The 2017 dmexco conference takes place in just two weeks and, for the world of ad tech, it is the beacon event in the advertising calendar. The agenda, touting 250 hours of programme, with more than 570 speakers across the two-day event, includes Twitter CEO, Jack Dorsey; Facebook’s COO, Sheryl Sandberg; Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO of WPP; and of course, one of the most recognisable names to come out of advertising this year, Marc Pritchard of P&G.

They, along with a plethora of high-profile speakers from the fields of marketing, media, and technology, will be focusing on current trends and issues across the industry, while looking at what the future holds in line with the conference slogan: 'lightening the age of transformation'.

For those not enticed by fluffy marketing slogans, there should be plenty more to tempt you. It’s the place where the great minds of ad tech come together and shine a light on the future of the industry. The Cannes Lions festival may have been a disappointment for some this year, but it's a near certainty the same will not be said for the dmexco conference.

If you’re keen on hearing from some major ad tech players, dmexco is the place for you (outside of ATS London during the same week, of course), with the CEOs of SpotX, PubMatic, Index Exchange, and The Trade Desk, among many others lined up to speak.

Outside of the world of ad tech, the dmexco conference aims to cover topics ranging from building a successful digital business, with tips from LinkedIn co-founder Allen Blue, and the future of AI, with IBM’s chief digital officer, Bob Lord; to empowering equality at the ‘women’s leadership table’, featuring inspirational women in the industry, including Deloitte’s Alissia Hatch and Visa’s Kim Kadlec.

And that’s just on stage. Outside of dmexco’s comprehensive speaker programme, you will find five halls at the Koelnmesse filled to the brim with representation from players across the industry, from innovative start-ups, to the most well-known companies in the world, all sharing the same space for two intense days.

Following its success at last year's conference, the dmexco Motion Hall enters its second year, celebrating all things 'moving image' and focusing on the future of video. Leading content producers, broadcasters, and platform operators, including Walt Disney, RTL Group, Hulu, and National Geographic, will help you understand how to spend your media budgets on the right video trends and video platforms.

New to the conference this year is the dmexco and Procter&Gamble startup hatch, providing the best industry startups the opportunity to present their innovations live onstage to a panel of judges (including LUMA Partners' Terence Kawaja), as well as potential investors, partners, and customers in the dmexco audience. If you're a startup interesting in entering, the deadline is looming. Winners receive a cash boost from P&G to the tune of €20,000. Even if you don't make it into the Hatch, the Startup Village will certainly be a place for people on both sides of the coin to help foster the growth and demand of ad tech innovation. The number of participants is expected to double this year, with half of them being international.

Last year's dmexco conference saw 50,700 attendees visiting 1,013 exhibitors over 90,000 square metres of conference halls. Fifty percent of those exhibitors were international and the event has seen a growth of 343% since the first dmexco back in 2009. Back then, international companies represented only 10% of exhibitors and 12% of attendees, but word has spread over the years and now it is a truly global event.

So, after you’ve attended ATS London on Monday 11 September, make sure you hot-foot it over to Cologne to visit the Koelnmesse, transformed into a digital media playground.