From Berlin to the world.
IFA is the largest consumer electronics and home appliances show in the world.
We welcome professionals and consumers alike to discover the future of tech with us - be one of them.
About IFA
What’s in a name?
IFA started as a radio exhibition, and this is the origin of our name. As one of the world's longest-running industrial exhibitions, we have retained our initials as a nod to our roots and history.
Today, we are much more than a radio exhibition; we are the global leaders in showcasing cutting-edge innovation and technology in consumer electronics and home appliances.
A history of innovation
1924 - 1939
In the beginning was the radio
- On December 4, 1924, the "Große Deutsche Funkausstellung" opened its doors for the first time at the Messedamm in Berlin Westend.
- The beginning of the Funkausstellung was marked by detector devices and tube radio receivers. This was followed by superhet receivers, gramophones, the first sound recording processes and live broadcasts from the exhibition grounds, as well as the first European car radio.
- In 1924, construction of the famous Furnkturm began, which was inaugurated two years later, on 3 September, 1926.
- At the end of the 1920s, the first television sets were exhibited. In 1928, the most sensational world-wide technical innovation was presented at the trade show: one of the first television shows was broadcast live during the event.
- In 1930, Albert Einstein gave the opening speech of the seventh radio exhibition.
1950 - 1970
Loud, colourful and in stereo
- IFA could not take place between 1940 and 1949 because of World War II. It was not until 1950 that the show was able to return. Via Düsseldorf, Frankfurt/Main and Stuttgart, it returned to Berlin in 1971.
- A historic moment in the life of the Funkausstellung was in 1967, when German Chancellor Willy Brandt gave the starting signal for colour TV in a symbolic event, and for the first time the German TV world turned colourful thanks to PAL technology.
- Other innovations included remote controls, FM transmission, semiconductor technology, television sets, stereo sound, the compact cassette, and picture discs.
1971 - 1989
IFA goes international
- In 1971, the show was renamed to Internationale Funkausstellung (English: International Consumer Electronics Fair), or short IFA. The first video recorders were shown in Berlin that year.
- IFA had established itself as one of the most important global events for new products. This meant that the latest innovations could be presented to an international trade and consumer audience in the fall and expect a high impact.
- Home video recorders, quadraphony, camera recorders, traffic broadcasting and teletext were the buzzwords of the time. Two-tone and stereo broadcasts were enriching television. The compact disc, DAT and first TV sets with digital technology were introduced.
- In 1985, high-definition television HDTV was shown for the first time, along with the first satellite receivers for television. The D2MAC transmission technology, RDS and TV sets with 84 and 95 cm pictures followed.
1991 - 2005
The multimedia age
- From the mid-1990s, IFA increasingly showed itself to be a multimedia trade show. The focus was no longer just on radio and television sets, but increasingly on digital media and devices.
- With DCC, CD interactive, the Photo CD and the Mini Disc. Laser TVs, digital TVs, digital cameras and camcorders, DVD players and DAB receivers, IFA pointed the way to the digital future.
- The first flat TVs, cell phones with internet access and MP3 players came into focus. The home network was introduced.
- In 1997, the Japanese company Nintendo was the first video game manufacturer at IFA to showcase its brand-new game console, the N64.
2006 - 2013
The start of a new era
- From 2006, IFA has been held annually, adapting to the pace of innovation in the consumer electronics industry. In the beginning of the 2000s, technical innovations developed at a pace that allowed no time for a break.
- LCD and plasma televisions overtook the market, enabling larger picture diagonals, HDTV and 3D TV. The Blue Ray Disc conquered the market as well, and the consumer electronics industry went mobile.
- In 2008, IFA was expanded to include "Home Appliances@IFA" with an area of 30,000 square meters alone, making household and kitchen appliances eligible for the exhibition for the first time.
2014 - Today
Continuous expansion
- In 2014, IFA celebrated its 90th birthday. The IFA Congress IFA+ Summit started and, including the City Cube Berlin, there were now around 6,000 additional square meters of exhibition space.
- One year later, the new product area "Fitness & Digital Health" was introduced and in 2017 "IFA Next" was launched as a big stage for innovations. "IFA Next" became the new innovation hub for start-ups, research labs and companies. To this day, it offers know-how for the future of technology, business and lifestyle.
- In 2018, the household appliances sector celebrated its tenth anniversary at IFA - and has long since been an integral part of the show. "IFA Global Markets" has become Europe's largest sourcing market.
- In 2019, "IFA Next" hosted a partner country at the show for the first time, introducing Japan, a high-tech innovation nation, to the IFA audience.
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Unparalleled access to the future
At home in Berlin, IFA is the hub for the world's next innovations in consumer electronics and home appliances. It is an unparalleled platform where global brands, industry leaders, and tech enthusiasts showcase their cutting-edge cultural technology, explore the latest advancements, do business and exchange ideas with visitors from across the world.
Join us at IFA and witness technology that is going to shape the future of how we live, work, and play.
We welcomes everyone and anyone, making the discovery of innovation and the future of technology possible for all.
6-10th September, Messe Berlin.
The history of the Funk Otto
In 1971, the iconic "Funk Otto" emblem of IFA emerged from the creative hands of German graphic maestro Helmut Lortz.
Renowned for his timeless designs for a variety of projects like IFA and the Berlin University of the Arts, Lortz's artistic legacy transcends borders.
For nearly three decades, he not only crafted these visuals but also shared his creativiy in experimental graphics as a professor at the Berlin HdK.
