Fortem International

What Fortem International does

Fortem International is a UK-headquartered B2B trade show organizer that produces sector-specific exhibitions across the United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States. Founded in 2000 and registered in Bristol, the company operates a portfolio of approximately 15 named trade show brands spanning disaster response (Disasters Expo series in Miami, California, and Frankfurt), technology (Call and Contact Center Expo), hospitality and food service (Restaurant and Takeaway Innovation Expo, Hospitality Tech Expo Live, Cafe Business Expo, Trade Drinks Expo, Street Food Business Expo, HRIE Exhibition), aerospace and emerging mobility (Helitech, DroneX, Advanced Air Mobility Expo), and sustainability (Responsible Packaging Expo). The company maintains offices in Bristol, Truro, and London, plus a US office in Hoboken, NJ, and a US subsidiary (Fortem Flood Inc) in Nevada.

The business operates a two-sided marketplace model. Attendance is generally free or low-cost, with the company self-describing events as offered free of charge in line with its business model. Revenue is generated primarily through exhibitor and sponsor fees, supplemented by ticket sales for select paid events, badge scanning data monetization shared with exhibitors for lead generation, and third-party advertising on event websites. Customer segmentation includes B2B professional attendees seeking networking and industry intelligence, plus enterprise exhibitors and sponsors across technology, hospitality, retail, government, aerospace, and finance sectors.

The company has no proprietary technology platform; its core offering is the curation and physical delivery of in-person trade exhibitions. Supporting technology consists of standard event registration systems, cookie-based analytics (Google Analytics, Hotjar, Leadfeeder), marketing automation (Spotler), and customer service tools (Zendesk, Zopim). The organization employs 101-250 people and self-describes as 'the world's fastest growing B2B trade show company.' No revenue, funding, or ownership details are publicly disclosed.

Name

Fortem International

Legal name

Fortem International Ltd

Website

https://fortem-international.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Fortem International is a UK-based B2B trade show organizer operating 15+ sector-specific exhibitions across the UK, Europe, and US, targeting enterprise exhibitors and professional attendees in technology, hospitality, disaster response, aerospace, and sustainability sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Show and Exhibition Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

akta.pro primary industry

Industry-Specific B2B Trade Show Organizers (THAHABAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Trade Shows & Industry Expos (B2B) (MPAGAHAB)

Keywords

• Trade show exhibitions
• B2B event management
• Industry conferences
• Exhibition organization
• Trade fair services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bristol

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Event Ticket Sales: Fortem International generates revenue primarily through ticket sales for trade show exhibitions. The company operates a hybrid model where some events offer tickets free of charge while others require payment. Paid tickets are issued upon receipt of payment, and fees are due upon registration confirmation. The company also generates revenue through exhibitor and sponsor badge scanning data collection for analytical purposes.
2. Exhibitor and Sponsor Data Services: The company collects and monetizes attendee badge scanning data from exhibitors and sponsors at events. When attendees allow their badges to be scanned, their registration information is shared with third-party exhibitors and sponsors for marketing purposes. This data is also used by Fortem International for analytical purposes.
3. Marketing and Advertising Services: The company provides marketing and promotional services to exhibitors and sponsors, including the use of exhibitor logos and brand materials for event promotion. Third-party advertising partners deliver targeted advertisements through the company's websites.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Fortem International organizes and delivers a portfolio of in-person B2B trade shows and exhibitions across multiple industry sectors including technology, disaster response, hospitality, retail, aerospace, and advanced air mobility. The company generates revenue through ticket sales, exhibitor/sponsor fees, badge-scan data monetization, and third-party advertising. Its flagship product is Disasters Expo, recognized as the most important event worldwide in the disaster response space, with editions held in the USA and Europe.

Product overview

Fortem International is a B2B trade show company operating a portfolio of sector-specific exhibition events across the UK and USA. The company organizes market-leading trade shows spanning technology, environment, healthcare, retail, hospitality, leisure, aerospace, manufacturing, elite sport, data, and finance sectors. Its flagship product is Disasters Expo, recognized as the most important event worldwide in the disaster response space, with multiple editions held in the USA (Miami, California) and Europe (Frankfurt). The broader portfolio includes 15 named trade show events covering diverse industries such as call centers, hospitality, drinks, packaging, street food, drones, and air mobility. Events are offered free of charge in line with Fortem's business model, with paid tickets available in some instances. The company does not offer a software product, API, or technology platform — its core offering is the organization and delivery of in-person trade exhibitions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Disasters Expo Fortem International's flagship B2B trade exhibition covering disaster response, emergency management, and public safety, recognized as the most important event worldwide in the disaster response space. It serves enterprise exhibitors and professional attendees from government, aerospace, healthcare, and emergency response sectors.
• Disasters Expo USA US-based edition of the Disasters Expo held in California, serving the North American disaster response and emergency management industry with a focus on B2B exhibitors and professional attendees.
• Disasters Expo Frankfurt European edition of the Disasters Expo held in Frankfurt, serving the European disaster response, emergency management, and public safety professional community.
• Disaster Expo Miami Florida-based edition of the Disasters Expo serving the Southeastern US disaster response and emergency management sector with B2B exhibitor and attendee focus.
• Call and Contact Center Expo B2B trade exhibition focused on the call and contact center industry, serving enterprise technology vendors, CX/contact center operators, and customer experience professionals.
• Restaurant and Takeaway Innovation Expo UK-based B2B trade show focused on innovation in the restaurant and takeaway sector, connecting restaurant operators, takeaway brands, and suppliers with new products and technologies.
• Hospitality Tech Expo Live UK-based trade exhibition focused on technology solutions for the hospitality industry, serving hoteliers, restaurant operators, and hospitality technology vendors.
• Cafe Business Expo UK B2B trade show focused on the cafe business sector, serving cafe owners and operators with supplier networking, innovation showcases, and industry education.
• Trade Drinks Expo UK-based trade exhibition for the drinks industry, showcasing suppliers and innovations in beverages and hospitality to B2B audiences.
• Responsible Packaging Expo UK-based trade show focused on sustainable and responsible packaging solutions, serving retail and manufacturing buyers seeking eco-friendly packaging innovations and suppliers.
• Street Food Business Expo UK B2B trade show focused on the street food sector, connecting street food operators with suppliers, equipment vendors, and industry innovations.
• HRIE Exhibition (Hotel and Restaurant Innovation Expo) UK-based Hotel and Restaurant Innovation Expo (HRIE) serving the hospitality, restaurant, and hotel sectors with innovation-focused exhibitions for B2B buyers and suppliers.
• Helitech UK-based trade exhibition focused on helicopter operations, safety, and technology within the aviation and aerospace sector, serving B2B aerospace professionals and suppliers.
• DroneX UK-based trade show focused on drone technology, unmanned aerial systems, and the advanced air mobility sector, serving enterprise drone operators, manufacturers, and suppliers.
• Advanced Air Mobility Expo UK-based trade exhibition focused on advanced air mobility technologies, electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, and emerging aviation sectors, serving B2B aerospace and mobility professionals.

Named customers54 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Reed Exhibitions (RX): One of the world's largest trade show and exhibition organizers, operating hundreds of B2B events across multiple sectors including travel, hospitality, and technology — directly comparable to Fortem's portfolio model and vertical-spanning strategy.
• Hyve Group: UK-headquartered international trade show organizer running portfolio events across multiple industries. Closely comparable in size, geography (UK with international reach), and multi-vertical B2B exhibition model to Fortem International.
• Clarion Events: UK-based global events organizer operating trade shows across technology, defense, gaming, and retail verticals. Comparable multi-vertical B2B exhibition model with similar transatlantic footprint.
• Messe Frankfurt: One of the world's largest trade fair operators, headquartered in Germany with global event portfolio. Fortem's Frankfurt-based Disasters Expo edition directly overlaps with Messe Frankfurt's venue and competitive territory.
• dmg events: International exhibition organizer with strong presence in hospitality, food service, and energy verticals — directly comparable to Fortem's hospitality/retail trade show portfolio (e.g., Restaurant and Takeaway Innovation Expo).
• Tarsus Group: International B2B media and events group organizing trade exhibitions across technology, automotive, aerospace, and healthcare — closely comparable in portfolio breadth and B2B exhibition model.
• Easyfairs: European-headquartered multi-vertical trade show organizer running events for technology, retail, hospitality, and industrial sectors — comparable in vertical breadth and UK/European operational footprint.

Broad incumbents

• Informa Markets: The world's largest B2B events organizer with a global portfolio spanning dozens of verticals. As a much larger incumbent, Informa Markets competes with Fortem in overlapping verticals (technology, hospitality, food service) and sets the benchmark for scale.

Emerging players

• PennWell Events: B2B media and events company running trade exhibitions in aerospace, defense, and energy — overlapping with Fortem's Helitech and Aerospace/Manufacturing segments.

Others

• Eventbrite: Self-service event ticketing and management platform used by trade show organizers. While not a direct competitor for owned events, Eventbrite represents the broader shift toward software-led event tooling that could pressure Fortem's traditional organizer model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FortemInternat2
• Facebookfacebook.com/Fortem-International-105258078466039
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fortem-international
• Instagraminstagram.com/fortem_international

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Fortem International