Leading companies meet top-level sports – this is the theme of the 3rd ChampionsMEET, hosted by the Thuringian Ministry of Economic Affairs and the LEG (Thuringian Development Corporation) on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, in the presence of Minister-President Mario Voigt, Minister of Economic Affairs Colette Boos-John, and LEG Managing Director Andreas Krey. The event will take place at the Spa & GolfResort Weimarer Land in Blankenhain, and, as with the two previous editions, will focus on the marketing campaign "Hidden Champions – Thuringian World Market and Technology Leaders." Since 2023, the Ministry and LEG have recognized a total of 100 high-performing Thuringian SMEs that have achieved market or technology leadership in their respective market segments. This year's ChampionsMEET will also feature updates on the campaign, numerous networking opportunities, and an award ceremony honoring the latest "Hidden Champions." In addition to the invited member companies of the campaign and government officials, DFB (German Football Association) Sporting Director Rudi Völler will also be in attendance, as he was last year.
The ChampionsMEET is once again being held in cooperation with the German Football Association (DFB). The previous event took place in the lead-up to the European Football Championship at the Ernst-Abbe-Sportfeld in Jena, linking top performances in business with those in sports, including a talk with DFB Sporting Director Rudi Völler and a visit to the German national team's public training session. At that time, the German and then the English national teams stayed at the Spa & GolfResort Weimarer Land in Blankenhain, and this year the German U21 national team is currently preparing there for the U21 European Championship, which will take place in Slovakia in June.
Minister-President Voigt explains: “Champions are characterized by three things: passion, performance, and attitude. Thuringia’s hidden champions embody precisely these qualities – they act instead of just talking. They may not be in the limelight, but they shape markets and regions. With innovation, quality, and a clear vision, they are shaping the future – from the green heart of Germany, with a global impact. It is no coincidence that the U21 national team is training right here in Blankenhain: In sports, too, top performances arise where the conditions are right and the will to progress is palpable. Our entrepreneurs prove every day: Those who take responsibility and boldly forge ahead make Thuringia a center of economic strength. The future belongs to those who are visible – and our champions are visible because they are relevant.”
In the first part of the ChampionsMEET, following welcoming and opening statements by Minister-President Voigt, Minister of Economic Affairs Boos-John, and LEG Managing Director Andreas Krey, a short discussion will take place between politicians and the German Football Association (DFB). Moderated by Andreas Krey, the two state politicians will engage in a dialogue with Rudi Völler. All participants will also receive further input and inspiration from a keynote address by Marcel Aberle. The trend and futures researcher, Author , and start-up founder will explain how companies can successfully tackle the future in today's challenging times.
“Many Thuringian companies are among the world's technological and economic leaders. There are now exactly one hundred. With the Hidden Champions campaign, we want to raise awareness of these hidden market leaders,” says Thuringia's Minister of Economic Affairs, Colette Boos-John. “The campaign has multiple benefits: It increases Thuringia's profile as a high-tech location; it helps us attract new investors; and it's excellent publicity for the companies themselves, giving them better access to new customers, markets, and skilled workers. I therefore hope that we can welcome many more top Thuringian companies into the Hidden Champions family in the coming years.”
The second part of the event focuses on the Hidden Champions campaign itself: LEG department head Herbert Stütz reports on the project's progress and successes, followed by presentations from Thuringia's new global market and technology leaders. The companies are then honored by the Minister-President and the Minister. The event concludes with a social gathering offering numerous networking opportunities and a golf taster session for interested participants.
“Thuringia has many excellent global market leaders and, at the same time, highly innovative, high-performing companies that quietly achieve great things and significantly shape the success of our state. We are proud to have now identified 100 such champions whose outstanding products and services score points on an international scale. We are showcasing this with the campaign and at the ChampionsMEET,” says LEG Managing Director Andreas Krey.
Background:
Thuringia is a global leader – with high-performing medium-sized companies that have achieved either market leadership or technological leadership through innovative products and services as well as cutting-edge technologies. Currently, one hundred such Thuringian companies rank among the best in their respective fields on the world market. The Free State of Thuringia aims to increase the visibility of these hidden champions through its campaign, not least to raise Thuringia's profile as a place to live and work.
Further information can be found at:
https://www.hidden-champions-thuringia.de/thueringer-championsmeet
