BERNEXPO GROUPE

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.

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

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

• Trade fair venue
• Event organization services
• Congress and conference hosting
• Exhibition hall rental
• Corporate event management

Headquarters

HQ city

Berne

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Event Services: Comprehensive services including stand construction, event technology, furniture rental, technical installations, advertising, catering, ticketing, security, logistics, and exhibitor management.
4. Advertising Space: Sale of advertising surfaces across the venue including digital displays, banners, and posters to reach hundreds of thousands of annual visitors.
5. 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

Core 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

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

AI capability5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• infoteam (RUBIN Software)coreTechnology or IntegrationBERNEXPO 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 & EventscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatering partner providing food services for events, collaborating on reducing food waste through AI platform Kitro.
• SecuritascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSecurity services partner providing security personnel and services for events.
• SYMAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for stand construction and exhibition systems.
• Morand TransporteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransportation and logistics partner for event logistics.
• Bern WelcomecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBern tourism and convention bureau, strategic partner in Congress Hub Bern initiative.
• Kursaal BerncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCongress venue partner in Congress Hub Bern, the strategic alliance to leverage Bern's potential as a congress destination.
• BSI Business Systems Integration AGcoreTechnology or IntegrationCRM 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

Direct 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

• Xx.com/bernexpo_groupe
• Facebookfacebook.com/BERNEXPO

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 BERNEXPO GROUPE