NEO Summit 26: the AI conference the event industry has been waiting for

Taking place in Hamburg this October, NEO Summit 26 is a landmark new event bringing together 400 event professionals to explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping live communications: From concept to ROI.

If you work in live events, experience marketing, or live communications, this October’s NEO Summit 26 in Hamburg is worth a serious look. Billed as the only AI conference focused entirely on the event industry, it’s a deliberately intimate gathering, capped at 400 professionals, designed around depth of learning rather than sheer scale.

NEO stands for New Event Order. The premise is that the industry shouldn’t simply adopt AI because it’s available, but should consciously shape how it’s used, building a future where artificial and creative intelligence work together to make events more relevant, more effective, and more human.

What to expect

The two day programme combines talking points, panel discussions, workshops, masterclasses, and structured matchmaking sessions. Topics span the full breadth of how AI is entering the industry: AI for events, content creation, experience marketing, MICE, ROI, process management, leadership, transformation, and the shifting landscape of roles and responsibilities.

The venue layout at Hamburg Messe Hall A2 reflects that ethos, with a NEO Stage, two dedicated workshop rooms, a NEO Lounge, an AI Boulevard for exhibitors, and the NEO AI Fireside, an intimate space for in-depth conversations with practitioners and innovators.

Who it’s for

NEO Summit draws from three broad professional communities. Corporate event teams — heads of events, MICE managers, brand experience and employer branding leads, will find sessions directly relevant to their day to day challenges. Marketing and communications leaders, including CMOs, heads of brand, and innovation and transformation managers, will find plenty to engage with on the strategic side. And event agencies of all sizes are well catered for, from senior project leads and executive producers through to experience designers and creative directors.

The pilot edition in 2025 attracted an impressive roster of first movers, including: VOK DAMS, Otto Group, Jack Morton, GCB, Dersé, and insglück — a strong signal that NEO Summit is filling a genuine gap in the industry calendar.

Part of a bigger week in Hamburg

NEO Summit 26 runs on 6–7 October as part of the wider LEaT con 26 (6–8 October), one of Europe’s leading live entertainment and technology trade fairs. The co-location makes Hamburg an efficient destination for anyone planning their autumn industry calendar, two complementary events, one venue, one trip.