From indoor solar cells and green electronics to sensor systems for agriculture: At LOPEC in Munich, the world’s leading trade fair with accompanying conference for flexible, organic and printed electronics, visitors will gain valuable insight into the latest technological developments from 24-26 February 2026. More than 160 international exhibitors will be presenting new materials, manufacturing technologies, and actual applications, bringing the diversity of printed electronics to life.
Sustainability as a key success factor
In times when sustainability is becoming a key success factor, more and more sectors such as the automotive industry, consumer electronics, and MedTech are recognising the benefits of printed electronics.
The thin, lightweight and flexible components meet sustainability criteria and can be integrated into a wide range of products. LOPEC 2026 will showcase fascinating new products in the Innovation Showcase. They include Google’s energy autonomous TV remote control, which is equipped with printed indoor solar cells from LOPEC exhibitor Epishine. German automotive supplier Marquardt, in turn, is cooperating with the US company E Ink, the inventor of electronic ink for e-readers. In Munich, Marquardt and E Ink will be presenting vehicle interior trim that can change its colour and pattern with a single touch, depending on the mood and preferences of the occupants.
“Printed electronics opens up a wide range of new opportunities for numerous industries,” says Wolfgang Mildner, General Chair of LOPEC and CEO of the German consulting and technology company MSWtech. This is reflected, among other things, in the strong presence of startups: Six of them will be exhibiting this year. In addition, with 15 participants, more young companies than ever before took part in the LOPEC Startup Competition. The five best ideas are nominated for the Startup Award and will give a pitch at LOPEC. This underscores the technological momentum of printed electronics.
At the same time, LOPEC will offer both experts and beginners valuable insights into current developments and practical applications. The application sessions on mobility (25 February, 11:30) and smart living (26 February, 11:20) will make an important contribution to that. Both sessions are part of the LOPEC Conference and can be attended with a half-day ticket.
The all-day workshop Design@LOPEC, taking place on 24 February and sponsored by E Ink, is aimed at industrial and fashion designers from a wide range of sectors. After last year’s successful premiere, Dutch designer Marina Toeters is once again organising the workshop, this time with the support of Jean-Charles Flores, co-founder of Flexoo in Heidelberg. The best results will be presented in the LOPEC Innovation Showcase.
Defence, AI and sustainability—current topics in printed electronics
The LOPEC Roundtable on 25 February at 15:00 is dedicated to current challenges in the defence, aerospace and aviation sectors. Under the title “Aerospace and Defense—What Role for Flexible and Printed Technologies?”, experts will discuss how printed electronics meets the high demands of these industries and what new opportunities this opens up for embedding printed sensors and intelligent systems.
Sustainability is also high on the agenda of the LOPEC Conference with short courses on “Bio-based Materials” (24 February, 9:45) and “Sustainable Printed Electronics” (24 February, 16:15), as well as sessions on “Circular Economy and Green Electronics” (25 February, 14:30) and “Sustainable Processes, Materials and Sensors” (26 February, 14:20).
Plenary sessions will kick off each day of the conference, highlighting the latest trends and groundbreaking developments in the flexible and printed electronics industry. The scope ranges from electronics made from carbon nanotubes to printed sensors that record the microclimate on leaves and fruit, so that irrigation can be optimised and agriculture made more sustainable.
New to the conference programme are the “Business Insights” on promising business models on 24 February at 15:40 and the Poster Pitch on 25 February, the first day of the trade fair, at 16:30 with short presentations on the highlights of the poster session. There will be a presentation on “kirigami electronics”, which transforms flat printed electronics into 3D systems by cutting and folding.
“Printed electronics impresses with its flexibility—and LOPEC also keeps on adapting to the requirements of the market,” says Wolfgang Mildner, summing up. With its combination of international trade fair, conference and a diverse supporting programme, LOPEC presents the entire spectrum of printed electronics—from research to production and application.