How is the industry and business developing, what changes can we expect in the future? What influence do global changes and megatrends have? Which innovations will change the market?
drupa offers you practical insights into current business trends and best practices. Learn more about the impact of global trend topics during virtual.drupa from 20-23 April 2021.
The conference area offers a programme of top-class live lectures exclusively in English with international speakers and highly interesting formats on a wide range of topics.
The programme content of the conference area is based on the four global trend topics:
Artificial Intelligence
Circular Economy
Connected Consumer
Platform Economy
virtual.drupa theme days
20.04.2021
Stream 1: Artificial Intelligence
Stream 2: Circular Economy
21.04.2021
Stream 1: Connected Consumer
Stream 2: Platform Economy
22.04.2021
Stream 1: Connected Consumer
Stream 2: Circular Economy
23.04.2021
Stream 1: Artificial Intelligence
Stream 2: Platform Economy
The Keynote Speakers
On each of the four days, from 10.15 to 18.00 CET, we will offer you live web sessions, panel discussions and presentations in two parallel stages (streams) -- a total of over 2,100 minutes of expert knowledge and best cases. On all days, a moderator will guide you through the programme on each stage. We were able to win Tania Higgins and Chris Brow as charismatic moderators.
Top-class international and inspiring TOP speakers will open the daily programme of live web sessions, lectures, panel discussions and presentations with their key notes.
You can look forward to the following keynotes and speakers who have already confirmed their participation:
Michael Gale
The best-selling author and Managing Partner of Inc.digital will deliver keynotes on various aspects of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on two days of virtual.drupa: April 20: Small steps and giant leaps for your AI in a circular economy April 23: The AI opportunity. A dawn of a new age for you with the right AI schematic.
James Sommerville
The renowned print and graphic designer will open the second day of virtual.drupa (April 21) with a keynote speech on 'The Creative business model of tomorrow. The cusp of another revolution.'
Dr. Gabrielle Walker
Learn more about Michael Gale
Michael Gale is the Managing Partner of Inc.digital and the primary author of the Wall Street Journal and Amazon global bestselling book on digital transformation, The Digital Helix. Transforming Your Organizations DNA to thrive in the Digital Age. He was a Group Partner at Monitor group and he is a globally recognized AI and digital transformation top ten influencer as well as the lead author of a new book; Flatcap. Re imagining capitalism for a flat planet. He is also the host of Forbes podcast, Futures in Focus that interviews industry and societal leaders on the possible worlds of 2030 from transportation to food, packaging, healthcare, sport, Ai, government, future management practices and beyond.
Learn more about James Sommerville
1986, James Sommerville graduated as a UK print/graphic designer and founded an agency aged 19 years old. After 25 years he then became the VP Global Design at The Coca-Cola Company and has witnessed the change of advancing technology, of business scale but also the importance of tactile craft in packaging and the ongoing need for talented people.
Learn more about Dr. Gabrielle Walker
Gabrielle Walker is a strategist, author and radio moderator. She works with companies to address global challenges with a particular focus on sustainability, energy use, the circular economy, and climate change. As a consultant and strategist, she advises C-level companies on issues such as future investments, manufacturing, and the circular economy, as well as the impact that an aligned strategy can have on a company's visibility and acceptance. She points out instances of short-termism and insular thinking and encourages long-term planning, collaboration and innovation.
Gabrielle Walker has taught at Cambridge and Princeton universities, among others, and has been editor of Climate Change and Nature and features editor at New Scientist magazine. She has hosted programs for BBC TV and radio that have taken her to all seven continents. In the process, she experienced firsthand what the world looks like and how it is changing. She has also written for The Economist, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times, among others.
As an author, she has published four titles, including co-authoring the best-selling "The Hot Topic - How to avoid global warming while still keeping the lights on." The book cleared away the hype, dogma and agendas to illuminate the facts and possible solutions to climate change.
The presenters
Tania Higgins
Chris Brow
Learn more about Tania Higgins
Tania Higgins is a top quality English presenter for Corporate Events, Tradefairs, Livestreams and TV, based in Munich, Germany. Tania likes to dive deeper into complex topics to make the message engaging for international audiences. Tania speaks various languages; born in Brazil to a British father and Spanish mother, Tania speaks English, Spanish, German and Portuguese fluently.
Clients trust Tania for top quality live presentations – analogue or digital. Tania has worked with some of the world’s leading trade shows and brands like BMW, Medtronic, Miele, Porsche, Sanofi, Wacom and QVC Germany, Italy and UK.
In 2020 Tania was a finalist in the New York TV & Film Awards and won a Gold Medal at the World Media Awards for her work with Hella, a leading automotive supplier.
Learn more about Chris Brow
As the son of a German mother and an American father, Chris Brow grew up in Germany and in the United States of America. At a young age he learned to know both countries and languages and to mediate between the cultures. So it was obvious that as an 8-year-old he had the big career wish to become a "German U.S. President" one day.
Chris always wanted to make a difference and loved the big show. Fifteen years after his ambitious career wish, he did not go into politics, but completed an apprenticeship as an event manager at a Düsseldorf event agency. Shortly after that, it was clear to him: "I'm going my own way."
So Chris started out on his own as a freelance presenter. U.S. President then became someone else, because Chris prefers to move the masses in his own way.
Thanks to his distinct empathy, the "certain something", his humor and the constant joy of entertainment, he was able to make a name for himself with worldwide clients within a few years. As a "native German and English speaker" and thanks to his multinational background, he is able to present products and messages in both languages in an authentic and lively way.
STAGES
THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE PRINT FUTURE
Later in the day, live sessions and panel discussions will take place on two parallel stages / streams with current content and speakers from the drupa special forums.
drupa cube
touchpoint packaging
touchpoint textile
dna drupa next age
3D fab+print
drupa cube
The drupa Cube aims to offer a wide range of content to motivate, entertain and inform visitors. The content conveyed is intended to keep participants up to date on the key trends and the future of management thinking, digital transformation and, of course, printing technologies.
touchpoint packaging
Experience advanced solutions. Be inspired by visionary concepts. Meet packaging experts to learn more about future challenges and opportunities. The Hot Spot covers different printing technologies and packaging types for different markets and welcomes brand owners, designers, material suppliers, converters and all other packaging industry experts!
touchpoint 3D fab+print
Boosting additive know-how for drupa
With a view to the trade fair's target group, the focus is on applications in printing and paper machine construction as well as applications for media and packaging. The spectrum will range from additive-manufactured machine components, prototyping or on-demand spare parts supply for printing presses to the use of additive processes for the manufacture of individual advertising products and unusual packaging solutions.
touchpoint textile
The textile industry is a supplier and offers cross-sectional technologies for numerous industries. For example, technical textiles are processed as composite materials in high-performance ceramics, play an important role in health care, mobility and see themselves as catalysts in sustainability projects.
The ongoing digitalization and cross-sectional technologies are drivers for innovations. drupa sees itself as a driver and initiator of change in our industry and is helping to shape it. The touchpoint textile brings together companies from different industries and offers space for cross-industry collaboration, new projects and product and manufacturing ideas.
dna - drupa next age
drupa is establishing a new special area: dna - drupa next age, the center of disruptive developments. This is the innovative heart of drupa.
What major challenges await us in the print industry? Industry-established companies present their innovative products and forward-looking ideas here.
Our partners from the special forums and other partners from the drupa network offer an impressive expertise and variety of speakers, topics and events during the four virtual.drupa days. Many speakers and topics have already been confirmed and the programme will be published online at the beginning of March. So you can already plan your personal agenda early.
Our partners are (selection):
VDMA - German Engineering Federation)
epda - European Brand & Packaging Design Association
ESMA - Driving Print Excellence
DITF - German Institutes for Textile + Fibre Research
HdM - Stuttgart Media University
AIPIA - Active & Intelligent Packaging Industry Association
Packaging Europe - Connecting Packaging Technology
Destiny Media
In the Exhibition Space you will find further live sessions, panel discussions, presentations, new product launches, innovations and much more. The content in the Exhibition Space is provided by the approximately 300 exhibitors* participating in virtual.drupa. You can also visit the exhibitors' online showrooms in Exhibition space and easily find products and business contacts in the extensive but well-structured exhibitor area.