Industrial Futures Takes Shape

Six months ahead of its launch, Global Industrie is revealing further details of the concept, space, and program behind Industrial Futures, its new initiative dedicated to the technologies transforming industry. This unprecedented 15,000 sq mt platform has been designed to bring tech and industry together around a shared vision: the cognitive factory.Six months ahead of its launch, Global Industrie is revealing further details of the concept, space, and program behind Industrial Futures, its new initiative dedicated to the technologies transforming industry. This unprecedented 15,000 sq mt platform has been designed to bring tech and industry together around a shared vision: the cognitive factory.

First announced last June and co-designed with Christophe Victor (VivaTech, Tech&Fest), Industrial Futures will take place from March 15 – 18, 2027, at Eurexpo Lyon, at the heart of Global Industrie, France’s leading industrial gathering.

The space will bring together startups, scale-ups, research laboratories, investors, technology companies, and sustainable industry players, with more than 400 exhibitors, 100 conferences, 60 hands-on workshops, and 250 speakers, all within an immersive environment structured around four technology areas.

The Concept: Industry Becomes Cognitive

For two centuries, industry has first mechanized and then automated production. Today, it is becoming intelligent. Factories are no longer simply places where goods are made; they are evolving into living systems capable of learning, making decisions, and continuously optimizing their resources, energy use, and flows.

Industrial Futures is where this shift takes shape: where AI drives production, software controls machines, and resource efficiency has become a key driver of industrial performance.

“For years, we talked about the digital revolution. Today, we need to talk about convergence: there can be no high-performing industry without technology, and no sovereign technology without industry. With Industrial Futures, we want to create a place where these two worlds come together to build the economy of tomorrow,” said Christophe Victor, Co-designer and Host of Industrial Futures.

A Landmark 15,000 sqm Space at the Heart of Global Industrie

Industrial Futures will occupy a dedicated 15,000 sqm area within Global Industrie, with a distinctive architectural identity. An immersive installation will mark the entrance to the visitor journey, immediately setting the tone for a space designed as an experience in its own right.

Inside, four technology areas will shape the visitor experience:

• Artificial Intelligence & Industrial Software — generative AI, digital twins, data platforms, industrial cloud and cybersecurity.
• Industrial IoT & Autonomous Machines — robotics, cobots, AGVs, AMRs, drones and industrial humanoid robots.
• Sustainable Industry, Resources & Energy — water security, process electrification, smart buildings, decarbonization, climate and biodiversity
• Research & Deep Tech — laboratories, universities, quantum technologies, new materials, industrial biotech and space technologies.

Live demonstration areas, a conference agora and themed villages will complete the experience.

An Outstanding Program Across Four Stages

Industrial Futures will feature four complementary stages designed to engage a wide range of audiences:

• La Grande Scène — the setting for major addresses, keynotes, and special events, as well as the exhibition’s key highlights.
• The Agora — curated conferences, keynotes and demonstrations focusing on the key issues shaping Industrial Futures and business transformation.
• Hands-on Workshops — immersive 30-minute sessions for small groups, focusing on practical use cases, including AI, cybersecurity, financing, and insights from the field.
• Exhibitor Pitches — short, 15-minute sessions for exhibitors to present their products, solutions, and innovations in a direct commercial format.

Over four days, more than 100 conferences, 60 hands-on workshops, and 250 speakers will bring the space to life, addressing strategic topics including AI at industrial scale, agentic AI in production, IT/OT cybersecurity, digital twins and humanoid robots, decarbonization, predictive maintenance, resilient supply chains, financing transformation, and attracting Industry 4.0 talent.

Flagship Events to Establish Industrial Futures on the Industrial Landscape

Beyond its conference programme, Industrial Futures will host six signature events during the 2027 edition, bringing its ambition to life:

• The Hall of Tech — a curated showcase bringing together some of the most significant innovations from French and European manufacturers, mapped by their regions of origin to provide a geographical overview of industrial innovation.
• The Scale-Up Program — a dedicated program supporting ten scale-ups pursuing industrialization projects in France, featuring pitches to investors and major companies, organized business meetings, and an awards ceremony.
• The Startup Competition — a competition dedicated to the most promising startups, selected by a jury of industry leaders, investors, and researchers.
• The Water Pavilion — a dedicated space focusing on water as an increasingly strategic resource for industry. It will cover water efficiency, reuse and discharge quality, bringing together water agencies, equipment manufacturers, deep-tech companies, and consultancies.
• The Energy Transition Pavilion — a space dedicated to practical solutions for decarbonization, electrification, and energy efficiency, developed by industrial companies and their technology partners.
• Women in Tech and Industry — a headline session on La Grande Scène, followed by a discussion bringing together female executives, researchers and emerging talent to showcase role models and encourage greater diversity across the sector.

A Powerful Springboard for Industrial Technology Players

Industrial Futures is part of Global Industrie, a major European industrial event that brings together 2,700 exhibitors and 65,000 industry professionals across 100,000 sq mt of exhibition space, with 91 countries represented and industrial decision-makers accounting for 50 percent of visitors.

This scale provides a unique platform in France and across Europe for technology providers looking to accelerate their growth and bring their solutions to market.

For exhibitors, Industrial Futures offers the only dedicated tech space within France’s leading industrial exhibition, with premium positioning, editorial speaking opportunities across the platform’s stages, qualified lead generation through MyGI, 360° visibility across the website, app, newsletters, social media and on-site digital displays, and direct access to buyers actively looking for industrial solutions.

Exhibitor registrations are now open. One can visit the Global Industrie website to join the platform where the industry of tomorrow is taking shape today.

Image Source: GL Events