From the exhibition booth to the stage: Bookwire will present a comprehensive innovation program featuring numerous partners at the 2026 Frankfurt Book Fair.
Frankfurt am Main, September 3 - Bookwire, the Frankfurt-based publishing technology and distribution company, is once again presenting an extensive program in conjunction with the Frankfurt Book Fair, which runs from October 7 to 11, 2026. Visitors can find Bookwire in Hall 4.1 at Booth F9, and the Bookwire platform Fabely in Hall 4.0 at Booth H37.
For the first time this year, Zebralution and Open Publishing are also integrated into the Bookwire booth, making them part of a joint presentation by the expanded Bookwire Group at the Frankfurt Book Fair.
This presence is complemented by the audiobook recommendation platform Fabely, enabling Bookwire and its partners to present a wide range of formats at two booths and on the Innovation Stage, thereby setting new trends for the industry.
In addition, Bookwire is a sponsor of the Global 50 CEO Talk, the Digital Publishing Award, and the Global 50 Report.
A highlight of the fair's program is the Friday Innovation Stage, which Bookwire is organizing together with partners.
Friday Innovation Stage: Powered by Frankfurt Book Fair, Bookwire and PONDUS
Together with our stage partner PONDUS, Bookwire will host the Friday Innovation Stage, making it once again the hub for publishing technology at the Frankfurt Book Fair in 2026. On Friday, October 9, 2026, from 2:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Hall 4.1 will be dedicated to the latest technologies, trends, and innovations for the publishing industry:
- 2:00 p.m. - Opening Talk "Innovation United"
The second edition of the Friday Innovation Talks, presented by Bookwire, the Frankfurt Book Fair, and Pondus, kicks off with a roundtable discussion on publishing, technology, and AI. Participants include Jens Klingelhöfer, CEO and co-founder of Bookwire; Dominik Huber, CEO of Pondus Publishing Software; and Madeline Shue, Head of Growth and Publisher Partnerships at ElevenLabs. Together, they will discuss how companies can join forces and collaborate successfully in the age of AI.
- 2:30 p.m. - Presentation of the Eleven Reader app
Madeline Shue (Head of Growth and Publisher Partnerships) from ElevenLabs will showcase new possibilities in voice switching, digital reading, and expanded reach for backlist titles.
- 2:50 PM - “How to Unlock Untapped Revenue Potential with AI Licensing.”
Eric Bartoletti (Head of Business Development at Bookwire) highlights the potential that publishing content offers for licensing to AI companies. The focus is on how publishers can transparently license their high-quality, curated content to tap into new revenue streams.
- 3:10 p.m. - My New Colleague Is Named AI
When AI agents take on tasks, a tool becomes part of the team. Drawing on concrete experiences at PONDUS, we'll show what these new colleagues can accomplish, how collaboration works, and what's important when integrating them into existing workflows. Because more is changing than we thought.
- 3:30 p.m. - “What Is Digital Reading Infrastructure?”
What actually happens behind the scenes of digital reading? In this session, experts take a look at the "invisible infrastructure" of the publishing world-from distribution networks and library systems to metadata pipelines. The focus is on how technology providers, national libraries, and publishers are working together to make the global digital reading ecosystem future-proof and resilient.
- 4:10 p.m. - AI-Powered Metadata Optimization
Accurate metadata is the key to maximum visibility-across channels, AI searches, and your own catalog. Bookwire demonstrates how to use artificial intelligence to optimally align keywords, BISAC codes, and other classifications to unlock the full potential of your content.
- 1:20 p.m. - Innovation Through Co-Creation
The ONIX Peer Group, featuring Claudia Lass-Möller and René Weihrauch, along with PONDUS, will discuss the next generation of metadata standards.
- Starting at 4:40 PM - Get-together
Networking and drinks right by the stage.
"Publishing is becoming more technologically demanding-and at the same time, there's a growing need for solutions that reduce complexity and actually work in day-to-day publishing operations. That's exactly what we're working on every day. With Bookwire, Zebralution, Open Publishing, and Fabely, we're bringing together diverse areas of expertise and perspectives that complement each other perfectly. At the Frankfurt Book Fair, we want to showcase the results: concrete solutions for new revenue models, improved discoverability, digital distribution, and the responsible use of AI," says John Ruhrmann, CEO and co-founder of Bookwire.
We look forward to warmly welcoming all customers, partners, media representatives, and visitors to the 2026 Frankfurt Book Fair at our booths and during our stage program. The complete program with all details can be found in the Frankfurt Book Fair's official exhibitor directory and event calendar.
About Bookwire
Bookwire is a leading international digital publishing business, known for its pioneering Bookwire OS software solution. Founded in Frankfurt in 2010 as a service provider for publisher distribution of digital content, Bookwire currently employs 160 people in Germany, the UK, Spain, France, Brazil, Italy and the USA, who take care of ebooks, audiobooks, podcasts and print-on-demand for more than 3,500 publishers. The pioneering software "Bookwire OS – One Solution" delivers, analyzes, and markets around 1,500,000 eBooks and 300,000 audiobooks in all relevant distribution channels. In addition to the latest customer analytics and pricing technology, publishing clients of Bookwire also have access to individual support from account & marketing managers who look after the clients from end to end. Bookwire is led by the founders Jens Klingelhöfer (CEO) and John Ruhrmann (Co-CEO), as well as by Christian Lindemann (COO), and has branches in Barcelona, London, Milano, São Paulo, New York and Paris, in addition to the company headquarters in Frankfurt am Main and the "Digital Hub" in Dortmund.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Jan Stausberg
Corporate PR Manager Bookwire
jan.stausberg@bookwire.de
