Nevertheless, the new Stuttgart IT trade show does not seek comparison with the major IT exhibitions. “We have never seen ourselves as being in direct competition with Systems or CeBIT. Even so, especially now, we are noticing that our trade-show concept is being well received—precisely because we focus exclusively on e-business for south-western Germany,” said Jürgen Haußmann, managing director of organiser BITexpo GmbH.
The end of Systems was regrettable, he said, including for the many exhibitors that had remained loyal to the show until the end. Companies offering IT solutions that require extensive consultation were now looking for a new platform, Haußmann explained. BITexpo was well positioned to serve them because it aimed to present IT in an easily understandable way. “A confused customer is reluctant to buy. At BITexpo, exhibitors should be able to explain their IT solutions and trade visitors should feel that they have received good advice. That does not always work optimally at large IT exhibitions where several product areas overlap,” the organiser said.
Niche trade show defies the trend towards displacement
According to many media reports, competition with CeBIT was one reason for the demise of Germany’s oldest computer trade show. BITexpo, however, was not affected by this displacement trend, Haußmann said. “We have created an IT platform for a visitor segment that needs extensive advice and is a driving force in the economy of south-western Germany. Compared with Systems or CeBIT, BITexpo is a niche show—a small exhibition, but one with great potential!”
A convincing focus and range of topics
BITexpo’s organisers deliberately chose a niche: the trade-show concept focuses entirely on small and medium-sized companies in Baden-Württemberg and on the core topics of e-business and IT security. In themed areas, exhibitors provide targeted information about relevant software solutions for SMEs. The e-business section, for example, presents enterprise solutions including ERP, CRM, BI, DMS/ECM and BPM, along with many other systems. BITexpo is being well received by exhibitors. “We are currently allocating exhibition space. We are very pleased with the response so far from IT companies that want to present their offerings to SMEs,” Haußmann said. The trade-show advisory board also demonstrates the strength of the concept, with participants including Microsoft Germany and SAP systems integrator Steeb Anwendungssysteme GmbH.