"Driving force of the incipient upswing"

At this year's Hannover Messe, trade visitors engaged in lively discussions with exhibiting companies about how they can digitalize their value chains and make them more resilient. "The halls are well filled, which is not a matter of course in these times," said Dr. Jochen Köckler, CEO of Deutsche Messe. At the same time, the trade fair was also a platform for start-ups looking to enter the industry with their solutions.

More than 300 young companies used the trade fair to network with the industry. This was supported by the trade fair's targeted networking opportunities. "The exchange between start-ups, investors and industrial companies was more intensive than in previous years. This encourages us to give the topic even more space at Hannover Messe 2025," says Köckler.

Technological progress becomes tangible for politicians

This year, the Hannover Messe was a mainstay of the economic policy agenda setting as rarely before. "Hannover Messe made technological progress tangible for politicians," said Köckler. "The potential of the technologies on show here is enormous. However, it can only unfold if the political framework conditions are right." Competitive energy costs, the expansion of digital infrastructure, fast approval procedures, a reduction in unnecessary bureaucracy and the influx of qualified workers were at the top of the agenda for the more than 300 economic policy delegations who visited the trade fair. Dr. Jochen Köckler said: "And here, too, there is reason for confidence. The discussions have shown that Europe has the will and the strength to fight for and maintain its competitiveness".

Prime example of pan-European cooperation

This year's partner country Norway was a prime example of pan-European cooperation. On the Tuesday of the trade fair, Federal Minister of Economics Robert Habeck presented the roadmap for hydrogen cooperation together with Norwegian Energy Minister Terje Aasland. Germany and Norway will work closely together to

to realize large-volume hydrogen imports from Norway to Germany by 2030 and the hydrogen infrastructure required for this. At the Hannover Messe, companies from Norway and Germany signed contracts for the transportation of hydrogen and the storage of carbon dioxide, known as carbon capture and storage (CCS). Hannover Messe 2025 will take place from March 31 to April 4. The partner country is Canada.