Companies developing the next generation of transport technology are now being invited to put their new technologies, processes, services and more to work in front of the people who could buy, deploy and champion them worldwide, as the ITS World Congress 2027 opens its Call for Demonstrations.
Taking place at Birmingham’s NEC from 25–29 October 2027, the Congress offers businesses an opportunity to turn a live demonstration into new commercial conversations, international partnerships and routes to market. Organisers anticipate 15,000 participants from more than 100 countries, bringing together public authorities, transport operators, technology suppliers, policymakers and researchers.
Indoor and outdoor demonstration areas will put participating companies close to the main exhibition and conference sessions, making it easy for participants to move between discussing transport challenges and seeing potential solutions in action. For demonstrators, that proximity creates opportunities to attract visitors, explain their technology’s benefits and continue the conversation with prospective customers.
Chair of the Technical Advisory Group, Andy Graham of White Willow Consulting, said: “If you have developed something brilliant, this is your chance to put it in front of the world. A compelling live demonstration can make the benefits immediately clear: people can experience your technology, engage with the team behind it and understand what it could do for their own roads, cities or customers.
“The commercial opportunity is enormous. You could be showing your solution to a potential customer from one continent and a future delivery partner from another, all in the same morning. For companies looking to grow internationally, that concentration of expertise, influence and opportunity is a powerful reason to be in Birmingham.”
The Call welcomes proposals from established businesses, start-ups and academic institutions. Demonstrations can feature all forms of transport technologies, with potential applications ranging from automated mobility and cleaner transport to logistics and digital traffic management and enforcement.
“Participation offers the prospect of bringing several business development activities together in one place: demonstrating performance, gathering feedback from potential users, identifying partners and opening discussions about trials or deployment,” added Jordan Cowley, Business Development Executive at Transport for West Midlands.
“A hands-on experience also gives sales and technical teams a shared starting point for more detailed conversations about customer requirements.
“Think about the problem your next customer needs to solve, then show them how you can solve it. Whether your technology improves safety, cuts delays or helps an operator make better use of its resources, this is a fantastic platform to make that value tangible.”
Mr Graham concluded by emphasising the importance of creating memorable demonstrations that spark conversations and help companies build lasting relationships and new business opportunities beyond the Congress. .
Proposals should address one of four themes: Trustworthy and Resilient Systems; Next-generation ITS; Connected and Integrated services; or Deploying ITS at scale.
Would-be demonstrators are reminded that they must also take an exhibition stand and that space in both demonstration areas is limited. The outdoor area will be enclosed and subject to conditions including weight limits, while the indoor space, alongside the exhibition, will have requirements including height limits. Further criteria may follow.
Companies are encouraged to start planning their proposals now. The Call for Demonstrations opens on 22 October 2026 and closes on 22 January 2027. Further details are available on the ITS World Congress 2027 demonstrations page: https://www.2027.itsworldcongress.com/demonstrations
(Picture shows a demonstration at the ITS World Congress 2026 in the Korean city of Gangneung, courtesy of TfWM)