Fast Company announced the full speaker lineup for its 2026 Innovation Festival on Tuesday, confirming a four-day program running September 14 through 17 across New York City. The 12th annual event, headquartered at 225 Liberty Street in Downtown Manhattan, will feature Selena Gomez, Bill Ackman, Martha Stewart, Tyra Banks, Leslie Odom Jr., and Elizabeth Banks alongside C-suite executives from Walmart, Nike, ESPN, Netflix, CoreWeave, and Qualcomm.
Key Takeaways
- The 2026 Fast Company Innovation Festival runs September 14 through 17 at Convene Brookfield Place (225 Liberty Street) in Downtown Manhattan, with programming extending across multiple NYC venues.
- The speaker roster includes Selena Gomez (Rare Beauty), Bill Ackman (Pershing Square Capital Management), Martha Stewart (Hint), Tyra Banks (Smize & Dream), Leslie Odom Jr., and Elizabeth Banks (Archer Roose Wines).
- Corporate leadership on the lineup includes the CEOs of Walmart U.S., CoreWeave, Kickstarter, J.Crew, OnlyFans, Match Group, and the presidents of Blizzard Entertainment and Nasdaq.
- Behind-the-scenes “Fast Tracks” will grant access to over 45 NYC companies including the Balloon Museum, Moet Hennessy, and Formula 1.
- Tickets range from $499 to $2,199, with Capital One Business serving as the event’s first title partner.
A Roster That Spans Wall Street, Hollywood, and Silicon Valley
The lineup announced Tuesday reflects Fast Company’s intent to position the festival as something broader than a traditional business conference. The speaker page lists more than 100 confirmed names, pulling from finance, entertainment, technology, food, fashion, and media in a way that maps directly onto New York City’s own cross-sector identity.
On the finance side, Bill Ackman, CEO of Pershing Square Capital Management, joins Nelson Griggs, President and Head of Capital Access Platforms at Nasdaq, and Asahi Pompey, Global Head of Corporate Engagement at Goldman Sachs. Spencer Rascoff, now CEO of Match Group, and Erica Dorfman, CFO of Brex, round out a financial services contingent that connects directly to the city’s downtown core.
The entertainment and media presence runs equally deep. Selena Gomez will speak as founder of the Rare Impact Fund and the force behind Rare Beauty, a brand that has built its identity on the intersection of commerce and mental health advocacy. Leslie Odom Jr., whose credits span Broadway’s Hamilton to multiple film and recording projects, adds a performing arts dimension. Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman of ESPN, and Dan Lin, Chairman of Film at Netflix, represent the media companies reshaping how content reaches audiences.
Tyra Banks, now operating as an entrepreneur behind the ice cream brand Smize & Dream, and Martha Stewart, listed as co-founder of Hint alongside Yih-Han Ma, bring consumer brand experience to a lineup that could have easily skewed toward pure technology. Elizabeth Banks, co-owner and Chief Creative Officer of Archer Roose Wines, occupies a similar crossover space between entertainment visibility and consumer brand building.
Corporate Innovation Officers Take Center Stage Alongside Founders
Beyond the headline names, the lineup is weighted heavily toward operational leaders inside large organizations. Phil McCartney, Chief Innovation, Design, and Product Officer at Nike, joins Danielle Schmelkin, Chief Information Officer at J.Crew Group, and J.Crew CEO Libby Wadle. David Guggina, President and CEO of Walmart U.S., adds the perspective of the country’s largest retailer to a program already stacked with executives navigating digital transformation at scale.
The technology sector is represented by Mike Intrator, CEO of CoreWeave, the AI cloud computing company that has become one of the fastest-growing infrastructure providers in the industry. Cristiano Amon, President and CEO of Qualcomm, and Khozema Shipchandler, CEO of Twilio, add enterprise-level technology perspectives. Keily Blair, CEO of OnlyFans, and Everette Taylor, CEO of Kickstarter, bring platform economy experience from companies that operate at the intersection of creator culture and commerce.
Johanna Faries, President of Blizzard Entertainment, and Rob Wade, CEO of Fox Entertainment, represent the gaming and media sectors. The presence of Athina Kanioura, CEO of PepsiCo’s LATAM division and Global Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer, signals that the festival is drawing from multinational operational leadership as much as from startup culture.
Fast Tracks and the Taste of Innovation Extend Programming Beyond the Main Stage
The Innovation Festival has built its identity in part on experiences that take attendees out of the conference venue and into the city itself. Fast Tracks, the event’s signature behind-the-scenes access program, will send All-Access Pass holders into more than 45 of New York City’s companies and cultural institutions. This year’s locations include the Balloon Museum, Moet Hennessy, and Formula 1, with additional sites expected to be announced before September.
The Taste of Innovation dinner series returns with curated evenings at restaurants that carry their own reputations in the city’s culinary landscape. Confirmed locations include Ci Siamo, the Danny Meyer restaurant in Hudson Yards helmed by executive chef Hillary Sterling, and Cote 550, the Korean steakhouse from restaurateur Simon Kim. Both Sterling and Kim appear on the speaker roster, connecting the culinary programming directly to the main stage.
Additional receptions include the World Changing Ideas Reception, the Innovation by Design Reception, and the Best Workplaces for Innovators Reception, each built around Fast Company’s existing editorial franchise and designed to anchor networking around specific thematic tracks rather than general mingling.
Capital One Business Signs On as First Title Partner
Capital One Business is serving as the festival’s first title partner, a sponsorship structure that is new for 2026. Goldman Sachs, PwC, Justworks, and Amazon Kindle are among the additional sponsors. The venue partnership with Convene at Brookfield Place anchors the event in Lower Manhattan’s financial district, placing the festival hub within walking distance of the World Trade Center, Wall Street, and the Hudson River waterfront.
Brendan Vaughan, editor-in-chief of Fast Company, described the festival as bringing the publication’s year-round editorial coverage “to the stage in real time,” offering attendees direct engagement with the executives and creators whose work defines the magazine’s coverage. Tickets are available through the festival’s website, with pricing structured across general admission and All-Access tiers. Additional speakers and programming are expected before the September dates.
Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute business, financial, or investment advice. Event details, speaker appearances, and ticket pricing are subject to change. Readers should consult the official Fast Company Innovation Festival website for the latest confirmed programming and registration information.
FAQs
Where Is the 2026 Fast Company Innovation Festival Being Held?
The festival hub is located at Convene Brookfield Place, 225 Liberty Street in Downtown Manhattan. Programming extends beyond the main venue through Fast Tracks at over 45 companies across New York City and Taste of Innovation dinners at restaurants including Ci Siamo and Cote 550.
How Much Do Tickets Cost for the Innovation Festival?
Tickets range from $499 for general admission to $2,199 for All-Access Passes. All-Access holders receive entry to the main stage, Fast Tracks behind-the-scenes experiences, the Taste of Innovation dinner series, and all festival receptions. Tickets are available through the official festival website at events.fastcompany.com.
Who Are the Headlining Speakers at the 2026 Festival?
The confirmed headliners include Selena Gomez (Rare Beauty), Bill Ackman (Pershing Square Capital Management), Martha Stewart (Hint), Tyra Banks (Smize & Dream), Leslie Odom Jr., and Elizabeth Banks (Archer Roose Wines). Corporate speakers include the CEOs of Walmart U.S., CoreWeave, Kickstarter, J.Crew, OnlyFans, ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro, and Netflix Chairman of Film Dan Lin. Additional speakers are expected to be announced ahead of the September 14 start date.
