The special show drupa next age (dna) puts the newcomers and young talents of the print and packaging sectors very much in the spotlight. The “drupa dna Deep Dive” interview series already now provides initial insights into this unique special feature at drupa 2024.
Great ideas, small budgets – for many young companies it is not easy to make the right contacts and establish their exciting and pioneering solutions on the market. Specifically for this target group drupa has created a special platform: drupa next age (dna). Here newcomers, young talents, start-ups and established companies can network on a level playing field, find matching cooperation partners and swap innovative business ideas. For many participants this is the opportunity to introduce themselves to an international expert audience for the first time.
Together with the International Circle of Educational Institutes for Graphic Media Technology and Management, the Stuttgart Media University offers a contact point for alumni, students and trainees. Potential junior staff and students have the opportunity to exchange ideas with the employers of the future and familiarise themselves with draft concepts and best cases.
New business, networking and discussion
The dna exhibition area in Hall 7.0 provides a global platform for discussions on technologies and tools, as well as with people who are driving the industry forward and opening up unique opportunities for printing technologies along the entire value chain. Especially for newcomers the integrated dna stage featuring presentations, panel discussions and interviews is the ideal forum to win over investors with new business models, product solutions and technologies. Focal themes of dna include: Additive Manufacturing, Artificial Intelligence, Business Intelligence, New Materials, Platform Economy, Predictive Maintenance, Printed Electronics, Remote Services, New Business Models and Process Design.
Here, drupa has enlisted the support of two strong partners – Deborah Corn and Frank Tueckmantel – both with many years of industry expertise for the operational support, organization and moderation of the trend forum for cross-sectional technologies.
Design awards for creative youngsters
Two exhibitions will prove real eye-catchers at drupa next age: as part of a competition students majoring in “Communication in Space” at the Academy for Fashion & Design in Düsseldorf have created fascinating paper-based artworks on the topic of “Anamorphosis” specifically for drupa 2024. Eight teams in total took part. The winning artwork made up of 102 square pixels measuring 11 metres by 8 metres will be presented in the Süd Entrance of the Exhibition Centre, the other submissions will be on display on the drupa next age area.
The creative results of the contest “Future of the Print Industry” can also be marvelled at here. Jointly with the vocational college “Fritz-Henßler-Berufskolleg Dortmund” (FHBK) drupa has invited media design trainees as well as design technology assistants to illustrate the future of the printing industry and the primacy of sustainability in this segment on a poster or in a video production. The winners of the competition will be chosen and announced at drupa and all submissions be showcased on the drupa next age area.
“drupa dna Deep Dive” interviews now online
Already today, the “drupa dna Deep Dive Interviews” whet the appetite for what drupa next age has in store, helping you secure a head start for a successful future in graphic communication. Under the heading “drupa dna Deep Dive” all dna participants will be interviewed by Deborah Corn and Frank Tueckmantel in the run-up to the trade fair, including e.g. Anastasios E. Politis and Gunter Huebner (IC Educators), Dominic Harris (Carbonquota), Aous Mansour (GoMake), Dr. Samir Husni (Mr. Magazine), Christoph Clermont and Christoph Schacht (Printess), Andrea Abeln and Thomas Schnettler (Locr Geoservices & maps), Kit and Kasper Tomshøj (PrintVis). This series of interviews is available for download at drupa.com.
About drupa:
Under the thematic umbrella of the mega trends sustainability and digitalisation the international print and packaging industry will meet at drupa from 28 May to 7 June 2024. The leading global trade fair for print technologies is synonymous with inspiration, innovations, high-calibre knowledge transfer and intense networking. This is where the international top decision-makers of this industry meet and exchange ideas on current technology trends and trail-blazing developments.
