Messeplatz 1, 50679 Cologne, Germany
Cologne, Germany's fourth-largest city, stands as a vibrant metropolis where 2,000 years of history blend seamlessly with cutting-edge innovation. Located on the Rhine River in North Rhine-Westphalia, Cologne is renowned for its majestic cathedral, world-class museums, and thriving tech ecosystem. As Germany's media capital and home to numerous international corporations, the city perfectly embodies the spirit of collaboration and forward-thinking that defines the European AI and Cloud Summit.
From its famous Kölsch beer culture to its status as a leading tech hub, Cologne offers an unparalleled conference experience. The city's welcoming atmosphere, excellent infrastructure, and rich cultural heritage create the ideal backdrop for networking, learning, and innovation.
Cologne ranks as Germany's third-largest tech hub, boasting over 800 startups and scaleups that have doubled in value over five years. The city hosts more software developers than any European city except London, Paris, and Amsterdam. With tech giants like DeepL (the AI translation unicorn), cybersecurity leader SoSafe, and major corporations including Ford Europe and Lufthansa maintaining headquarters here, Cologne pulses with innovation.
The city's 100,000+ students across 21 universities fuel a robust talent pipeline, while innovation infrastructure like STARTPLATZ and Digital Hub Cologne nurtures the next generation of tech leaders. This thriving ecosystem makes Cologne the perfect setting for exploring the future of AI, cloud computing, and business applications.
Cologne's strategic location makes it exceptionally accessible from across Europe. The city's central train station ranks among Europe's busiest hubs with 1,300+ daily trains. High-speed connections put Paris just 3 hours and 14 minutes away, Brussels at 1 hour 47 minutes, Amsterdam at 2 hours 28 minutes, and London reachable in under 4 hours via Brussels. Cologne Bonn Airport, just 15 minutes from the venue via direct train, offers flights to 105+ destinations, while alternative airports in Frankfurt and Düsseldorf expand international access options. The extensive public transport network ensures seamless venue access for all attendees.
Opened in June 2024, Confex represents a €150 million investment in the future of European conferences. This state-of-the-art venue seamlessly integrates conference and exhibition capabilities, offering unprecedented flexibility with its 20,500 square meters of purpose-built space. The facility features 22 conference rooms, a divisible 4,800-square-meter main hall accommodating 4,300 attendees, and the ability to expand into Koelnmesse's adjacent exhibition halls - accessing up to 285,000 square meters when needed. With DGNB Platinum sustainability certification, cutting-edge hybrid event technology, and just a 2-minute walk from the ICE train station, Confex delivers the perfect blend of innovation, accessibility, and environmental responsibility for the European AI and Cloud Summit.