ABOUT THE FORUM

BEYOND 2026, the leading international exhibition for technology and innovation in Southeastern Europe, returns with a central theme: Fractures. In a world where technology is no longer merely a tool for progress but a field of confrontation, conflict, and strategic power, BEYOND opens the dialogue on how the concept of power is being redefined in the digital era.

Today’s “fault lines” are digital, geopolitical, social, and ethical. They arise from unequal access to technology, differences in the pace of innovation, divergences between national strategies, and conflicting values surrounding artificial intelligence, personal data, and the role of institutions. Fractures are drawn between states and corporations, between algorithms and people, between startups and multinationals, between code and politics.

BEYOND 2026 does not seek to celebrate technology for technology’s sake. It aims to place it at the center of the global dialogue about the future of power, sovereignty, and collective progress. The theme Fractures calls on governments, businesses, organizations, scientists, and citizens to recognize the divisions forming around us and to seek ways to bridge them creatively and responsibly.

Through a multi-layered exhibition and conference program, BEYOND 2026 will focus on the most critical technological trends of our time:

• The integration of AI into work and everyday life
• The emerging importance of cybersecurity and defense
• The digitalization of the public sector and governance
• ESG applications for resilient and sustainable societies
• Innovation emerging “from below,” through startups and spin-offs

The BEYOND 2026 conference will serve as a hub for analysis, debate, and strategic dialogue, bringing together visionaries, decision-makers, and pioneers from around the world. Its thematic pillars will highlight how cutting-edge technologies can either serve as catalysts for fair societies or as tools for the concentration of power—depending on who controls them, how they are designed, and whom they serve.

The addition of the Defense and Technological Sovereignty theme represents a necessary expansion of the dialogue. In an era where security depends not only on military means but also on digital networks, critical infrastructure, and information management, BEYOND 2026 opens the discussion on dual-use technologies, cyber sovereignty, and the geopolitical implications of digital platforms.

Fractures are here to challenge us, not to frighten us. They are cracks that reveal our weaknesses, but also pathways that can lead to new models of collaboration, innovation, and resistance to outdated systems. BEYOND 2026, under the title Fractures, is a call to thought, action, and connection in an era of radical transformation.

In a changing world, BEYOND invites the bold to take a stand on the fractures. Not to choose sides, but to build new bridges.

BEYOND AI FORUM 2026

BEYOND hosts an interactive technology forum featuring:

• Speakers from Big Tech, institutional bodies, academic institutions, and governments
• Presentation of research and strategic AI applications in critical sectors: defense, politics, security, economy
• International political dialogue on Europe’s sovereignty in the age of algorithms
• A network of decision-makers, investors, startups, and policymakers

FORUM MAIN THEMES

• Al for SMEs
• Smart Governance
• Intelligent Work
• Sustainable Futures
• Ethics & Trust
• BioTech Fusion
• Space Tech
• Next-Gen Innovation
• Secure Tech