What Mido does

MIDO is the world's leading international eyewear trade show, organized by IES International Eyewear Solutions Srl — a privately held Italian company managed and coordinated by ANFAO (Italian Optical Goods Manufacturers' Association). Founded in the early 1970s, MIDO is held annually at Fiera Milano Rho and draws over 1,200 exhibitors from 50 countries and 42,000+ professional visitors from 160+ nations across 7 pavilions and 8 themed exhibition areas spanning the entire eyewear production supply chain (lenses, machinery, frames, cases, materials, technology, furnishings, components, culture, and education).

MIDO's product platform centers on the flagship annual show, supplemented by The Vision Stage educational programming, four award programs (CSE Certified Sustainable Eyewear Award, CSE Corporate Award, Best Store Award, Sergio Cereda Design Award), the WMIDO Magazine year-round content publication, MIDO Daily on-site newsletter, and iOS/Android mobile applications. The underlying digital infrastructure includes a central website (mido.com) and a UserWay accessibility widget for WCAG 2.1 compliance.

The business model is built on B2B event monetization: revenue is generated primarily through exhibitor booth and floor-space fees (quote-based, negotiated per booth size and location), sponsorship of award ceremonies and Vision Stage programming, and visibility packages. Visitor passes are issued free of charge to qualified trade buyers, opticians, designers, and supply chain professionals; press accreditation is free. Distribution relies on direct sales by MIDO's internal team supplemented by institutional channel partnerships with the Italian Trade Agency (ICE), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Farnesina), and ANFAO.

Name

Mido

Legal name

IES International Eyewear Solutions Srl

Website

https://mido.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1972

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MIDO is the international eyewear trade show organized by IES International Eyewear Solutions Srl (under ANFAO), held annually at Fiera Milano Rho, serving 1,200+ exhibitors and 42,000+ professional visitors from 50 countries across the global eyewear supply chain.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trade Show and Event Management

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

akta.pro primary industry

Retail, Consumer Goods & Lifestyle Shows Organizers (THAHABAJ)

Keywords

• Eyewear trade show
• International exhibitions
• B2B event management
• Optical industry events
• Trade fair organization

Headquarters

HQ city

Milano

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Exhibitor booth and floor space fees: MIDO generates primary revenue through charging exhibitors for booth space, booth construction services, and enhanced visibility packages. The show hosts over 1,200 exhibitors across 7 pavilions, offering various exhibitor tiers and sponsor opportunities.
2. Visitor and press accreditation fees: The show offers free visitor passes for professional attendees (buyers, opticians) while press accreditation is managed separately. Media and journalist accreditation drives press coverage that benefits exhibitor value.
3. Sponsorship and advertising: MIDO sells sponsorship packages for awards ceremonies (MIDO Awards, CSE Award, Sergio Cereda Design Award, Best Store Award), The Vision Stage programming, and visibility placements across the show's digital and physical channels.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

MIDO organizes the leading international eyewear trade show held annually at Fiera Milano Rho, bringing together the entire global eyewear production supply chain through 7 pavilions and 8 themed exhibition areas. The show hosts over 1,200 exhibitors from 50 countries and attracts 42,000+ visitors from 160+ nations, complemented by educational programming (The Vision Stage), industry award programs (CSE, Best Store, Sergio Cereda Design), and year-round publications (WMIDO Magazine, MIDO Daily).

Product overview

MIDO operates as a comprehensive eyewear industry exhibition platform centered around its flagship annual trade show at Fiera Milano Rho. The platform encompasses the core MIDO Eyewear Show event with 7 pavilions and 8 specialized exhibition areas covering the entire eyewear supply chain, supported by educational programming through The Vision Stage, industry recognition via multiple award programs (CSE Award, CSE Corporate Award, Best Store Award, Sergio Cereda Design Award), and media content through WMIDO magazine and MIDO Daily. Accessibility is provided through a UserWay widget, and a mobile app is available for iOS and Android. MIDO is organized by IES International Eyewear Solutions Srl in partnership with ANFAO.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• WMIDO Magazine: World Weekly Wonders - MIDO's digital magazine covering eyewear industry news, trends, interviews, and sustainability topics.
• Sergio Cereda Design Award
• CSE Corporate Award

Products and services

• MIDO Eyewear Show The flagship annual international eyewear trade show held at Fiera Milano Rho, representing the entire eyewear production supply chain through 7 pavilions and 8 themed exhibition areas (Fashion District, Lenses, Design, Academy, FAiR EAST, Tech, Start Up, and additional zones). Open to exhibitors (eyewear manufacturers, brands, lens producers, machinery companies) and professional trade visitors (buyers, opticians, ophthalmologists, designers).
• The Vision Stage A dedicated educational stage within Pavilion 1 featuring speaker sessions, conferences, and medical meetings for continuing education and trend intelligence for opticians and industry professionals during the MIDO exhibition.
• CSE Award (Certified Sustainable Eyewear) Annual sustainability certification program and award developed by ANFAO, CERTOTTICA, and the Technical Commission, evaluating environmental, social, economic, and technological aspects of eyewear across the product lifecycle. Open to eyewear companies exhibiting at MIDO.
• CSE Corporate Award Award recognizing the best-performing exhibiting company in sustainability, highlighting companies that integrate ESG principles into their corporate policies. Introduced in 2025.
• Best Store Award Annual award recognizing excellence in eyewear retail store design and visual merchandising, honoring outstanding store concepts in the eyewear sector.
• Sergio Cereda Design Award Award dedicated to emerging talents in eyewear design, open to designers aged up to 30 enrolled in or recently graduated from design schools. Winner receives $10,000, second place $5,000, third place $2,500. Created by Harvey Ross in collaboration with the Cereda family and MIDO.
• WMIDO Magazine (World Weekly Wonders) Online publication (World Weekly Wonders) covering eyewear industry news, fashion, design, sustainability, interviews with industry leaders, and coverage of brand partnerships and launches year-round. Published by MIDO.
• MIDO Daily Daily publication covering the latest news and updates during the annual MIDO exhibition, distributed to attendees and press.
• MIDO Mobile App Mobile application available on iOS and Android providing visitors with exhibition schedules, exhibitor information, on-site navigation, and event updates during MIDO.

Quantifiable outcome

• 42,000+ attendees from 160+ nations at the 2026 edition
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ANFAO (Associazione Nazionale Fabbricanti Articoli Ottici — Italian Optical Goods Manufacturers Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerANFAO is MIDO's co-organizer alongside IES INTERNATIONAL EYEWEAR SOLUTIONS Srl. The two entities operate as joint data controllers (contitolari del trattamento) for GDPR purposes. ANFAO brings the Italian eyewear manufacturing industry's institutional representation to the show, contributing exhibitor recruitment, industry expertise, and sustainability initiatives including the CSE (Certified Sustainable Eyewear) certification program developed jointly with CERTOTTICA.
• Fiera Milano S.p.A.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFiera Milano S.p.A. is the venue provider and operational partner for MIDO, hosting the show at its Fiera Milano Rho exhibition center. The venue relationship is essential for MIDO's physical execution, providing 7 pavilions and supporting infrastructure.
• ICE — Italian Trade AgencycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerICE (Italian Trade Agency) promotes MIDO internationally as part of its mission to support Italian industry internationalization. The partnership helps attract international buyers and exhibitors to the show.
• Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Ministry of Foreign Affairs supports MIDO as part of Italy's international promotion strategy, lending institutional credibility and diplomatic network support to attract international participation.
• CERTOTTICA (Italian Institute for Certification of Ophthalmic Optics)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCERTOTTICA collaborated with ANFAO and MIDO to develop the CSE (Certified Sustainable Eyewear) certification program — the first international sustainability certification dedicated to the eyewear industry, evaluating environmental, social, economic, and technological criteria across the entire product lifecycle.
• Deloitte Climate & SustainabilityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerANFAO partnered with Deloitte Climate & Sustainability to deliver a training program for eyewear companies on ESG, sustainability reporting, sustainable finance, supply chain management, and biodiversity — a 5-session program running from June to November, designed to help SMEs integrate sustainability into their business strategy.
• Safilo S.p.A.minorOthersSafilo S.p.A. was the winner of the 2026 CSE Corporate Award, recognized for its structural integration of ESG criteria into corporate strategy through robust governance, SBTi-validated climate targets, and an advanced ESRS-compliant reporting system.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Opti Munich: Opti is the annual optical trade show held in Munich, Germany, organized by GHM Gesellschaft für Handwerksmessen, serving the German-speaking and Central European eyewear industry with a comparable exhibitor and professional visitor base to MIDO.
• Hong Kong Optical Fair (HKTDC): Organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, this is Asia's leading eyewear trade show, covering frames, lenses, and accessories for a global B2B audience and competing directly with MIDO for international exhibitors and buyers.
• Vision Expo (The Vision Council / RX): Vision Expo East and West are the leading optical industry trade events in the United States, organized by The Vision Council and RX Global, attracting the same exhibitor and buyer base across eyewear, lenses, and optical retail.
• 100% Optical (Media 10): 100% Optical is the UK's leading optical industry exhibition, held annually in London at ExCeL, serving opticians, buyers and brands across the British and broader European eyewear market — comparable scope and audience to MIDO at a smaller scale.
• SILMO Paris: SILMO is the leading French eyewear and optical trade show held annually in Paris, covering the same product categories (frames, lenses, machinery) and serving a similar B2B audience of opticians, manufacturers and buyers — the most direct global competitor to MIDO.

Emerging players

• DaTE Eyewear Show: DaTE is a smaller, design-led Italian eyewear exhibition also held in Italy, positioning itself as a curated, emerging-talent alternative to MIDO — overlapping on product category and audience but smaller scale and more selective.

Regional players

• IOFT (International Optical Fair Tokyo): IOFT is Japan's leading eyewear trade show organized by RX Japan, focused primarily on the Japanese and broader Asian eyewear market with a similar supply-chain coverage to MIDO but a regionally concentrated audience.

Others

• Pitti Immagine (Pitti Uomo / Fashion Events): Pitti Immagine organizes Italy's leading fashion trade shows (Pitti Uomo, Pitti Filati, Pitti Bimbo) using the same B2B trade-show model at Fortezza da Basso in Florence — comparable in organizational structure, Italian institutional backing, and fashion-adjacent audience overlap with MIDO.
• Cosmoprof Worldwide Bologna: Cosmoprof is the world's leading beauty trade show organized by BolognaFiere in Italy, covering the full beauty supply chain across multiple events — directly comparable to MIDO in operational model, scale (thousands of exhibitors, 160+ countries), and Italian institutional context, though in a different vertical.

Broad incumbents

• CES (Consumer Technology Association): CES is the world's largest consumer technology trade show, organized by the Consumer Technology Association — comparable to MIDO as a category-defining B2B exhibition platform with strong institutional backing, though in a much broader category than eyewear.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/midoeyewear
• Facebookfacebook.com/MIDOExhibition
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCZ3nCIhnO-uFSgKqNWkL5rA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mido-eyewear-show
• Xx.com/MIDOExhibition

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Mido