- The Circular Tech Awards dinner took place on 5 September 2026 at the JW Marriott Hotel Berlin.
- It was organised by Mobi Hub and is separate from admission to the IFA exhibition.
- Aikon sponsored the registration desk and held a reserved block of tickets.
- Aikon also offered a random selection through the Aikon app, separate from the awards themselves.
- Specific requirements and a clear next step are what turn a dinner conversation into a deal.
Why the dinner matters
IFA gives the industry a large exhibition, but useful relationships are not built only during scheduled stand visits. A dinner gives traders, refurbishers and other circular technology businesses more time to understand what each company does and where there may be a commercial fit.
The value is not the number of people someone meets. It is the quality of the conversations they can continue after Berlin. A quieter setting makes it easier to move beyond a quick introduction to the practical details that decide whether two companies should stay in touch.
For wholesale phone traders, that might mean meeting a company with a recurring buying requirement, learning how another market describes grades, or finding a partner whose stock profile matches an existing demand. For refurbishers and lifecycle businesses, it may mean understanding where a trader can place a particular device category or how another market handles supply at scale.
Keep the conversation visible after Berlin. Registered companies can post buy and sell offers on Aikon and connect directly with relevant counterparties. Join free.
Aikon at the registration desk
Aikon sponsored the registration desk for the Circular Tech Awards, which gave attendees a simple place to connect with the team on arrival. Aikon also held a reserved block of tickets for the dinner.
The dinner sat alongside the rest of the IFA week. For companies with meetings already planned in Berlin, it was a chance to continue those conversations in a more relaxed setting. For first meetings, the best preparation was a clear explanation of what the company buys, sells, refurbishes or handles within the device lifecycle.
A good event introduction explains who you are. A useful trading conversation explains what you need next.
Making the first conversation count
A short introduction is enough when it gives the other person a reason to continue. Start with your business type, the product categories you handle, the markets you serve and the requirement that matters most right now.
Specifics make a follow-up easier. Saying that you buy used smartphones is a start. Explaining the models, grades, quantities and stock locations you are actively looking for gives the other company something concrete to respond to. The same applies when selling. A clear stock profile is more useful than a broad claim that you can supply everything.
When there is a fit, agree on a simple next step before the evening ends. That could be sharing a current requirement, reviewing an offer after the event or arranging a longer call once both teams are back from Berlin.
The Aikon random selection
Aikon also offered attendees the chance to take part in a random selection through the Aikon app. It was separate from the awards themselves, which are a different process.
Preparing for the next event
A small amount of preparation makes any industry dinner more useful. The goal is not to script every conversation, but to make it easy for the right company to understand why a follow-up would be valuable.
- Review the companies or contacts you want to meet. Prioritise the people most relevant to your current stock or buying requirements.
- Prepare a short explanation of what your business does. Keep it specific enough that another trader can quickly see the possible fit.
- Know the models, quantities, grades and markets that matter now. Current requirements create better conversations than a generic capability list.
- Make sure your active Aikon offers are current. Remove stale information and keep the most relevant buying and selling needs visible.
- Decide what a useful next step looks like. A clear follow-up is more valuable than trying to force a deal during dinner.
Follow up while the context is fresh
The strongest event conversations lose momentum when the follow-up arrives a week later with no reference to what was discussed. Make a short note after each useful meeting: the company, the requirement, the promised next step and when you will send it.
When you follow up, lead with the specific point of connection. Share the offer, requirement or introduction you discussed, then make the next action easy to understand. If the opportunity is ready to trade, post or update the relevant offer on Aikon so the details stay structured and easy to find.
Booth D15 during IFA
During IFA, Aikon was at booth D15 with a networking lounge offering free coffee, snacks and tables for meetings.
On 7 September, the Aikon Tech Talk, Between grading and market: the connecting layer
, took place on the stage directly in front of the booth. Read the IFA recap for the full picture of the week.