CloserStill Media, the producer of market-leading business events, exhibitions, and conferences, has acquired a majority stake in the Trailblazer Summits group in Germany. Set to become one of the largest independent event operators in Germany with its latest investment. Terms are not disclosed
Trailblazer Summits GmbH (Trailblazer Summits) is one of Germany’s fastest growing events businesses and produces a series of two-day, content-led confex events serving several key German market verticals including logistics, accounting, procurement, digital marketing and construction.
Trailblazer’s disruptive and innovative formats in non-traditional event venues across Germany has allowed it to create a vibrant portfolio of high-growth events in traditional industry segments which focusses heavily on the impact of technology and connecting innovators with industry leadership.
The portfolio of summits delivers senior audiences with significant buying power who are drawn to the unique formats, the expertly curated content and networking programmes. The high-quality engagement levels mean the summits enjoy high retention among suppliers and industry vendors and high repeat rates of attending organisations.
Founder and CEO Thomas Promny will continue to lead the business and its 30-strong team from its Hamburg base. Astrid Jaeger, CloserStill’s Managing Director for Germany, joins the Trailblazer Board of Directors.
The addition of Trailblazer’s portfolio of [10] events means that CloserStill now organises more than 25 exhibition and conference events in Germany including industry leading brands including Zukunft Personal Europe (Cologne), Automotive Testing Expo (Stuttgart), Frankfurt Tech Week, Hydrogen Technology Expo (Hamburg), Passenger Terminal Expo (Frankfurt), Online Educa Berlin, Tire Technology Expo (Hannover), Electric and Hybrid Aerospace Technology Symposium (Frankfurt), Professional Motor Sport Expo (Cologne), ADAS & Autonomous Vehicle Technology Expo Europe (Stuttgart).
Trailblazer founder and CEO Thomas Promny, commented on the new partnership with CloserStill: “We are proud of the business we have built and are delighted about the opportunity this partnership brings to us. Despite its size and global footprint, CloserStill is an entrepreneurial business, and it clearly understands our business and shares our ambition to be one of Germany’s largest event businesses with innovative formats.
“CloserStill’s expertise in the global tech sector and their successful track record in launching and growing events makes this a powerful combination. We are excited to see how this partnership will ignite our business and allow us to get to lots of new opportunities for our team to expand the business and better serve our customers and communities.”
Commenting on the acquisition, Gareth Bowhill, CEO of CloserStill Media, said:
“We are very pleased to welcome Thomas and his Trailblazer Summits team into the Group. We have made no secret of our continued ambition for the German market and its untapped potential, and this partnership is another important stepping stone to expand our presence in Europe’s largest economy.
“Trailblazer is a uniquely entrepreneurial and disruptive events business in Germany, with dynamic leadership and an ambitious, talented team and we are excited about the potential growth opportunities our partnership will unlock.”