CEE AUTOMOTIVE TRANSITION
FORUM 2025


18th SEPTEMBER 

Bálna , Budapest

Automotive in context.

Because the big picture

matters!

Welcome to the CEE Forum for the Automotive Transition 2025 – where global insights meet local expertise.

 

Uncover global trends, get the broad context you need, understand the bigger picture, and find your own actionable strategies.

The global mobility industry is at its most critical turning point in history – there is no doubt about it. The global power shift is real, Asian competitors are jumping ahead of the game, new titans are rising in the region, and modern trade wars are shaking up markets. Raw material supply is at risk, squeezed by geopolitical tensions, while climate regulations push the industry into uncharted territory. Electrification looms over the industry – a two-faced force of progress and pressure – while autonomous driving, AI, and software-driven vehicles are rewriting the rules. Smart cars and the new era of AI-powered smart cities bring us to a new revolution in urban living – whether we are ready or not.

This is not just another transformation—it’s a full-scale realignment of power, technology, and competitive advantage. The key question is no longer what is happening, but how fast, and what must be done next?

The race is on, and the future of mobility won’t wait for you to catch up. Join us to make sure you’re ahead. 

At the CEE Forum for the Automotive Transition, we once again gather the key voices shaping the future of the industry. This is where decision-makers, industry experts, and policymakers come together to discuss the breakout points and opportunities that will define the next phase of the automotive transition.

HIGHLIGHTS

AGENDA

I. KEYNOTE SESSION

09:00 - 09:20 – Welcoming words
09:20 - 09:40Keynote: Reinventing Europe - Action Plan for the European automotive sector
09:40 - 10:00Presentation: The road ahead for the Hungarian and the CEE automotive market
10:00 - 10:20Presentation: Innovation without limits: Hungary as a launchpad in European mobility innovation

10:20 – 10:50☕ COFFEE BREAK

 

II. SESSION – WHAT’S NEXT FOR AUTOMOTIVE? OPPORTUNITIES, CHALLENGES, AND CEE’S STRATEGIC ROLE

10:50 - 11:40Roundtable with top industry leaders:
Total crash or shifting gears: Global challenges & local insights in the CEE automotive landscape
11:40 - 12:00Presentation: AI and the automotive workforce: disruption, adaptation, or opportunity? How is new technology transforming the dynamics of the automotive industry?
12:00 - 12:30Fireside chat: Unlocking Competitiveness in the Automotive Industry – Can CEE Shift Gears from Assembly Lines to Innovation Hubs?

12:30 – 13:45🍽️ LUNCH

 

III. SESSION – INNOVATION, TECHNOLOGY, DATA & SKILLS SHAPING THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY

13:45 – 14:15Roundtable: Future-proofing competitiveness – innovation under pressure from the Tier 1 Perspective (Tech, Strategy, and CEE’s Automotive Edge)

14:15 – 15:20Tech Insights – Technology Spotlight Session:

  • Harnessing Data: Records, Trends and New Challenges in the Used Car Market
  • Brains Behind the Wheel: Data, AI & the Competitive Future of CEE Auto Industry
  • Advancing Industry 4.0 – Trends in Industrial Automation
  • Autonomous Driving: Our Real Chance to Break Out?
  • The Age of Software-Defined Vehicles
  • What Is Green Finance and Why Is It Important in Accelerating the Automotive Transition?
  • Building Competitive Advantage Through Data & Digitalization
 
IV. SESSION – THE ENERGY SHIFT: BATTERY & INFRASTRUCTURE

15:20 – 15:40Presentation: Full charge or low battery? The CEE battery boom: strategies and dilemmas
15:40 – 16:30Roundtable: From cell to grid: Aligning Battery Production with EV Infrastructure Growth in CEE

Take a glimpse of last year’s highlights!

TICKETS

EARLY BIRD tickets are still available with 30% early bird discount!

Classic Pass

HUF 89.900 net

Early bird

HUF 62.900 net

  • On-site participation at the CEE Forum for the Automotive Transition and the CEE Smart City Forum
  • Access to the EXPO zone
  • Access to the on-site matchmaking zone
  • Access to the virtual matchmaking zone
  • Access to the catering zone

Grand tour Pass

HUF 119.900 net

Early bird

HUF 83.900 net

  • On-site participation at the CEE Forum for the Automotive Transition and the CEE Smart City Forum
  • Access to the EXPO zone
  • Access to the on-site matchmaking zone
  • Access to the virtual matchmaking zone
  • Access to the catering zone
  • Participation in the ReCharge & Connect Networking Night

Classic Pass

HUF 89.900 net

Early bird

HUF 62.900 net

  • On-site participation at the CEE Forum for the Automotive Transition and the CEE Smart City Forum
  • Access to the EXPO zone
  • Access to the on-site matchmaking zone
  • Access to the virtual matchmaking zone
  • Access to the catering zone

Grand tour Pass

HUF 119.900 net

Early bird

HUF 83.900 net

  • On-site participation at the CEE Forum for the Automotive Transition and the CEE Smart City Forum
  • Access to the EXPO zone
  • Access to the on-site matchmaking zone
  • Access to the virtual matchmaking zone
  • Access to the catering zone
  • Participation in the ReCharge & Connect Networking Night

SPONSORSHIP

Each brand is unique – and so is our event.

 

 

Choose from flexible sponsorship opportunities, and let’s find the right fit together. We do have structured sponsorship packages, but if you don’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions, get in touch and explore what works best for you. We’ll help you find the perfect match based on your goals, possibilities, and requirements. 

Sponsorship packages start from 200,000 Ft.

Contact sales at: event@zonecluster.eu

VENUE

Bálna (The Whale)

Budapest, Fővám Square 11-12, 1093

VENUE

Bálna (The Whale)

Budapest, Fővám Square 11-12, 1093

CONTACT

ZONE TEAM

event@zonecluster.eu

CONTACT

ZONE TEAM

event@zonecluster.eu

Katalin
Romao-Major

Event Program Director

katalin.major@zonecluster.eu
+36 30 783 8855

 

Gréta
Gombos

Event Coordinator

greta.gombos@zonecluster.eu

 

Petra
Gál

Business Development Manager

petra.gal@zonecluster.eu