Ecomondo 2026 closed on 6 November at Rimini Expo Centre, with international visitor numbers up 14% from the previous edition.
The 29th edition of Ecomondo attracted more than 1,800 exhibiting brands, 21% of which came from abroad, and occupied 171,000 m2 of exhibition space. Domestic attendance also rose by 1%, while the event welcomed 1,300 hosted buyers and recorded more than 10,000 business matchmaking sessions, with a total of 651 journalists, 15% of whom were from outside Italy.
Held from 3 to 6 November, Ecomondo brought together companies, institutions, researchers and innovators to discuss technologies and solutions for the green, blue and circular economies, providing a platform for 20 start-ups and SMEs presenting projects that support the ecological transition.
Ecomondo’s international programme included 1,300 hosted buyers and delegations organised in collaboration with Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) and the Italian Trade Agency (ICE). It welcomed 14 international collectives from Austria, Belgium, Canada, Chile, China, Denmark, Germany, Norway, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Spain and Switzerland.
Mexico was the guest country for the first time, reflecting the event’s expanding international reach and the country’s growing focus on the circular economy. The partnership will continue with Ecomondo Mexico, scheduled for 20–22 April 2027 at Expo Guadalajara.
Africa also featured in the international programme through the launch of the Africa Investment HUB, designed to encourage business connections with organisations across the continent. A new feature at this 2026 edition was the arrival of a delegation of 11 Brazilian start-ups operating in the agri-food sector.
The event’s programme included 200 conferences and workshops, 70 of which were organised by the International Technical Scientific Committee, chaired by Professor Fabio Fava, covering topics such as resource efficiency in sectors including textiles, water, plastics, packaging and paper recycling, sustainable finance, the blue economy, circular cities, bioenergy and the regenerative bioeconomy.
Ecomondo 2026 also addressed European regulation, climate adaptation, ecosystem restoration and international cooperation in the Mediterranean and Africa, with the sixth edition of the Africa Green Growth Forum, organised in collaboration with the Task Force for the Implementation of the Presidential Office’s Mattei Plan, Confindustria Assafrica & Mediterraneo and RES4Africa.
The 15th edition of the States General of the Green Economy, organised by the Foundation for Sustainable Development in collaboration with the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, examined the main strategic issues in Italian and international sectors. The 2026 State of the Green Economy Report presentation opened the session, while a separate international session considered developments in China, the US, Europe and Africa.
