Driving innovation for sixty years
Driving the All Electric Society together
In its anniversary year 2024, electronica was all about the All Electric Society.The goal of this forward-looking vision is a carbon-neutral and sustainable society whose energy requirements are generated entirely from renewable sources. As the most important meeting place for the electronics industry, electronica has always paved the way for the All Electric Society – and was continuing to do so in 2024. The largest edition of the trade fair to date was dedicated to this topic with, among other things, innovations in the exhibition area, presentations in the conference and forum program, and discussion panels such as the top-class CEO Roundtable.
electronica as part of the All Electric Society
Climate change is a reality, all sectors must decarbonize – and new solutions are needed. The electronics industry plays a key role here. The vision of the All Electric Society calls for all sectors of our economy and society to be digitized, automated, and electrified. That will only work with collective effort and pioneering innovations. Technology areas that previously functioned independently must be networked and linked, so that carbon-neutral energy is available everywhere and at all times. Many building blocks for this future society could be experienced at electronica 2024. The green tech innovations range from an alternative vehicle drive and new developments in power supply to energy efficiency in electronic components. Each building block contributes to bringing the All Electric Society to life.
A success story for six decades
electronica celebrated its premiere in Munich in 1964 as the first trade fair dedicated exclusively to electronic components in Germany. It was launched on the initiative of international companies. The very first edition turned out to be a complete success with 407 companies, two thirds of them from abroad, and around 14,000 visitors. Two years later, the number of exhibitors had almost doubled and there was talk of a spectacular success in the world of electronics. It did not take long for electronica to establish itself as the most important meeting place for the international electronics industry. Over the past six decades, it has provided the stage for numerous technological milestones, with countless innovations such as the microchip being presented to the public for the first time.
60 years of electronica: Innovations from back then – for the lifestyle of today
2010s: Wearable tech – technology becomes wearable
Smartwatches and smart glasses connect people and technology. The tablet becomes a mobile control center, and the 3D printer a producer away from mass production.
2000s: Wi-Fi – the launch of the mobile life
Wireless Internet changes people's lifestyles forever. Smartphones combine telephone and Internet, and the flash memory data storage and portability.
1990s: WWW – all information everywhere
The World Wide Web spreads a global information network across the planet. Digital cameras show photos at the touch of a button, and quantum computers have exponential computing power.
1980s: The mobile phone – bye, bye landline!
Thanks to the mobile phone, people can be reached almost everywhere. CD players replace the record player on music systems, and lithium-ion batteries pave the way for portable electronics.
1970s: Home computers – computing power for the home
Computer technology moves into the home. GPS locates the position of people and objects via satellite, and the video recorder transforms the living room into a movie theater.
1960s: Microprocessor – small technology, big impact
Processors place various electronic components on a single circuit. The semiconductor memory chip revolutionizes data storage, and the laser opens up unimagined possibilities from medicine to manufacturing.
History of electronica from the visitors' perspective
Our visitors are an essential part of electronica’s trade fair success. Many have been with us for decades on our path to becoming the world’s leading trade fair. Some have even been visiting electronica since the very beginning! We asked two of these electronics luminaries about their experiences—Roland Ackermann, former Editor-in-Chief and publishing director and Erling Nielsen, former CEO of Chemitallic.
Find out more about their personal insights into the history of electronica in these two interviews.
electronica goes green
As a world-leading trade fair, electronica acts as a role model and assumes responsibility when it comes to sustainability. electronica is working continuously to improve the carbon footprint of its participants – whether through the selection of materials used, offsetting the carbon emissions they cause, or handling waste.
electronica's topics
From mobility, sustainability and artificial intelligence to new working environments. Experience the broad spectrum of all the trade fair topics.
Get your ticket!
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