TL;DR. On 29 and 30 September 2026, Sleak had its own stand at KI Palooza at the Wizemann in Stuttgart. The festival brought together around 1,000 visitors, more than 70 exhibitors and over 60 speakers, with a strong focus on AI in procurement. Marlene Bleek and Philipp Heideker represented Sleak and spent two days talking to people from procurement, sales and leadership about how employees practice important conversations with Sleak. This post sums up what we took away.
How many AI projects in your company have made it past the pilot? At KI Palooza, that question was in the air at many stands. Interest in AI is high. So, often, is the uncertainty about where to actually start.
For two days, Marlene and Philipp from Sleak stood in the Wizemann in Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt and talked about exactly that. Our topic: how companies develop their employees for the conversations that really count, in procurement as much as in sales or leadership.
What Is KI Palooza?
KI Palooza is a two-day AI festival in Stuttgart that brings innovation and industry together. In 2026 it took place on 29 and 30 September at the Wizemann, with around 1,000 participants, more than 70 exhibitors and over 60 speakers. One focus was AI in procurement and in SAP landscapes.
For Sleak, that was a good fit. Many visitors came from companies that already use AI or are about to, and they wanted to know what is possible beyond automation.
What Did We Talk About at the Stand?
At the stand, the main question was how employees get better with AI, not just faster. Much of the AI on show at trade fairs like this one automates processes. Sleak starts somewhere else: with the skills of the people who are responsible for those processes.
Because of the procurement focus, many conversations were about negotiations. With Sleak, procurement teams practice supplier conversations and renegotiations with realistic virtual counterparts and then receive feedback against a clear standard. Sales came up just as often, and so did managers who want to prepare for difficult employee conversations.
| Area | Typical question at the stand | What Sleak trains |
|---|---|---|
| Procurement | How do we prepare better for negotiations? | Supplier conversations and renegotiations |
| Sales | How does training stick after the workshop? | Sales conversations and objection handling |
| Leadership | How do managers practice difficult conversations? | Feedback and employee conversations |
The areas differ, but the pattern behind them is the same. In all three, the quality of a conversation decides the outcome, and in all three, that conversation is hardly ever practiced in everyday work.
Is a Trade Fair Stand Worth It for a Start-up?
For Sleak, the stand was worth it because it leads to conversations that cold outreach rarely produces. People who stop at a stand are curious and bring a concrete question from their own work. That is a better start than any cold email.
To be honest, though, a day at a trade fair does not replace a follow-up meeting. Questions about data protection, rollout and concrete scenarios can only be touched on at the stand. The real value of a trade fair therefore only shows in the weeks afterwards, when business cards turn into meetings.
Who Else Was There?
Our direct neighbor at the stand was VfB Stuttgart, which was there with its innovation unit. We saw VfB again a few days later: at the reopening of CLUB 1893 in the MHP Arena, Sleak was one of three start-ups invited to pitch.
For a team from Munich, KI Palooza shows how lively the AI scene in the Stuttgart region is. Thank you to the KI Palooza team for two well-organized days and to everyone who stopped by our stand.
FAQ
When and where did KI Palooza 2026 take place?
KI Palooza 2026 took place on 29 and 30 September at the Wizemann in Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt. Around 1,000 participants, more than 70 exhibitors and over 60 speakers took part.
What did Sleak show at KI Palooza?
Sleak showed how employees practice important conversations with realistic virtual counterparts and then receive structured feedback. The focus was on procurement, sales and leadership.
Who is Sleak for?
Sleak is for companies that want to develop the business-critical skills of their employees, from sales and procurement to leadership.
