The 2026 Fast Company Innovation Festival Returns to NYC with Selena Gomez, Martha Stewart, Tyra Banks, Leslie Odom Jr., Elizabeth Banks, Bill Ackman, Russell Wilson, and Executives from Nike, J.Crew, Spotify, ESPN, CoreWeave, and Many More

Presented by Capital One Business, the four-day event will be held September 14–17, 2026; tickets are on sale now

New York, NY, Aug. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Fast Company, the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, will host its 12th annual Fast Company Innovation Festival, presented by Capital One Business.  

Taking place September 14–17 across New York City, the four-day event will bring together thousands of business executives, including brand leaders, creators, investors, entrepreneurs, and strategists for conversations with world-class leaders, exclusive behind-the-scenes experiences, and immersive programming exploring the future of business. Tickets are on sale now. 

“Fast Company spends the year covering the ideas, companies, and leaders redefining business, and the Innovation Festival brings those conversations to the stage in real time,” said Brendan Vaughan, editor-in-chief of Fast Company. “It gives our audience access to the most creative executives in the innovation ecosystem and an opportunity to engage with the debates and breakthroughs shaping how we work today.” 

A World-Class Lineup of Business Leaders Taking the Stage 

The 2026 speaker lineup features acclaimed leaders across business, technology, fashion, entertainment, and culture, including: 

• Bill Ackman, CEO, Pershing Square Capital Management 
• Ziad Ahmed, VP, Head of Next Gen, United Talent Agency 
• Alex Amouyel, President and CEO, Newman’s Own Foundation 
• Dan Arellano, Senior Vice President, Capital One Business 
• Elizabeth Banks, Co-owner and Chief Creative Officer, Archer Roose Wines 
• Tyra Banks, Entrepreneur and Supermodel, Smize & Dream 
• Mark Barrocas, CEO, SharkNinja 
• Melis del Rey, CEO and Board Director, Supergoop 
• Paul Dillinger, Head of Global Design Innovation, Levi Strauss & Co. 
• Emily Galloway, Senior Director of Product Design, Spotify 
• Selena Gomez, Founder of the Rare Impact Fund, Rare Beauty 
• David Guggina, President and CEO, Walmart U.S. 
• Mike Intrator, CEO, CoreWeave 
  
• Adeela Johnson, CEO, Béis 
• Athina Kanioura, CEO, Latin America, and Global Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer, PepsiCo 
• Brian Kelly, Founder, The Points Guy 
• Jason LaRose, CEO, Bombas 
• Rati Sahi Levesque, President and CEO, The RealReal 
• Phil McCartney, Chief Innovation, Design, and Product Officer, Nike 
• Natalie McGrath, VP of Global Marketing and Growth, PayPal 
• Alison Moore, CEO, Chief 
• Leslie Odom Jr., Vocalist, Songwriter, Author, and Actor 
• Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, ESPN 
• Aneesh Raman, Chief Economic Opportunity Officer, Microsoft 
• Spencer Rascoff, CEO, Match Group 
• Sean Sherman, Founder and CEO, NATIFS and the Sioux Chef 
• Martha Stewart, Cofounder, Entrepreneur, and Author, Hint 
• Everette Taylor, CEO, Kickstarter 
• Brendan Vaughan, Editor-in-Chief, Fast Company 
• Rob Wade, CEO, Fox Entertainment 
• Libby Wadle, CEO, J.Crew Group 
• Russell Wilson, Super Bowl Champion QB, CBS Sports Analyst, Entrepreneur 
• Alicia Yoon, Founder and CEO, Peach & Lily 

The full list of speakers and programming can be found here. 

Four Days of Ideas, Exclusive Access, and Connections 

The Innovation Festival is designed to move beyond the traditional conference experience, and attendees will have access to mainstage programming, networking events, curated partner programming, and immersive experiences. 

Fast Tracks, among the festival’s signature experiences, will grant attendees with All-Access Passes exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to upwards of 45 of New York City’s most innovative companies, such as the Balloon Museum, Moët Hennessy, and Formula 1. 

The Taste of Innovation dinner series also returns with intimate, curated evenings at some of NYC’s most coveted restaurants, including Ci Siamo and Cote 550. Each experience features inspired menus, inventive conversations, and the creative spirit of the city’s top culinary minds. Taste of Innovation tickets can be purchased individually or as an add-on to the festival pass (included with the Ultimate Innovator Pass). 

Festival Hub and Curated Attendee Experiences 

Throughout the week, Innovation Festival sponsors will host an array of thought-leadership panels and innovative experiences designed to elevate the festival experience for attendees. 

“The Innovation Festival is an unparalleled platform for brands to engage directly with top executives, entrepreneurs, and decision-makers driving the future of business,” said Cece Ryan, chief revenue officer at Fast Company. “This has been our most successful year for partnerships, and we’re grateful for the incredible support of our partners, whose immersive experiences and thought leadership elevate the event and help to shape an environment where meaningful business relationships begin.”  

The event’s title partner, Capital One Business, will have a presence across the entire landscape of the Innovation Festival, including thought-leadership programming and a bespoke café for attendees to relax in and enjoy while at the Festival Hub. 

“Being title sponsor for this year’s Innovation Festival is a tremendous honor,” said Dan Arellano, senior vice president with Capital One Business. “We’re eager to support creative thinkers who are designing the future of business.” 

Additional Innovation Festival partners who will present a compelling array of thought-leadership programming include Blackbaud, Convene, Fetch, Goldman Sachs, GS1 US, IHG Hotels & Resorts, JLL Design, Justworks, Kindle Scribe, Napster, Nature’s Garden, Penske, PepsiCo, PwC, Siegel+Gale, Tata Consulting Services, Texas A&M University, UL Standards & Engagement, Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP), Wellhub, and Western Governors University. 

Across the Festival Hub and at other locations around New York City, partners will host immersive experiences and leadership dinners as well as festival parties, receptions, and recognition moments for select Fast Company franchises. These bespoke activations offer participants unique opportunities to engage directly with the ideas shaping the future. Highlights include: 

• Capital One Business will sponsor the festival’s opening night party and host an interactive coffee bar where attendees can network and refuel.  
• IHG Hotels & Resorts will invite attendees to enroll in IHG Business Edge on-site, offering guaranteed hotel discounts, IHG One Rewards points earning opportunities, and elite status benefits.  
• Kindle Scribe will showcase its new, distraction-free digital notebook with the feel of paper and built-in AI to summarize, search, and refine your notes.  
• Navan Edge, the AI-powered travel concierge, is the Official Travel Booking Concierge Partner of Fast Company Innovation Festival 2026. Attendees can now book their trip to New York with Navan Edge and experience a personalized, rewarding journey. Book your trip with Navan. 
• PwC will sponsor a reception dedicated to the Fast Company Impact Council.  
• Siegel+Gale will unveil its newest report on simplicity in B2B branding, World’s Simplest Brands, 2026: The B2B Report, at an exclusive dinner and panel with senior brand leaders from HPE, PayPal, Visa, and more.  
• Tata Consulting Services and Fast Company will host an awards dinner to honor the 2026 Pacesetters, a new editorial recognition platform honoring leaders harnessing AI and other new technologies to reinvent how business gets done.  
• Texas A&M University, a 2025 Innovation by Design honoree, will sponsor the IBD honoree reception for the second year in a row. 
• UL Standards & Engagement will host a dinner on Powering the Future: Designing Resilient Energy Systems. 
• Wellhub will host a conversation, Reinventing Peak Performance: Winning Without Burning Out, followed by a reception celebrating the Wellhub Corporate Wellness Innovators list, bringing together senior HR executives and leaders who are creating cultures of well-being within their organizations.  
• Convene continues as the Innovation Festival’s longtime venue partner and home to the Festival Hub. 
  
  

Ticket and Media Information 

Credentialed media interested in covering the 2026 Fast Company Innovation Festival should contact press@mansueto.com. 

Additional speakers, Fast Tracks, and programming will be announced in the coming weeks. To view the latest agenda or to purchase tickets to attend, please visit https://events.fastcompany.com/innovation-festival.  

About Fast Company 

Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with fellow business publication Inc. For more information, please visit fastcompany.com. 

About Capital One Business 

Capital One Business offers a diverse suite of financial products, tools and services designed specifically for small businesses, including credit cards with unlimited rewards and banking products and services. Capital One Business is committed to fueling the courageous entrepreneurial spirit that's at the heart of American small businesses. We are focused on listening to and learning from the millions of businesses we serve every day to make sure our products, services and experiences work as hard as they do. For more information, please visit, https://www.capitalone.com/small-business. 

Alyssa Carroll
Head of Communications
Fast Company