analytica 2026 in Munich: more exhibitors, about 35,000 visitors and a focus on automation

analytica, the international trade fair for laboratory technology, analysis and biotechnology, took place in Munich from 24 to 27 March 2026. It is held every two years by Messe München, and this edition was larger than the previous one on both sides of the aisle.

The numbers

According to the organiser's final report [1], 1,135 exhibitors from 40 countries and regions took part, compared with 1,066 in 2024. About 56 per cent of them came from outside Germany. Visitors numbered about 35,000 from 115 countries and regions, against 33,386 in 2024, and roughly 40 per cent were international. India appears among the top ten exhibitor countries, alongside Germany, China, the United States, Italy and others. The organiser's figures page [2] gives the exact visitor count as 35,033 and says 99 per cent were trade visitors.

What the fair focused on

The organiser describes AI, automation and robotics as the main talking points, along with digital, automated and sustainable laboratories. The programme included:

• a Special Show on Digital Transformation with daily live demonstrations;

• a Live Lab, a fully equipped laboratory line that, the report says, had full seating several times a day;

• a Lab Safety Forum with presentations on laboratory risks;

• a Jobday on the final day for graduates and young professionals.

The accompanying analytica conference drew more than 2,000 participants. Sessions covered digital and green laboratories, detection of designer drugs in forensic work, mass spectrometry for establishing the botanical origin of honey, and the analysis of ancient manuscripts.

Market outlook quoted by the organiser

The final report says experts expect the global laboratory market to grow by about 5 per cent a year, driven mainly by automation, robotics and investment in life-science, pharmaceutical and environmental analysis. It also describes the mood among exhibitors as optimistic despite a challenging market. These are the organiser's statements and projections, not independent measurements.

What it means for Indian laboratories

For buyers in India, the practical signal is the direction of product development: more instruments with software control, remote monitoring and links to laboratory data systems. Labs planning purchases in the next few years may want to ask suppliers about data export, software support and service coverage, not only about the instrument itself.

The next Munich edition is scheduled for 25 to 28 April 2028 [2].