leat con 26 sets a New Record

Picture: leat

Larger, more diverse and livelier than ever before: From 6 to 8 October 2026, leat con 26 took place at Hamburg Messe, bringing together more than 11,700 professionals over the three days of the event. Three halls, five hubs, more than 250 programme items and numerous networking opportunities made this the largest edition of the Networking Convention to date, serving as a meeting place for the entire experience technology sector. The response to the cross-sector exchange was particularly positive – among visitors as well as exhibitors.

Three intensive days packed with technology, knowledge-sharing, networking and new perspectives: leat con 26 brought together more than 11,700 professionals at Hamburg Messe from 6 to 8 October 2026. For the first time, the convention spanned three halls – A1, A2 and A4 – and brought together five sectors under one roof: live tech, install, stage tech, broadcast and communicate.

For Marcel Courth, Managing Director of leat at the Ebner Media Group, the response confirms the direction that leat con has taken in recent years: “This year’s leat con was bigger, more colourful and more diverse than any previous edition – and yet it has retained exactly what has defined it from the very beginning: the openness and personal interaction within our community. I was particularly pleased to see how naturally the different sectors mingled with one another this year. We received an incredible amount of positive feedback from visitors and exhibitors alike, and heard time and again that it is precisely this interconnection of different markets that creates special added value. For us, this is a wonderful endorsement – and, at the same time, motivation to continue along this path.”

Feedback from exhibitors also confirms that leat con now brings together target groups from a wide variety of sectors within the industry. “We meet customers from different industries – theatre, events, broadcast. Our entire target audience is here,” sums up Niklas Rautenberg from Riedel Communications. For Martin Schwöri from Broadcast Solutions Connect, too, after attending for the third time, one thing is certain: “It’s the third year, and we will definitely be back.”

With 250 programme items, leat con 26 offered the most extensive programme in its history to date. Across seven stages, as well as in workshops, masterclasses, live training sessions, demo rooms, side events and other formats, the focus was on the latest technologies as well as the major issues currently shaping the industry.

The spectrum ranged from lighting, audio, stage and theatre technology, through ProAV, broadcast and new production workflows, to AI, business and leadership. The focus was not solely on imparting knowledge: many formats allowed participants to experience the technologies first-hand and facilitated dialogue between experts and participants. leat con was also well received internationally. Following his visit, British lighting designer Tim Routledge gave a positive assessment: “It was really lovely to be invited to Leat Con this year. Seeing just how big it is and how warm and friendly the atmosphere is, it’s been great to come along.”

Another highlight was the Networking Night at the Karoline, where exhibitors, visitors, speakers and partners came together to celebrate five years of leat. Here, too, it became clear just how much personal interaction has long been an integral part of the Networking Convention. The comments from visitors also show just how much the open atmosphere was appreciated. Qinglian Guo describes the leat con as follows: “This show is so different from other shows. Everyone has equal opportunities.” Marius Jehle emphasises networking in particular: “People are more open. You can have a really good chat with them, and that’s really good for networking and simply for having a chat with one another.”

The continued development of the ProAV and broadcast sectors was also particularly evident in 2026. What has grown steadily in recent years has now become an integral part of leat con. The interaction between system integration, distribution, broadcast and entertainment technology demonstrates just how closely these markets are already intertwined. Dominik Dütsch from SYSTEAM sees a clear advantage in this: „The leat con is a great platform for us as a distributor in Germany. It’s perfect to meet new customers, new potential resellers, especially in the ProAV market.“

Markus Warlich of Sony Europe B.V. also emphasises the close links between the various sectors: “Broadcast and entertainment are very closely linked, so we think this is a good event to see both sides of these markets.” This also confirms a fundamental principle of leat con in these areas: not to present markets in isolation alongside one another, but to create spaces in a targeted manner where different disciplines and target groups can benefit from one another.

On 6 and 7 October, the neo summit 26 took place for the first time as a standalone conference as part of the leat con. This new AI and future forum for event professionals explored how artificial intelligence is transforming the events industry, what skills will be in demand in the future, and how technology can be meaningfully combined with creativity, quality and human interaction.

With 35 sessions, more than 60 speakers, 15 exhibitors and partners, and 250 attendees, the neo summit combined a stage programme, interactive workshops, an expo area and networking opportunities. The depth of the content, the quality of the speakers and the relevant business contacts were particularly well received.

“From the very beginning, our aim with the neo summit was to create more than just another conference on AI tools. Our ambition was to work with the industry to discuss the big questions that will shape our work in the coming years – whilst also providing concrete practical solutions. The feedback from our participants, speakers and exhibitors shows us that this is exactly the kind of dialogue that is needed,” explains Maxi Neßmann, Product Owner of the neo summit.

After three days of leat in Hamburg, attention is already turning to the community’s next gathering: on 3 and 4 March 2027, leat x will take place at the Dampfdom in Munich. The compact leat format brings the community together in a focused setting and once again focuses on combining technology, knowledge-sharing and personal interaction.

Save the Date: leat x

• 3–4 March 2027
• Dampfdom, Munich

www.leatcon.com