Highlights from Advanced Factories 2026

The leading event in automation, AI, industrial robotics, and Industry 4.0 brought together 34,657 industrial professionals, 758 exhibiting companies, and 432 international experts from May 5th to 7th at Fira Barcelona

Once again, the industry of the future gathered in Barcelona for what became a historic tenth edition of Advanced Factories. The event was defined by cutting-edge technologies, top-tier talent, and the unwavering commitment of a forward-thinking industrial community determined to drive the transformation of the sector. For three days, Advanced Factories 2026 reaffirmed its position as the premier meeting point for executives, engineers, plant managers, IT/OT experts, COOs, CIOs, business unit directors, production managers, and professionals from across the entire industrial value chain in Southern Europe.

An exhibition area where real-world challenges met next-gen solutions

With the participation of 758 exhibiting companies, the exhibition showcased 1,419 solutions in automation, collaborative robotics, AI applied to industry, additive manufacturing, data analytics, machine vision, industrial software, cybersecurity, sensors, IoT, and energy efficiency, among others. It was a comprehensive showcase for all manufacturing sectors.

The most advanced innovations met the real needs of the industry—from process automation to the integration of sustainable technologies, and the optimization of production through real-time data.

436 International Experts at the Industry 4.0 Congress and 217 Real-World Industrial Case Studies

The Industry 4.0 Congress established itself as the largest European congress on industrial digitalization—a space where 436 national and international speakers shared strategies, real-life use cases, and industrial experiences.

Among them, 217 industrial case studies stood out, presented by leading experts such as Javier Vila Diego de Nissan Motor Corporation, Frank Maurer de Boehringer Ingelheim, Belén Brunet de Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, Aloña Auzmendi de Gestamp, Alberto de los Ojos de Horse, Laura Barquin de Michelin, Jerome Engel de UC Berkeley, Fermín Rodríguez de Eurofragance, Ángel Matesanz de Stellantis, Fran Cardona de Michelin, Rafael Morgade de Navantia, Emilio Anglés de Mars, Sergio Vega de Faccsa Prolongo, Pol Salvadó de Almirall, Roland Fadrany de GAIA-X, Álvaro Camiña de Mahou San Miguel y Emanuel Pupello de Volkswagen, among many other industry leaders who shared their insights and visions for the present and future of manufacturing.

The Industry 4.0 Congress featured a comprehensive program of vertical forums and professional agendas, tailored to the key challenges and innovation strategies across the industrial sector.

An Ecosystem Driving the Industry of the Future

In addition to the exhibition area and the Industry 4.0 Congress, Advanced Factories 2026 hosted high-level networking activities such as the Leadership Summit, the Factories of the Future Awards 2026, the CEO’s Summit, the Plant Managers Summit, the CIOs Summit, and the Industry Startup Forum. These events provided unique opportunities to create strategic connections and share experiences among the sector’s top leaders.

In parallel, initiatives such as the Talent Marketplace brought the event closer to new generations of professionals, connecting companies with young talent specialized in engineering, automation, robotics, and digital technologies. This space was essential for ensuring generational renewal and strengthening the industrial ecosystem from its foundations.

Advanced Factories 2026 has once again proven to be an active and committed industrial community, a true collaborative ecosystem where each edition helps accelerate the transformation of the productive sector toward more sustainable, efficient, intelligent, and human-centered models.