+ + + What you can expect today at special events

Horticultural Technology Innovation Center in Hall 4

In this forum, trade visitors can expand their knowledge of current and future-oriented technology topics such as sustainability, peat reduction, automation, and energy. The forum is accompanied by an exciting supporting program.

The specialist program focuses on innovative solutions to potential challenges within the industry and presents products and projects that aim to improve the future of horticultural technology in a sustainable and forward-looking way.

The exhibition area is enhanced by guided tours that start several times a day and offer insights into pioneering technology trends. The starting point for the tours is the Horticultural Technology Innovation Center.

Today's topics, Tuesday, January 27, 2026

• 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.: NRW grows beyond itself – Garden shows: The green booster for tomorrow's life
• 2:30 p.m.: Intelligent gardening in practice – How technology is changing the way we care for our plants
• 3:00 p.m.: Plants, forecasts, prevention: On the way to a digital tree nursery
• 3:30 p.m.: An electronic nose for detecting pests in horticulture
• 4:00 p.m.: Give your soil new strength – with Erdkraft!
• 4:30 p.m.: Glass fertilizer

More information about the lecture program can be found HERE

Gardeners forum in Hall 2

The future of horticulture will once again be the focus of the Gardeners Forum in 2026, one of the central knowledge platforms at IPM ESSEN. Industry experts, exhibiting companies, and institutions will address the topics that are driving the market: The information program offers space for keynote speeches, panel discussions, innovations, and best practices.

Simultaneous translation will be provided for non-German-speaking visitors to the fair.

• 11:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.: Anthura: Driving the future of horticulture, Fred Kruisselbrink
• 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.: Brandkamp: Customers of the future How we as breeders are making our partners fit for Gen Z, Leon Hünting
• 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.: BREAK
• 1:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.: Bailey Nurseries: Bridging the Gap: Brands, Innovations, and Tomorrow's Horticulture, Alec Charais (Chief Marketing + Product Development Officer)
• 1:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.: BudVoyage: Market opportunities with cannabis seeds: Legally compliant, profitable additional sales, Matthias Coufal (Managing Director, HANS Brainfood GmbH and BudVoyage)
• 2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.: Plant School: Green Learning—the learning app for all disciplines, with brand new features, The Plant School: Nicole Klattenhoff and Finn Schachtschneider
• 3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.: Landgard: Market development in specialist retail: Networked value chains as a response to tighter margins, Dr. Henning Krause (Head of Producer Management, Landgard)
• 3:30–4:00 p.m.: Oboya: The future of horticulture – How artificial intelligence is changing the global supply chain, Robert Wu, CEO
• 4:00–4:30 p.m.: Bioline: Past, present, and future of application technology for biological and integrated pest management, Ansgar Bergau (Bioline AgroSciences)
• 4:30–5:00 p.m.: FlorFastForward: From fragmented tests to harmonized resistance requirements, Sergio Harinck (Project Manager Horticulture, Vertify)

More information can be found HERE

IPM Discovery Center in Hall 5

The IPM Discovery Center powered by Kahler, headed by Romeo Sommers, presents creative POS concepts, retail trends, and sustainable ideas for the green trade. Several times a day, trend tours start here, providing insights into modern retail concepts and valuable inspiration.

In 2026, the IPM Discovery Center powered by Kahler will be themed “Brutalism, reinterpreted in green.” Inspired by London's Barbican complex, raw architecture meets vibrant nature here. Clean lines, concrete structures, and lush planting create an atmosphere that combines urban energy and green tranquility.

The result: an inspiring space that shows how strong forms and sustainable design can be combined to create modern, sales-promoting store concepts – relevant for garden centers, florists, hardware stores, as well as growers and producers who want to break new ground in green retail. The head sponsor of the IPM Discovery Center 2026 is Kahler GmbH, which offers intelligent and modern solutions for store design.

Today, Tuesday, two trend tours will be offered at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Registration is possible at the following LINK.