The 14th edition of SPS Italia, a leading trade fair for innovation in production, has come to a close in Parma. With 720 exhibitors and 37,528 attendees, up on 2025, the event showcased the latest technologies and offered a concrete view of how industry is set to change in the coming years. Over the three days of the show from 26 to 28 May, attendees saw humanoid robots up close and in action, explored applications of artificial intelligence and physical AI, and discovered smart manufacturing solutions designed to support more efficient, digital and sustainable production.
The Academy project engaged more than 4,000 students through a broad programme of initiatives, including “Lezioni in Fiera”, the national final of the NAO Challenge, promoted by Scuola di Robotica, and the Robotics Makeathon, organised in partnership with ITQ GmbH.
Donald Wich, Managing Director of Messe Frankfurt Italia, said: “SPS Italia has once again successfully brought together technology, expertise and people, presenting a sophisticated vision of the factory in which cutting-edge innovation serves people. The strong turnout at this year’s event shows that companies increasingly see innovation as essential to competitiveness and sustainability. We are pleased to have created, once again, a platform for discussion that connects the entire supply chain, from technology providers to manufacturers and on to the next generation.”
Andrea Bianchi, President of ANIE Automazione, said: “This year, once again, SPS Italia has provided a unique perspective on developments in industrial automation and on the changes affecting the manufacturing industry. This is a vibrant, diverse and dynamic sector, one that is responding to the disruptions of the current transition with resilience and practicality. In this context, investment in technology, digitalisation and innovation in production processes is becoming an increasingly distinctive factor, both for companies’ key stakeholders and in their nuanced relationship with younger generations. Companies that are able to move towards integrated, high-value-added models will be best placed to seize market opportunities and strengthen their identity and competitiveness over the medium to long term.”
SPS Italia 2026 Awards
She SPS Italia Award
- Mentorship - Elisa Signaroldi, 40Factory
- Female Entrepreneurship - Camilla Cozzi, Siemens
- Empowerment - Marta Zandrini, Leuze Electronic
- Social Sustainability - Erica Perego, Miraitek
Roberto Maietti Award
• SEW-EURODRIVE Italia, “Software-Defined Automation: the Benefits of Digital Integration”
SPS Italia UP Challenge
• Lemonjuice Solutions, “Espeiria – The Cognitive Brain of Industrial Innovation”
The next edition will take place in Parma from 25 to 27 May 2027.