Gateway to Germany? What We Learned at Zukunft Personal

Wie geht's, Germany? Last week, we headed to Cologne on a scouting trip to Zukunft Personal, Europe's leading HR trade fair. Our mission? To find out whether a joint booth with our EdTechStation companies next year would be a smart move.

The verdict: Zukunft Personal is the place to be if you want to sell in Germany, especially in HR tech. But only if you come well prepared. Visiting the fair gives you an excellent overview of what's currently on the market, and it's the perfect place to find those all-important local partners.

Our key takeaways

• 99% focused on Germany. Foreign exhibitors were few and far between, with just a handful of HR tech players from the Netherlands, Austria and Switzerland. Among visitors, the international presence was even smaller. This is a fair for selling to Germany, pure and simple.
• German is the norm. Everything revolves around the local language. From conversations on the floor to keynotes on stage, it's all in German (here, AI goes by KI). German-speaking representation is an absolute must.
• A big market under pressure. The German economy is struggling, and the market is highly competitive, with plenty of players from the DACH region. Still, it remains a huge market with enormous potential.
• Efficiency creates opportunity. The German HR sector has traditionally been conservative, but the economic crisis is pushing it to become more efficient. And that's exactly where innovative EdTech tools can make their mark.

Our conclusion

A booth is a serious investment, and going in “cold” is a step too far. The better strategy? First, get your offering ready for a German-speaking audience, launch targeted digital campaigns, and gain a foothold through local partnerships.

Ready to explore?

Want to join us on a scouting trip next year, or looking for a way into the German market? Let us know!

Have your sights set on a different market? We'd love to hear about that too.