Nexus Luxembourg will be back on 9 and 10 March 2027, barely nine months after an edition that outgrew everything the organisers had planned for.
The June 2026 summit drew more than 9,600 attendees from over 80 countries, up from 5,600 at the first edition in 2024. Over two days, more than 400 speakers took to five stages, while 80+ exhibitors and 240+ startups and scaleups filled 13,500 m² of exhibition space.
Three editions in, the event co-founded by Mike Koedinger (Paperjam) and Kamel Amroune (The Dots) has become the country's largest international business gathering. It is backed by the Luxembourg government, the City of Luxembourg, the Chamber of Commerce and Luxinnovation. The ambition for 2027 is less about getting bigger, and more about getting concrete.
From strategic ambition to operational reality
The 2027 edition runs under the baseline "Building AI, Sovereignty & Growth". Each word carries part of the agenda. AI, because it now shapes economies, security and democracy. Sovereignty, because Europe still relies heavily on technologies it does not control. And growth, because regulating innovation is not enough: Europe also has to build, buy and scale its own trusted alternatives, and turn them into companies that compete globally.
The programme is built around several tracks, from the infrastructure behind AI and what digital sovereignty really means, to cybersecurity, regulation, talent and the future of work. Others look at how finance is being reinvented, how companies move AI from pilots to real productivity, how Europe can grow its next tech champions and how technology is reshaping industry and cities.
The format stays the same "4-in-1" set-up: the Intelligence Forum, the Fintech Sphere, the Launchpad Arena for startups and scaleups, and the "Luxembourg Makes It Happen" institutional hub.
Who's on stage
The 2026 line-up set the tone. European Commission Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen called AI "a question of technological sovereignty", alongside OVHcloud's Octave Klaba, Odoo's Fabien Pinckaers, NVIDIA's Eva-Maria Hempe, Paytm's Vijay Shekhar Sharma and UNESCO's Dr Tawfik Jelassi.
Past editions have also welcomed Mistral AI's Arthur Mensch, Coinbase's Brian Armstrong and Rakuten's Mickey Mikitani. And every year since the first edition, Prime Minister Luc Frieden and members of his government have come to Nexus Luxembourg, a sign of how closely the country follows the event.
For 2027, the first name confirmed is Armand Thiberge, founder of Brevo, one of the few European SaaS companies to reach unicorn status. His call for "a true European champion in AI" sets the tone for an edition focused on building rather than lamenting. More speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.
A stage for 240 startups - and the clock is ticking
For founders, the most concrete opportunity is the Startups & Scaleups Awards. Around 240 companies will be selected to pitch live in the Launchpad Arena in front of investors, corporate decision-makers and a jury of experts, competing for a Grand Prize worth more than €125,000.
Applications are open to startups and scaleups from anywhere in the world, across 12 categories: RegTech & LegTech; FinTech & InsurTech; Cybersecurity & Data Sovereignty; Digital Society & GovTech; Enterprise AI & Workflow Automation; SpaceTech; Industrial AI & Smart Logistics; Smart Mobility; GreenTech & ClimateTech; Digital Health & Platforms; Clinical & MedTech Innovation; and EdTech & Future of Work.
Selected companies pay €99 for an all-inclusive package: a turnkey exhibition booth for both days, a live pitching slot and a seat at the awards ceremony on day two
The call closes on 16 November 2026 at 12:00 CET, with selected companies announced on 10 December. Founders who want to apply can do so on the Nexus Luxembourg website.
Why Luxembourg, why now
What sets Nexus Luxembourg apart is its size relative to its host: in a country of around 680,000 people, it brings government, the financial centre, EU institutions, innovation experts and international founders into the same hall for two days. The organisers' bet is that this proximity makes it easier to turn talk into business opportunities.
Nexus Luxembourg 2027 takes place on 9–10 March 2027 at Luxexpo The Box in Luxembourg-Kirchberg, with a programme for international delegations on 8 March. Tickets and programme updates are available at nexusluxembourg.com.
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