Focus on Innovation: The Future of Autonomous Technologies
From February 18 to 20, 2025, XPONENTIAL Europe in Düsseldorf became the central platform for groundbreaking innovations in the field of autonomous technologies. In the spotlight: the XPO+ Launcher, which provided a unique stage for eleven promising start-ups. The event attracted industry leaders, investors, and professionals from around the world, reaffirming XPONENTIAL Europe’s position as the leading trade fair for autonomous systems in the air, on land, at sea, and in space.
XPO+ Launcher: A Platform for Visionaries
At the Innovation Theater of XPONENTIAL Europe, young companies had the opportunity to present their technologies and business models to a high-caliber audience. "We provide these pioneers of autonomy with a platform to showcase their ideas. The market is currently hungry for innovative solutions, which presents enormous opportunities for start-ups," explained Mark Wächter, organizer of the XPO+ Launcher for Messe Düsseldorf.
High-Caliber Program with Inspiring Insights
In addition to company presentations, the start-up program featured exciting talks and insights into current developments in autonomous technologies. Particularly noteworthy was the contribution from the European Space Agency (ESA), which introduced its funding program for innovative companies. The role of drones in protecting critical infrastructure and new educational pathways for careers in unmanned systems and artificial intelligence were also hot topics of discussion.
The Award Pitch: Three Start-ups on the Podium
One of the absolute highlights was the Award Pitch, where each participating start-up had three minutes to present its innovation to a panel of experts. First place went to the Croatian start-up Arkensight, which impressed with its system-independent AI platform for aerial image analysis. The prize: a free booth at XPONENTIAL in May in Houston, an exclusive coaching session with Nokia, and a business model strategy workshop.
"I am absolutely overwhelmed," said Domagoj Coric, co-founder and CEO of Arkensight. "XPONENTIAL is one of the most important events in our industry. Being part of it, let alone winning, is a huge honor."
Second place went to Cast Coil from Münster, which develops innovative coils for highly efficient drone motors. Third place was awarded to the Berlin-based start-up Pleno, which presented a platform for optimizing AI and robotics algorithms for drones. Both companies will benefit from valuable consulting and mentoring programs offered by renowned partners.
The Future of XPONENTIAL Europe: Bigger and More International
Following its successful premiere, the focus is already on the future. Malte Seifert, Director of XPONENTIAL Europe, emphasized: "Our goal is to further establish the trade fair as the leading platform for unmanned systems in Europe and to expand its international reach."
Mark Wächter also sees great potential: "We want to attract start-ups from around the world. While North America and Europe are already well represented, we aim to bring in more participants from Africa, Asia, and South America."
Save the Date: XPONENTIAL Europe 2026
The next XPONENTIAL Europe will take place from March 24 to 26, 2026, in Düsseldorf. For those who don't want to wait that long, XPONENTIAL USA will be held from May 19 to 22, 2025, in Houston, Texas.
More information at: www.xponential-europe.de
Start-up area XPO+ Launcher: www.xpo.plus
