A participant’s comment sums up the inaugural SHIFT Summit hosted by Goldbach Kirchner: around 400 guests, a clear theme and genuine connections. With this new format, Goldbach Kirchner is providing impetus for the future of the property sector.
Geiselbach, 26 October 2026. “Expo Real: over 42,000 attendees. SHIFT Summit: around 400. And yet, for us, SHIFT was the better event.” With these words, SHIFT partner Daniel Ishikawa of Lyght Living summed up his personal impressions of the first SHIFT Summit on LinkedIn. A statement that aptly describes the event’s unique character: it is not size that matters, but the quality of the interactions, the relevance of the topics and the tangible added value for the participants.
On 22 October 2026, around 400 entrepreneurs, managing directors and decision-makers from the construction and property sectors, architecture, finance, industry and academia gathered at the interior fit-out specialist and partition wall manufacturer Goldbach Kirchner in Geiselbach. Under the motto ‘New Perspectives for Property’, they discussed one of the industry’s key questions for the future: How can existing properties be further developed in an economical, sustainable and flexible manner?
Renovating existing properties is the new construction. This guiding principle shaped the entire summit. Over 30 high-calibre panels, workshops and masterclasses offered practical insights and new perspectives on transformation, sustainability, financing and future-proof usage concepts. In the run-up to the event, the interdisciplinary SHIFT Think Tank had already brought together experts to develop innovative approaches to property across its entire life cycle.
High-calibre speakers and a diverse range of perspectives. The programme was led by the main initiator, Erik Bechtold (Goldbach Kirchner raumconcepte GmbH), together with the co-initiators Dr Stefan Söhngen (RELATIONING GmbH), Steffen Wittwer (dk real estate GmbH). The line-up of speakers also underlined the interdisciplinary nature of the SHIFT Summit. Tanja Jost, a member of the Hessian State Parliament and entrepreneur, opened the event alongside architect Mischa Bosch (Managing Director of Mäckler Architekten) and provided a political perspective. Adnan Shaikh, Mayor of Eschborn, brought the event to a close with a local authority perspective on the future of the property sector.
Other notable speakers included Sven Küenle, property entrepreneur and former Red Bull professional skier; Prof. Dr Thomas Beyerle, property economist and professor at Biberach University of Applied Sciences; and Kurt Neuwirth, finance expert. Together with numerous other interesting experts, they examined the future of the property portfolio from various angles – ranging from architecture, repurposing and sustainable spatial concepts, through to ESG and the circular economy, right up to financing, digitalisation and new business models.
Less trade fair, more genuine exchange. SHIFT deliberately focused on a select group of participants, in-depth expertise and face-to-face encounters. Property owners, project developers, operators, architects, planners and finance experts came together – not for superficial networking, but to address specific issues, forge new partnerships and develop joint solutions.
The overwhelmingly positive feedback confirmed the need for such a format. Alongside the specialist insights, it was, in particular, the exceptional atmosphere in Goldbach Kirchner’s dispatch hall and showroom, the open discussions and the quality of the contacts that characterised the first SHIFT Summit.
SHIFT is here to stay. With this successful debut, Goldbach Kirchner has laid the foundations for a long-term platform. The aim is to connect people, knowledge and perspectives across sectors and to actively drive forward the transformation of the property portfolio.
You can find all the information at: www.shiftsummit.de
