The Service Design Global Conference 2026 will take place from October 28 to 30, 2026, at the RheinMain CongressCenter. This will make Wiesbaden a key international hub for innovation, design, and social change. The conference is organized by the Service Design Network in cooperation with “World Design Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026.” In 2026, the Rhine-Main metropolitan region will be the first in Germany to hold the title “World Design Capital,” awarded by the World Design Organization.

The conference brings together leading international experts, companies, institutions, and creative minds to discuss the future of services, organizations, and social transformation. Under the motto “Beyond Boundaries: Enabling Solutions That Shape Tomorrow,” SDGC26 demonstrates how service design develops new approaches to complex challenges. Service design refers to an approach that consistently develops services from the user’s perspective: from initial information through digital and analog touchpoints to the internal processes that enable a positive user experience. The goal is to make offerings simpler, more accessible, more sustainable, and more effective, while ensuring that the organization operates economically and efficiently both internally and on behalf of its clients.

“The Service Design Global Conference at the RheinMain CongressCenter sends a strong signal about the international visibility of the Frankfurt Rhine-Main metropolitan region. Today, design is far more than just the creation of an object or a brochure—it is a tool for improving social processes, driving innovation, and connecting people. We are proud to welcome this outstanding event to our city, following Helsinki and Dallas. It underscores our city’s significance as a hub for future-oriented dialogue and creative transformation,” says Christiane Hinninger, Head of Economic Affairs and Mayor.

Martin Michel, Managing Director of WICM GmbH, also sees the event as an important boost for the city: “The modern RheinMain CongressCenter offers ideal conditions for international congresses that promote innovation, exchange, and cooperation. By hosting SDGC26, Wiesbaden is strengthening its role as a key event and innovation hub within the World Design Capital Frankfurt Rhine-Main 2026.”

Background Information

The World Design Capital Frankfurt RheinMain 2026 views service design as a social process that enables dialogue, participation, and new forms of collaboration.

Unlike product design, it is not about a physical object, but rather about intangible services that arise from the interplay of people, processes, technologies, and spaces.

Throughout the year, projects, exhibitions, and conferences in the region will demonstrate how design can contribute to improving quality of life, democracy, and sustainable development. The program’s goal is to highlight design as a tool for democracy, social participation, innovation, and sustainable development.

The state capital of Wiesbaden is actively participating in the World Design Capital program year with numerous projects in the fields of culture, the creative industries, education, business, and urban development.

Link to the event: https://www.servicedesignglobalconference.com/ (opens in a new tab)

Project overview: World Design Capital | State Capital of Wiesbaden (opens in a new tab)