An invitation-only, single-day summit in Munich bringing together senior executives from European manufacturing companies to address AI deployment across R&D, production, and supply chain. Co-hosted by three European industrial AI scale-ups (SPREAD AI, Ethon AI, Pelico), with support from the EU AI Champions Initiative and General Catalyst. Now in its second edition.
Industrial AI Summit Munich (INAI 2026) is an invitation-only, single-day summit focused on the application of artificial intelligence in manufacturing and industrial operations. It is co-hosted by three European industrial AI companies: SPREAD AI (Germany), Ethon AI (Switzerland, also written "EthonAI"), and Pelico (France). The second edition takes place on 8 October 2026 at Bergson Kunstkraftwerk in Munich. The event is associated with the EU AI Champions Initiative, described on the event website as chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and the investment firm General Catalyst. Attendance is estimated at approximately 150 according to the organiser, with participation restricted to invited senior executives. Registration is managed via Luma (luma.com/event/evt-Illeu7wfjCe4xB3).
The confirmed programme outline for 8 October 2026 runs from 09:30 to approximately 18:00:
As of 9 June 2026, most speakers for the 2026 edition were listed as "to be announced." Past speakers from the 2025 first edition include Eva Maydell (MEP, EU Chips Act and AI Act lead negotiator), Prof. Dr. Torbjørn Netland (ETH Zurich, Chair of Production and Operations Management), Vendeline von Bredow (The Economist, Senior Germany Correspondent), Sarah Engel (Head of AI, TRUMPF), Jonathan Barry (Director of Policy, Mila, Yoshua Bengio's institute), Jeffrey F. Hojlo (Research VP, IDC Manufacturing Insights), Robin Dechant (Partner, General Catalyst), Sébastien Bey (CIO, Siemens Smart Infrastructure), Alexander Dierolf (Head of Data Intelligence and Automation, Siemens), Frank Ortmann (Delivery Manager, Volkswagen MEB platform), Torsten Kroeger (Chief Science Officer, Intrinsic / Alphabet), and the co-founders of Ethon AI, SPREAD AI, and Pelico.
The Industrial AI Summit Munich occupies a specific and narrow position: an invitation-only executive gathering focused exclusively on manufacturing and industrial AI in Europe, held in Munich in October. Munich is a natural anchor for this audience: it is home to BMW, MAN, Siemens, and a dense network of engineering and automotive supply-chain companies. The event sits adjacent to broader enterprise AI events (including the Enterprise AI Summit Munich, EI-06792) but differentiates on sector specificity (manufacturing, R&D, supply chain, OT/IT convergence) and the invitation-only access model. The EU AI Champions Initiative connection links it to a broader European policy and investment network.
Attendance is by invitation only, targeting CxOs and senior decision makers from European industrial companies. Past attendee company logos visible on the event website include Siemens, BASF, Volkswagen, Lindt, and SFS Group, among others. The event also draws policy actors (MEPs), academic researchers (ETH Zurich), and investors (General Catalyst). According to the organiser, approximately 150 participants attend. The audience spans automotive, machinery, chemicals, food manufacturing, aerospace, and defense sectors, based on past attendee affiliations.
The event is a single-day summit with a structured programme of keynotes, panels, and working sessions, interspersed with a 90-minute networking lunch and a closing apéro. There is no exhibition floor. The format is deliberately small-scale and curated, in contrast to trade events. Sessions are designed for executive exchange rather than product demonstrations. Registration is handled through Luma, requiring an application or invitation rather than open ticket purchase.
The event focuses exclusively on AI in manufacturing and industrial operations:
AI deployment in manufacturing: AI applications across R&D (requirements engineering, product data analysis), production (quality control, predictive maintenance, process optimisation), and supply chain (orchestration, demand planning, disruption response).
European industrial competitiveness: The impact of AI on European manufacturing capacity, the regulatory environment (EU AI Act as applied to industrial systems), and the strategic implications for OEMs and their supply chains.
Scaling AI beyond pilots: The challenge of moving from successful local AI deployments to enterprise-wide programmes, including organisational change, data infrastructure, and vendor selection.
OT/IT convergence: The integration of operational technology (factory floor systems) with information technology (enterprise data platforms), a foundational challenge for industrial AI deployment.
Industry 4.0 and beyond: Autonomous systems, digital twins, robotics, and their intersection with modern AI approaches.
The EU AI Champions Initiative is described on the event website as chaired by French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, and General Catalyst (a US-based venture capital firm). Its purpose is to support European AI companies and industrial adoption. The Industrial AI Summit Munich is listed as an event held "as part of" this initiative, providing an institutional and policy frame for the gathering. The Initiative itself is an emerging structure and its governance is not described in detail on the event website.
The event is not open to the general public or to professionals without an invitation. It is not designed for software engineers, data scientists, AI researchers from academia, or startups in consumer or services sectors. Suppliers and solution providers without existing enterprise customer relationships in European manufacturing are unlikely to receive invitations based on the curated attendee model described.
No affiliation with other "Industrial AI" branded events has been stated. The event is produced solely by SPREAD AI, Ethon AI, and Pelico. It is not part of a larger conference series.
Bergson Kunstkraftwerk (full address: Am Bergson Kunstkraftwerk 2, 81245 Munich) is a cultural and events venue set inside a restored historic power station in the Aubing-Lochhausen-Langwied district of western Munich. The space combines industrial architecture with contemporary design and is used for conferences, exhibitions, and cultural events. From Munich Central Station (Hbf), the venue is approximately 20 minutes by taxi or 30 minutes by public transport (S-Bahn S3 to Langwied, then 10 minutes by taxi or e-scooter). From Munich Airport, travel time is approximately 40–45 minutes by taxi or 60–70 minutes by public transport. Parking is available on site and nearby. Nearby hotels include the ARRIVEL Hotel am Bergson (5 minutes by taxi), Hotel Gästehaus Forum am Westkreuz (9 minutes), Amber Econtel München (9 minutes), and Hotel Imperial (14 minutes).
The event is co-hosted by three industrial AI scale-up companies:
SPREAD AI (Germany, spread.ai): Founded by Philipp Noll and Robert Göbel. Provides an Engineering Intelligence platform for manufacturers to use product data and AI to manage product complexity. Customers include automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers. Headquartered in Berlin. ISO 27001, SOC 2, and TISAX certified.
Ethon AI (Switzerland, ethon.ai): Co-founded by Julian Senoner (CEO, PhD from ETH Zurich). Provides industrial AI software focused on quality and production analytics. Customers include Siemens, Bosch, and Roche. Backed by General Catalyst and Index Ventures. Forbes 30 Under 30 (2022) recognition for the founder.
Pelico (France, pelico.ai): Co-founded by Tarik Benabdallah (CEO). Provides an AI platform for supply chain orchestration in global manufacturing. Customers include Airbus, Safran, Eaton, and Daikin. Backed by General Catalyst, 83North, and Serena.
The page is hosted on SPREAD AI's domain (start.spread.ai). General Catalyst is listed as a supporting organisation.
An invitation-only event co-produced by three European industrial AI scale-ups, using the EU AI Champions Initiative as a legitimising frame for a CxO gathering in manufacturing.
The event is invitation-only. Registration is managed through Luma at the URL https://luma.com/event/evt-Illeu7wfjCe4xB3. Upon confirmed registration, an event pass is delivered by email. No ticket price is published. Participation is contingent on receiving or requesting an invitation. The event page states: "Upon confirmation of your registration, your official event pass will be delivered directly to the email address provided."
The event is described as invitation-only for senior executives from European manufacturing companies. The Luma registration page (https://luma.com/event/evt-Illeu7wfjCe4xB3) is the access point; whether this functions as an open application or requires a prior invitation from one of the co-hosts is not specified on the website.
No ticket price is published. Invitation-only events of this type are typically either free (cost borne by sponsors) or selectively priced for delegates. The event page does not address pricing.
No hybrid or virtual attendance option is mentioned on the event website. The format appears to be in-person only.
| Official website | https://start.spread.ai/industrial-ai-summit |
| Register | https://luma.com/event/evt-Illeu7wfjCe4xB3 |
| Programme (2026 preview) | https://start.spread.ai/industrial-ai-summit#agenda |
| SPREAD AI website | https://www.spread.ai |
| Ethon AI website | https://ethon.ai |
| Pelico website | https://www.pelico.ai |