Offering a different perspective on the industry, start-ups including S2data, aioneers Technologies, Battery Sphere, Bnewable, Certivity, CompActive, Compredict, FRYTE Mobility, Hybrid Lidar Systems, Manex AI, Rabot Energy DE, and Sono Motors showcased themselves at the Mobility Innovation Summit 2026 with their own exhibition spaces.

On their dedicated stage, they also had the opportunity to present their ideas and innovations through engaging pitches.

A particularly positive development: even more start-ups participated in MINS this year than in the previous edition, further strengthening the exchange between emerging innovators and established industry players. This kind of collaboration is essential for fostering future-ready innovation and ensuring that the automotive industry remains a driving force for progress.

In 2026, the keynote speeches and panel discussions focused primarily on the transformation of supply chains and the rise of the Software-Defined Vehicle.

In times of global conflict and a rapidly evolving world economy, the automotive industry in particular faces major challenges due to its highly complex supply chains. Across the sessions, participants discussed how supply chains can become more resilient and which political frameworks are necessary to respond effectively to current developments.

Policymakers, for example, need to avoid duplicate regulation and create incentives that enable innovation and practical implementation—thereby supporting economic momentum, growth, and employment.

Software-Defined Vehicles had already been a key topic in the previous year and continued to shape discussions throughout the Mobility Innovation Summit 2026. Topics such as AI, autonomous driving, and software infrastructure were at the center of many conversations. German manufacturers remain among the global leaders in the development of these technologies.