European consumer electronics chain Mediamarkt Saturn opens Tech Village in Cologne, Germany
Mediamarkt Saturn has opened its tenth Tech Village, with the latest one being located in Cologne, Germany. In a LinkedIn post, Guido Monferrini, EVP and Regional CEO, said: “In 2020, we opened the very first Tech Village in Milan. This week marked an exciting new milestone: Tech Village Cologne is officially open!”
He added: “As our 10th Tech Village in Europe, it is built on years of experience, learnings and continuous innovation. One of our greatest challenges was to refresh and redefine the concept, transforming it into a modern, inspiring environment that reflects our future vision and serves as the blueprint for future European Tech Villages.”
“At its core, it is all about experience: we want to offer everyone the opportunity to discover and engage with the most cutting-edge, immersive technology. By combining inspirational experiences with personal consultation and seamless service, we build what matters most: lasting trust with our customers.”
Key features: A redesigned in-house store concept with a tech driven layout, large format digital media surfaces, and an atmospheric lighting design; Immersive 3D experiences bringing products and technology to life alongside 31 brand boutiques; Integrated Xperion: Bringing a 1,000+ sqm gaming destination and 200-seat arena under the same roof.
Monferrini concluded: “Bringing a vision of this scale to life is a demanding and complex undertaking. The successful realisation of this project is the result of the dedication, expertise, creativity and teamwork demonstrated throughout every phase of the journey. A heartfelt thank you to my concept and construction team and to the German team for their fantastic collaboration on this remarkable achievement.”
2026 RTIH Innovation Awards
Physical retail will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.
The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.
Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.
Check out our 2025 winners here.
Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.
In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”
“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”
He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”
Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.
