October, 2026
This is a repeating eventOctober 13, 2027 9:00 am
Smart Country Convention
Event Details
Smart Country Convention (SCCON)
13. – 15. October 2026 | Berlin, Germany
Official Website: https://www.smartcountry.berlin/en
The strategic misjudgment regarding the Smart Country Convention (SCCON) is viewing it as a conventional IT trade fair for the public sector. This fundamentally misreads its role as the central political and operational command center for Germany’s—and by extension, Europe’s—digital sovereignty. It is where the complex interplay of policy, procurement, and technological implementation for digital administration, smart cities, and regional development is negotiated among the only audience that matters: the decision-makers who bear both the budget and the political responsibility for the outcome.
Strategic Snapshot
The Smart Country Convention is the definitive cross-sector platform where the digital transformation of the state is commissioned. It convenes public administration leaders, federal and state-level politicians, municipal CIOs, and approved technology providers to translate political mandates for “digital living conditions” into actionable, compliant, and interoperable technology procurement and implementation strategies.
Why This Event Matters in Germany’s Exhibition Ecosystem
Hosted in Berlin, the political capital and a leading European tech hub, SCCON is uniquely positioned at the intersection of German federal policy (e.g., the Online Access Act – OZG) and its local implementation. It attracts ministerial-level officials, heads of municipal IT departments, and public procurement officers operating under extreme scrutiny for compliance, data sovereignty (e.g., GAIA-X), and budgetary justification. For a technology provider, being present here is not about selling a product; it’s about demonstrating alignment with the strategic goal of digital sovereignty and proving your solution’s ability to navigate the labyrinth of public procurement law (VgV, VOL, SektVO). Success signals you are a viable, long-term partner for the state.
Who This Event Is For — and Who Should Skip It
Ideal for:
- Enterprise software and platform providers specializing in core administration modernization, citizen service portals, and secure cloud infrastructure compliant with public sector standards (e.g., IT-SiG 2.0, BSI-Grundschutz).
- Consultancies and system integrators with deep expertise in public procurement processes, digitalization project management for municipalities, and change management within public administrations.
- Innovators in smart city infrastructure (IoT, smart lighting, traffic management) who understand the need for integration into overarching digital city platforms and have a clear public-private partnership (PPP) model.
- Providers of specialized solutions for critical public functions: digital healthcare (eHealth), education tech for schools, and solutions for rural area connectivity and services.
Not ideal for:
- Companies offering consumer-grade apps, generic SaaS solutions, or hardware without a dedicated public sector division, compliance certifications, and references from government clients.
- Start-ups with purely conceptual solutions, lacking the financial stability, data protection certifications, or the ability to endure procurement cycles that often span 12-24 months.
- Exhibitors with a purely technical sales approach, unable to engage in strategic dialogues about legal frameworks, interoperability standards, and total cost of ownership from a public budget perspective.
The 3-Day Congress vs. the 365-Day Reality
SCCON provides the critical forum for aligning roadmaps with political priorities, networking across different levels of government, and understanding the evolving regulatory landscape that will dictate public IT spending for years to come.
The strategic rupture occurs in the “procurement and implementation valley of death.” A solution may be celebrated as a best practice on stage, but the journey to a signed contract involves navigating complex tendering procedures, proving adherence to a hundred specific technical directives (Technische Richtlinien), and surviving the scrutiny of data protection officers and works councils. The real work—and the true test of a vendor—lies in the grueling, post-event process of responding to detailed tender documents, providing proof of concept in pilot municipalities, and establishing the local support structures that public clients require. Lasting partnerships are forged in this valley, not on the expo floor.
Strategic Next Step
Before committing to SCCON, rigorously audit your organization’s public sector readiness, from compliance to tender response capabilities. For a framework on building the sustained credibility and visibility required to succeed in this long-cycle environment, review our analysis of trade fair visibility in Germany.
Explore the Ecosystem
How to Choose the Right German Trade Fair
Trade Fair Marketing Strategy for Germany
Strategic FAQs for Exhibitors
How should a technology provider’s messaging differ for a municipal CIO versus a state-level ministry official?
For the municipal CIO, focus on operational resilience, ease of integration with legacy systems, and reducing daily administrative burden. For the ministry official, emphasize how your solution advances statewide policy goals, ensures interoperability across jurisdictions, and provides scalable templates that can be rolled out to hundreds of municipalities, achieving political impact.
What is the single most important document to have when engaging with public buyers at SCCON?
A comprehensive compliance and certification dossier. This should go beyond marketing to include BSI-Grundschutz audits, data processing agreements compliant with GDPR/state laws, and proof of adherence to relevant technical standards (e.g., XÖV, OZG-umsetzungsverbund specifications). It demonstrates you speak the language of public procurement.
For a smart city IoT provider, why is having a clear data governance model more critical than the sensor technology itself?
Cities are legally and politically responsible for citizen data. You must have unambiguous answers on data ownership, processing locations, access rights, and anonymization techniques. A perfect sensor that creates a data liability is worthless. Your governance framework de-risks the project for the public client.
Why is participating in workshops and presenting best practices more valuable than a large booth?
It positions your company as a thought leader and peer, not just a vendor. Sharing genuine implementation experience (including challenges overcome) in a workshop builds immense credibility with an audience skeptical of sales pitches. It’s an opportunity to educate and shape the conversation around the problems you solve.
How can a smaller, agile tech company compete with entrenched enterprise vendors for public contracts?
Specialize in solving a specific, acute pain point within a larger process (e.g., digital signature integration for a specific permit). Partner with larger system integrators who need your niche expertise to complete their tender offering. Frame your agility as an advantage for pilot projects and innovation partnerships, which can later scale to broader frameworks.
