Check out these innovation conferences from around the world, in person or virtually
Are you an organizational leader, innovator, design thinker, intrapreneur or entrepreneur looking to connect with others and see the latest trends at an innovative conference this year? Check out these innovation events we run or read below to see the kind of innovation conferences that have happened in the past and may be held annually. Here are innovation conferences from around the world we’ve found that may be helpful for those focused on innovation, design thinking, lean startup, new technology applications, etc. OR…why not put on your own innovation conference? We have half to three day designs ready to roll. We can facilitate and come to you. Just send us a message!
For the conferences below our researcher has taken the details right from the conference itself. Make sure to click on the respective conference links to learn more, see the latest, confirm the dates, and see any changes.
List last updated: January 2023.
CES
Conference Description: CES® is the most influential tech event in the world — the proving ground for breakthrough technologies and global innovators. This is where the world’s biggest brands do business and meet new partners, and the sharpest innovators hit the stage. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)®, CES features every aspect of the tech sector.
Epic International Summit
Conference Description: The EPIC Impact Society (501c3) hosts an annual 3-Day summit to provide a curated and immersive opportunity to gain valuable innovative insights, improve creative problem solving and generate ideas. Join a cross-pollination of dynamic thought-leaders & creativity experts who will lead interactive experiential sessions, workshops, panels, and activities to inspire ingenuity, increase innovation, creativity and productivity.
Fast Company Innovation Festival
Conference Description: An immersive multisession experience convening thousands of makers and innovators from across the globe for five days of inspiration, connection, and meaningful takeaways.
Front End of Innovation US
Conference Description: FEI gives you unprecedented access to a new universe of innovators, tech evangelists, project and product managers, startups, designers and R&D executives. It’s the innovation conference connecting you to the people and insights needed to effectively stay on top of trends, spark change and navigate new paths for growth.
Future Festival
Conference Description: Trend Hunter’s Future Festival is a top-tier innovation conference where like-minded innovators from some of the world’s largest companies come together to prototype their future.
Harvest Summit
Conference Description: In 2016, in an era of supersized conferences, we launched Harvest Summit, an intimate and thoughtfully curated innovation field trip for invited cross-industry executives and innovators of all types to connect, collaborate and explore the future of possible.
HLTH
Conference Description: With 7,000+ attendees, HLTH is the leading innovation conference for professionals in the health industry. This conference brings together senior leaders from payers, providers, employers, startups, pharma, policy makers and innovation centers to solve the most pressing problems and to create the future of health.
Innovation Roundtable Summit
Conference Description: The Innovation Roundtable® Summit is the world’s largest gathering of innovation executives from large multinational firms. The 3 days provide unique networking opportunities and are infused with the atmosphere of connecting and sharing that characterizes our events. The program includes talks, panels and labs by over 45 executive speakers and experts, immersive peer-to-peer roundtable discussions and 25 hours dedicated to informal networking.
Innovation Summit
Conference Description: The Economist’s Innovation Summit will gather leading thinkers and practitioners to explore the opportunities and challenges of making this transition. Economist editors will ask the searching questions as Fortune 500 CEOs, policymakers and disruptive entrepreneurs share their insights and strategies for successful digital transformation.
ISPIM Innovation Conference
Conference Description: ISPIM invites researchers, managers, executives and consultants, with a passion for innovation management, to the ISPIM Innovation Conference to:
- Share innovation insights with fellow professionals
- Find out about local innovation scene and their hot topics
- Become part of a global innovation management community
- Experience well-orchestrated social events in inspiring, fun venues
Mobile World Congress
Conference Description: Mobile World Congress an event that continues to expand and build on its success year after year. Currently is hosted in Barcelona, Shanghai, and Los Angeles. With several existing sponsors and partners, along with new partnerships, they are excited about everything this year has to offer.
South by Southwest
Conference Description: The South by Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference & Festivals celebrate the convergence of the interactive, film, and music industries. Fostering creative and professional growth alike, SXSW® is the premier destination for discovery. SXSW Conference speakers come from all over the globe. When you attend the many workshops, conversations, and panels at the event, expect to hear from technology industry experts, filmmakers, artists, music supervisors, actors, publicists, legends, journalists, and much, much more.
SaaStr Conference
Conference Description: SaaStr Annual brings the global SaaS community together with a conference, exhibition and networking events. This year, the organisers are expecting to present 150 speakers and attract 10,000 SaaS founders, executives and investors – twice the number that attended last year.
Startup Grind Global Conference
Conference Description: Meet Silicon Valley’s top investors, developers, journalists, and entrepreneurs for over two days of workshops, talks, intimate meetings, and parties.
Social Innovation Summit
Conference Description: The Social Innovation Summit is an annual event that represents a global convening of black swans and wayward thinkers. Where most bring together luminaries to explore the next big idea, we bring together those hungry not just to talk about the next big thing, but to build it.
TechCrunch Disrupt
Conference Description: TechCrunch Disrupt is the world’s leading authority in debuting revolutionary startups, introducing game-changing technologies and discussing what’s top of mind for the tech industry’s key innovators. Disrupt gathers the best and brightest entrepreneurs, investors, hackers, and tech fans for on-stage interviews, the Startup Battlefield competition, a 24-hour Hackathon, Startup Alley, Hardware Alley, and After Parties.
The Human Gathering
Conference Description: THE HUMAN GATHERING is a catalyst for authentic human connection and conversation. Our community believes in leaving a mark on the world. We are driven by something greater than a mere desire to flourish. Business Owners, C-level Executives and Accredited Investors gather together to engage with each other and learn from today’s visionary leaders in business, technology, entertainment, philanthropy and the arts.
Think
Conference Description: Gain new skills needed to adapt and evolve. Explore new ways of working and learn how to stabilize and protect your organization. Enhance IT resiliency, ensure business continuity and most importantly, stay connected.
World Business Forum
Conference Description: Organized and powered by WOBI each year in cities across the globe, the World Business Forum is a two-day event that brings together thousands of senior-level decision makers from across all industries to learn from and be inspired by some the world’s most renowned business figures.
Learn and be inspired by some of the most influential figures in the business world and beyond; A blend of content delivered by CEOs, entrepreneurs, innovators, thought leaders and creative minds.
World Summit AI
Conference Description: The world’s leading and largest AI summit gathers the global AI ecosystem of Enterprise, Big Tech, Startups, Investors and Science, the brightest brains in AI as speakers every October in Amsterdam to tackle head-on the most burning AI issues and set the global AI agenda.
Get ready for two-day of mind-boggling innovation, heated discussions on AI ethics and AI4good, applied solutions for enterprise, hands-on workshops, knowledge-sharing, networking and entertainment with our famous DJ!
WSJ.D
Conference Description: WSJDLive is The Wall Street Journal’s premier, by invitation-only, technology event that brings together an unmatched group of CEOs, founders, investors and luminaries from around the world to set the global tech agenda.
99U
Conference Description: The 99U Conference is a one-of-a-kind live experience that inspires creative professionals to bring their ideas to life and shape the future of the industry. Speakers incredible group of visionary creatives, entrepreneurs, and researchers have joined us to pull back the curtain on their creative process and share road-tested insights.
Innovation Conferences
Check out our other posts about design thinking conferences, organizational culture conferences, and training conferences for learning and development professionals.
Please leave a comment with your experience at any of the innovation conferences or to suggest other events. Why not put on your own innovation conference starting small just for your organization? Reach out to us if you are thinking about this. You could just start with an innovation seminar or design thinking training workshop.