Solar Promotion

What Solar Promotion does

Solar Promotion GmbH is a privately held German event-management and media company founded in 1991 and headquartered in Pforzheim, Germany, specializing in the renewable-energy sector. The company organizes The smarter E Europe, Europe's largest energy-industry exhibition alliance, which unites four co-located exhibitions — Intersolar Europe, ees Europe, Power2Drive Europe, and EM-Power Europe — at Messe München and attracts over 100,000 visitors and 2,800 exhibitors. Through its wholly-owned subsidiaries Solar Promotion International GmbH and Conexio-PSE GmbH, the group operates a global portfolio of regional exhibitions spanning South America, the Middle East, India, Africa, Mexico, and Southeast Europe, alongside professional PV and energy-storage training seminars.

The company's digital infrastructure centers on The smarter E Digital platform, a year-round content hub that hosts conference recordings, exhibition forum sessions, webinars, podcasts (The smarter E Podcast), studies, and whitepapers. The platform operates on a freemium model with a Premium Account tier priced at €180/year granting unlimited access to the full content library. Adjacent monetization modules include the international Business Directory (€250/year company profile listings) and tiered sponsorship/marketing packages (€3,000–€10,000) covering media-center placement, newsletter banners to 30,000+ recipients, homepage features, and podcast advertising.

The business serves three primary segments: renewable-energy companies seeking exhibition visibility and lead generation (the core enterprise buyer), energy-industry professionals consuming educational content (the subscription audience), and government/policy stakeholders engaging on energy-transition topics. Revenue is generated primarily through exhibition booth rentals and on-site sponsorship sales, supplemented by recurring digital subscriptions, directory listings, and online advertising inventory. Strategic content partnerships with Fraunhofer ISE and SolarPower Europe provide research-grade credibility, while the 31+ year operating history and brand portfolio (Intersolar, ees, Power2Drive, EM-Power) function as durable intangible assets.

Name

Solar Promotion

Legal name

Solar Promotion GmbH

Website

https://thesmartere.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Solar Promotion GmbH organizes Europe's largest renewable-energy exhibition alliance (The smarter E Europe, 2,800+ exhibitors, 100,000+ visitors) and operates The smarter E Digital platform — a year-round content, directory, and subscription hub serving solar, storage, e-mobility, and smart-energy professionals worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Management and Trade Show Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920), Indoor and Outdoor Display Advertising (541850), Indoor and Outdoor Display Advertising (54185)

akta.pro primary industry

Conferences & Conventions Operations Services (Registration, AV, Logistics) (MPAGAGAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Virtual/Hybrid Conference Production & Platform Management (THAHACAM), Executive Summits & Invitation-Only Forums (MPAGAGAK), Exhibitor/Sponsor Management (Corporate Conferences) (THACAFAN)

Keywords

• Renewable energy exhibitions
• Trade show organization
• Conference management services
• Business networking events
• Industry event management

Headquarters

HQ city

Pforzheim

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Premium Subscription: Annual subscription offering unlimited access to all digital content including conference recordings, exhibition forums, studies, white papers, and webinars. Priced at €180/year (€15/month) with automatic annual renewal.
2. Business Directory Listing: Annual company profile listing in the international business directory providing multilingual presentation, top placement, and direct customer contact capabilities. Priced at €250/year.
3. Sponsorship Packages: Three-tiered sponsorship packages (Package A €10,000, Package B €5,000, Package C €3,000) offering video/document placement, homepage sections, newsletter features, and banner placements in the media center for 24 months minimum.
4. Newsletter Banner Advertising: Standalone newsletter banner placement distributed to 30,000+ recipients with one sponsor featured per newsletter. Total price €1,200 for 12 placements.
5. Website Banner Advertising: Banner advertising placements on homepage, business directory, and media library zones. Pricing ranges from €1,500 to €4,000 per zone for 12-month placement.
6. Podcast Sponsorship: One-off podcast sponsorship starting from €1,500, integrating advertising messages directly into The smarter E Podcast episodes.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Solar Promotion GmbH organizes large-scale international exhibitions and conferences for the renewable energy industry, anchored by The smarter E Europe in Munich (Intersolar Europe, ees Europe, Power2Drive Europe, EM-Power Europe) and complemented by a portfolio of regional events across South America, the Middle East, India, Africa, Mexico, and Southeast Europe. The company operates The smarter E Digital as a year-round digital platform providing paid subscription access to conference recordings, webinars, podcasts, studies, whitepapers, and a paid Business Directory for company profiles, plus tiered sponsorship and advertising packages around these assets.

Product overview

The smarter E Digital is a platform organized by Solar Promotion GmbH offering digital access to smart energy content and events. The platform operates on a tiered model with a Free Account providing basic access and a Premium Account (€180/year) unlocking full content. Core offerings include the Media Center with conference recordings, webinars, podcasts and studies; a Business Directory (€250/year) for company profiles; and sponsorship/marketing packages. The company organizes The smarter E Europe exhibition series combining Intersolar Europe, ees Europe, Power2Drive Europe, and EM-Power Europe events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The smarter E Digital: The online digital platform for smart energy solutions, providing access to recordings from exhibitions, conferences, webinars, studies, interviews and whitepapers from experts in the renewable energy field.

Products and services

• The smarter E Digital Online platform providing digital access to smart energy content including exhibition recordings, conference sessions, webinars, podcasts, studies, and whitepapers for the renewable energy community. Available with Free and Premium (€180/year) account tiers.
• The smarter E Europe Exhibition Europe's largest energy industry exhibition alliance uniting four exhibitions focused on solar, storage, electric mobility, and intelligent energy management, held annually at Messe München.
• International Exhibition Series (Intersolar & ees regional events) Network of regional exhibitions (The smarter E South America, Intersolar Middle East, Intersolar India, Intersolar Africa, Intersolar Mexico, and Southeast European editions) serving local renewable-energy markets with tailored event content.
• Business Directory International network/directory of companies in the energy industry providing multilingual company profile listings (German, English, Portuguese) with top placement and direct customer contact capabilities; priced at €250/year.
• Sponsoring & Marketing Packages Three-tiered sponsorship and marketing packages (Package A €10,000, Package B €5,000, Package C €3,000) providing media center video/document placement, homepage sections, newsletter features, and banner placements for brand visibility on The smarter E Digital platform.
• Media Center (The smarter E Podcast and content library) Standalone digital media library and weekly podcast (The smarter E Podcast, hosted by Tobias Bücklein and Zackes Brustik) covering trends in renewable, decentralized, and digital energy industry, with dedicated podcast sponsorship starting from €1,500.
• Renewable Energy Training Seminars (Conexio-PSE) Professional development seminars and training courses (including PV-Großanlagen und Batteriegroßspeicher, Grundkurse für Nicht-Techniker) in photovoltaics and energy storage, delivered through the Conexio-PSE GmbH subsidiary.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,800+ exhibitors and 100,000+ visitors at flagship event The smarter E Europe
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Freiburg Management and Marketing International GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 July 2026Co-organizer of The smarter E Europe exhibition held at Messe München. Partnership between Solar Promotion International GmbH and Freiburg Management and Marketing International GmbH delivers Europe's largest energy industry exhibition alliance.
• Solar Promotion International GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubsidiary of Solar Promotion GmbH. Co-organizer of The smarter E Europe exhibition and other international events including Intersolar Europe, ees Europe, Power2Drive Europe, and EM-Power Europe. Extends Solar Promotion's event organization capabilities globally.
• Conexio-PSE GmbHcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSubsidiary of Solar Promotion GmbH. Organizes seminars and training courses including PV-Großanlagen und Batteriegroßspeicher, Grundkurse für Nicht-Techniker, and other professional development programs in photovoltaics and energy storage.
• Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on special exhibit Renewables 24/7 featuring 25 real-world examples and a Fraunhofer ISE study demonstrating renewable energy system reliability. Fraunhofer ISE conducted cost-effective transformation study for Germany's energy system by 2045.
• SiemensmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerOne of over 20 industry sponsors supporting the Renewables 24/7 special exhibit at The smarter E Europe exhibition. Represents industrial backing for the exhibition and its policy response to energy security concerns.
• SolarPower EuropemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association providing market outlook reports and data featured in The smarter E Digital publications and media content. Supplies European Market Outlook reports and Global Market Outlook for Solar Power publications.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Messe München: Germany's major exhibition venue operator and co-organizer of The smarter E Europe at Messe München. Operates competing industrial and technology trade fairs and is both partner and venue competitor to Solar Promotion's exhibition business.
• SNEC PV Power Expo: Asia's largest solar energy exhibition held annually in Shanghai. Comparable as a direct peer organizing the premier photovoltaic and renewable energy industry gathering for the Chinese and Asian market.
• Terrapinn: UK-based B2B event organizer running Solar & Storage Live exhibitions across multiple geographies. Comparable as a direct peer focused specifically on solar, storage, and clean energy industry events.
• CloserStill Media: UK-headquartered B2B exhibition organizer running events across technology, healthcare, and energy-adjacent verticals. Comparable as a privately-held mid-sized exhibition company with a similar portfolio-driven business model.

Broad incumbents

• RX Global (Reed Exhibitions): One of the world's largest trade show organizers with a broad portfolio including All-Energy Australia and other energy-related events. Comparable as a B2B exhibition organizer serving multiple industries at global scale.
• Informa plc: Global events, exhibitions, and business information group operating major trade shows across energy, technology, and industry verticals. Comparable as a diversified B2B events and information services incumbent.
• Messe Frankfurt: One of Germany's largest trade fair organizers operating internationally across consumer goods, technology, and mobility. Comparable as a major German-headquartered exhibition organizer with global brand events.
• Hyve Group (formerly ITE Group): International trade exhibition organizer with a portfolio spanning energy, mining, construction, and technology events across emerging markets. Comparable as a London-listed exhibition group with similar emerging-market event exposure.

Regional players

• Koelnmesse: German trade fair organizer running events in food, furniture, digital, and entertainment verticals. Comparable as a Germany-based exhibition operator serving international B2B audiences with similar venue-driven business model.
• Deutsche Messe (Hannover Messe): Operator of the world's leading industrial technology trade fair Hannover Messe, which includes energy and industrial electrification themes. Comparable as a major German-headquartered industrial trade fair organizer with global attendee base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ThesmarterE
• Facebookfacebook.com/ThesmarterE
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/solar-promotion-international-gmbh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Solar Promotion