WMF, We Make Future, one of Europe’s largest international trade fairs and festivals dedicated to artificial intelligence, technology, and digital innovation, opens its 2026 edition this Wednesday, 24 June, at BolognaFiere in Bologna, Italy, running through 26 June. The event is expected to draw more than 73,000 attendees from over 90 countries, with more than 800 exhibitors, 1,000 international speakers, and programming spread across more than 90 stages.
What WMF is
WMF is an annual international gathering organised by Search On Media Group, now in its eighth edition. It operates as both a trade fair and a festival, combining B2B meetings, startup competitions, advanced training, keynotes, and open public programming in a single venue. The 2026 edition is structured around four stage tiers: Premium Stages for specialist professional training; a Mainstage for keynotes, vision talks, and headline speakers; Discover Stages for business and innovation content; and Open Stages covering a wide range of thematic areas accessible to a broader audience.
The event’s thematic scope is broad, including AI, digital marketing, cybersecurity, fintech, robotics, geopolitics, the creator economy, edtech, govtech, and sustainability, among others. WMF has previously hosted participants and winning startups from across Africa, including from Egypt, and has described itself as a platform connecting innovation ecosystems from more than 90 countries.
Space economy on the agenda
Among the Open Stage tracks confirmed for WMF 2026 is a dedicated Space Economy stage, one of ten thematic open stages alongside areas including GovTech, EduTech, Geopolitics, and the Innovation Film Fest. Open Stages at WMF are accessible to attendees holding Full Ticket, Visitor Ticket, or Fiera Ticket, making them among the more publicly accessible parts of the programme.
The inclusion of a space economy track within a generalist technology and innovation fair of WMF’s scale reflects a broader trend: space is increasingly appearing on the agenda of mainstream innovation and digital economy convenings, not only at specialist industry events. For African space practitioners and organisations interested in the European technology investment and startup ecosystem, WMF’s programme, particularly its World Startup Fest and VC and Open Innovation Fest components, may offer relevant touchpoints.
Programme highlights relevant to the sector
Beyond the Space Economy stage, several programme components at WMF 2026 are relevant to the broader technology and innovation ecosystem from which the African space sector draws partners and investment. The World Startup Fest hosts founders from more than 80 countries competing across 14 defined future challenges. The AI Global Summit occupies the Premium Stage tier, focusing on applications of artificial intelligence across industries. The Impact to Business stage features representatives from organisations including Startup for Africa, alongside Save The Children and other social impact-oriented entities.
The Mainstage programme includes figures from global business, journalism, geopolitics, and the creator economy. The Guest of Honour for WMF 2026 is Brunello Cucinelli; other confirmed Mainstage participants include Alec Ross, an author and former US State Department innovation adviser.
Attendance and access
WMF 2026 runs from 24 to 26 June 2026 at BolognaFiere, Viale della Fiera 20, Bologna, Italy. Ticket categories: Full Ticket, Visitor Ticket, and Fiera Ticket, determine access to different stage tiers. Further information on registration and the full programme is available at en.wemakefuture.it.
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