View of the main stage: Herocon took place on June 12th and 13th at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund. (Photo: © Herocon)
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July 2026
Herocon 2026 attracted around 2.500 visitors, including 1.500 craftsmen, to Dortmund and established itself as an important exchange platform for the crafts sector.
The conclusion at the end of the two-day event surrounding Herocon on June 12th and 13th, 2026, was overwhelmingly positive for only the second edition. Organizer Niklas Palme praised the engaging and informative exchange and was delighted with the approximately 1.500 tradespeople and over 1.000 students and apprentices in attendance – a significant increase compared to the previous year. Guests like Oliver Kahn, who drew parallels between skilled trades and professional football, particularly regarding team spirit and leadership, also contributed to the event's success.
The program was implemented across four floors and several stages. A total of 115 sessions were presented by 97 speakers on topics such as digitalization, artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, marketing, employer branding, communication, inclusion, employee retention, and parental leave and maternity protection. Well-known influencers in the skilled trades, such as Jule Rombey, Sandra Hunke, and Ben Berger, participated.
The newly established "Vocational Training Experience," a collaborative effort between the Dortmund Chamber of Skilled Crafts , the Dortmund Chamber of Industry and Commerce , the Dortmund Employment Agency , and the Dortmund District Association of Skilled Crafts, offered insights into numerous apprenticeship trades. Over 1.000 students explored career paths in the "Apprentice Arena." Companies such as the start-up BauByte , the police, neomatt, and Metallorigamer presented diverse career options within the skilled trades.
At the Herocon Startup Pitch, five startups presented their innovations to a jury and audience. BauByte received an award for its AI-based digital facade measurement system . A special prize was awarded to the team from werkAI , a student-run company that was invited to Herocon 2027. Speaker Michael Heitkötter received the Speaker Award for the first time for his workshop on visual, AI-supported solutions.
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Herocon saw a doubling of attendees compared to its premiere and plans to continue the format. The next event is scheduled for June 4th and 5th, 2027, again at Signal Iduna Park in Dortmund . Tickets are available at hero-con.de/tickets.
Herocon sees itself as a platform for exchange, networking, and further education in the skilled trades , focusing on practical topics such as automation, artificial intelligence, and growth. It was launched by HERO Software in May 2025.
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