The Smart Country Convention has become the largest event for the digitisation of the public sector in Europe. This year, 23,000 participants attended the event, marking a 22 per cent increase on the previous year. For the first time, the newly created Federal Ministry for Digitalisation and State Modernisation was the event's patron and provided key political impetus, with appearances by Federal Digital Minister Dr Karsten Wildberger and his four state secretaries: Dr Markus Richter, Thomas Jarzombek, Philipp Amthor and Prof Dr Louise Hölscher.

Dr Ralf Wintergerst, Bitkom President, said: 'The record attendance at the Smart Country Convention 2025 shows that the digitalisation of administrations, cities, municipalities and authorities has also become a top issue in Germany. The federal government has set ambitious and important goals with its modernisation agenda, and the Smart Country Convention can help give its implementation the necessary momentum.”

This year, the leading event for the public sector expanded to include an additional exhibition hall, offering a total of seven event stages featuring 1,000 live sessions, 800 speakers, and 70 workshops. Topics covered included administrative digitisation, smart cities and regions, cybersecurity, mobility, digital participation, AI, and cloud technologies. In attendance were Federal Minister of Education and Family Affairs Karin Prien; Andrea Nahles, Chairwoman of the Executive Board of the Federal Employment Agency; and Aletta von Massenbach, Chairwoman of the Management Board at Flughafen Berlin Brandenburg GmbH (BER). A delegation of state ministers for digital affairs was also in attendance.

For the first time, around 500 exhibitors presented innovative solutions and the latest technologies for public authorities and local governments across 20,000 square metres of exhibition space. The curated expo at the Berlin Exhibition Grounds saw growth of around 30 per cent compared to 2024.

Dr Mario Tobias, CEO of Messe Berlin, said: 'The Smart Country Convention 2025 was a resounding success. The significant participation and substantial interest from both the public sector and the digital economy underscored the importance of this exchange for digitalisation in Germany. The packed exhibition halls, exciting presentations and stimulating discussions between politicians, administrators and business leaders showed that SCCON remains the central meeting place for all stakeholders. We look forward to continuing this success story and shaping SCCON as a platform for innovative ideas and forward-looking solutions in the future.'

The initial results of the market research show that trade visitors are enthusiastic about #SCCON25 and are highly likely to attend the event again next year. So far, more than 90 per cent of exhibitors surveyed are already planning to participate again next year.

The Smart City Index Award 2025 was also presented at the Smart Country Convention. With its Smart City Index, Bitkom provides an annual overview of the 83 major German cities in terms of their degree of digitisation. Germany's smartest cities were honoured at the Smart Country Convention: Munich took first place, closely followed by Hamburg and Stuttgart. Hanover was the climber of the year, coming in at number seven.

This year's award for the most innovative startup for the digital state went to Berlin-based GovIntel. GovIntel offers AI-supported analysis of public data to predict procurement and won the award after prevailing against the competition in a pitch competition.

The Smart Country Convention is the leading event for the digital state and public services. With over 23,000 participants, SCCON is the meeting place for everyone involved in the digitalisation of the public sector. The combination of congress, workshops, expo and networking is aimed at employees from administration, politics, the digital economy, associations and science. SCCON is organised by Bitkom e.V. and Messe Berlin.

You can also find this press release on the Internet: www.smartcountry.berlin

Press photos of the Smart Country Convention in printable quality can be downloaded here. Videos about the event and the topics of the Smart Country Convention can be found here.