30 minutes with Mr. Robin Fernandes

1. IFAT India has emerged as a flagship environmental technology platform under your leadership. What are the central themes and focus areas shaping the upcoming edition, and how do they align with India's sustainability priorities?

At IFAT India 2025, our focus is firmly aligned with India's pressing environmental challenges and sustainability needs. This edition will spotlight water management, solid waste management, C&D waste recycling, bio-energy, e-waste and smarter solutions for Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), which are critical to addressing India's urbanization and resource challenges. We are also dedicating spaces to startups and smarter SMEs, recognizing their role in driving localized, cost-effective innovation. Through eight specialized pavilions, the event mirrors the country's sustainability roadmap — from circular economy practices to enabling technology for urban local bodies. These themes are a direct reflection of India's sustainability priorities, particularly the government's focus on programs like the Swachha Bharat Abhiyan and the National Clean Air Programme. We aim to be a platform where policy meets technology, enabling stakeholders to find practical solutions for India's environmental goals. Our aim is not only to showcase global best practices but also to accelerate their adoption in the Indian context.

2. In preparing for IFAT India, how do you and your team ensure the event reflects not just global innovations but also the specific environmental challenges and opportunities in India?

We achieve this balance by curating a show that is both globally relevant and locally focused. Alongside international country pavilions from Australia, Canada, Germany, Hungary, Korea, and the Netherlands, we have also created specialized zones like Startups and Smarter SMEs pavilions and forums that highlight India's specific challenges in waste management, water conservation, and recycling. These areas are dedicated to showcasing homegrown Indian innovations that are often more affordable and scalable for the local market. The 2,200+ buyer-seller meetings we facilitate are carefully structured to address market needs — connecting solution providers with municipalities, industries, and urban planners. By ensuring a strong voice for local government bodies, Indian startups and SMEs, the show stays rooted in India's priorities while offering access to global technologies.

3. Sustainability is a multi-stakeholder effort. Could you share how Messe Muenchen India fosters partnerships - whether with government bodies, industry associations, or global players - to enhance IFAT India's impact?

Partnerships are at the heart of IFAT India. We collaborate closely with government ministries, industry associations, and international organizations to ensure the event directly supports their initiatives. Our collaborations with associations like the International Water Association (IWA) and our dedicated SWAN (Smart Water Networks Forum) and Urban Local Bodies (ULB) pavilions have been co-created with institutional partners to directly address implementation-level challenges. On the international front, we engage with trade associations and embassies to bring dedicated country delegations. This convergence of government, private sector, and civil society makes IFAT India a true ecosystem event — where policies, technologies, and business meet on one platform.

4. What new elements, initiatives, or formats can attendees expect in this year's IFAT India that differentiate it from previous editions?

The upcoming edition of IFAT India will be our most dynamic yet. This year, IFAT India introduces dedicated pavilions for bio-energy and international waste recycling, responding to fast-emerging opportunities in the sector. We are also enhancing our Buyer-Seller Forum with pre-scheduled meetings to ensure measurable business outcomes. We are also expanding our knowledge program with over 50 knowledge-sharing sessions and 200+ expert speakers, including specialized tracks on solid waste and water management. These will provide deeper insights into circular economy strategies, regulatory frameworks and digital technologies. Visitors can expect not only larger scale — with over 500 exhibitors and 5,000 products on display — but also richer content and networking experiences. Our aim is to move from a static display to a live, interactive hub where visitors can not only see solutions but also learn, debate, and collaborate.

5. From your perspective, how has IFAT India evolved over the years in terms of scale, international participation, and industry relevance?

The growth trajectory of IFAT India has been remarkable. In terms of scale, we've seen a remarkable jump from just 258 exhibitors and 9,283 visitors in 2022 to 488 exhibitors and 17,184 visitors in 2024. For 2025, we expect 500+ exhibitors, 5,000+ solutions, and 28,000 visitors. The addition of multiple international pavilions and increased participation from global leaders also reinforces IFAT India's relevance as a truly international forum, while still retaining its strong local identity. This exponential rise reflects how the event has become the go-to marketplace for environmental solutions in India. Most importantly, our industry relevance has evolved from being a straightforward trade show to a complete ecosystem that combines business, policy, innovation and knowledge-sharing, making it an essential event for anyone in the environmental technology sector.

6. You've successfully scaled leading B2B platforms like IFAT India. Looking back, which turning point in this journey proved most pivotal for your career, and why?

The most pivotal turning point was witnessing how municipal bodies and industries began actively adopting solutions they discovered at IFAT India. This showed me that exhibitions are not just about showcasing technology, but about catalysing real, on-the-ground change. Knowing that our platform directly contributes to cleaner cities and better resource management was a defining moment for me personally, and it reaffirmed my commitment to building meaningful, impact-driven exhibitions.

7. Partnerships are integral to exhibitions. Can you share a specific example where a global collaboration significantly elevated the value of one of your events?

The IFAT worldwide brand allows us to bring a truly global standard to India, attracting exhibitors and visitors from over 50 countries. This partnership ensures that IFAT India is not an isolated event but a part of a global network for environmental technologies. A standout example is our partnership with Germany's environmental technology associations, which not only enhanced the scale of the German Pavilion at IFAT India but also created knowledge-transfer opportunities for Indian participants. These collaborations opened doors for joint ventures, technology licensing and cross-border investments, significantly raising the profile of the event. Such partnerships demonstrate the power of international collaboration in strengthening India's environmental infrastructure.

8. Having witnessed over two decades of transformation in the exhibition sector, what emerging trends do you believe will define the next decade of trade fairs and B2B platforms - particularly in sustainability-focused industries?

Over the next decade, trade fairs will become data-driven, impact-focused, face-to-face platforms. They'll move beyond transactions to become solution accelerators achieved through on-site meetings, pilots and deals. Three shifts will define this future:

1.Hyper-specialization: Dedicated zones (e.g., e-waste, textile recycling, industrial water reuse, biomethanation) with curated exhibitors, live demos and problem statements from cities and industries. Success will be measured by pilots launched, MoUs signed and deployment timelines agreed—on site.

2.Data-driven experiences: Analytics and CRM to set up targeted, in-person meetings ahead of the show; provide on-floor route recommendations (who to meet, which demos/sessions to attend); and drive post-show conversions into pilots and procurement. Track outcomes with clear metrics: qualified leads, meetings held, pilots initiated, policy inputs delivered.

3.AI-powered engagement & on-ground digital tools: Apply AI to segment audiences, sharpen on-site messaging, and prioritizing leads (badge scans, session attendance, dwell time). On-floor concierge kiosks, smart scheduling, heatmaps, and impact calculators reveal real-time carbon and water gains tied to decisions made at the fair.

Underscoring all three are startup partnerships, structured on-site matchmaking, and stronger policymaker participation, turning exhibitions into in-person community hubs that keep innovation pipelines moving and policy–business alignment on track—with the fair as the decisive moment for commitment and action.