ABF

What ABF does

ABF, a.s. (legal name ABF, a.s., a Czech joint-stock company headquartered at Beranových 667, Prague 9 – Letňany) is the largest exhibition management company in the Czech Republic. Since 1992 the group has connected business, trade, culture, and consumer experiences through exhibitions, trade shows, corporate events, conferences, and fashion shows. Its flagship asset is PVA EXPO PRAHA, the largest and most modern multifunctional exhibition venue in Prague, comprising 8 multi-purpose halls totaling 105,000 m² and hosting 150+ events, 800,000+ visitors, and 8,800+ exhibiting companies annually.

The group's operating platform is built around the venue plus a tightly integrated ecosystem of subsidiaries: PVA EXPO PRAHA (venue operations), ABF Catering (event catering), WE Hotel Expo Prague (on-site accommodation), Shopex.cz (online marketplace), and MDL Expo (licensed trade fair organizer in Czech Republic and abroad). ABF operates both as a third-party venue host (renting halls to external event organizers) and as an organizer of owned consumer and B2B trade fair brands including FOR PETS, FOR BEAUTY, FOR KIDS, FOR DECOR, FÓRUM STAVEBNICTVÍ, HORSE EXPO, EROFEST, and Barefoot Expo Prague. Underlying technology is operational rather than digital: exhibition venue management, event calendar coordination, standard web analytics (Piwik), and email delivery via SendinBlue, with no disclosed AI/ML capabilities or proprietary software products.

ABF's revenue model is transaction-based and diversified across five streams: (1) venue rental and event hosting fees at PVA EXPO PRAHA, (2) own event organization through exhibitor booth fees and visitor admissions, (3) professional catering services, (4) hotel accommodation, and (5) marketplace commissions via Shopex.cz. Customer segments are hybrid across B2B event organizers (regional, European, and global), corporate exhibitors across multiple industries (pet care, beauty, children's products, construction, equestrian, lifestyle), and end-consumer visitors. Pricing is not publicly disclosed and varies by event. The company is privately held under a board chaired by Ing. Pavel Sehnal, with Martin František Přívětivý serving as General Director (CEO) and Ing. Erik Augustin as CFO; annual reports are published for 2023 and 2024 consistent with larger-company disclosure norms in the Czech Republic.

Name

ABF

Legal name

ABF, a.s.

Website

https://abf.cz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ABF, a.s. is a Czech exhibition management company operating PVA EXPO PRAHA, the largest multifunctional exhibition venue in Prague with 105,000 m² across 8 halls. It hosts 150+ events annually serving 8,800+ exhibiting companies and 800,000+ visitors, complemented by catering, hotel, and marketplace subsidiaries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Exhibition & Event Management Services

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192), Convention and Trade Show Organizers (561920), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Convention & Exhibition Centers (Public Convention Centers, Civic Centers) (THAHAAAA)

Keywords

• Trade fair management
• Exhibition venue operations
• Event management services
• Trade show organization
• Corporate event hosting

Headquarters

HQ city

Letnany

HQ country

Czechia

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Venue Rental and Event Hosting: Rental of exhibition halls and conference spaces at PVA EXPO PRAHA to event organizers and corporate clients. The venue offers 105,000 m² of space across 8 multifunctional halls for trade shows, conferences, corporate events, fashion shows, and other events.
2. Event Organization Services: Organization and hosting of owned exhibition brands including FOR PETS, FOR BEAUTY, FOR KIDS, Horse Expo, EROFEST, and Barefoot Expo. Revenue generated from exhibitor fees, booth rentals, and visitor admissions.
3. Catering Services: ABF Catering provides comprehensive catering services for events held at the venue and external locations.
4. Hotel Accommodation: WE Hotel Expo Prague provides accommodation services for event attendees and exhibition visitors.
5. Online Marketplace: Shopex.cz internet marketplace operated by the group.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

ABF operates the PVA EXPO PRAHA exhibition complex in Prague, the largest exhibition venue in the city with 105,000 m² across 8 halls, hosting more than 150 events annually. The company also organizes its own portfolio of branded trade fairs (FOR PETS, FOR BEAUTY, FOR KIDS, FOR DECOR, FÓRUM STAVEBNICTVÍ, HORSE EXPO, EROFEST, Barefoot Expo Prague) and provides integrated catering, hospitality, and stand-building services through its subsidiaries ABF Catering, WE Hotel Expo Prague, MDL Expo, and Shopex.cz.

Product overview

ABF Group operates as a comprehensive event and exhibition management platform. The core offering consists of PVA EXPO PRAHA, the largest multifunctional exhibition venue in Prague with 8 halls totaling 105,000 m², hosting over 150 events annually with 800,000+ visitors and 8,800+ companies. The group manages the venue alongside complementary services including ABF Catering (catering), WE Hotel (accommodation), and Shopex.cz (online marketplace). The portfolio includes multiple branded trade fairs and events such as FOR DECOR, FÓRUM STAVEBNICTVÍ, FOR KIDS, FOR BEAUTY, FOR PETS, HORSE EXPO, EROFEST, and Barefoot Expo Prague, covering diverse industries from construction and decoration to pets, beauty, and lifestyle events.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PVA EXPO PRAHA: Multi-functional exhibition venue in Letňany, Prague - the largest and most modern exhibition area in the capital with 105,000 m² and 8 multi-purpose halls
• ABF Catering
• WE Hotel Expo Prague
• Shopex.cz
• MDL Expo

Products and services

• PVA EXPO PRAHA

Quantifiable outcome

• 800,000+ annual visitors
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• UFI - Global Association of the Exhibition IndustrycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2025PVA EXPO PRAHA and its parent company ABF, a.s. became members of UFI on February 10, 2025. UFI is the Global Association of the Exhibition Industry, bringing together exhibition organizers, venue operators, exhibition associations, and selected partners from nearly 90 countries worldwide. This membership confirms the venue's position among the most prestigious players in the exhibition industry internationally.
• Shopex.czcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOnline marketplace operated by Shopex s.r.o. Partner logo displayed on ABF website. Part of ABF group ecosystem.
• Škoda AutominorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner logo displayed on ABF website indicating sponsorship or partnership relationship.
• WE Hotel Expo PraguecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of ABF group ecosystem providing hotel accommodation for event attendees and exhibition visitors. Partner logo displayed on ABF website.
• ABF CateringcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of ABF group providing comprehensive catering services for events at PVA EXPO PRAHA and external locations. Partner logo displayed on ABF website.
• Hospodářská komora České republiky (Chamber of Commerce of the Czech Republic)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABF, a.s. is a member of the Chamber of Commerce of the Czech Republic. Listed on company contacts page.
• SOVA ČRminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerABF, a.s. is a member of SOVA ČR association. Listed on company contacts page.
• Shopex s.r.o.minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOperator of online marketplace SHOPEX.CZ. Personal data may be transferred for data processing purposes.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Messe Frankfurt: One of the world's largest exhibition venue operators and organizers (Frankfurt, Germany). Comparable business model operating multi-hall convention centers and own-branded international trade fairs; serves as the gold-standard incumbent for venues of ABF's profile.
• RX Global (Reed Exhibitions): World's largest exhibition organizer running 400+ events across multiple sectors. Direct comparator for ABF's own-branded trade fair portfolio (FOR PETS, FOR BEAUTY, etc.) at much larger scale.
• MCH Group (Messe Basel): Swiss-based exhibition venue operator and organizer of major events including Art Basel. Comparable integrated venue-plus-events operator with similar multi-vertical strategy to ABF.
• NürnbergMesse: German exhibition venue operator and trade fair organizer running multiple halls and own-branded events including consumer and B2B fairs. Comparable integrated venue-plus-events operator with similar structure to ABF's group.
• Informa Markets: Global B2B exhibition, events, and trade show organizer with hundreds of branded events worldwide. Directly comparable as an exhibition organizer (rather than venue owner), and the largest pure-play comparator for ABF's event-organization arm.
• Koelnmesse: Cologne-based exhibition venue operator and trade fair organizer running multiple halls and own-branded fairs. Closely comparable European venue-plus-events operator with similar scale and segment breadth as PVA EXPO PRAHA.

Regional players

• Ptak Warsaw Expo: Poland's largest exhibition center, located near Warsaw. Comparable multi-hall exhibition venue operator in the Central European region competing for the same cross-border organizer business that ABF targets.
• Fiera Milano: Italy's leading exhibition center and trade fair organizer. Comparable multi-hall venue operator with own-branded trade fairs, primarily serving a Southern European market but competing in the same international organizer bidding process.

Direct peers

• Veletrhy Brno (BVV Trade Fairs Brno): Czech Republic's other major exhibition venue operator and trade fair organizer. Directly comparable as a domestic competitor running multi-hall exhibition facilities and own-branded trade fairs in the same national market as ABF.
• IFEMA Madrid: Madrid exhibition center operator running Feria de Madrid with extensive multi-hall facilities and own-branded trade fairs. Direct European venue-operator peer at comparable scale, including consumer and B2B exhibitions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/pvaexpo.cz
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/abf-a.-s.

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries5 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 ABF