Germany's largest annual data and AI festival in Münster, bringing together 10,000+ participants across six stages, 80+ masterclasses, a large exhibitor floor, and live performances for a two-day immersive programme on data strategy, AI adoption, and digital innovation.
data:unplugged Festival is Germany's largest event in the data and AI space, organised by Datenbusiness GmbH and running annually at MCC Halle Münsterland in Münster. The festival format distinguishes it from conventional conferences: six parallel stages, 200+ speakers, 250+ exhibitors, 80+ masterclasses, guided tours, roundtables, and live music (SIDO performed at the 2026 edition). The programme spans AI strategy, data governance, digital transformation, and AI ethics, with a mix of enterprise executives, public intellectuals, and cultural figures on stage.
The festival's German-language public intellectual dimension is rare in the European AI conference landscape. Speakers like Sascha Lobo (technology critic) and Markus Lanz (TV presenter) sit alongside DeepL's CEO and AI founders, creating a programme that bridges the technology and culture debate in a way that speaks to German-speaking enterprise audiences. Live music and 40+ side events make it a social as well as professional event.
Six parallel stages host sessions across:
Six stages (Violet, Green, Data, Dialog, Tomorrow, Mittelstands Blazer Stage) run simultaneously, with 80+ masterclasses, guided tours, roundtables, and 40+ side events. A large exhibitor floor with 250+ exhibitors runs throughout. Live music and social events are integrated into the festival format.
The 2026 edition featured:
Both. The festival runs sessions in German and English. German-language content is more prominent given the DACH enterprise audience, but international speakers present in English.
Both, but with a heavier DACH enterprise and generalist orientation than a pure technical conference. The festival format means attendees from marketing, HR, finance, and leadership positions attend alongside data engineers and AI practitioners.
Yes. d:u Deep Dive Berlin is a separate one-day event format, held in 2026 at Kraftwerk Berlin (June 11). Check the official website for 2027 Berlin dates.
MCC Halle Münsterland is Münster's main congress and events centre, located at Albersloher Weg 32. The multi-hall complex accommodates large events with simultaneous tracks and a substantial exhibition floor. Münster is accessible by ICE rail from Cologne (90 min), Dortmund (45 min), and Hannover (90 min), and has a regional airport (Münster Osnabrück Airport, FMO).
Datenbusiness GmbH is a Münster-based event company that created and operates data:unplugged Festival, growing it from a regional data conference into Germany's largest AI and data event. The company also operates d:u Deep Dive Berlin as a satellite format, and maintains an English-language content presence via the data-unplugged.de editorial platform.
data:unplugged is the DACH market's dominant annual AI and data event by attendance, offering unmatched access to the German-speaking enterprise AI community in a festival format that is distinct from both the corporate conference circuit and the academic AI calendar.
Tickets are available via Paylogic and Eventbrite; check data-unplugged.de for the 2027 registration link. Group passes are available. Pricing for 2027 was not yet disclosed at time of verification.
The scale (10,000+ participants) and festival format create extensive informal networking alongside 40+ organised side events. The exhibitor floor with 250+ companies facilitates business development across two days.
Münster Hauptbahnhof is served by ICE and IC trains from Cologne, Dortmund, and Hannover. Regional train connections to Amsterdam and other European cities are available with transfers. Münster Osnabrück Airport (FMO) offers domestic and limited European connections.
Yes. The main festival runs across two consecutive days at MCC Halle Münsterland. The d:u Deep Dive Berlin (held separately in summer) is a one-day format.
Yes. Over 250 companies exhibited in 2026. Contact Datenbusiness GmbH via hey@data-unplugged.de for exhibitor and sponsorship enquiries.
| Official website | https://www.data-unplugged.de/ |
| https://www.instagram.com/dataunplugged/ | |
| Contact | hey@data-unplugged.de |