BERNEXPO GROUPE
BERNEXPO GROUPE operates a 150,000 m² event and trade fair venue in Bern, Switzerland, organizing flagship fairs such as BEA and BAM.LIVE while hosting concerts, congresses, and corporate events for exhibitors, promoters, and organizers across Switzerland.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1950
- HeadquartersBerne, Switzerland
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What BERNEXPO GROUPE does
BERNEXPO GROUPE (legal entity: BERNEXPO AG, Swiss stock corporation, company number CHE-107.818.249) operates a 150,000 square meter event and trade fair venue in Bern, Switzerland, supported by 75 years of operating history. Its core business is operating exhibition halls, congress rooms, and the new Festhalle opened in April 2025, while also organizing its own flagship trade fairs including BEA, BAM.LIVE, Ferienmesse, FESPO, Suisse Caravan Salon, and Swiss Cyber Security Days. The company serves four primary customer segments: trade fair exhibitors, corporate event organizers, concert and festival promoters, and congress and conference organizers, with a sub-brand and partnership ecosystem anchored on the Congress Hub Bern initiative with Bern Welcome and Kursaal Bern.
The technology stack is built around RUBIN event management software (developed with infoteam), a BSI CRM and customer data platform, and customer-facing digital tools including the Event Guide progressive web application and the Trade Fair Configurator (Messestandkonfigurator), the latter built on MACH architecture and recognized with a bronze Best of Swiss Web award in the Commerce category. Supporting modules include an online ticketing platform, Scan2Lead lead capture, and an online service center for exhibitors. The new Festhalle is operated 100% fossil fuel-free with pellet heating and heat recovery, certified to Minergie-P, and the company holds ISO 20121 certification for sustainable event management, with reported outcomes of a 41% reduction in carbon footprint and a 120% increase in energy efficiency.
The revenue model is multi-stream: venue and space rental, trade fair organization (exhibitor fees and visitor tickets), event services (stand construction, technology, catering, advertising, ticketing, security, logistics), and advertising space sales across the venue. Distribution is primarily direct sales through event inquiry forms and an online booking portal, complemented by a partner network and the Congress Hub Bern alliance. The company is privately held, headquartered in Bern, and reported FY2025 revenue of approximately CHF 56 million with EBITDA of approximately CHF 4.7 million; FY2026 is a transition year with new CEO Roger Schnegg, CFO Bruno Battaglia, and incoming Board Chair Pascal Jenny.
BERNEXPO GROUPE firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- BERNEXPO GROUPE
- Legal name
- BERNEXPO AG
- Website
- https://bernexpo.ch
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1950
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- BERNEXPO GROUPE operates a 150,000 m² event and trade fair venue in Bern, Switzerland, organizing flagship fairs such as BEA and BAM.LIVE while hosting concerts, congresses, and corporate events for exhibitors, promoters, and organizers across Switzerland.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
BERNEXPO GROUPE industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Event Venue and Trade Fair Services
- NAICS
- Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)
- akta.pro primary industry
- General & Multi-Industry Trade Show Organizers (THAHABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Exhibition & Trade Show Management (Conference-Adjacent) (THAHACAF), Festival & Event Producers/Organizers (MPAIAFAC), Manufacturing, Industrial Equipment & Automation Shows Organizers (THAHABAF)
Keywords
Where BERNEXPO GROUPE is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Berne
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
BERNEXPO GROUPE business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Venue and Space Rental: Rental of exhibition halls, congress rooms, Festhalle, and outdoor areas for events, conferences, concerts, and trade fairs. The venue offers 150,000 m² of space including halls, conference rooms, and the new Festhalle complex.
- Trade Fair Organization: Organization and hosting of own trade fairs including BAM.LIVE, BEA, Ferienmesse, FESPO, Suisse Caravan Salon, and others. Revenue from exhibitor fees and visitor tickets.
- Event Services: Comprehensive services including stand construction, event technology, furniture rental, technical installations, advertising, catering, ticketing, security, logistics, and exhibitor management.
- Advertising Space: Sale of advertising surfaces across the venue including digital displays, banners, and posters to reach hundreds of thousands of annual visitors.
- Ticket Sales: Ticketing services for events including own trade fairs, concerts, and guest events through their online ticketing platform.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
BERNEXPO GROUPE product offering
Product offeringCore offering
BERNEXPO GROUPE owns and operates a 150,000 m² event and trade fair campus in Bern, Switzerland, providing venue rental (halls, conference rooms, Festhalle), organizing its own trade fairs (BEA, BAM.LIVE, Ferienmesse, FESPO, Suisse Caravan Salon), and delivering end-to-end event services including stand construction, catering, ticketing, security, AV technology, logistics, and advertising. It supports exhibitors with digital tools (Trade Fair Configurator, Event Guide PWA, Online Service Center) and serves corporate clients, congress organizers, and concert/festival promoters as a one-stop event partner.
Product overview
BERNEXPO GROUPE operates a multi-platform event management ecosystem centered on its 150,000m² venue in Bern, Switzerland. The core digital products include the Event Guide PWA (browser-based visitor companion), the Trade Fair Configurator (exhibitor self-service booth planning), and the Ticketing Solution (ticket shop with access control). The company runs flagship owned events including BEA, BAM.LIVE, and Ferienmesse, while hosting guest exhibitions and providing comprehensive venue services. The new Festhalle (opening 2025) features sustainable, fossil-fuel-free operations with multiple event spaces (STAGE, CUBE, Foyer). Supporting services include the Online Service Center for exhibitor management, Scan2Lead for lead capture, catering across multiple restaurants, and advertising space sales. The company is certified to ISO 20121 for sustainable events and emphasizes digital tools to simplify trade fair planning, reduce environmental impact, and improve the visitor experience.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Festhalle: Multi-purpose event hall within the BERNEXPO venue complex, featuring 4,000m² of space with stage capabilities.
- Event-Guide
- Messestandkonfigurator
- Congress Hub Bern
Products and services
- Venue and Space Rental
- Trade Fair Organization (BEA, BAM.LIVE, Ferienmesse, FESPO, Suisse Caravan Salon)
- Festhalle — New Multifunctional Event Hall
- Catering Services
- Event Concepts (Eventkonzepte)
- Advertising Spaces (Werbeflächen)
- Ticketing Solution
- Scan2Lead Lead Tracking
- Trade Fair Configurator (Messestandkonfigurator)
- Event Guide (Digital PWA)
- Bern Wine Fair (Berner Weinmesse)
Quantifiable outcome
- 41% reduction in carbon footprint
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use BERNEXPO GROUPE
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
BERNEXPO GROUPE technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration12 records
AI capability5 records
Feature4 records
BERNEXPO GROUPE partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- infoteam (RUBIN Software)coreBERNEXPO uses the RUBIN modular end-to-end software platform for trade fair and event management, covering CRM, scheduling, graphics, service and logistics, online service center, and conference management modules.
- 24/7 Catering & EventscoreCatering partner providing food services for events, collaborating on reducing food waste through AI platform Kitro.
- SecuritascoreSecurity services partner providing security personnel and services for events.
- SYMAcorePartner for stand construction and exhibition systems.
- Morand TransporteminorTransportation and logistics partner for event logistics.
- Bern WelcomecoreBern tourism and convention bureau, strategic partner in Congress Hub Bern initiative.
- Kursaal BerncoreCongress venue partner in Congress Hub Bern, the strategic alliance to leverage Bern's potential as a congress destination.
- BSI Business Systems Integration AGcoreCRM and customer data platform provider (bsi.crm, bsi.cx, bsi.cdp) for customer relationship management, campaign management, and data coordination.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
BERNEXPO GROUPE competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- GL Events: France-based international event solutions provider operating exhibition venues and delivering integrated event services (stand construction, catering, equipment, ticketing). Directly comparable to BERNEXPO's combined venue ownership + full-service event offering, including the Festhalle's STAGE/CUBE/Foyer mix.
- Easyfairs: Pan-European trade fair organizer that acquires and runs mid-sized B2B exhibitions across multiple industries. Closely comparable to BERNEXPO's model of organizing multi-industry trade fairs (BEA, BAM.LIVE, Ferienmesse) and providing wrap-around event services to exhibitors and visitors.
- MCH Group: Swiss-listed trade fair and event organizer (historically behind Art Basel and other Basel-based shows) operating multi-venue event infrastructure. Directly comparable to BERNEXPO as another Swiss-headquartered trade fair and venue operator with a similar mix of owned events and venue rentals.
- Clarion Events: UK-headquartered independent trade fair and conference organizer running 180+ events across multiple industries. Directly comparable to BERNEXPO's mid-sized, multi-industry trade fair portfolio and one-stop-shop service model for exhibitors and organizers.
Broad incumbents
- Koelnmesse: German trade fair organizer operating the Cologne exhibition complex, hosting roughly 80 trade fairs annually across consumer goods, food, and industrial sectors. Comparable in venue ownership + trade fair organization model, but at materially larger scale.
- Messe Frankfurt: One of the world's largest trade fair organizers with its own Frankfurt venue complex. Comparable to BERNEXPO as a venue-owning trade fair organizer running both flagship owned shows and guest events, but at significantly larger scale and global footprint.
- Informa: Global events and B2B exhibitions company whose Informa Markets division runs hundreds of trade shows worldwide. Comparable to BERNEXPO's owned trade fair portfolio (BEA, BAM.LIVE, Ferienmesse) and its digital tooling around the show lifecycle, but at massively larger scale and global reach.
- Messe Berlin: Berlin-based venue operator and trade fair organizer running both B2B and consumer shows (ITB, IFA). Comparable to BERNEXPO's dual role of venue owner and trade fair organizer, including congress operations, though at a larger scale.
- Messe München: Operator of the Munich exhibition center and organizer of globally significant trade fairs (bauma, IFAT, BAU). Comparable to BERNEXPO in combining a large venue with own + guest trade fairs, particularly analogous to BERNEXPO's BAM.LIVE construction-machinery show.
Regional players
- Kursaal Bern: Bern-based congress and event venue operator that is a strategic partner of BERNEXPO inside the Congress Hub Bern alliance. Comparable as a regional Bern venue operator with overlapping congress and event customers, but smaller scale and not a direct national competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
BERNEXPO GROUPE social profiles
Digital presenceBERNEXPO GROUPE compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
BERNEXPO GROUPE financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
BERNEXPO GROUPE leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
BERNEXPO GROUPE funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
BERNEXPO GROUPE M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about BERNEXPO GROUPE
What does BERNEXPO GROUPE do?
BERNEXPO GROUPE owns and operates a 150,000 m² event and trade fair campus in Bern, Switzerland, providing venue rental (halls, conference rooms, Festhalle), organizing its own trade fairs (BEA, BAM.LIVE, Ferienmesse, FESPO, Suisse Caravan Salon), and delivering end-to-end event services including stand construction, catering, ticketing, security, AV technology, logistics, and advertising. It supports exhibitors with digital tools (Trade Fair Configurator, Event Guide PWA, Online Service Center) and serves corporate clients, congress organizers, and concert/festival promoters as a one-stop event partner.
Is BERNEXPO GROUPE a public or private company?
BERNEXPO GROUPE is a private company. It is classified as management employee owned and is currently operating.
When was BERNEXPO GROUPE founded?
BERNEXPO GROUPE was founded in 1950. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is BERNEXPO GROUPE based?
BERNEXPO GROUPE is headquartered in Berne, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does BERNEXPO GROUPE make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Venue and Space Rental is the primary driver. The others are trade Fair Organization, event Services, advertising Space and ticket Sales.
Who are BERNEXPO GROUPE's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are GL Events, Easyfairs, MCH Group and Clarion Events. Broad incumbents are Koelnmesse, Messe Frankfurt, Informa, Messe Berlin and Messe München. Kursaal Bern is listed as a regional player.
Does BERNEXPO GROUPE have an API?
No public API is recorded for BERNEXPO GROUPE.
What industry is BERNEXPO GROUPE in?
BERNEXPO GROUPE's product category is Event Venue and Trade Fair Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHABAA, General & Multi-Industry Trade Show Organizers, with a secondary code of THAHACAF, Exhibition & Trade Show Management (Conference-Adjacent). Its NAICS code is 56192.