Join us at the Innovators Summit and drive growth in 2026
Innovators and experts are converging in Charlotte to focus on building capabilities and strategies for IMPACT. If you want to explore innovation growth drivers and discover ways to stay at the forefront of innovation, don’t miss the Innovators Summit from May 6-8.
- WHY ATTEND
- AGENDA
- SPEAKERS
- HOTEL
- PARTNERS
- KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
- CTO Forum – Wednesday, May 6
What to Expect at the Innovators Summit
- A stronger, faster innovation pipeline — how to break silos, pick the right mix of projects, and measure what really drives growth and impact.
- Growth powered by platforms, partners, and co-innovation — moving beyond one-off wins to scalable, repeatable innovation engines.
- AI that actually delivers — from agentic AI to practical use cases that accelerate R&D, decision-making, and time to market.
- Teams built for disruption — how to structure, upskill, and equip cross-functional teams to thrive with AI, uncertainty, and constant change.
- Sustainability that creates value — designing for the full product lifecycle while navigating regulation, risk, and competitive advantage.
- The forces reshaping innovation — demographics, energy, geopolitics, and global competitiveness that will define the next decade of growth.
What You Will Gain
Build Relationships: Connect with subject matter experts, industry leaders, and fellow innovators during formal and informal networking time.
Collaborate: Find your next partner, big idea, or solution to a challenge during collaborative, interactive sessions.
Get Cutting-Edge Insights: Straight from the experts, get a combination of high-level perspective and practical action items you can apply to your organization.
Meet the Experts: Rub elbows with keynotes and other top innovators during small group discussions.
Discuss Timely Topics: Engage in interactive sessions on regulatory shifts, workforce, and balancing bold innovation with certainty.
Tech Treks: Join a Tech Trek to get a window into other innovators’ work and see new technologies in action.
Summit registration is limited to end-user manufacturing organizations and approved academia. Solution providers and organizations that provide any form of technology and/or consulting products and services to manufacturers but do not manufacture any products are not permitted to attend outside of sponsorship.
| Wednesday, May 6 |
|---|
| 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. CTO Forum (CTOs or equivalent only) |
| 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch |
| 1:00 p.m. – 1:15 p.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks |
| 1:15 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Opening Keynote: Forces Shaping the Next Era |
| 2:00 p.m. – 2:45 p.m. Driving the Innovation Pipeline for Impact |
| 2:45 p.m. – 3:15 p.m. Networking Break |
| 3:15 p.m. – 4:15 p.m. Interactive Case Studies (select one) |
| Getting the Right Mix of Projects – And Measuring It |
| Unlocking the Potential of Agentic AI |
| Navigating Regulatory Shifts and Uncertainty |
| 4:15 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Transition Break |
| 4:30 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. Building Cross-Functional Teams that Thrive with AI and Disruption |
| 5:15 p.m. – 6:45 p.m. Networking Reception |
| Thursday, May 7 |
| 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Breakfast |
| 9:00 a.m. – 9:45 a.m. Keynote: Harnessing AI for Real World Impact |
| 9:45 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Powering Growth Through Open and Co-Innovation |
| 10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Networking Break |
| 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Deep Dives (select one) |
| Next Generation Upskilling, Knowledge Capture, and Distribution |
| Building Talent, Structure, and Infrastructure Foundations |
| Designing Sustainability Through the Whole Life Cycle of a Product |
| 12:00 p.m. – 1:30 p.m. Innovation Celebration Luncheon |
| 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Next Gen Issue Exploration (select one) |
| Inspiring US Innovation Competitiveness |
| Creating Value Through Sustainability & Eliminating Energy Poverty |
| Shifts in Global Demographics and Industry Impact |
| 2:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Networking Break |
| 3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. Building Innovation Muscle Memory |
| 3:45 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Interactive Session: Anticipating Innovation Challenges for the Future |
| 4:30 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. Holland Award Address |
| 5:15 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. Closing Remarks |
| 5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Networking Reception |
| Friday, May 8 |
| 7:45 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Breakfast |
| Tech Treks Sign up at registration! Limited spots available. Choose from: National Gypsum R&D Center Depart Hotel: 8:30 a.m. Drop off at CLT: 11:20 a.m. or Return to Hotel: 11:50 a.m. Registration for this tour is limited to companies that are not direct competitors to National Gypsum. Discover Innovation at National Gypsum’s Technology Innovation Center Step inside the future of building materials at National Gypsum’s Technology Innovation Center in Charlotte. This state‑of‑the‑art facility is where science, sustainability, and design converge to shape the next generation of construction solutions. During your exclusive tour, you’ll experience firsthand how gypsum products are tested, refined, and engineered to meet the evolving demands of modern architecture. From advanced fire resistance and acoustical performance to groundbreaking sustainability initiatives, the Technology Innovation Center showcases the research and development that drives high-performing, sustainable products that meet our customers’ toughest standards. Attendees will have the opportunity to explore interactive demonstrations, view cutting‑edge testing equipment, and engage with experts who are redefining what’s possible in resilient, environmentally responsible building systems. Whether you’re passionate about sustainable design, curious about the science behind everyday materials, or eager to see innovation in action, the Technology Innovation Center offers an inspiring glimpse into the future of construction. Don’t miss this chance to connect with industry leaders and witness how National Gypsum is building products for a better future Albemarle Mine and R&D Center Depart Hotel: 8:30 a.m. Drop off at CLT: 1:30 p.m. or Return to Hotel: 2:00 p.m. Registration for this tour is limited to companies that are not direct competitors to Albemarle. Ever wonder how your phone’s battery works? Or where the lithium for an electric vehicle or a pacemaker comes from? Or how lithium is used to make airplanes lighter? Join us at Albemarle’s King’s Mountain site to see where lithium comes from, how it’s processed into critical ingredients for mobility, energy, connectivity and health. You’ll see first-hand what it takes to start-up a mine responsibly and sustainably. Discover how minerals in the ground are transformed into chemicals that are essential for our modern lives. Learn how lithium materials are incorporated into today’s revolutionary lithium-ion batteries, life-saving pacemakers and medicines. And get a glimpse into the innovations that will shape future sustainable lithium extraction and tomorrow’s battery chemistries. Come visit one of the few places in the world where you can experience the entire lithium value chain – from mine to market – in one location. You’ll never look at your cell phone the same way again! NC Food Innovation Lab Depart Hotel: 8:30 a.m. Drop off at CLT: 12:00 p.m. or Return to Hotel: 11:30 a.m. Check out the North Carolina Food Innovation Lab (NCFIL), a cutting-edge R&D facility unlocking the state’s food manufacturing potential. As the nation’s only lab with cGMP capabilities dedicated to supporting plant-based food innovations, attendees will get to see the best and latest in food science. On this exclusive tour, you will get to see how food scientists translate companies and entrepreneurs’ ideas to market. From product ideation to pilot plant production and from researching raw materials to commercialized products, attendees will experience a holistic view on the food innovation process. Furthermore, attendees will hear from the nation’s top food scientists on how they maximize the state’s manufacturing output through their research. This tour is a perfect opportunity to explore how one food lab turns a variety of ideas into products. |
You’ll hear from innovators and experts at the forefront of the field, offering insights on new trends, strategies, and effective approaches to innovation. Don’t miss the chance to connect with peers and learn from those shaping what’s next.
Group Rate Information
The Westin Charlotte
Book before Monday, April 13, 2026
IRI Innovators Summit
To make your reservations by phone, call (312) 840-6600 and reference the 2025 NAM IRI Innovators Summit.
To make the most of your experience, take advantage of our exclusive group rate at the Westin Charlotte, where a block of rooms has been reserved for just $319.00 per night. To make reservations online, please click on the reservation link above, the group rate will automatically be applied.
The cut-off date for reservations at the group rate is Monday, April 13, 2026, however once the room block is filled (which may be before cut-off) availability and group rate are not guaranteed.
Hotel parking details can be found here.
Overnight self-parking is $35.00.
Overnight Valet parking is $50.00.
Partnership Opportunities with the IRI 2026 Innovators Summit
If you are interested in partnering with us, please fill out the form below or email Anna Chongpinitchai at AChongpinitchai@iriweb.org.
Thank you to our sponsors.
Who You’ll Meet
IRI’s Innovators Summit is designed for CTOs, VPs, Directors, and senior leaders across R&D, innovation, technology, engineering, and new product development. Past participants have included leaders from organizations such as Sonoco, Colgate-Palmolive, Caterpillar, DuPont, Energizer Holdings, GE Aerospace, Halliburton, Michelin North America, Novelis, Owens Corning, and many others.
What to Expect
IRI connects you with a network of innovators and experts who help accelerate time to market, reduce costs, and elevate team performance. To keep you ahead in innovation management, IRI offers content, training, and peer-to-peer learning built around the five innovation growth drivers identified by members each year. Expect presentations, fireside chats, workshops, collaborative sessions, case studies, receptions, and Tech Treks.
Pricing Starts at:
- IRI/NAM/MLC Members:
- Early Bird (through 3/6/26): $1,650
- Standard (after 3/6/26): $1,950
- Non-Members:
- Early Bird (through 3/6/26): $2,100
- Standard (after 3/6/26): $2,500
Summit registration is limited to end-user manufacturing organizations and approved academia. Solution providers and organizations that provide any form of technology and/or consulting products and services to manufacturers but do not manufacture any products are not permitted to attend outside of sponsorship.
Attire
The dress code for this event is business casual.
The business casual dress code typically includes collared shirts, slacks, dresses, skirts, blouses, and closed-toe shoes. We recommend avoiding jeans, t-shirts, sneakers, or overly casual clothing items while maintaining a professional appearance.
Attire required for Tech Treks:
Closed toed shoes, no heels, long pants, no shorts / skirts.
Business Cards
We encourage attendees to bring business cards to network and exchange contact information easily with other attendees, fostering valuable professional connections. They serve as convenient tools for making a lasting impression and staying connected beyond the event.
Nearby Airport
Charlotte Douglas International Airport
Tech Treks
Tech treks are guided tours of local labs offering participants insights into the latest advancements, industry trends, and networking opportunities within the tech field. It’s an immersive experience to explore and learn from professionals in the technology industry.
Hotel Parking
Hotel parking details can be found here.
Overnight self-parking is $35.00
Overnight Valet parking is $50.00
CTOs (or equivalent) only
May 6, 8:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Designed exclusively for senior technology leaders, the CTO Forum offers a candid, collaborative space to tackle the toughest challenges of leading innovation in uncertain times. Join fellow CTOs to exchange strategies, test ideas, and explore bold solutions that shape the future of your organization.
Select this session when you register for Innovators Summit.
| Wednesday, May 6 |
|---|
| 8:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. Breakfast |
| 8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Welcome and Opening Remarks Welcome and participant introductions – Overview of the day’s objectives and flow – Framing the challenge: speed, agility, and productivity – in modern R&D organizations |
| 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Interactive Team Challenge: Designing a Future-Ready Global Capability Footprint CTOs work in small groups to tackle a real-world scenario focused on advanced battery technologies. Challenge Overview Participants are asked to rebalance a global R&D and capability footprint in response to shifting markets, talent dynamics, cost pressures, and geopolitical risk. Key Decision Areas – Where global capabilities should be located in the future – How to ensure critical expertise, leadership pipelines, and knowledge continuity – How closely R&D should be integrated with customers and external partners – What must change in organizational structure, governance, and operating models Group Report-Out Teams share key decision drivers, tradeoffs, and insights from the exercise |
| 10:00 a.m. – 10:15 a.m. Break |
| 10:15 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Featured Speaker: Joe Allen, The Bayh-Dole Coalition The Law That Made U.S. Innovation Scalable—and Why CTOs Should Care The Economist Technology Quarterly once called the Bayh‑Dole Act of 1980 “possibly the most inspired piece of legislation enacted in America over the past half century,” and for CTOs, the reason is clear. Before Bayh‑Dole, federally funded breakthroughs were routinely pulled into government ownership and left idle—more than 28,000 inventions went nowhere, and billions in R\&D produced no new drugs or scalable technologies. Bayh‑Dole changed the rules by allowing universities, federal labs, and small companies to own and license IP developed with federal funding, creating the incentives that turn research into products, platforms, and companies. That framework has been foundational to the U.S. innovation engine and a key advantage over global competitors—but today it’s increasingly under pressure from both the left and the right, even as Europe and China double down on tightly integrated research‑to‑commercialization strategies. This session will focus on why Bayh‑Dole matters to CTOs specifically, how proposed changes could slow technology transfer and time‑to‑market, and what’s at stake for America’s ability to lead globally in innovation, scale, and impact. |
| 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. CTO Curated Dialogue Facilitated peer discussion focused on member-submitted questions, enabling exchange on shared challenges, emerging practices, and lessons learned across industries. |
| 12:00 p.m. – 12:15 p.m. Wrap-Up and Reflections Roundtable discussion: One insight I’m taking home Key takeaways and closing thoughts. |
| 12:15 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Networking Lunch |
5 Innovation Growth Drivers
We shape the Innovators Summit agenda around the top five growth drivers your peers identify each year, so every session delivers real value.
- Driving the innovation pipeline for impact
- Building a future-ready workforce
- Harnessing AI for real-world impact
- Creating value through sustainability
- Thriving amid disruption
