The Art of Growth comes to Ljubljana
Dscoop, the global member-led community of HP Industrial Print customers and partners, brought nearly 550 members from around 40 countries to Ljubljana for Edge Slovenia 2026. Significantly, more than 40% attended an Edge event for the first time. Held under the theme “The Art of Growth,” the conference marked Dscoop’s return to the EMEA region and its first conference of this kind since 2017.
Over three days, the programme combined more than 40 educational sessions with keynote presentations, roundtables, networking and a major Solutions Showcase. Futurist Christian Kromme, culture expert Erin Meyer and innovation thought leader Peter Hinssen were among the keynote speakers challenging participants to rethink leadership, technology, culture and the future of business. But much of Edge’s value happened beyond the main stage. As a member-led community, Dscoop places particular emphasis on peer-to-peer exchange.
A conference, exhibition and live production environment under one roof
Delivering Edge Slovenia required several very different event environments to operate simultaneously. Kupola Hall became the main conference arena for keynotes and plenary sessions, while Kocka Hall hosted the Solutions Showcase and smaller presentation stages. Steklena Hall served as the arrival and registration point, coffee-break and networking area, while additional rooms accommodated breakout sessions and working spaces. Offices in Urška Hall were already in use ahead of the conference, giving the organising team an operational base during preparations.
Live production on the exhibition floor
At the centre was HP’s 484 m² showcase, where high-value industrial presses, including the HP Indigo 18K and HP Indigo 200K, were demonstrated live. These are sophisticated production systems designed for commercial-scale printing, turning Kocka Hall into a temporary working print environment rather than simply a display space.
That required months of technical preparation. Stable power, high-speed internet, compressed air and a constant temperature of 22–23°C had to be maintained to meet the machines’ operating requirements. Around the HP showcase, GR Ljubljana also supplied Octanorm stands and branding for almost 30 exhibitors, bringing the wider Solutions Showcase together under one roof.
From keynote theatre to party venue in just a few hours
The venue’s flexibility was tested again on the final day. After the morning keynote programme, Kupola Hall had only a few hours to completely change character. Conference seating and spectator stands were removed, carpets and access routes were repositioned, graphics were changed, and the plenary environment was transformed into the setting for the evening party. The transformation extended into Steklena Hall, where working stations used during the conference were converted into lounge areas for the evening.
By the time guests returned, the conference setting they had left only hours earlier had become a social venue. It was a transformation that depended less on spectacle than on something event organisers know is much harder to achieve: precise coordination, quick decisions and a team capable of responding immediately when requirements change.
When the venue becomes part of the team
Behind the technical complexity of Edge Slovenia was another element both teams considered central to its success: collaboration. Rather than operating within a traditional client-supplier relationship, the Dscoop and GR Ljubljana teams worked as one project team, solving problems together and adapting throughout the planning and delivery process.
Following the conference, Dscoop’s Global Director of Events, Julen Bastarrika Alemañ, described the conference as “an incredible success” and praised the venue’s service, flexibility and teamwork. His final message was perhaps the simplest measure of a successful event partnership: “If the occasion arises, I will of course come back.”
Learn more about GR Ljubljana here.
