First Day Of IFA 2025 Concludes With The Global Connect Networking Event

As the first day of IFA 2025 drew to a close, Leif Lindner, the CEO of IFA, took the stage at the exhibition's most anticipated media networking event, Global Connect @ IFA 2025. Describing the exhibition as a hotspot for global innovation, Lindner told the gathering of journalists, brands, and visionaries, "What makes IFA truly unique is the international dialogue, [and] the exchange of ideas and technologies that shape the future of how we live, work, and connect." Indeed, as it returns for its 101st year at the Messe Berlin, IFA is the world's largest home and consumer technology event. Featuring the globe's most innovative home tech brands and their products, IFA also shines a spotlight on industry thought leaders and media representatives.

At Global Connect, House Digest had a chance to see some of these brands and their products up close; we also heard from a few of the show's most prominent guest speakers, including Alan Gu, founder and CEO at PartnerBoost, and Ste Knight, Partnerships Director at Static Media. Known for brands like Slashgear, BGR, The Daily Meal, Mashed, and House Digest — the publisher's largest home and garden publication — Static Media is a familiar sight at IFA. But this year, the media giant's attendance is particularly notable because it is also a sponsor of the Global Connect event.

There was no shortage of innovative design among the almost 20 brands at Global Connect. As expected, given the continued proliferation of AR and AI technology, eyewear loaded with various tech features was heavily represented. Even more intriguing (if somewhat less practical) were Gravity's zero-gravity clock with Martian time zones and the GlocalMe PetPhone, a collar-compatible smartphone device that enables two-ways calls with your furry pal.

In the sphere of home and garden products, robotics continued to be a dominant theme as expected. Take the Lymow One robotic lawn mower, which has AI vision and can manage up to 80 separate zones on intricately landscaped lawns. Meanwhile, its competitor, the ANTHBOT Genie self-describes as a lawn mower "genie" that navigates difficult terrain and obstacles without the need for any perimeter wires. Moving indoors, there's Brolan's Smart Shoe Cleaning Robot. Essentially, it's a washing machine for shoes, but the product's smart capabilities allow it to tweak the cleaning process to suit the shoe's shape, size, and material. Likewise, xLean TR1 — a transformable floor-cleaning robot — also leans on AI to navigate and adjust its cleaning methods based on the surrounding environment.

While each of the brands pushed the bounds of human ingenuity in some ways, three were announced as winners of the IFA Global Connect Award. This decision was based on a vote by the event's attendees. Status Audio, Ulike, and Rokid, which specialize in wireless earbuds, personal care, and AR eyewear, respectively, took home the prize.

Apart from giving brands a chance to show off their new tech, Global Connect also enabled them to find new audiences and sales venues. With a trusted editorial voice, a growing global monthly readership of over 150 million, and the ability to cover brands across different verticals, Static Media did more than just sponsor the event. As Ste Knight pointed out in his presentation, the media powerhouse provides a "Partnership pedigree ... [with] over 200 partnership packages being delivered by Static Media this year." For fledgling brands, especially those that invest more in product development than they do in marketing, the reach and authority of a partner like Static Media offers a rare opportunity to showcase their innovations on the world stage.

Brands seeking sales partnerships didn't have to look much further than PartnerBoost, the top-performing third-party traffic driver for Amazon and other digital marketplaces. Alan Gu, founder and CEO of the affiliate marketing platform, explained that "[PartnerBoost is] really helping Amazon sellers, GTC sellers, and now Walmart sellers to get partnerships to promote your products, and you just pay the commission based on the sales." According to Gu, many of the companies present at the IFA eagerly jumped on the opportunity to get their products on the market. "Global Connect provided me with a chance to meet new brands, and after my presentation, several brands approached me and wanted to work with me," Gu remarked.