LAAD Defence and Security

What LAAD Defence and Security does

LAAD Defence and Security is the largest defense and security trade fair in Latin America, organized by Creative Events Brazil Exibições e Feiras Ltda (CNPJ 10.432.341/0001-90), a privately held São Paulo–based event company. The portfolio comprises two alternating biennial events: LAAD Defence and Security, held at Riocentro in Rio de Janeiro and focused on armed forces (Navy, Army, Air Force), and LAAD Security Milipol Brazil, held at the Transamerica Expo Center in São Paulo under a strategic co-organization and brand licensing arrangement with Comexposium's Milipol network, focused on public security and law enforcement. The 16th edition of LAAD Defence and Security is scheduled for April 13-16, 2027, with LAAD Security 2028 scheduled for April 4-6, 2028.

The events serve two customer sides. On the supply side, the fairs attract national and international defense and security industry exhibitors — including primes such as Taurus, CBC, EDGE Group, Akaer, Atech (Embraer Group), Zodiac Milpro, Helisul, Motorola Solutions, and Suzuki — together with headline sponsors ABDI, AWS, and Blend. On the demand side, the Official Delegations Program, co-invited by the Brazilian Ministry of Defence, brings defense ministers, military commanders, and high-level authorities from over 36 countries, qualifying the audience for restricted defense procurement discussions. Past editions have reached 250 exhibitors representing 400 brands, 160 official delegations, 45,000 visitors (LAAD 2023), and visitors from 50 countries (LAAD 2024).

Revenue mechanics consist of exhibition booth rentals at Riocentro and Transamerica, event sponsorship packages (official, summit, and institutional tiers), delegation program facilitation, and paid conference/symposium content including the International Military Logistics Symposium and Summit LAAD. Pricing is quote-based through a small dedicated commercial team (8 disclosed employees company-wide), with multi-year contract cadences. Distribution is direct enterprise field sales supplemented by organic social (LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook), email newsletters, media partnerships with defense publications, and institutional press office channels. The company has no proprietary technology platform, no disclosed funding rounds, and no parent company.

Name

LAAD Defence and Security

Legal name

Creative Events Brazil Exibições e Feiras Ltda

Website

https://laadexpo.com.br

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

LAAD Defence and Security is a Latin American trade fair organizer running the region's largest defense and security exhibitions in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, serving defense industry exhibitors, armed forces, police agencies, and government procurement authorities via a biennial event portfolio co-organized with Comexposium's Milipol network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

São Paulo

HQ country

Brazil

HQ region

Latin America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Exhibition Space Rental: Revenue generated from selling exhibition booth space to defense and security industry companies. The event provides physical exhibition space at Riocentro (Rio de Janeiro) and Transamerica Expo Center (São Paulo).
2. Event Sponsorship: Revenue from sponsors including official sponsors (ABDI), summit sponsors (AWS, Blend), and institutional supporters. Includes branding, visibility, and promotional opportunities at the event.
3. Delegation Program: Revenue from organizing official delegation programs that bring high-level government and military authorities to the event, facilitating meetings between delegations and exhibitors.
4. Conference and Content Access: Revenue from congresses, courses, and lectures held alongside the exhibition. The event features content programs including the International Military Logistics Symposium and Summit LAAD.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

LAAD Defence & Security organizes the largest defense and security trade fair in Latin America, held biennially at Riocentro in Rio de Janeiro, bringing together national and international defense suppliers with armed forces and public security buyers. Its sister event, LAAD Security Milipol Brazil, is held at the Transamerica Expo Center in São Paulo in partnership with Comexposium's Milipol brand, serving as the regional homeland-security industry marketplace. Both events are restricted-access B2B exhibitions restricted to defense and security professionals and government authorities.

Product overview

LAAD Defence and Security operates as a trade show organizer, not a software company. The company organizes two major annual events: LAAD Defence & Security (held at Riocentro, Rio de Janeiro) and LAAD Security Milipol Brazil (held at Transamerica Expo Center, São Paulo, in partnership with Comexposium's Milipol brand). These are business trade fairs RESTRICTED to military, police forces, authorities and security and defence sector professionals. The events feature exhibition space for companies to showcase products, an Official Delegations Program bringing high-level government authorities, and content programming including symposia and conferences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• LAAD Defence & Security Trade Fair The largest and most important defense and security trade fair in Latin America, held at Riocentro in Rio de Janeiro. The event brings together national and international companies providing technologies, equipment and services for defence forces (Navy, Army, Air Force) and public security sectors.
• LAAD Security Milipol Brazil Trade Fair A security-focused trade fair held at the Transamerica Expo Center in São Paulo, operated in partnership with Comexposium's Milipol brand. The event serves as a premier networking and update platform for security and defense professionals in Latin America, drawing exhibitors from 20+ countries.
• Official Delegations Program Program that invites defence and security authorities from Brazil, Latin America, and invited countries — including defence ministers, armed forces commanders, interior/justice ministers, and other high-level authorities — to participate in the event with assisted visits to exhibitor stands.
• Content Program / Symposium Conference and content programming developed with participation from key authorities, including the International Military Logistics Symposium, Summit LAAD, and meetings of important public security institutions.

Quantifiable outcome

• 160 official delegations from all continents (LAAD 2023)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 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

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• ComexposiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership for LAAD Security events. Comexposium co-organizes LAAD Security Milipol Brazil and brings international expertise from operating security events globally. Comexposium is the operator of the Milipol network.
• MilipolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLicensing partnership using the Milipol brand for LAAD Security events in Latin America. Milipol is synonymous with high-quality international events covering homeland security, represented by Milipol Paris, Milipol Qatar, Milipol TechX, Milipol India, and now LAAD Security Milipol Brazil.
• Ministério da Defesa do BrasilcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Brazilian Ministry of Defence co-invites official delegations to LAAD events, including defense ministers, commanders of armed forces from various countries. This partnership brings high-level government authorities as qualified visitors.
• Forças Armadas Brasileiras (Marinha, Exército, Força Aérea)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerBrazilian Armed Forces provide official support as institutional partners, participating in the event and facilitating official delegation visits.
• ABIMDE - Associação Brasileira das Indústrias de Materiais de Defesa e SegurançamajorGTM or Marketing PartnerInstitutional supporter representing Brazilian defense and security material industries.
• ABIMAQmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerInstitutional supporter representing Brazilian machinery and equipment industry.
• SENASP - Secretaria Nacional de Segurança PúblicamajorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational Secretariat of Public Security provides institutional support for LAAD Security events.
• Tecnologia & Defesa (Official Publication)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial publication partner for LAAD events.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Eurosatory: Biennial land and airland defense and security exhibition held in Paris, organized by COGES Events. Directly comparable to LAAD in scale, exhibitor mix, and government delegation programs targeting global defense suppliers and buyers.
• DEFEA (Defence Exhibition Athens): Biennial defense exhibition held in Athens, Greece. Directly comparable as a mid-sized, government-supported defense trade fair attracting international exhibitors and official delegations from NATO and allied countries.
• Homsec: Biennial homeland security and defense exhibition held in Madrid, Spain. Comparable as a government-supported European security trade fair featuring official delegations and a similar exhibitor base to LAAD's security segment.
• IDEX (International Defence Exhibition): Biennial defense exhibition held in Abu Dhabi under UAE government patronage. Closely comparable as a large-scale, government-backed defense trade fair targeting international suppliers and high-level delegations, similar to LAAD's positioning in Latin America.
• DSEI (Defence and Security Equipment International): Biennial defense and security exhibition held in London at ExCeL. Comparable as a major B2B defense trade fair featuring official national pavilions, military delegations, and a similar exhibitor/buyer engagement model to LAAD.
• MSPO (International Defence Industry Exhibition, Kielce): Annual defense industry exhibition held in Kielce, Poland. Comparable in scope and exhibitor mix, with strong Central European government and NATO defense industry participation, providing a model for annual cadence that contrasts with LAAD's biennial format.
• FISP (Feira Internacional de Segurança): Major annual public and corporate security trade fair held in São Paulo, Brazil. Directly competes with LAAD Security Milipol Brazil for Brazilian and Latin American security exhibitors focused on public safety, surveillance, and policing technology.

Broad incumbents

• Milipol Paris: Parent event of the Milipol homeland security network that LAAD Security Milipol Brazil is licensed into. Operated by Comexposium, Milipol Paris is the global flagship and benchmarks the international positioning LAAD is replicating in Latin America.

Regional players

• SITDEF (Salón Internacional de Tecnología para la Defensa y Prevención de Desastres): Biennial defense and disaster prevention exhibition held in Lima, Peru. A direct Latin American regional competitor for defense exhibitor share and government delegations from across the Andean and Pacific corridor.
• FIDAE (Feria Internacional del Aire y del Espacio): Biennial aerospace and defense air show held in Santiago, Chile. The most established defense exhibition in Latin America alongside LAAD, with a stronger aerospace/aviation tilt, competing for the same regional exhibitor and government attention.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/creativelaadexpo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/laad-defence-and-security-expo
• Instagraminstagram.com/laad_expo

Compliance2 records

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 LAAD Defence and Security