EVO NXT, the innovative business festival for next-generation products (NGPs), returns for its third event next Thursday (3 April) as SuperStudio Maxi in Milan transforms into a hotspot for this young, dynamic industry for two whole days. The aim of organiser Messe Dortmund is to bring people together to set the course for the future, and that's what people will be setting their minds to with a mix of prominent exhibitors showing innovations and pioneering technologies, and with high-calibre speakers and plenty of space for input, dialogue and interaction.

Dortmund, 1 April 2025 – After two successful EVO NXT events staged in Málaga, Spain, this modern format is now heading to the Italian city of Milan, providing a unique platform for this rapidly growing industry. Here, prominent businesses and promising newcomers will meet with key visionaries, trendsetters and experts, and join together in sharing knowledge and experience as they analyse the industry in its present and future forms. The focus will be on the latest trends and developments in e-cigarettes, heat-not-burn products, cannabidiol (CBD) products, pouches and other smokeless alternatives, and indeed on challenges such as increasing political regulation and growing health and environmental awareness on the part of current and potential consumers.

Diversity of the industry reflected in four zones

In order to do justice to the sheer diversity of the NGP sector, the business festival is once again split into four thematic zones, each one offering deep insights into the different focal points. The E-Zone will be all about e-cigarettes and their various components. It will feature international exhibitors such as Absolute E-Juice, Vont, SKE, Sikary and Blendfeel.

The Green-Zone, on the other hand, will shed light on the many possible uses of hemp, with exhibitors including Cannashock, EUPHORIA and NARCOS. The Heat-Zone will be dedicated to the rapidly growing market for heat-not-burn tobacco products (HTPs) i.e. tobacco heaters and tobacco sticks giving consumers a modern, customisable vaping experience, with innovative products presented by companies such as BroadFar, REJO as well as Next Tröber Europe GmbH & Co KG which is something of an all-rounder that is also a good fit for the next zone ...

The O-Zone is the place for alternative nicotine products such as pouches and snus. The focus here will be on the various ways to consume nicotine without involving cigarettes and smoke. Whether it's innovative pouches with different flavours, various snus products or traditional snuff – companies such as Den Norske Snusfabrikken, Dholakia Tobacco, Luna Corporate, Landewyck and EVO NXT main sponsor ICE Nicopods will be showcasing the latest trends and developments in this part of the market.

>>> Visitors can find an overview of participating companies here.

Source of inspiration and knowledge forum

EVO NXT offers a platform for presenting new, innovative products and also acts as a great knowledge forum and a major source of inspiration. The industry is caught between the conflicting priorities of progressive regulation by policy-makers and rapid growth. It's this fast-moving situation that's also behind the subject matter focus of the exciting, big-name supporting programme, with topics such as (EU-wide) regulation, harm reduction, market analyses, trends and sustainability setting the agenda on the EVO NXT Stage and in the Vision Room. While the on-stage happenings focus on exciting keynotes and panels, interactive master classes and round-table discussions will be held in the Vision Room. The line-up of international speakers is made up of representatives from various industry associations as well as top companies in the fields of industry and science. The events below give a taste of the sound insights to be had into the key topics associated with the NGP sector.

Focus on regulation

National and international regulations continue to pose new and important challenges for players in the NGP sector, and so the EVO NXT information offerings also include a special feature, fittingly entitled Eyes on Brussels, on at 12 noon on 4 April as Tobacco Europe, the European umbrella organisation for manufacturers of tobacco and nicotine products, goes live simultaneously both online and offline with Secretary General Nathalie Darge and Filip Haugland, EU Affairs Expert, giving an update in the Vision Room on the key political developments in Brussels and across the EU, and with PR manager Alix Carlier also joining online. Click here for more on this hybrid event.

Two experts from TobaccoIntelligence, for example, will also be discussing this topic in their presentation entitled 'Outlook on the EU and Key Global Markets: Analysis of Market and Regulatory Developments in Alternative Tobacco Products' (10:30 hrs on 3 April). John Dunne, Director General of the UK Vaping Industry Association (UKVIA), Umberto Roccatti, Vice President of the Independent European Vaping Alliance (IEVA) and Ao Weinuo, General Secretary of the ECCC (Electronic Cigarette Professional Committee of the China Electronics Chamber of Commerce), will present the associations' perspectives in a panel on 3 April at 12 noon entitled 'Navigating the ever-changing global regulatory landscape'. Jonas Lundqvist, CEO of the Nordic Nicotine Pouches Alliance (NNPA.EU), and Robert Casigne, editor-in-chief of pouchforum.eu, will talk specifically about the increasingly popular pouch segment at 17:00 hrs on the same day in a talk entitled 'EU and Nicotine Pouches: Regulatory Challenges and what’s next'. The two will also give a master class right before the hybrid event on 4 April at 11:00 hrs, addressing the same topic. The event 'EU Nicotine Pouch Report: Regulatory and Market developments across the European Union' is organised by the NNPA.

Focus on tobacco harm reduction

Harm minimisation – a.k.a. tobacco harm reduction – is one of the key phrases in the NGP industry. As a result, a panel organised by the Global Institute for Novel Nicotine (GINN), a new EVO NXT partner, on 3 April at 11:00 hrs will be dedicated to ensuring quality and safety in next-gen products ('Ensuring Quality and Safety in Novel Nicotine Products'). Speakers will include Waqas Khan, CEO of CLEW Nicotine Pouches. The talk at 12:40 hrs on the same day will also be a big-name one, with Mario Chiapperi, Senior External Engagement Manager at BAT Italy, providing information on 'Innovation and sustainability: harm reduction and health policies'. On 4 April at 10:50 hrs, Imperial Brands will be represented by Scientific Officer Dr Sarah Cordery whose presentation will focus on the important topic of 'Heated Tobacco – Evidence Supporting Its Role in Tobacco Harm Reduction'. 'Tobacco Harm Reduction: Lighthouses to keep on track' will be the subject of a talk by Dr Frank Henkler-Stephani, Senior Director Tobacco Harm Reduction at the German Association of the Tobacco Industry and Next-Generation Products (BVTE) at 13:15 hrs on the same day.

Other focal points: market analyses, trends, sustainability and trade

A master class on 3 April at 12 noon will focus on current and future trends in the vaping industry, with an overview provided by market experts and trend analysts. On 4 April at 11:20 hrs, GINN and Tobacco Journal International (TJI) will host a panel entitled 'Global Nicotine Industry Trends & Innovation' chaired by TJI Editor-in-Chief Marc Reisner and with panellists including representatives of Dholakia Tobacco, ICE and REJO. Geir Hammer, Director of Den Norske Snusfabrikken, will also be discussing innovations in product design and packaging in the GINN master class 'Advanced Product Design and Packaging Innovation' on 4 April at 14:30 hrs. Sustainability, for example, will be the focus of the panel entitled 'Sustainable Solutions for the NGP industry' on 3 April at 16:00 hrs (hosted by the European Cannabis Association). A first-class panel on 3 April at 16:30 hrs will focus on the retail perspective as Emanuele Marinoni, Vice President of the Federazione Italiana Tabaccai (FIT), José Maria Espinar, Director Communication of the Unión de Asociaciones de Estanqueros de España, Wolfgang Streißnig, Federal Committee Chairman of the WKO (Austrian Chamber of Commerce/Tobacconists), and Peter Schweinschwaller, President of the European Confederation of Tobacco Retailers (C.E.D.T.), join others to discuss 'Next-Generation Products Retailing Across Europe'.

>>> Visitors will find the full EVO NXT programme here on our website. Please note that all programme items will be conducted in English.

Other highlights will offer business festival-goers even more opportunities to engage with industry experts and gain in-depth insights. The Mission Mixologist Battle for example – now being held for the third time – will see four liquid artists competing to create the best aroma. This event, organised in conjunction with partner Hertz & Selck, the Hamburg-based premium aroma manufacturer, will enable the public to immerse themselves in the art of mixing. As well as excitement, it also promises a host of exclusive insights. Relaxed networking with refreshing drinks and exclusive food is once again possible at the Get Together Event on the evening of Day 1 of the festival. Or right in the centre of the event – with a fresh coffee in the coffee lounge sponsored by Hertz & Selck.

Last-minute travellers still have the chance to secure their tickets – and the opportunity to set a new future course for the industry and for their own businesses. True to the EVO NXT motto: Leading the Change.

>>> Click here to go to the online ticket shop.