When the international Who’s Who of the retail world meets at EuroShop in Düsseldorf from 22 to 26 February 2026, the focus will also be on aspirational innovators alongside well-established market leaders. At both the Start-up Hub and the new special area Young Innovators by BMWE they will present solutions for retail’s key challenges – hands-on, scalable and with clear benefits for companies and customers alike.
Centrestage here will not be technology as a means in itself but its concrete impact on everyday operations: how can we arrive at better decisions? How can processes be made more efficient? How can we create a customer journey that stands out in an increasingly competitive environment?
Start-up Hub: where innovation is put into practice
The Start-up Hub in Hall 7 is located in the Dimension Retail Technology – one of EuroShop’s most dynamic technology areas. Pooled here is the entire spectrum of current solutions from the fields of payment, analytics, smart stores, Artificial Intelligence, communication technologies, POS solutions as well as data-driven procurement and margin management.
Here, AI is becoming a real-time decision-making tool – for validating self-scanning processes, dynamic pricing, for analysing real customer journeys or for planning fresh produce and convenience assortments while taking external factors into account, for example. At the same time, new approaches are emerging for shopper interaction, in-store navigation and personalised communication along the entire customer journey, which make bricks-and-mortar retail more data-driven and individual.
Young Innovators by BMWE: Made in Germany with markets in mind
The Young Innovators by BMWE is the first subsidised joint stand at EuroShop. The scheme from the German Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy selectively supports innovative young companies based in Germany with their participation in leading international trade fairs.
The solutions on show range from AI-assisted production and sales planning to data-based shopper identification and procurement management to the complete digitalisation of check-out and loyalty processes. These solutions illustrate how strongly the German start-up ecosystem is focused on market-ready, practice-oriented applications – and how quickly innovations find their way into real retail structures.
“Innovations arise where courage meets markets. The start-ups and young innovators bring exactly this spirit to EuroShop – with ideas that change processes, re-think shoppers’ experiences and give retailers fresh impulses. Our trade fair is the platform where visionary concepts become concrete business opportunities,” says Elke Moebius, Director EuroShop.
Technology with an impact: efficiency meets experience
What the young enterprises have in common is a clear focus on measurable added value. Data become the basis for well-informed decisions – from the precise analysis of real shopper movement to data-driven purchasing and margin management. AI supports daily business and digital applications reduce staff workload and strengthen shopper loyalty. At the same time, new ways of product staging emerge as well as personalised interaction models and flexible service offerings that emotionalise the customer journey.
The Start-up Hub and the Young Innovators area illustrate that retailers do not think about technology in isolation but understand it as an integral part of profitability, sustainability and a quality customer experience.
Black Stage: putting the Next Generation in the limelight
A special highlight within the Start-up Hub is the Black Stage (Hall 7 / Stand B02). Here young retail-technology firms, start-ups and scale-ups are given a dedicated stage to introduce their ideas, products and business models for tomorrow’s retail to an international expert audience. To see the Black Stage programme click here.
Selected Start-ups und Young Innovators at a glance
AIPERIA – Hall 7 / C01-23 (Start-up Hub)
Fresh produce and bake-off ranges boast high margins – but are extremely hard to plan. Fluctuating demand, short shelf life and daily pressure to make decisions quickly entail markdowns or out-of-stock situations. AIPERIA banks on a learning, data-driven system that incorporates sales figures, IoT data as well as external influences such as the weather or events to update forecasts throughout the day. The aim is to increase availability and reduce excess production – a clear lever for efficiency and sustainability in food retail.
Avassa – Hall 7 / C01-16 (Start-up Hub)
As stores become more digitalised IT infrastructures also become more complex. Avassa addresses the management of applications and AI workloads directly at the Point of Sale, especially in environments with limited connectivity. The platform makes for remote and automated application management making edge computing structures controllable and scalable – for retailers and quick-service restaurants with many outlets.
Aviva b.v. – Hall 7 / C01-24 (Start-up Hub)
Staged areas in retail are often costly and cumbersome to implement. Aviva offers a modular system for cabinets and walls that can be flexibly configured and adapted to individual requirements. This allows entertainment and staging concepts to be realised efficiently – especially for shop fitters and architects who design creative retail environments.
counttrack GmbH – Hall 7 / C01-13 (Start-up Hub)
counttrack analyses the actual number of shoppers in the store using GDPR-compliant 3D sensors and AI-based re-identification. By automatically excluding staff from visitor counts, clean, exclusively shopper-based journey data is captured. The counttrack AI Retail Analyst interprets these patterns and delivers recommended actions rather than statistical dashboards – for data-based management of sales areas, staff and performance.
EMENOTECH CO., LIMITED – Hall 7 / C01-18 (Start-up Hub)
Loss prevention remains a key topic in retail. EMENOTECH develops Electronic Article Surveillance and access control solutions for stores and supermarkets that prevent loss and control store access. The aim is to reliably secure retail areas and minimise operational risks.
Freshflow – Hall 7 / B04-07 (Young Innovators by BMWE)
Freshflow offers an AI solution specifically designed for the complex management of fresh fruit and vegetable inventories. Instead of static forecasts, the system processes over 150 signals, from demand and weather to stocks and quality to generate concrete order recommendations on that basis. As a decision-making co-pilot the solution helps store staff order the right quantities – not too much, not too little. This reduces markdowns, ensures merchandise availability and noticeably relieves teams in their daily routines especially in times of skilled labour shortage.
Isarsoft GmbH – Hall 7 / B04-04 (Young Innovators by BMWE)
While many systems only capture visitor numbers Isarsoft analyses actual shopper behaviour in store. This video analytics solution provides insights into interactions with products, conversation situations or demographic structures – without having to install new hardware. This way, pure footfall counting becomes a differentiated performance-measurement tool for retailers of all sizes.
Kerpak – Hall 7 / C01-17 (Start-up Hub)
Kerpak develops an AI-assisted computer vision solution for autonomous, unattended outlets. The technology enables retailers, CPG brands and food service providers to operate unmanned, off-premise PoS concepts profitably – by means of precise, smooth article detection and billing under real conditions. Due to local edge processing this solution is GDPR-compliant and independent of stable broadband connection. Since existing chiller and freezer systems are easy to retrofit retailers can quickly build 24/7-kiosk networks – for example, for marketing products close to their end of shelf life and for selectively reducing food waste.
KlaRVerwaltung GmbH (TAXOPOS) – Hall 7 / B04-01 (Young Innovators by BMWE)
Complex regulatory requirements often tie up substantial resources in retail. With its check-out software TAXOPOS KlaRVerwaltung digitalises the complete check-out process and helps companies to comply with regulatory requirements. The objective is to integrate compliance into everyday work in a structured and efficient way.
LEVITA – Hall 7 / C01-12 (Start-up Hub)
In retail environments with high footfall, visibility is key for attracting shoppers’ attention. LEVITA uses a patented levitation technology to stage products making them appear to float. This visual impact creates an attention-grabbing brand moment – especially in the premium and luxury segment.
Live Vendor – Hall 7 / C01-05 (Start-up Hub)
Products requiring shopper education and complex services – offered in such industries as automotive, consumer electronics, furniture or financial and telecommunication services – rarely sell through product information alone. Live Vendor connects website visitors with product experts in real time making the sales pitch an actively controllable part of the customer journey. This way anonymous traffic becomes a direct interaction with measurable impact on conversion rates and quality of decisions.
Machyna, Inc. – Hall 7 / C01-15 (Start-up Hub)
Introducing the world’s first “SmartBasket”, Machyna coverts the classic shopping cart into a digital touchpoint at the start of the in-store journey. This solution uses in-store data to activate shoppers with predictive cross sales, targeted AdTech communication and gamified loyalty incentives at an early stage. It turns shopping carts into interactive management tools for shopper engagement and shopping cart value – especially for medium-sized food retailers, convenience stores and pharmacies seeking to develop further their customer journey on the basis of data.
ORPHÉ – Hall 7 / C01-03 (Start-up Hub)
Music is part of brand identity – but can prove a costly affair. ORPHÉ offers background music not subject to GEMA copyright fees via a streaming platform with individually curatable playlists. Retailers can flexibly design their acoustic brand world while keeping costs under control.
Pinpoint GmbH – Hall 7 / C01-19 (Start-up Hub)
When shoppers fail to find a product, the sale is often lost. Pinpoint enables precise, UWB-based indoor navigation and guides visitors to their desired items in a targeted manner. This increases orientation, satisfaction and potentially shopping cart value.
refive GmbH – Hall 7 / B04-10 (Young Innovators by BMWE)
refive gives physical retailers the shopper transparency that e-commerce has leveraged for years. The platform identifies and activates shoppers along their entire in-store journey – from entering the area to the check-out and beyond. Shopper profiles are generated via digital touchpoints without the need to download an App, fill in forms or additional hardware. With each interaction anonymous traffic turns into an identifiable, loyal shopper. At the same time, the data captured can be integrated directly into existing CRM, CDP and loyalty systems – for personalised communication before, during and after the shopping trip.
RetailStrategy LLC (Pricerium.ai) – Hall 7 / C01-11 (Start-up Hub)
Traditional pricing strategies come up against their limits in dynamic markets. Pricerium.ai banks on an agent-based AI model with specialised pricing agents interlinking market, competition and business data. The aim is a strategic testing and data-based optimisation of prices.
revotail GmbH – Hall 7 / B04-09 (Young Innovators by BMWE)
revotail combines purchasing data, terms and conditions and operational performance to form an integral control image. This makes clear the actual commercial impact that purchasing decisions have – and where margins are lost due to a lack of transparency. The direct link between contract logic and daily business sets clear priorities and creates a durable basis for decision making – especially for medium-sized and large multiples with complex terms and conditions.
Spreat – Hall 7 / B04-05 (Young Innovators by BMWE)
Spreat transfers the marketplace principle to physical retail. Retailers can offer new products without tying up capital while manufacturers obtain direct access to the shop floor. The store acts as a physical marketplace and earns a commission – new ranges at a reduced risk.
Supersmart – Hall 7 / C01-06 (Start-up Hub)
Supersmart validates self-scanning transactions in real time with the help of AI and helps retailers reduce losses incurred due to self-scanning without slowing down payment processes. This makes autonomous store concepts safer and more scalable.
The Shoring Company GmbH – Hall 7 / B04-08 (Young Innovators by BMWE)
Individual loyalty Apps are often expensive and time-consuming to develop. The Shoring Company focuses on a modular, adaptable platform for retail loyalty Apps that allows retailers to obtain loyalty and marketing functionalities more quickly.
Tut Tut – Hall 7 / C01-21 (Start-up Hub)
Flexible last-mile logistics are increasingly becoming a competitive factor. Tut Tut connects delivery requests with a community of “co-transporters” thereby creating flexible, cost-efficient delivery options – of particular relevance for retailers offering Click & Collect or home delivery.
vaibe – Hall 7 / C01-04 (Start-up Hub)
Strategies often fail in their implementation on the shop floor. vaibe translates KPIs into gamified incentives for staff with a view to measurably strengthening their operational performance. In addition, software vendors can integrate gamification features in their systems.
For all information on EuroShop 2026 and the special areas go to: www.euroshop-tradefair.com
