We’re back, getting physical in Hamburg, for the 2023 edition of NEXT. Once again we’re diving deep into the trends that will reshape our world in the coming years and look at current phenomena in an unusual way. Again we’re on the Reeperbahn, in the heart of the world-famous music event called Reeperbahn Festival, and we’ll have an insightful, challenging panel of speakers.

This year, the majority of the conference will take place on the 21st September. One deep, focused day of NEXT. But that’s not all. We’ll adding some side events on the 20th September to the experience, for selected groups. And if you want more conference sessions while you’re in Hamburg, then you also get access to the Reeperbahn Festival Conference, which runs from the 20th to the 23rd with sessions for music, marketing and creative professionals.

Here’s what to expect practically:

NEXT23: The Main Stage

We kick off bright and early at the main venue, for our main stage programme on September 21.

When you say “main stage” for most conferences, it’s not quite as literal as it is at NEXT. Our main stage is a stage: that of Schmidts Tivoli theatre. The night before the conference, there will be a show on that stage. The evening of the conference, there will be a show. But between those times, the theatre is ours, and it’s a wonderful, intimate space for our very focused conference audience.

If you can, get to the theatre in good time. There are two reasons for that:

1. You can bag a prime spot in the theatre. My preference is to be on the tables down where the stalls would be in a conventional theatre, but each to their own.
2. There’s coffee, pastries and other snacks to warm you into the day, and the chance for a little “lobbycon” action where you can talk and network with other attendees.
   

We’ll be there until early afternoon, with a couple of breaks for refreshments. All the major sessions will be captured live on our Insights blog, and live-streamed, too.

The Afternoon

In most conferences, when the concluding session is finished, you’re done. Everyone drifts off to the cloakroom and the airport, heading home. Not so at NEXT: the conference continues after the curtain falls at the theatre. During the afternoon, we have a distributed schedule of events, scattered across the immediate area around the theatre in clubs, bars or even on a boat. It’s well worth looking at the schedule and planning your events in advance, this will help you navigate your way around Hamburg – St. Pauli.

In too many conferences, you arrive in a city — and then disappear into a bunker-like conference centre or hotel function suite, and never really get a taste of the place. And you’ll certainly get a taste of both Hamburg and the unique ambiance of the Reeperbahn in the surrounding area.

These afternoon sessions are a chance for you to dive more deeply into some of the topics that we discuss on the main stage in the morning, or engage more personally with some speakers.

The Evening

And finally, we’ll all come back together for the end-of-conference networking party at the GAGA Club. Expect great conversations and some seriouse dancing.

And perhaps, afterwards, you’ll keep the experience going by hitting some of Hamburg’s bars and clubs to experience more of the Reeperbahn Festival itself… You get free priority access on Thursday with your NEXT badge and the festival wristband.

Join NEXT23

Want to join us? Apply now for one of the limited number of tickets.