Digital X 2022, Cologne, September 2022

"Digital X" is Europe's largest, cross-sector digitalisation initiative, comprising Deutsche Telekom and over 300 partners. Back in 2018 Telekom Deutschland had commissioned us to plan and implement the complex technical component of the event. Since 2021 "Digital X" has pursued an extremely decentralised concept that turns downtown Cologne into the "City of the Future".

On 15 interlinked stages in four of the cathedral city's districts, over 300 speakers ensured a spectacular program on the two days of 2022's event in September. The number of brand houses – where the partner enterprises presented their innovative business solutions – increased to 200. For the first time, attendance at Digital X was not limited to trade visitors from the B2B sector; the general public was able to attend selected highlights while also being treated to a number of special attractions. As a result of this move, Digital X held a total of 70,000 visitors in its thrall.

We equipped the five main stages and the "Equal E-Sports Festival" with customised lighting, sound and video concepts. Over 400 lights were installed on the "Inspiration Stage" (the main stage) alone, for which we also set up the entire power infrastructure. Over 300 large-format displays, 220 m² of LED surfaces and 35 cameras were deployed on the stages we equipped. We were also tasked with creating an appropriately dimensioned IT network for use by visitors and by the production itself. This included the entire streaming and server equipment covering 80 partner locations and brand houses.

Our teams were also responsible for rigging and staging during the set-up phase as well as for live streaming and the deployment of media equipment during the two days of the event. N&M's Event IT and ICT units set up a highly sophisticated WLAN network for attendees and exhibitors all across Digital X, with a 5G network even being provided in some of the locations. At the same time we put facilities in place to allow for all presentations and discussions on every stage to be streamed in German and English – the event was broadcast in parallel on the Digital X platform – while also ensuring uninterrupted, high-quality link-ups from a number of different countries.

The concept of a decentralised version of Digital X presented us with complications in terms of personnel organisation and material logistics. We were faced with the task of planning and coordinating the entire equipment as well as our technicians for all individual event locations all around Cologne while also guaranteeing the live events went off without a hitch.