Program preview. Subject to thematic and scheduling changes.
Monday, September 14, 2026
On-site check-in
Defense Circle Meet-Up (exclusively for members of the Handelsblatt Defense Circle)
Greeting
Moderation
Editorial briefing live
Moderation
Speakers
Frank Specht in conversation with
Silver Bullet, or system capability? How to invest now
The debate about the right defense capabilities has intensified. While some voices focus specifically on new technologies such as drones and AI, others emphasize the need for broad, integrated system capabilities. How should Europe invest now to become both rapidly effective and capable of long-term defense?
Moderation
Speakers
Time for questions
Networking break
With the participants of the Handelsblatt conference “Defense & Real Estate”
The path to an AI-first supply chain in the defense industry
Time for questions
Markus Fasse in conversation with
Mass and resilience: The dual challenge of the defense industry
Production capacities need to be expanded rapidly while supply chains are stabilized. How can production be scaled under high pressure and made resilient at the same time?
Moderation
Speakers
Further speakers to be arranged
Time for questions
Leasing enables investments in scaling.
Time for questions
PARALLEL DEEP DIVE SESSIONS (Only for on-site participants)
lunch
With the participants of the Handelsblatt conference “Defense & Real Estate”
Use the lunch breaks to engage in targeted discussions with experts and other participants. Our themed tables will focus on the following topics related to the defense industry:
- Production ramp-up in the defense industry
- Entry into the defense market
- Defense specialists
- Financing and investors
- Resilience and civil defense
Ready for an emergency? How fast innovation needs to be in the defense industry and the German Armed Forces today.
Nana Brink in conversation with
Time for questions
How do you scale the turning point in history?
Time for questions
PARALLEL DEEP DIVE SESSIONS (Only for on-site participants)
SVI-Connect: From market transparency to delivery capability – How networking enables the defense ramp-up
Transparency across the entire supply chain is becoming a key prerequisite for the defense ramp-up. How do strategic procurement, supplier management, and risk management interact in this context? How can SMEs, startups, and new defense solutions be integrated more quickly into existing supply chains? How do we create a networked, transparent, and resilient ecosystem that enables speed, innovation, and security of supply in equal measure?
Moderation
Speakers
Networking break
With the participants of the Handelsblatt conference “Defense & Real Estate”
People, not machines: The biggest bottleneck
To achieve industrial ramp-up in the defense and supplier industries, qualified personnel are essential in addition to materials. People are needed who are familiar with military procedures, industrial standards, and procurement processes, and who possess valid security clearances. Acquisitions of existing plants and workforces, new training programs, and industrial collaborations are intended to address this need – but key bottlenecks remain. Which personnel strategies are effective, where is there untapped potential, and which framework conditions need to be adjusted?
Moderation
Speakers
Time for questions
Boom in space: Could space travel become the next key industry?
Space is developing into a key growth sector at the intersection of security, technology, and industry. Driven by increasing defense investments and new dual-use applications, dynamic markets with significant scaling potential are emerging. Can space become the next key industry? And what is needed to transform technological dynamism into industrial strength?
Moderation
Speakers
Time for questions
Preview of Conference Day 2
End of the first day of the conference
Dinner Event
With the participants of the Handelsblatt conference “Defense & Real Estate”
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
On-site check-in
Starter's Guide: Successful Entry into Europe's Defence Tech Boom
The rapid growth of the defense sector opens up numerous opportunities.
The interactive Road to TECH session offers a practical introduction to the European Defence Tech innovation ecosystem. It shows where new potential arises, how the sector can be accessed, and what is important for building, scaling, and financing successful Defence Tech companies.
The event provides a solid starting point for anyone wishing to get involved in one of Europe's most dynamic growth industries.
Moderation
Speakers
Greeting
Defense Briefing Live
Moderation
Speakers
Markus Fasse in conversation with
New alliances, new power dynamics
Moderation
Speakers
Time for questions
European Defense Readiness and EU Competition Law – Implications for Cooperation, Joint Venture and M&A Projects
Moderation
Speakers
Time for questions
Networking break
With the participants of the Handelsblatt conference “Defense & Real Estate”
From special funds to security economics
How Germany will create the industrial foundation for defense capability and sovereignty in just a few years.
Time for questions
Inside Handelsblatt Editorial Team
Nicole Bastian in conversation with:
Between front line and factory: How Ukraine is redefining innovation processes
Moderation
Speakers
Another speaker to be arranged
Time for questions
Sabotage, espionage: Defense industry under pressure
Frank Specht in conversation
Time for questions
Topic to be discussed
Farewell and Outlook
Lunch snack
With the participants of the Handelsblatt conference “Defense & Real Estate”