it-sa is continuing its growth trajectory in 2026: with 1,005 exhibitors, more than 33,000 trade visitors from over 70 countries and a rise in visitor numbers of around 20 per cent compared with the previous year, the event has shown exceptionally strong growth. Packed halls, in-depth technical discussions and a high level of international interest characterised the three days of the trade fair in Nuremberg. At the same time, the it-sa brand provided a glimpse into the future development of its portfolio from 2027 onwards with the launch of the new it-sa CONFERENCE and the expansion of the event to include Hall 10.
For three days, Nuremberg took centre stage in the international cyber security sector. Vendors, users, public authorities, academia and politicians used the it-sa to exchange views on current threat landscapes, new technologies and effective strategies for greater cyber security. The event highlighted just how great the need is for dialogue, guidance and practical solutions in the face of an increasingly dynamic threat landscape.
“This year’s it-sa has impressively demonstrated the momentum currently being generated by the cyber security market. The strong growth in visitor numbers, the high level of international participation and the fact that, for the first time, there were more than 1,000 exhibitors are a clear indication of the event’s relevance. The quality of the discussions at the stands and in the forums was particularly encouraging. The halls were consistently very well attended, and everywhere you looked, you could see how intensively providers and users were discussing specific challenges and potential solutions. Cyber security is now a strategic issue for business, government and society alike. it-sa brings together the relevant stakeholders and provides the framework for this exchange,” says Thimo Holst, Head of Brand Strategy at it-sa.
Supporting programme: Focus on current threat landscapes and best practices
In 2026, it-sa once again provided an in-depth overview of the issues currently facing businesses, public authorities and organisations. Topics discussed included artificial intelligence, cloud security, digital resilience and the protection of critical infrastructure. The highly topical nature of many of the discussions was evident not least in the critical PHP vulnerabilities that have attracted global attention in recent weeks and once again highlighted the urgent need for action in the field of cyber security.
With six open forums and the accompanying Congress@it-sa, the event offered numerous opportunities to exchange views on current developments, strategic issues and concrete solutions. Specialist presentations, best practices and discussion formats provided visitors with practical insights into current challenges and future developments in cyber security.
On the final day, the special keynote address ‘Cyber Incident Simulation’ by Prof. Dr Marco Gercke provided a particular highlight. Using a simulated cyberattack on a fictional medium-sized company, Gercke illustrated the impact that security incidents can have on organisations and the importance of effective crisis communication and clear decision-making processes in the event of an emergency.
The audience took on the role of the management board of the fictional company and had to make decisions in real time. By a show of hands, the participants voted on matters such as how critically individual incidents should be classified or whether the attackers’ ransom demands in the scenario should be paid. The sometimes divergent voting results clearly illustrated what is often observed in real-life attack scenarios: consensus is not reached immediately. Gercke emphasised that this makes it all the more important to clearly define decision-making processes, responsibilities and courses of action before a security incident occurs.
ATHENE Start-up Award goes to Fuzzware
Once again, a highlight of the trade fair programme was the presentation of the ATHENE Start-up Award UP26@it-sa. This year, the award for the best cyber security start-up in the DACH region went to Fuzzware from Bochum. The company won the live pitch competition in front of an industry audience and a panel of judges, securing first place and prize money of 7,500 euros – sponsored by Deutsche Telekom Security GmbH.
Fuzzware impressed with an innovative solution for security testing of embedded systems. The technology enables the fuzzing of complete firmware systems without physical hardware and is based on an in-depth analysis of the binary code. In doing so, the start-up is helping to identify vulnerabilities in embedded software at an early stage.
Second place went to Complioty from Munich with a platform for compliance with the Cyber Resilience Act in the mechanical engineering sector. RedCastle from Heubach came third with an AI-powered Security Operations Centre for medium-sized enterprises.
New impetus for the it-sa brand
With the first-ever ‘Cyber thought leaders dialogue’, the it-sa brand unveiled the new it-sa CONFERENCE on the first day of the trade fair. The event brought together leading figures from politics, public administration and cyber security, including Marcus König, Lord Mayor of Nuremberg; Sandro Kirchner, State Secretary at the Bavarian State Ministry of the Interior, Sport and Integration; Barbara Kluge, Deputy Head of the Cyber and Information Security Department at the Federal Ministry of the Interior; and Heli Tiirmaa-Klaar, Chair of the Steering Group of the IT Coalition of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group.
In doing so, it-sa provided a preview of its future portfolio, comprising the three pillars: it-sa EXPO, it-sa CONFERENCE and it-sa 365. Together, they combine the trade fair experience, strategic dialogue and year-round networking within the cyber security community.
The event is also continuing to expand on-site: due to high demand and the fact that all available exhibition space is fully booked, the it-sa EXPO will be expanded to include Hall 10 in 2027 and will comprise six exhibition halls in future.
At the same time, the it-sa brand is also refining its visual identity. From 2027, it will be presented in a new look that will reflect the interplay between it-sa EXPO, it-sa CONFERENCE and it-sa 365 even more clearly in future.
Outlook for 2027 and Digital Recap
The next it-sa EXPO will take place from 5 to 7 October 2027 at the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre.
The it-sa CONFERENCE will complement the it-sa EXPO on the first two days of the fair – from 5 to 6 October 2027.
Don’t miss the Digital Recap on 19 November 2026 on the it-sa 365 platform.