IFA Kick-Off 2026: Strong Start to the Season

With the IFA Kick-Off event, IFA Berlin officially started the new trade fair season. Under this year’s slogan ‘The future is now’, the press event at Futurium Berlin marks the first major media highlight in the run-up to IFA in September and highlights what is currently driving the international tech scene as well as the consumer electronics and home appliances sectors: from artificial intelligence and connected ecosystems, through health tech, smart living and entertainment, to new approaches to retail and commerce.

“For us, ‘The future is now’ is more than just a slogan. It’s a mindset,” said Leif Lindner, CEO of IFA Management. “Technologies that sounded like a distant dream just a few years ago are now part of our everyday lives – in our homes, in the workplace, in retail and in the way people communicate with one another. It is precisely these developments that we make visible, tangible and experiential through IFA. The kick-off marks the start of an IFA that demonstrates: the future isn’t waiting. It’s happening right now.”

The program at Futurium combines strategic industry insights with concrete examples of application and hands-on innovations. Highlights of the program include GFU Insights & Trends on the potential of health tech, insights into Berlin as a trade fair venue, and keynotes and talks from companies such as BSH, ElevenLabs, HD+, Meta, Miele, NielsenIQ, Philips, Samsung, TikTok Shop, Xiaomi, and others. Topics such as AI wearables, discovery commerce, the future of the entertainment industry, and AI-supported human-machine interaction are also on the agenda.

“The kick-off event clearly demonstrates the role that IFA plays today: it is not just a showcase for products, but a platform for context, exchange and guidance,” said Carine Chardon, Managing Director of GFU Home & Consumer Electronics. “Particularly in a dynamic market environment, industry, retailers, the media and consumers value events where technological developments are not only presented but also explained, contextualised and discussed. That is exactly what IFA stands for.”

As well as keynotes, insights and talks, the IFA Kick-Off focuses on interaction and hands-on experiences. Hands-on experiences, brand moments on stage and networking offer participants the opportunity to try out new technologies first-hand, engage in conversation with brands and decision-makers, and identify topics for coverage of IFA 2026 at an early stage. Futurium Berlin, as a venue for exploring questions about the future, social change and technological perspectives, symbolises the Kick-Off’s aim: not to discuss the future in abstract terms, but to bring it to life in a tangible way.

To complement the kick-off event in Berlin, the IFA is focusing specifically on international media markets. On 9 July 2026, a livestream aimed at US and European journalists will take place. The focus will be on a discussion between Leif Lindner, CEO of IFA Management, and presenter Yara Hoffmann, which will explore key developments, international perspectives and the highlights of IFA 2026. For the key Asian markets of China, South Korea and Japan, a localised video of around 20 minutes’ duration will subsequently be made available for each market. These videos will be presented in the respective national languages and will convey the key messages of IFA 2026 in a way tailored to each media market.

IFA Berlin 2026 will take place from 4 to 8 September 2026 at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds. As the world’s largest event for home and consumer tech, IFA brings together international brands, retailers, the media, creators and consumers – and showcases the technologies shaping our everyday lives today and tomorrow.