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PRESS RELEASE
Kempten, Germany / London, United Kingdom — I am pleased to announce that Domain Summit Europe is entering a new stage of development.
After four successful Domain Summit events in London, we are now beginning the planned European rotation of Domain Summit Europe. The first edition in this new format will take place in Kempten, Germany, on 17-18 August 2026.
This year’s edition is intentionally smaller than our London events, with attendance limited to around 60 participants. The scale is smaller, but the direction is larger.
The size of every Domain Summit event is naturally connected to sponsor, partner and regional involvement. Rather than forcing a large event without the right structure, we are using Kempten 2026 as a focused, invitation-led edition where the right people can spend meaningful time together.
For me, this is not a retreat from London. London gave Domain Summit its foundation. Kempten signals that the European rotation has now started.
Three European ccTLD Registry Partners confirmed
Domain Summit Europe has already partnered with three European ccTLD registries as ccTLD Partners for upcoming Domain Summit Europe events:
All three are expected to be represented at Domain Summit Europe 2026 in Kempten.
As far as I am aware, no B2B event in the domain name industry has previously developed this kind of long-term ccTLD Partner framework across multiple regions.
The idea is simple: ccTLD registries are not just sponsors or logo placements. They are ecosystem partners. They represent infrastructure, national market knowledge, registrar relationships, policy experience and long-term trust in their local domain communities.
By working with ccTLD Partners, Domain Summit can make each regional event more relevant to the market where it takes place, while also connecting that local market with the wider international domain industry.
The idea was proven in Africa
The ccTLD Partner model was inspired by the success of our cooperation with KeNIC during the first Domain Summit Africa.
Domain Summit Africa 2026 took place in Nairobi, Kenya, at Villa Rosa Kempinski. The event was fully booked and welcomed more than 220 attendees, including many important representatives from across the African domain name industry.
That experience showed me very clearly that when a registry is involved on a trust basis and treated as a real ecosystem partner, the event becomes more relevant, more credible and more useful for everyone involved.
In Africa, Domain Summit has already started building ccTLD and regional TLD partnerships, mostly on a handshake and trust basis, with:
The same approach is now being developed for Europe, and it will also be used for Domain Summit Asia and Domain Summit Americas, which we plan to launch in 2027.
Conversations with ccTLD registries worldwide
We are currently having direct one-to-one conversations with various ccTLD registries in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas about future partnerships.
These conversations take time, and they should take time. Every registry has its own market, culture, priorities, registrar community and long-term goals.
This is not a standard sponsorship package. We are speaking with registries individually to understand how cooperation can help all involved parties: the registry, its local registrar community, Domain Summit, sponsors, speakers and attendees.
ccTLD registries interested in exploring this partnership model are very welcome to contact us directly.
There is no monetary involvement requested from ccTLD registries for this partnership model. Please contact us for more details.
One important part of this model is that ccTLD Partners will be able to suggest cultural capitals or important regional cities where future Domain Summit editions could take place.
This gives registries a way to bring the international domain name industry closer to their own market, their own registrar community and their own cultural environment.
A planned media and community strategy
The ccTLD Partner model is only one part of a wider and methodical Domain Summit strategy.
Another major part is media and community ownership.
Over the last years, I have been building a network of established domain name forums and communities. These acquisitions are not random. They are part of a long-term marketing, publishing and community distribution model for the Domain Summit event series.
The forum network includes:
This gives Domain Summit direct access to long-standing domain communities in multiple languages and markets.
We are not relying only on paid advertising, cold outreach or social media algorithms. We are building a connected ecosystem of domain forums, newsletters, event calendars, industry announcements, registry relationships, registrar relationships and invitation-led networking events.
In practical terms, the forum network creates a bridge between online domain communities and physical Domain Summit events.
A systematic approach towards four regional B2B events
Domain Summit is being developed as a group of four major regional B2B events for the domain name industry:
Each region can have its own local partners, registry relationships, forum communities, business culture and social programme, while remaining connected under the Domain Summit brand.
This structure is designed to be more sustainable than one annual event in one city.
It gives registries, registrars, investors, brokers, marketplaces, hosting companies, IP professionals, cybersecurity specialists and service providers a clearer way to connect with the domain industry region by region.
Family-friendly and business-first
Domain Summit is also moving towards a more family-friendly and long-term relationship-building format.
Where possible, attendees travelling with wives, husbands or partners are encouraged to include them in selected group tours and social evening receptions.
This does not mean turning Domain Summit into a holiday trip. It means recognising that the strongest business relationships are often built through trust, shared time and human connection.
We are intentionally moving in a good-business-only direction: serious industry conversations, meaningful introductions and long-term partnerships rather than one-off deals or heavy drinking culture.
The focus is on relationships crafted for years, not just transactions made in a single afternoon.
Thank you to our sponsors and partners
None of the Domain Summit events would have been possible without the support, trust and involvement of our current and past sponsors, partners and supporters.
I want to say a major thank you to the organisations that have helped Domain Summit grow, starting with it.com Domains, of course, following by Team Internet, NameSilo, Sedo, Freename, Site.pro, ShortDot, One Registry, Unstoppable Domains, Catch.Club, DNC, OpenXchange, EW3N, Motysnyi IP Group, 360 Law Group, DN Journal, Domain Name Wire, Domain Incite, COMPETICO, .Asia, .Africa, Nominet, KeNIC, ZARC, RICTA, NIC.lv, RNIDS and DENIC.
Some have supported us as sponsors, some as partners, some as registries, some as speakers, some as exhibitors and some simply by trusting the idea early.
That support matters.
Domain Summit is not being built alone. It is being built with the domain industry.
Kempten 2026 registration details
Domain Summit Europe 2026 will take place on:
Dates: 17-18 August 2026
Location: Kempten, Germany
Event page: https://kempten26.domainsummit.eu/e/2138674890
The venue is Die Bitcoin Metropole, a Bitcoin and tech community space connected with cryptoartist MX12.
Because the Kempten edition is limited to around 60 participants, registration is invitation-led. Complimentary invitation codes are mainly offered to selected industry participants, speakers, partners, registries, registrars and relevant companies.
People interested in attending can contact me directly and briefly explain who they are, which company they represent and why they would like to attend.
In most cases, participation is limited to one or two people per company, depending on available space and relevance to the event.
About Domain Summit
Domain Summit is building a regional event network for the global domain name industry, connecting registries, registrars, investors, brokers, marketplaces, hosting companies, IP professionals, cybersecurity specialists and service providers through focused B2B events and specialised community media channels.
London built the foundation.
Kempten shows that the European rotation has started.
And with .de, .lv and .rs already at the European table, Domain Summit Europe begins its next chapter with a strong and deliberate signal.
Helmuts Meskonis
Founder and organiser
Domain Summit
Kempten, Germany / London, United Kingdom — I am pleased to announce that Domain Summit Europe is entering a new stage of development.
After four successful Domain Summit events in London, we are now beginning the planned European rotation of Domain Summit Europe. The first edition in this new format will take place in Kempten, Germany, on 17-18 August 2026.
This year’s edition is intentionally smaller than our London events, with attendance limited to around 60 participants. The scale is smaller, but the direction is larger.
The size of every Domain Summit event is naturally connected to sponsor, partner and regional involvement. Rather than forcing a large event without the right structure, we are using Kempten 2026 as a focused, invitation-led edition where the right people can spend meaningful time together.
For me, this is not a retreat from London. London gave Domain Summit its foundation. Kempten signals that the European rotation has now started.
Three European ccTLD Registry Partners confirmed
Domain Summit Europe has already partnered with three European ccTLD registries as ccTLD Partners for upcoming Domain Summit Europe events:
- DENIC — Germany’s .de registry
- NIC.lv — Latvia’s .lv registry
- RNIDS — Serbia’s .rs and .срб registry
All three are expected to be represented at Domain Summit Europe 2026 in Kempten.
As far as I am aware, no B2B event in the domain name industry has previously developed this kind of long-term ccTLD Partner framework across multiple regions.
The idea is simple: ccTLD registries are not just sponsors or logo placements. They are ecosystem partners. They represent infrastructure, national market knowledge, registrar relationships, policy experience and long-term trust in their local domain communities.
By working with ccTLD Partners, Domain Summit can make each regional event more relevant to the market where it takes place, while also connecting that local market with the wider international domain industry.
The idea was proven in Africa
The ccTLD Partner model was inspired by the success of our cooperation with KeNIC during the first Domain Summit Africa.
Domain Summit Africa 2026 took place in Nairobi, Kenya, at Villa Rosa Kempinski. The event was fully booked and welcomed more than 220 attendees, including many important representatives from across the African domain name industry.
That experience showed me very clearly that when a registry is involved on a trust basis and treated as a real ecosystem partner, the event becomes more relevant, more credible and more useful for everyone involved.
In Africa, Domain Summit has already started building ccTLD and regional TLD partnerships, mostly on a handshake and trust basis, with:
- KeNIC — Kenya’s .ke registry
- ZARC — South Africa’s .za registry
- RICTA — Rwanda’s .rw registry
- .Africa — the regional African TLD
The same approach is now being developed for Europe, and it will also be used for Domain Summit Asia and Domain Summit Americas, which we plan to launch in 2027.
Conversations with ccTLD registries worldwide
We are currently having direct one-to-one conversations with various ccTLD registries in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas about future partnerships.
These conversations take time, and they should take time. Every registry has its own market, culture, priorities, registrar community and long-term goals.
This is not a standard sponsorship package. We are speaking with registries individually to understand how cooperation can help all involved parties: the registry, its local registrar community, Domain Summit, sponsors, speakers and attendees.
ccTLD registries interested in exploring this partnership model are very welcome to contact us directly.
There is no monetary involvement requested from ccTLD registries for this partnership model. Please contact us for more details.
One important part of this model is that ccTLD Partners will be able to suggest cultural capitals or important regional cities where future Domain Summit editions could take place.
This gives registries a way to bring the international domain name industry closer to their own market, their own registrar community and their own cultural environment.
A planned media and community strategy
The ccTLD Partner model is only one part of a wider and methodical Domain Summit strategy.
Another major part is media and community ownership.
Over the last years, I have been building a network of established domain name forums and communities. These acquisitions are not random. They are part of a long-term marketing, publishing and community distribution model for the Domain Summit event series.
The forum network includes:
- DNForum.com — one of the oldest global domain name forums, originally established in 2001
- AcornDomains.co.uk — a leading UK-focused domain name forum, originally established in 2004
- ConsultDomain.de — one of the older German-language domain forums, originally established in 2002
- ForumNDD.com — a French-language domain name forum, originally established in 2008
- Nameslot.com — a .com-focused domain forum, originally established in 2004
This gives Domain Summit direct access to long-standing domain communities in multiple languages and markets.
We are not relying only on paid advertising, cold outreach or social media algorithms. We are building a connected ecosystem of domain forums, newsletters, event calendars, industry announcements, registry relationships, registrar relationships and invitation-led networking events.
In practical terms, the forum network creates a bridge between online domain communities and physical Domain Summit events.
A systematic approach towards four regional B2B events
Domain Summit is being developed as a group of four major regional B2B events for the domain name industry:
- Domain Summit Europe
- Domain Summit Africa
- Domain Summit Asia
- Domain Summit Americas (to be launched in 2027)
Each region can have its own local partners, registry relationships, forum communities, business culture and social programme, while remaining connected under the Domain Summit brand.
This structure is designed to be more sustainable than one annual event in one city.
It gives registries, registrars, investors, brokers, marketplaces, hosting companies, IP professionals, cybersecurity specialists and service providers a clearer way to connect with the domain industry region by region.
Family-friendly and business-first
Domain Summit is also moving towards a more family-friendly and long-term relationship-building format.
Where possible, attendees travelling with wives, husbands or partners are encouraged to include them in selected group tours and social evening receptions.
This does not mean turning Domain Summit into a holiday trip. It means recognising that the strongest business relationships are often built through trust, shared time and human connection.
We are intentionally moving in a good-business-only direction: serious industry conversations, meaningful introductions and long-term partnerships rather than one-off deals or heavy drinking culture.
The focus is on relationships crafted for years, not just transactions made in a single afternoon.
Thank you to our sponsors and partners
None of the Domain Summit events would have been possible without the support, trust and involvement of our current and past sponsors, partners and supporters.
I want to say a major thank you to the organisations that have helped Domain Summit grow, starting with it.com Domains, of course, following by Team Internet, NameSilo, Sedo, Freename, Site.pro, ShortDot, One Registry, Unstoppable Domains, Catch.Club, DNC, OpenXchange, EW3N, Motysnyi IP Group, 360 Law Group, DN Journal, Domain Name Wire, Domain Incite, COMPETICO, .Asia, .Africa, Nominet, KeNIC, ZARC, RICTA, NIC.lv, RNIDS and DENIC.
Some have supported us as sponsors, some as partners, some as registries, some as speakers, some as exhibitors and some simply by trusting the idea early.
That support matters.
Domain Summit is not being built alone. It is being built with the domain industry.
Kempten 2026 registration details
Domain Summit Europe 2026 will take place on:
Dates: 17-18 August 2026
Location: Kempten, Germany
Event page: https://kempten26.domainsummit.eu/e/2138674890
The venue is Die Bitcoin Metropole, a Bitcoin and tech community space connected with cryptoartist MX12.
Because the Kempten edition is limited to around 60 participants, registration is invitation-led. Complimentary invitation codes are mainly offered to selected industry participants, speakers, partners, registries, registrars and relevant companies.
People interested in attending can contact me directly and briefly explain who they are, which company they represent and why they would like to attend.
In most cases, participation is limited to one or two people per company, depending on available space and relevance to the event.
About Domain Summit
Domain Summit is building a regional event network for the global domain name industry, connecting registries, registrars, investors, brokers, marketplaces, hosting companies, IP professionals, cybersecurity specialists and service providers through focused B2B events and specialised community media channels.
London built the foundation.
Kempten shows that the European rotation has started.
And with .de, .lv and .rs already at the European table, Domain Summit Europe begins its next chapter with a strong and deliberate signal.
Helmuts Meskonis
Founder and organiser
Domain Summit
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