Procurement leaders showed up in force at a sold-out RAI Amsterdam to confront AI complexity, move beyond pilots, and RECODE how procurement actually works.
For two days, RAI Amsterdam became the focal point for an industry that has stopped waiting for the next pilot and started rebuilding how work actually gets done.
DPW Amsterdam 2026 brought 2,303 attendees from 51 countries and 35 industries to RAI Amsterdam on September 30 and October 1, marking the largest edition of the event to date.
As a global technology event for procurement and supply chain, DPW brings corporate leaders together with technology providers, startups and investors to explore how the industry is changing and what comes next.
But 2026 wasn't simply about bringing more people together. DPW redesigned the event experience to help attendees get closer to practical insights, evaluate technology firsthand and connect with the people most relevant to their decisions.
More than 2,300 leaders from 51 countries and 35 industries filled the venue. A record 100+ CPOs stood alongside 500+ global companies, 100+ startups and 80+ founders. More than 150 technology solutions were on the floor. Before the doors even opened, attendees had already scheduled 2,198 meetings – more than four times the previous year.
From AI pilots to redesigning procurement
Under the theme RECODE, DPW Amsterdam 2026 challenged procurement leaders to rethink how their organizations operate, rather than simply adding AI to existing systems and processes. Across the two days, speakers examined what it takes to move beyond experimentation towards meaningful transformation.
Matthias Gutzmann, Founder of DPW, set the tone: “We’ve automated the mess… Don’t tweak. Don’t optimize… Build a new one. Recode.”
Tiger Tyagarajan, former President and CEO of Genpact, warned of “death by a thousand pilots” and the risk of “really expensive chaos” when AI is layered onto broken processes and dirty data. He called instead for “an end-to-end reimagination of the outcome you want to deliver.”
Klaus Staubitzer, CPO & Head of Supply Chain, SiemensThe good is technology. The bad is the fundamental data challenge.
The ugly one is the organizational part.
AstraZeneca's Chief Procurement Officer Nataša Vidmar added: “AI does not remove technology complexity. It exposes it.”
Together, these perspectives highlighted a common challenge: adopting AI is only part of the equation. To make it work, procurement organizations also need to rethink the data, processes and operating structures on which that technology depends.
A redesigned event for better decisions
“We didn’t move into a new venue just to make DPW bigger. We did it to make DPW better,” Gutzmann said.
That ambition shaped how attendees experienced DPW Amsterdam 2026. The redesigned event placed greater emphasis on three things:
-
Learning from real experiences
-
Evaluating technology firsthand
-
Connecting with the right people
Hands-on Workshops, Roundtables and the Live Podcast Stage created more opportunities for attendees to ask questions, exchange experiences and participate in discussions beyond traditional conference presentations.
Technology discovery also became more interactive. Across the Expo Hall, immersive activations, live demonstrations and customer conversations gave attendees opportunities to explore solutions beyond a conventional exhibition booth.
Six Tech Safaris, guided tours through the Expo Hall, took small groups directly into the technology across topics like spend intelligence, procure-to-pay, supplier and risk intelligence, procurement orchestration and contract intelligence. Attendees heard not only from technology founders and providers, but also from customers using these solutions within their own organizations.
Networking was redesigned to make relevant connections easier to find. Expanded matchmaking features within the DPW Events app, dedicated networking formats and longer breaks between sessions gave attendees more opportunities to build lasting relationships and tackle challenges together.
Before the doors even opened, attendees had already scheduled 2,198 meetings, more than four times the previous year, reflecting the growing role of intentional networking in the DPW experience.
Matthias Gutzmann, Founder, DPWYou don’t really need to come to DPW or any event just to get more information.
For me, the answer is simple: to meet the right people, to have the right conversations
and ultimately to make better technology decisions.
More than a conference
The DPW experience extended beyond the conference floor. Eleven Side Events brought attendees together across Amsterdam, creating additional opportunities for informal conversations and connections outside the main event program.
The event opened with a live performance by Dutch pianist and composer Iris Hond, accompanied by a band, dancers and harpist.
The DPW Awards returned for their second edition to celebrate the startups, corporate teams and individuals making a measurable impact on procurement and supply chain. Judged by an independent panel of industry leaders, the awards recognize innovation that is being developed, scaled and put into practice. Atmospheric AI won the Early Stage Award, LightSource took Growth Stage, Danone received the Digital Innovation Award, and Ruy Magalhães was named the first-ever Influencer of the Year.
The conversation and impact continued beyond the event itself, with CPOstrategy conducting more than 50 interviews with industry leaders during the two-day gathering. The media team captured insights and perspectives to be shared with the wider procurement community long after the event ended.
For Gutzmann, that is ultimately the point of DPW: “Not just what happens while you’re here, but what changes because you were here.”
By the numbers
Attendance and reach
- 2,303 attendees
- 51 countries
- 35 industries
Industry community
- 100+ CPOs
- 500+ global companies
- 100+ startups
- 80+ startup founders
Technology, content and experiences
- 150+ technology solutions
- 100+ speakers
- 100+ sessions
- 6 Tech Safaris
- 11 side events
Connections
- 2,198 pre-scheduled meetings
The next DPW event will take place in New York on May 26–27, 2027. Explore the upcoming event here.
About DPW
DPW is the global tech ecosystem for procurement and supply chain. Its flagship events, DPW Amsterdam and DPW New York, bring together startups, technology leaders, enterprises, investors and procurement practitioners to connect with the people, technologies and real-world evidence needed to challenge assumptions, validate what works and move forward with greater confidence.
Founded in 2019, DPW has grown from its first event of 400+ industry leaders from 33 countries into a global platform for procurement and supply chain innovation.
