The atmosphere on the exhibition floor was all about knowledge-sharing: meeting people, running into old acquaintances, making new connections, and hearing how others are tackling the same data and AI challenges.

The exhibitors had really gone all out again this year, with attractive booths, knowledgeable advisors, and fun activities that either got visitors thinking or simply allowed them to relax for a moment amid all the content.

There was certainly plenty to see and do. For example, you could play a game of XL Jenga at Nippur, there was a ping-pong table set up at Xebia, and Soverin’s pigeon mascot was walking around the exhibition floor. Need a new profile picture? At Circle One, you could upgrade your LinkedIn profile on the spot with a professional portrait.

At Conscia, the scent of fresh stroopwafels greeted you as you approached, and at SUSE, visitors walked away a little later with a green chameleon plush toy tucked under their arm. Data boring? Anyone who walked through the Jaarbeurs over these two days knows better.

We’ve come to realize that the Data Expo audience is eager to learn. This year, too, the rooms were packed, with an average of 89 seats filled per presentation. Exhibitors eagerly took advantage of the opportunity to take the stage themselves and share their knowledge, solutions, and real-world case studies with the audience.

For example, Oracle spoke about its role in Formula 1 and its partnership with Red Bull Racing; CBEE and Gen25 discussed the onboarding of an AI colleague; and Digital Power, together with Vodafone, took the stage to explain how they ensure that the right customer context is available in real time.