Electronica 2020 Goes Virtual

Article By : Nitin Dahad

After hopes of a compact in-person event, electronica 2020 organizers have finally had to concede to making it a completely digital event...

Ending the will-it / won’t it debate going on among some in the electronics industry, Messe Munchen has today decided to hold this November’s electronica 2020 as a fully digital event. This follows its statement in July 2020 indicating that it would be aiming to hold the event as a hybrid combination of compact in-person trade fair complemented with virtual events. Having started in 1964, electronica is a global trade fair held every two years in Munich, Germany, and has been a major focal point for electronic components and systems suppliers and buyers. The 2018 event held in 17 halls over four days attracted over 81,000 visitors from 101 countries.
electronica 2018 attracted over 81,000 vistors from 101 countries (Image: Messe Munchen)
This year, the organizers were quite keen to hold the event as planned, albeit in a more compact form physically but adding a larger virtual element, and made a statement in July saying they still intended to hold the smaller physical event. However, since then, they have had to come to terms with the fact that the constant changes in travel restrictions in Europe and around the world as a result of fluctuating Covid-19 cases, would have made organizing an in-person event too unpredictable. They said without the large numbers of visitors from around the world, electronica would have lost its character as a world-leading trade fair if it had been held as an in-person event in November. Falk Senger, managing director of Messe München, said, “Even though an in-person trade fair could have been conducted with the help of our safety and hygiene concept, the latest developments related to travel restrictions in many countries forced us to rethink our plans. We are adapting these plans to this dynamic situation and are now focusing solely on our virtual format. International exhibitors and visitors are the heart of electronica. In light of current Covid-19 conditions, we would not have been able to meet the expectations with an in-person trade fair.” The CEO of NXP Semiconductors and the chairman of the electronica advisory board, Kurt Sievers, added, “After re-evaluating the situation, I consider the decision of Messe München to be very appropriate and responsible. We are pleased that, with electronica virtual, a concept is now offered for 2020 that allows exhibitors to reach their international customers, even in the continuing difficult pandemic period. Via this digital platform, exhibitors can present their innovations, learn about industry trends and efficiently network with customers and suppliers.” The organizers said the virtual format of electronica will provide the electronics industry with a platform for global industry discussions this November. Its opportunities will include virtual trade fair booths, which will enable exhibitors to continue to communicate with their international customers and sell them on their products and solutions. The virtual event will be complemented by a digital conference and supporting program. Individual talks and panel discussions on trend topics like the automotive industry, embedded systems, IIoT, 5G, medical electronics, power electronics and smart energy will be available online. Aspencore Media, publishers of EE Times, EE Times Europe, embedded, and Power Electronics News, will be hosting the embedded forum and power electronics forum at the electronica 2020 virtual event from 10-13 November 2020.

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