The second edition of GITEX AI Europe in Berlin was apparently also the last. According to the Berliner Morgenpost, organizer Kaoun International has terminated its contract with Messe Berlin — shortly before the event, advertised as “Europe’s most international technology and AI fair,” was set to open at the end of June 2026. The edition already in preparation for 2027 has also been canceled. At the time of reporting, no official statement was available from Kaoun International, the international subsidiary of the Dubai World Trade Centre.
GITEX AI Europe thus joins a list of failed attempts to permanently establish a large B2B technology fair in Germany — most recently, the organizers of CeBIT also failed, with its last edition taking place in Hannover in 2018.
Good Atmosphere Despite Impending Closure
Little of the apparently looming trouble was noticeable at the event itself. The three exhibition halls at Messe Berlin were bustling, and lectures and panel discussions were well attended. The only notable absence was Governing Mayor Kai Wegner at the opening — he was represented by Economic Senator Franziska Giffey, who repeatedly praised the advantages of Berlin as a location in her opening speech.
Back at the original announcement of the fair in 2023, Giffey, then still mayor, had commented on the deal by saying Berlin and GITEX would “fit together excellently,” as stated in a press release from Messe Berlin on the contract signing.
Shrinking Numbers in the Second Year
Besides atmosphere, the figures are what matter most for a trade fair — and they moved in the wrong direction. Kaoun International had already reduced the event’s duration from three to two exhibition days beforehand. The number of exhibitors fell from nearly 1,200 the previous year to around 800, a large share of them startups with small booths. Visitor figures for 2026 had not yet been published at the time of the original reporting; in 2025, the fair had recorded around 21,000 visitors according to organizer figures.
One likely reason for the declining numbers is the event’s strategic focus: similar to VivaTech in Paris and partly GITEX in Dubai, the Berlin edition leaned heavily toward startups and investors. Major IT decision-makers — whose investment decisions are central to the commercial success of a B2B fair — were only partially drawn in by this format. Companies such as A1 Digital, AMD, AWS, Bosch, DeepL, Google, IONOS, and NinjaOne were indeed present, but largely without a substantial stand of their own.
GITEX Keeps Expanding Across Europe
The organizer hasn’t entirely given up on the dream of a successful European high-tech fair. In late April 2027, GITEX AI Italy is set to take place in Rome, followed a month later by GITEX AI Serbia in Belgrade. Still, the sheer number of tech events planned or already held over the past two years raises the suspicion that GITEX’s organizers may have overextended their international expansion strategy.
For Berlin as a trade-fair location, the end of GITEX AI Europe means, for now, the loss of one of the few internationally promoted anchor events in the AI and tech space — even though an official confirmation or explanation from Kaoun International or Messe Berlin is still pending.
FAQ
Is GITEX AI Europe in Berlin officially confirmed as over? According to the Berliner Morgenpost, organizer Kaoun International has terminated its contract with Messe Berlin and canceled the 2027 edition. No official public statement from Kaoun International or Messe Berlin was available at the time of reporting.
How many editions of GITEX AI Europe took place in Berlin? Two: the first in May 2025, the second at the end of June/beginning of July 2026 — both at Messe Berlin.
Why did the fair apparently not go as hoped? Reports indicate exhibitor numbers fell from nearly 1,200 to around 800, and the fair’s duration was cut from three to two days. The strong focus on startups and investors reportedly drew only a few large tech companies with their own stands.
Who organizes the GITEX fairs worldwide? Kaoun International, the international subsidiary of the Dubai World Trade Centre, which also runs GITEX Global, the world’s largest technology fair, in Dubai.
Are there other GITEX offshoots in Europe? Yes: GITEX AI Italy is planned for Rome in April 2027, and GITEX AI Serbia for Belgrade in May 2027.
