Berlin, Germany – May 22, 2026 – KuppingerCole Analysts proudly announces the successful conclusion of the European Identity and Cloud Conference (EIC) 2026, which took place in Berlin from May 19 to 22 under this year’s theme, “Digital Trust Through Intelligent Identity.”
Bringing together more than 1,500 attendees, 250+ speakers, 230+ sessions, and 60+ partners, EIC 2026 once again confirmed its position as Europe’s premier conference for Identity and Access Management (IAM), digital identity, governance, privacy, and trust.
Across four days of keynotes, workshops, panel discussions, analyst sessions, and community networking, this year’s conversations reflected an industry entering a new phase of transformation. Topics such as AI-driven identity, agentic AI, modern authorization, digital trust frameworks, and the evolving relationship between identity and intelligent systems took center stage as organizations explored how trust must evolve in increasingly autonomous digital environments.
"The conversations at EIC 2026 showed very clearly that identity is no longer just about managing access — it is becoming the foundation for establishing trust in increasingly intelligent and autonomous digital ecosystems. As AI systems become more deeply embedded into business operations and digital interactions, organizations must rethink how they approach identity, authorization, governance, and trust as connected disciplines. EIC continues to provide the space where these critical conversations happen." - Martin Kuppinger, Distinguished Analyst and Co-Founder, KuppingerCole Analysts
One of the highlights of the conference was the annual EIC Awards ceremony, recognizing organizations and initiatives driving innovation and leadership in digital identity and IAM.
This year's winners were:
United Rugby Championship (URC) – Digital ID Award: Recognized for transforming fan engagement through a modern customer identity platform delivering seamless and secure digital experiences across multiple regions and channels.
Eve Maler (on behalf of) United Rugby Championship
DB Schenker – Enterprise IAM Award: Recognized for its innovative Identity of Things initiative supporting secure digital transport execution and large-scale logistics operations.
James Naughton - DB Schenker
OpenID Foundation’s AuthZEN Working Group – Special Award: Recognized for advancing modern dynamic authorization through an open and interoperable approach to authorization decisions and policy services, helping organizations implement scalable and context-aware authorization architectures across modern digital ecosystems.
Dr. Phillip Messerschmidt (KuppingerCole Analysts), Alex Olivier & David Brossard (OpenID Foundation)
Beyond the conference program itself, EIC 2026 once again delivered the unique community atmosphere the event is known for. From networking receptions and evening gatherings to the annual EIC morning run and the Spree River boat tour, attendees had countless opportunities to connect, exchange ideas, and build relationships across industries and disciplines.
As digital ecosystems become increasingly interconnected, intelligent, and decentralized, EIC 2026 reinforced a central message: digital trust can no longer be treated as a standalone function. It must be embedded into the very fabric of identity, authorization, governance, and user experience.
KuppingerCole Analysts is already preparing for the next edition of EIC, which will return to Berlin in 2027. Additional information and future updates will be announced at https://www.kuppingercole.com/events/eic2027.
For more information and post-event coverage, visit https://www.kuppingercole.com/events/eic2026.
About KuppingerCole Analysts
KuppingerCole Analysts is an independent, global analyst firm specializing in identity and access management (IAM), cybersecurity, and governance. Through vendor-neutral research, expert advisory services, and events such as the European Identity and Cloud Conference and Impact Days, KuppingerCole helps organizations turn complexity into clarity in the digital age.
