Hubi: Your Smart Companion for Trade Show Planning

GrindingHub 2026 is opening a new chapter in trade show planning—and you’ll have digital support along the way: the Hubi chatbot. Instead of laboriously clicking through long lists, you can easily start a conversation with Hubi.

Simply ask him about specific exhibitors, technologies, or applications, and Hubi will help you put together a personalized visit itinerary. It’s almost as if you had a personal trade show guide by your side.

Especially handy: Hubi isn’t limited to the exhibition floor. The supporting program is also linked to your interests. If you’re interested in specific topics or technologies, Hubi will directly suggest relevant program items. This allows you to find relevant content, engaging conversations, and new ideas in a targeted way—and your trade show visit becomes significantly more structured.

Hubi was developed by the VDW in collaboration with aiXbrain GmbH from Aachen. The project involved overcoming several challenges. First, the chatbot had to be prepared for an event unlike any other: a trade show that lies in the future and is unique. This is based on information from the online exhibitor catalog as well as content from exhibitor websites, which were intelligently processed and linked together for the trade show context.

Another challenge was to train Hubi specifically for use at the trade show. The underlying language model was not intended to “know everything,” but rather to focus clearly on the specific use case of trade show planning. This conditioning of the AI system was implemented by aiXbrain with great care and technical expertise.

It is quite plausible that GrindingHub is among the first trade shows to use an AI chatbot for visitor planning. One thing is certain: Hubi is a deliberate step forward in exploring new digital possibilities for your trade show visit. You are cordially invited to experiment with Hubi, ask questions, and test how he can assist you in finding your way around.

At the same time, the following applies here as well: Artificial intelligence is not an oracle. AI-generated answers may be incomplete or incorrect in individual cases—and this cannot be completely ruled out. Hubi is intended to support and supplement. Personal interaction, conversations at the booth, and direct contact between people will remain the core of a successful trade show visit in the future as well.

Do you have any questions, suggestions, or feedback about Hubi? Please feel free to send them to forschung(at)vdw.de at any time. We look forward to your feedback!