Successful start for start-up fair Expo Day in Duisburg

With around 400 visitors, 60 exhibitors and around 500 consultations, garage DU's start-up fair Expo Day celebrated a successful debut. The event organized by Wirtschaftsentwicklung Duisburg Business & Innovation (DBI) took place for the first time on 13 November 2025 in the interim Königsgalerie and offered a wide range of information and hands-on activities for people interested in founding a company and start-ups on around 1,500 square metres.

Premiere in the Königsgalerie

The Königsgalerie, a shopping center currently in temporary use, provided an unusual but practical backdrop for the new trade fair format. Interested start-ups, consultants and network partners from various sectors came together between open spaces, stores and workshop zones. The parallel operation on several levels, with stage, workshops, exhibition areas and challenges, ensured that participants could easily switch between the offers.

High demand for advice, financing and networking

The focus was on the 60 exhibitors, who covered a wide range of support and consulting services. Topics such as financing, business planning, networks, coworking, visibility, storytelling and social media were very popular. A total of around 500 consultations were held over the course of the day.

The Expo Day made Duisburg's start-up landscape visible and networked players in a targeted manner. The combination of trade fair and workshops worked - with clear demand for advice, financing and networking.

Rasmus C. Beck, DBI Managing Director

The format is intended to improve the framework conditions for start-ups in Duisburg and better dovetail regional funding offers.

Practical impulses and insights

The presentation by Duisburg entrepreneur Melanie Fydrich, known from Top Dog Germany, provided a personal insight into self-employment. Under the title"Mit Biss zum Business", she described her path to setting up her own business and gave practical tips on courage, positioning and perseverance when setting up your own company.

Garage DU ideas competition

Another central element of the trade fair day was the garage DU ideas competition. Targobank and duisport presented specific challenges from their day-to-day business for which innovative solutions were being sought. During the Expo Day, the first matches were made between participants and the corporate partners. This should further intensify the exchange between established companies and founders in Duisburg in the future.

garage DU is supported by the partners Sparkasse Duisburg, Wirtschaftsbetriebe Duisburg, Duisburger Versorgungs- und Verkehrsgesellschaft, GEBAG Duisburger Baugesellschaft, Targobank and duisport - Duisburger Hafen.

The City of Duisburg, startport, Accelerate GDT, Rheingold, Sinalco and König Pilsener also supported the new trade fair format for Expo Day 2025.

The first Expo Day provided significant impetus for the promotion of start-ups in Duisburg. With a high visitor response, intensively utilized consulting services and new networking opportunities, the format confirmed the need for a central platform for those interested in start-ups. The organizers see the premiere as a starting point for further strengthening the start-up culture in the region.