- SET Tech Festival 2026 marks its 10th edition on March 17th in Berlin
- The Event connects founders, investors, corporates, and policymakers driving global energy transition innovation
- SET Tech Festival’s Innovation Showcase highlights startups, thought leaders, and cutting-edge climate and energy technologies
- Powered by Dena and supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, the Festival celebrates ten years of climate-tech impact
The SET Tech Festival 2026 is set to take place on March 17th, 2026, in Berlin, marking the 10th edition of one of Europe’s and the world’s landmark events for energy and climate technology innovators. Hosted at the iconic Colosseum Berlin, this milestone edition celebrates a decade of connecting visionary founders, global investors, corporate leaders, and policymakers around breakthrough solutions for the global energy transition.
As an integral platform within the Startup Energy Transition (SET) ecosystem, this Tech Festival has, since its inception, championed innovation that accelerates the shift to a low-carbon resilient future. This year’s event goes on with this legacy, bringing together a dynamic international community to explore cutting-edge advances in renewable energy, mobility, digital solutions, climate tech, and more.
A Hub for Innovators, Investors, and Industry Leaders
At its core, the SET Tech Festival is designed as a meeting place where ideas become partnerships and investment opportunities. Founders showcase their technologies and business models while connecting with potential partners and supporters. Investors and corporate executives find a curated environment to scout breakthrough technologies, while policymakers engage with innovators shaping tomorrow’s sustainability solutions.
Over the years, the Festival has evolved into a truly global stage for collaboration and deal-making, fostering an ecosystem that bridges early-stage innovation with large-scale deployment. In previous editions, the event has featured hundreds of start-up pitches, dozens of international speakers, and hundreds of exhibited innovations, drawing attention from major players in the energy landscape.
Innovation Showcase: Where Ideas Spark and Shine
A central feature of the Festival is its Innovation Showcase Area where early-stage and growth-stage startups spotlight their solutions to investors, partners, and ecosystem builders. This space encourages discovery, dialogue, and direct engagement—critical ingredients for accelerating promising technologies into commercial reality.
Beyond startups, the Festival’s stage highlights thought leaders from across the energy and climate tech landscape. Previous speakers included executives from major institutions like the German Energy Agency (dena), European Investment Bank, and international venture firms, alongside journalists and analysts who provide market insights. Namely:
- Riham Alkousaa, Climate and News Correspondent at Thomson Reuters
- Jessica Burley, Investor at Planet A
- Corinna Enders, CEO at the German Energy Agency (dena)
- Julien Fredonie, Head of Strategic Partnerships and Corporate Venturing E&A at Honda Xcelerator Ventures
- Irene Gálvez Verdú, Head of Division Cleantech Equity & Growth Capital at the European Investment Bank
- Mark McGranaghan, Fellow at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
- Ann Mettler, Co-Chair at Energy Resilience Leadership Group
- Akshat Rathi, Senior Climate Reporter at Bloomberg News
- Rüdiger Süß, Head of DLR_Startup Factory at the German Aerospace Center
- Robina von Stein, Principal at Contrarian Ventures
- and more.
A Global Innovation Community of Partners and Supporters
The success of the SET Tech Festival depends on strong partnerships. For 2026, the Festival is powered by the mentioned German Energy Agency (dena) and supported by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, underlining its role as a key platform within the country’s broader energy transition agenda. Additionally, the event’s partners include gold and silver sponsors from across energy, government, and innovation sectors, along with media partners that amplify its reach. The diverse partner network helps ensure that the Festival remains a globally relevant forum—bringing together representatives from startups, multinational corporations, research institutions, investment and policy spheres, and media.
Celebrating 10 Years of Impact
Since its first edition, the SET Tech Festival has grown into a cornerstone event for energy and climate tech innovation. Over the past decade, it has showcased thousands of innovations, hosted hundreds of award winners, and facilitated countless collaborations that contribute to the acceleration of climate-positive technologies worldwide.
The 2026 edition celebrates this ongoing journey while looking forward to the next wave of solutions that can transform industries and societies in pursuit of global net-zero goals.
In a Nutshell
- Where: Colosseum, Berlin, Germany
- When: March 17th, 2026
- Tickets: available here at the early-bird prices of EUR 59–169; from February 17th (CET) prices increase to EUR 69–349
- More information: at the Festival’s official website
Kostiantyn is a freelance writer from Crimea but based in Lviv. He loves writing about IT and high tech because those topics are always upbeat and he’s an inherent optimist!
