Jan Kubata, CEO of BVV Trade Fairs Brno, outlines BVV’s 2026 strategy to transform trade fairs from mere technology showcases into venues where real business deals and collaborations are forged. He details AMPER’s evolution, collaboration with industry experts, and new formats aimed at attracting decision-makers. He also discusses MSV’s connection with the Manager of the Year award, the return of the Gold Medals in a new form, and the BVV Living Lab project guidelines.
In 2026, AMPER, the international electrical engineering, electronics and energy trade fair, will be held under the direct management of Trade Fairs Brno for the first time. What specific improvements will you offer exhibitors and visitors compared with previous editions?
We aim to position AMPER primarily as a meeting place for people who have real authority to make business decisions. The entire concept of the event is being adapted to serve this purpose. We have created a strong professional programme that explores topics in depth while addressing current challenges in energy, digital transformation and automation. We are also introducing emerging themes such as cybersecurity, smart technologies, e-mobility and drone technology. In addition, we are significantly strengthening cooperation with industry experts. Our goal is to co-create the programme with those who genuinely shape the sector’s future. At the same time, we are securing the participation of prominent figures from business and government, whose presence will underline the importance of these topics and open up opportunities for strategic dialogue.
The international AMPER trade fair at the Brno Exhibition Centre.
MSV, a key industrial platform for engineering and manufacturing technologies, will take place from 6 to 9 October this year. How will you turn digitalisation, energy and industrial security into specific contracts and partnerships through your programme and business formats?
We aim to create an environment that facilitates real business decisions. We want the trade fair to bring together people who have the power to invest and form partnerships. We therefore focus on organised networking, the involvement of major industry players, and formats that naturally connect technological solutions with companies’ specific needs. We see digitalisation, the energy transition and industrial security as areas in which companies are currently facing crucial investment decisions. MSV should be a place where they do not merely survey available solutions but also find suitable partners and the strategic insight needed to actually implement their projects.
Manager of the Year, a prestigious Czech management competition, is combining its awards ceremony and gala evening with MSV at the Brno Exhibition Centre. Why did you choose this combination, and what role do you want BVV to play as a place where business meets the public sector?
Linking Manager of the Year with MSV naturally strengthens the role of the Brno Exhibition Centre as a meeting place for senior business leaders. BVV serves here as a neutral and credible platform for discussions on industrial policy, investment and export support. This year’s programme will also feature the MSV Gold Medals, returning in a redesigned, innovative format focused on tangible benefits for industry. These awards will recognise specific solutions that genuinely improve companies’ efficiency, competitiveness and technological advancement.
Regarding the BVV Living Lab initiative, which you describe as a permanent “living laboratory” for innovation at the exhibition centre, how will you set the rules for pilot testing so that companies obtain measurable data and a clear path to scaling up?
We are developing the BVV Living Lab as a professionally managed testing environment, not merely a showcase without defined rules. Every pilot has specific objectives, measurable success indicators, a timeline and an evaluation methodology. The Brno Exhibition Centre itself offers a major advantage: it operates as a contained yet highly diverse ecosystem. We have administrative buildings, pavilions with different operating patterns, energy systems and logistics all in one place. This makes it possible to test technologies under real operating conditions in a controlled environment where data can be accurately monitored and results evaluated.
