Expo Archive

Founded in 2016, STARTUP AUTOBAHN powered by Plug and Play has become Europe's go-to platform for turning bold startup ideas into real automotive impact — and Expo 2026 brings it all together.

The Expo welcomes a record 1,800+ attendees and debuts the Cross-Collaboration Stage to spotlight Plug and Play’s global innovation wins.

The Expo lands at IM WIZEMANN for the first time, welcoming a record-breaking crowd of over 1,200 in-person guests.

Nicole Hoffmeister-Kraut, Minister of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism in Baden-Württemberg joins the stage; Mercedes-Benz steals the spotlight with the futuristic Vision AVTR concept car.

Mercedes-Benz CEO Ola Källenius takes the stage and reveals Ventus Technologies’ wind-forecasting tech inside the VISION EQXX.

STARTUP AUTOBAHN celebrates five years of high-speed innovation!

Innovation must go on: despite the lockdown, 13 startups reveal 15 pilot projects at the virtual Expo.

Amid the global pandemic, the Expo moves into virtual space with a new format featuring 28 project documentaries.

Winfried Hermann, Minister of Transport, State of Baden-Württemberg, opens the Expo as industry giants Bosch and Motherson officially join the platform as partners.

Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Daimler Buses team up with Holoride to debut mind-bending, motion-synced Extended Reality software.

Winfried Kretschmann, Minister President of the State Baden-Württemberg, kicks off the 5th Expo Day as the event takes over Wagenhallen for the first time.

31 global startups take over the Carl Benz Arena to reveal more than 55 breakthrough pilot projects at Expo.

Porsche, BASF, and DXC Technology take home the first Plug and Play Global Innovation Award for their four-party pilot collaboration with startup Kreatize.

Over 800 guests at ARENA2036 watch 28 startups reveal 100 days of collaboration work.

13 startups hit the stage at ARENA2036; ZF, BASF, and Porsche join as partners—with a Taycan stealing the show.

Stuttgart kicks off Program 1 with more than 350 guests.