Opti 2026: Innovation, inspiration, interaction

Opti 2026 is all about innovation, inspiration and encounters. With new formats, thematically focused experience areas and a clear content concept, the international trade fair for optics & design is once again taking the lead when it comes to shaping the future of the industry. The topics of design, healthcare, hearing acoustics, young talent and networking form the central pillars of the trade fair experience - the playing field for visionaries and doers alike.

Seeing, hearing and shaping the future 

In the Optics area (Halls C3 and C4), visitors will experience innovations along the entire value chain: from refraction and diagnostics to lenses, contact lenses and hearing acoustics - in short: the future as far as the eye and ear can see.

A real highlight celebrates its world premiere here: Opti Spheare - the new center for the focus topic of hearing acoustics. On more than 200 square meters, an experience area is being created that combines knowledge, practice and market opportunities to form a strong team. Leading providers such as actric, Bellman & Symfon, Meditrend, Nuance Audio, Optimus Hearing, oton & friends, Proabo and Sinfonia (in alphabetical order) will be presenting technologies and concepts at Opti 2026 that make it easier for mixed businesses and those who want to become mixed businesses to enter and expand the field of hearing acoustics - for a clear plus on the sales board.

„With Opti Spheare, we are expanding the perspective of the trade fair and opening up a high-growth future field for optical companies. Hearing acoustics and ophthalmic optics complement each other perfectly - and it is precisely these synergies that we are making visible at the trade fair,“ explains Cathleen Kabashi, Director Opti.

The second edition of Tomorrow Vision (Hall C4) will also set an exclamation mark in 2026. Under the motto „Play smart. Move free.“ the joint platform of leading contact lens manufacturers - Alcon, Bausch + Lomb, CooperVision, Hecht Contactlinsen, Mark'ennovy, Menicon GmbH, MPG&E and the Seed Group (Wöhlk, Ultravision, Sensimed) - will focus on the freedom that contact lenses offer. Whether in sport or in everyday life, freedom of movement becomes a living vision, a „playing field full of possibilities“.

„Tomorrow Vision 2026 will be a playing field of opportunities for our visitors from the optical industry. When leading contact lens manufacturers compete together, a space is created that bundles knowledge and makes the economic relevance of this segment impressively visible,“ emphasizes Cathleen Kabashi.

The Opti Future Vision Hub in Hall C4 already has the future in its name. Here, everything revolves around preventive healthcare, myopia management, smart glasses, AI, telemedicine and technology. In the Opti Visionary start-up area (Hall C3), young companies will present their ideas on artificial intelligence, telemedicine and diagnostic solutions.

The Opti Next Generation Hub in Hall C3 is a real „hotspot“ for the next generation of industry professionals, who will find relevant topics for their further professional development here: for example, when it comes to setting up their own business, networking with peers or companies looking for young talent in speed dating or gathering inspiration for their own career - for example at the Opti Campus, which offers orientation on training, studies and careers with universities, further education institutions and institutions - as a kind of training center for the future of the industry.

Design meets vision 

In the design area of Halls C1 and C2, international eyewear design meets creative diversity with over 500 brands in the Yes Area. On the Opti Design Stage, the frames of the candidate brands for the Opti Frame Star audience award will be presented, giving a first lively impression of upcoming materials and trends. This is also where the DOZ talks with Italian color, material and design expert Francesca Valan and Angela Mrositzki will take place. The latter sees eyewear as more than just a fashion attribute, but as an artistic and cultural asset. Opti Eyewear trend guru Selin Olmsted from New York will present her Trend Report 2027. She will also guide Opti visitors to the most exciting new products in her Opti Trend Walks.

Young labels showcase their ideas in the Opti Boxes, the Opti Box Award honors the most innovative start-up in the frame sector, and the Opti Box Bar becomes a popular clubhouse for discussions and exchanges.

„With the Opti Design Stage and formats such as the Opti Frame Star, we are creating a stage where creativity, craftsmanship and fashion literally meet at eye level. Here, design becomes an experience - approachable, inspiring and interactive,“ says Cathleen Kabashi.

Networking: Exchange at eye level 

As the first major industry platform of the year, Opti 2026 offers numerous opportunities for networking. The Opti Runway Bar, the Opti Box Bar and the Yes Lounge are ideal meeting places for discussions, collaborations and initiating business deals, the perfect place for team play and new alliances. The first day of the trade fair ends with the traditional highlight, the legendary Opti Party. Not only is there partying and dancing, but often the starting blocks for new joint successes are also cleared.

Source: www.opti.de