+++ MACHN FESTIVAL +++ MARKETING +++ BUSINESS FESTIVAL +++ INNOVATION +++ MACHN FESTIVAL +++ LEADERSHIP

+++ 03-04 JUNE 2026 +++ LEIPZIG +++ 03-04 JUNE 2026 +++ LEIPZIG

MACHN meets
Business, meets technology, meets art and culture.

In 60 seconds: What you should know about MACHN26

MACHN is a two-day business festival in Leipzig's Baumwollspinnerei for people who want to rethink marketing, leadership and innovation in Eastern Germany.

Who is MACHN for?

For employees from SMEs, start-ups, corporates, agencies, public administration and science who want to learn, network, and make their job a little better.

What do you actually get?

  • 100+ Sessions with keynotes, panels, workshops and barcamp
  • 70+ speakers from business, tech, science & the creative scene
  • Expo for partner companies, day and evening programme with music and art exhibitions
  • AI Barcamp in which the participants spontaneously design the programme around AI themselves, for real exchange at eye level

When & where?

03-04 June 2026 - Leipziger Baumwollspinnerei - approx. 2,500 participants.

How much does a ticket cost?

  • Festival ticket from € 199
  • Business ticket with catering & speaker lounge from € 499
  • Entrepreneur-Education-Ticket from 49 €
  • Ticket bundle options for 5 or 10 tickets
Get your tickets here!
Here's the programme

+ 70 Speaker

+ 2.500 Participants

+ 100 Sessions

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The MACHN Festival unites interdisciplinary exchange between business, technology, arts and culture in a unique environment in Leipzig.

Practical content, that encourage MACHINE offer solutions for employees in an SME or start-up environment.

As the largest hub for innovation in Eastern Germany , MACHN offers visibility for brands, talent and capital for new ideas.

At MACHN, students, professionals, founders, C-levels and entrepreneurs meet at eye level.

Focus on quality and inspiration: Talks and workshops offer professional training and are specially selected to meet the needs of SMEs in Eastern Germany.

Real connections instead of mass events: The personal and informal atmosphere encourages deeper conversations and lasting networks.. Numerous networking opportunities with other companies, professionals and industry experts will help you take your business to the next level.

The MACHN Festival programme is as diverse and colourful as the region itself.

Key focus areas: Management & Business Development | Digital Marketing, Strategy & PR | Automation, Robotics & Sustainable Innovation.

MACHN also offers a platform for traditional brands from Eastern Germany, as well as educational and social topics.

#together MACHN for SMEs... for start-ups... for the East... MACHN

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Speaker 2026

Dr Anastasia Kārkliņa Gabriel

Anastasia Kārkliņa Gabriel

Cultural Intelligence Advisor & Author
ex-Reddit

Serial Entrepreneur, Co-Founder, Author. Blinkist, New Narratives, Karma Capital

Sebastian Klein

Serial Entrepreneur
New Narratives | Karma Capital | Blinkist

Antje von Dewitz, CEO of the outdoor brand VAUDE

Antje von Dewitz

CEO 
VAUDE

Udbhav Tiwari is the VP of Strategy and Global Affairs at Signal

Udbhav Tiwari

VP, Strategy & Global Affairs
Signal

Daniel is a space entrepreneur with the aim to enable a sustainable and safe future of our planet Earth by seeking new ventures and continuously pushing the boundaries.

Daniel Bock

CTO & Co-Founder
Morpheus Space

Stina Ehrensvard is a Swedish-American entrepreneur and industrial designer who co-founded Yubico

Stina Ehrensvärd

Founder & Chair
Yubico | SIROS Foundation

Marcel Claus-Ahrens is n8n Ambassador, automation expert and SaaS founder.

Marcel Claus-Ahrens

n8n Ambassador
aicellence

Erika Wykes-Sneyd is a visionary brand architect and Global CMO operating at the intersection of culture, commerce, and emerging technology.

Erika Wykes-Sneyd

CMO & Board Member

Maike Riedel is an AI coach & keynote speaker for generative AI in companies.

Maike Riedel

AI Coach

Luca Piwodda has been mayor of the small town of Gartz (Oder) in north-east Brandenburg since 2024.

Luca Piwodda

Mayor
Gartz (Oder)

Janine Liu, Marketing Lead DACH, NOTHING TECHNOLOGY LIMITED

Janine Liu

Marketing Lead DACH
NOTHING TECHNOLOGY Ltd

Jakob Springfeld, activist, author, student from Zwickau

Jakob Springfeld

Activist & Author
Student

Justus Geilhufe is a pastor in the parish of Freiberg, author and podcast host.

Justus Geilhufe

Pastor
Freiberg parish

Dr Marie Luise Schreiter

Neuroscientist
MPI for Biological Cybernetics

Robert Kuhne

Founder & CEO
TAG24 NEWS

Skadi Berger is the managing director of Wiewald GmbH

Skadi Berger

Managing Director
Wiewald GmbH

Anna Förster is a project manager at SPRIND, driving innovation in the public sector.

Anna Förster

Project manager
SPRIN-D

Arne Petersen is a designer and entrepreneur dedicated to freedom, openness and change. As Head of Design at SPRIND, he leads design for the EUDI Wallet project.

Arne Petersen

Head of Design
SPRIN-D

Nathalie Jean-Baptiste is an urbanist and social entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience working at the intersection of cities, social equity, and development.

Dr Nathalie Jean-Baptiste

Urbanist & Social Entrepreneur
Independent

Marco Krebs is Growth Manager at Ignite Next, a European deep tech accelerator helping startups scale from Seed to Series A and beyond.

Marco Krebs

Growth Manager
Ignite Next

Marko Uhlig

Managing Director
Zinnwald Lithium

Eva Luft

Project Manager
Infineon

Jörg G. Fieback

CEO & Co-Founder
zebra | group

I'm Maren, a Key Account Manager at pme Familienservice – and at the same time, a passionate advocate for mental and physical balance.

Maren Janofske

Key Account Manager
pme Family Service

AI Barcamp

How is AI changing our work, our society and our creativity?

More about the AI Barcamp

See who's in

Welcome to Mindance – your online workspace for mental health!
Oberueber Karger
DSLAM, the IT Slam for IT pros and everyday folk.
Saxon State Prize for Design
Oberueber Karger
Logo WIELAND MEDiEN 2025

Tickets

Festival Ticket

2-day programme incl. keynotes, workshops, exhibition, Startup Village & Barcamp

199,00 €

Buy tickets

Business Ticket

2-day programme including keynotes, workshops, exhibition & AI unconference, as well as catering & access to the business lounge

499,00 €

Buy tickets

Networking Ticket

Valid from 5:00 PM incl. Keynotes, DSLAM, Entertainment programme, Aftershow, Networking

 

25,00 €

Buy tickets
All ticket options

Festival Ticket

MACHN26

2-day programme incl. keynotes, workshops, exhibition, Startup Village & Barcamp

199,00 €

Buy tickets

Business Ticket

MACHN26

2-day programme incl. keynotes, workshops, exhibition, Startup Village & Barcamp, as well as catering & access to the speaker lounge

499,00 €

Buy tickets

What the other say

The MACHN Festival shows that East Germany is doing more. And that's what it needs! A unique platform for inspiration, exchange and courage. Places like this are so incredibly important for the future of our country.
Fränzi Kühne
Fränzi KühneEntrepreneur, author
The MACHN Festival inspires with its exciting contrasts of business, tech and art. A place where the real future is created. It was there that I met Max Mundhenke, an AI enthusiast who showed what is possible when curiosity meets expertise. At EWERK, we use precisely this spirit to bring AI safely and locally to critical infrastructures. It clicked immediately. This is magic that I love, that I seek.
Anne-Sophie Hildebrandt
Anne-Sophie HildebrandtDirector of EWERK Digital GmbH
For me, MACHN is a rebellion in Sunday clothes between the romance of bricks and the twittering of birds. A chaos in orderly paths that teaches all participants that an old soul can also shine in neon light. In short, a relaxed journey between art, business and tech.
Christian is Senior Director Innovation Strategy at SAP
Christian WehnerSenior Director at SAP
Just "do it": When business meets tech and art in Leipzig. What an inspiring, varied and warm-hearted two days it was at the MACHN Festival in Leipzig.
Juliane Superka
Juliane SuperkaFounder & owner of jucreation
The MACHN Festival is a super-awesome event. Great location, great stage and lots of open and enthusiastic people!
Tristan Horx
Tristan HorxFuturologist, author
#MACHN is like wanting. Only more awesome! The last few days have been incredibly cool, exceptionally inspiring and fucking amazing: I've met so many new people. There are some crazy personalities, doers and makers as well as people. I will be intensifying my contacts with many of them over the next few days. Thanks for the cool time!
Carlo Winkler
Carlo WinklerMarketing enthusiast
Highlight of the week: MACHN Festival! Even though the festival is called "MACHN", it was a good excuse for me to procrastinate for two days, go with the flow and meet fascinating people.
Michéle Tille
Michéle TilleFounder of CYNiO
This is the first time we have been so active at MACHN and it's worth it! Especially in the #LifeScience area, things are really moving forward.
Frank Tappert
Frank TappertManaging Director of SBG - Sächsische Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH
I am delighted: MACHN has now developed into a 'class reunion'. Our new stage format, in which Ronny Wangelin from voor GmbH spoke authentically about the #BusinessAngel bonus, has made the support programme more tangible. Conclusion: More MACHN!
Anja Wohlgethan
Anja WohlgethanSAB start-up consultant
Simply #MACHN! State Secretary Thomas Kralinski put it like this: Talents, technologies and tolerance are needed to move a society forward. I can only agree with that. And that's exactly what you found at the festival in a potpourri of exciting keynotes, practical workshops and motivating seminars.
Marco Schnell
Marco SchnellConnecting Business Angels with Startups
No more talking, it's time to MACHN! I've just wrapped up two phenomenal days at the MACHN Festival surrounded by a dynamic mix of companies, founders, startups, developers, creatives, institutions, and projects from all over Central Germany. Held at the iconic Leipziger Baumwollspinnerei, the event combined professional development with a vibrant cultural experience, creating a vibrant backdrop for the exchange.
Kamila Sultanova
Kamila SultanovaGenAl & MLOps Engineer
As a partner and service provider, we are enthusiastic about the MACHN Festival. A young, dynamic and creative team that impresses with its openness and fresh ideas. The festival goes far beyond the event itself and has already generated numerous valuable partnerships, projects and contacts. MACHN actively supports start-ups, which not only benefits the city, but also many young entrepreneurs and creatives. It is impressive to experience this commitment - it is informative, inspiring and simply fun.
Benjamin Fleischer
Benjamin FleischerLocation management at Stadtbild Werbegesellschaft mbH
I have had the pleasure of working as an event organiser at the MACHN Festival for three years now and I hope there will be more to come. A great, attentive and engaging organisation, a friendly team and a large and enthusiastic audience always make these days a very special cross in my calendar!
Gottfried Haufe
Gottfried HaufeEvent moderator & author

And otherwise so ?

MACHN Merchandise

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