agenda
• Set up a fast way to exchange contact details, like a digital business card
• Plan a follow-up routine for the days right after the event

Final Thoughts

DMEXCO 2026 packs four themed Worlds, a full conference programme, and thousands of digital marketing professionals into two days — which means the difference between a productive trip and a blur of stand visits comes down to preparation. Decide which Worlds matter to you, build your shortlist before you land in Cologne, and have a fast, consistent way to capture and follow up on every conversation you have on the floor.

Further Reading

Related Conference Guides

1. InnoTrans 2026: What to Know Before You Go
2. Top Tech Conferences in 2026

Networking Resources

1. Business Networking 101: Essential Tools and Guide
2. The Ultimate Checklist: What to Bring to a Networking Event
3. How to Make an Elevator Pitch