Dortmund, Germany, September 1st, 2026, Chainwire

On 15 and 16 September 2026, the Dortmund industrial landmark Kokerei Hansa will transform into a platform for AI, blockchain, digital assets and emerging tech, with speakers from Microsoft, Google Cloud, Deloitte, PwC, Chainlink and many more. Admission is free on both days, but registration is mandatory as capacity is limited.

CONF3RENCE is taking a different approach in 2026. For the first time, the event will run as a curated event campus at Kokerei Hansa in Dortmund rather than a classic conference — a two-day platform where new technology meets the real economy. Its guiding line remains deliberately sober: "Less hype. More outcomes."

Kokerei Hansa is more than a backdrop. A former coking plant that now stands as a preserved monument of Ruhr industrial heritage, it is part of the broader structural transformation of Germany's former coal and steel region. Where coal was once turned into coke, the focus in 2026 is on compute, data and digital value. The venue itself symbolises the shift CONF3RENCE puts on stage: from the Ruhr region's industrial past to the technologies shaping its future. The campus combines stage programming, workshops, exhibition space, show elements, food and activations at one of Europe's most striking industrial sites.

Day 1 (15 September) – Business & Institutions. Curated for corporates, the Mittelstand, investors, C-level and the public sector. The focus is on partnerships, concrete projects, deal flow and measurable outcomes — conversations between decision-makers, not commentators. The Mittelstand focus reflects the event's setting: North Rhine-Westphalia is home to one of Europe's largest concentrations of small and medium-sized industrial enterprises, a group widely seen as central to whether technologies such as AI and tokenised assets move from pilots into production.

Day 2 (16 September) – Adoption & Community. Open to communities, users and the wider public, with hands-on product experience, onboarding and knowledge transfer at the centre. If you would rather try technology than only talk about it, this is your day.

New for 2026: admission to both days is free. CONF3RENCE has removed the ticket barrier entirely — including the previous VIP tier — to open the campus to the widest possible audience. The move mirrors a wider shift among European tech events toward open-access formats that prioritise reach and diversity of attendees over ticket revenue. Because capacity at Kokerei Hansa is limited, advance registration is mandatory for both days.

Around 20 speakers are already confirmed, with more announced on a rolling basis. The stages will feature representatives from Microsoft, Google Cloud, IBM, Deloitte, Chainlink, Gemini, PwC, SwissBorg, Bullish, Stellar Foundation, Litecoin Foundation and Union Investment, among others. Topics range from enterprise AI to regulated digital assets, tokenisation and stablecoins, through to Web3 and new SaaS models. The emphasis on regulated digital assets comes at a time when the EU's Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) regulation has fully applied across the bloc since the end of 2024, giving European institutions a clearer framework for engagement with crypto and tokenisation. The goal is consistent throughout: not to celebrate trends, but to show what actually works in practice.

CONF3RENCE 2026 sits within a broader setting. It forms part of the festival FATT (Festival of Arts, Tech & Taste), running 15 to 21 September at the same venue and connecting technology with culture, art and cuisine. The campus is also built on collaboration with the Digitale Woche Dortmund (diwodo), the city's annual digital week. In doing so, CONF3RENCE brings a B2B audience, the tech community and the general public together in one place, while anchoring itself in one of Europe's strongest economic regions.

Attendance is free on both days. Registration is required and available via the event website, with places allocated on a first-come, first-served basis while capacity lasts. Full details are available at www.conf3rence.com.

About CONF3RENCE 2026

CONF3RENCE is a business-first deep tech platform focused on real-world adoption rather than hype. In 2026 it takes place on 15 and 16 September as an event campus at Kokerei Hansa in Dortmund, covering AI, blockchain, finance, digital assets and SaaS. CONF3RENCE is organised by SOLV3 GmbH.

SOLV3 GmbH — sascha@solv3.eu