KONEKT Rhein-Main 2024 unites innovators under 'The Future Doesn't Just Happen'
KONEKT Rhein-Main: The Leading Networking Fair for SMEs Returns for Its 11th Edition
It has since become the premier networking and cooperation fair for small and medium-sized enterprises in the Rhine-Main region. This Thursday, KONEKT Rhein-Main will take place for the 11th time, bringing together businesses under the motto "The Future Doesn't Just Happen." Organizers once again invite participants to a regional marketplace for exchange, collaboration, and proactive shaping of the future. With 82 exhibitors registered at Mainz's Alte Lokhalle, the event is free for visitors. For the second time, the KONEKT Newcomer Award will be part of the program.
The idea was born in 2017, when event manager Hanns-Christian von Stockhausen launched a new kind of trade fairâwhat he then called a "crazy idea." After all, there was no shortage of fairs, but this one was meant to be different: focused on networking in a relaxed atmosphere, fostering encounters between entrepreneurs, startups, and established playersâall on a regional scale, right on their doorstep, and at an affordable cost for businesses.
The concept proved a success: KONEKT now takes place in 13 regions across three German states, from South Westphalia to WĂźrzburg, filling a gap in the fast-paced trade fair industry with its emphasis on proximity and exchange. This Thursday, the originalâKONEKT Rhein-Mainâreturns for its 11th edition, marking the third time it will be held at Mainz's Alte Lokhalle. With 82 exhibitors, the event is fully booked.
Opening with Construction Councilor Holle, 82 Companies Exhibiting
This year's fair kicks off at 3:00 PM, with Ludwig Holle (CDU), Mainz's newly appointed construction councilor, delivering the keynote address. "Especially in times of change, we need spaces where economic actors and businesses can engage in dialogue, learn from one another, and collectively shape the future," Holle stated in advance.
The 11th KONEKT's theme, "The Future Doesn't Just Happen," underscores "our shared responsibility to actively drive economic developmentâwhether in the region, across Germany, in the EU, or worldwide," says von Stockhausen. Exhibitors include Lidl, Allianz, the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr), and other companies from across the Rhine-Main area. The fair is supported by Mainzer Breitband, Commerz Globalpay, the Life Science Center Mainz (LZM), and Drees & Sommer.
Von Stockhausen emphasizes that KONEKT is not just for exhibitors: "It's also a great opportunity for visitors to discover local businesses, make connections, orâif they're job seekersâengage directly with potential employers." Admission is free, and highlights include the KONEKT Newcomer Award, now in its second year.
Five Finalists Compete in the Second Newcomer Award for Startups
Sixteen applicants from across Germany applied for the startup prize. After a preliminary jury selection, five finalists will pitch their ideas on stage. Drees & Sommer is sponsoring the award with a âŹ2,000 prize. "Instead of rigid pitch structures, we give founders the freedom to present their companies in their own words and receive direct feedback from the network," explains von Stockhausen.
The pitches begin at 5:30 PM, with the award ceremony scheduled for 6:45 PMâthough networking will be in full swing before, during, and after. At 7:00 PM, the After-Work Party starts, featuring a DJ and casual mingling. As von Stockhausen put it at the 2024 opening: "KONEKT looks like a trade fairâbut it isn't one." Or, in the words of Mainz's economic affairs councilor Manuela Matz (CDU): "Customers, cash, and connectionsâyou'll find all three in abundance here."
