Our Chicago Innovation Conference offers key insight into the forefront of the future. Hear from our roster of innovation speakers as they speak to shifts in consumer preferences and present key innovation tactics to help you stay ahead of the competition. Learn how industry shifts have changed culture, how a preference for authenticity has inspired new approaches to innovation, and see how industry trends can be broken down with Trend Hunter’s 18 Megatrends to shed insight into evolving consumer needs. Plus, much more!
This 1 Day event will feature keynotes where Trend Hunter Futurists will present real-world examples of how to reemerge to innovate from chaos with sessions that will provide actionable takeaways to accelerate the pursuit of your next big idea. Our Future Festival experience will help to spark inspiration, allowing you to network with fellow industry leaders as you explore globally-shifting ideas and experiences firsthand. Plus, all conference attendees will walk away with $4000 in takeaways, making it easier than ever to share your Innovation Conference experience with your colleagues following the event.
The workshops Jeremy ran, coupled with the Trend Hunter research and Future Festival also created opportunities for our team and expanded our people's thinking”
— CEO
Any senior executive would benefit hugely from taking a couple of days and attending Future Festival.”
— Global VP of Innovation
More Info by Profession: Innovation, Insights, Marketing, Strategy, Trends
How will emerging technologies such as AI, the metaverse, blockchain, and virtual reality impact the world we live in? The short answer is that these technologies are going to change our day-to-day lives in incredible ways. The Future of Tech keynote offers a glimpse of tomorrow with a focus on advanced technologies, disruptive concepts, and the metaverse.
Trend Hunter’s CEO and New York Times bestselling author Jeremy Gutsche offers the best innovation examples and tactics for navigating through times of chaos and uncertainty. This keynote will equip you with the tools to handle change that Jeremy acquired throughout his 20 years of research and 15 years of keynotes.
The 18 Megatrends and the 6 patterns of opportunity they each are tied to are future-facing tools applicable to any industry. The Megatrends in Trend Hunter’s Matrix are based on evergreen consumer desires, making them exceptional tools for structuring and thriving in the post-pandemic world.
The post-pandemic workplace can be defined as uncertain and opportunistic. The pandemic resulted in an unprecedented transformation of work, leading to new priorities and expectations from employees. While some workplaces believe in-office or remote models are the answer, this session will explore the benefits of hybrid models and the importance of unified workplace culture.
The pandemic introduced a new shared experience for all micro-generations, with the experience occurring at a different section in each generations’ development. This session explores the pandemic’s impact on each micro-generation while offering insight on what this means for the post-pandemic world.
The modern retail industry has been forced to change and adapt throughout the pandemic. Both eCommerce and brick-and-mortar stores have shifted to focus on enhancing and streamlining consumer experiences. This keynote explores the value of hybrid shopping in post-pandemic retail, helping you find new solutions to modern consumer pressures.
This keynote dives into the four elements of an innovator and how these elements can be studied through the lens of hip-hop. The four elements of hip hop offer concrete, demonstrable examples of Trend Hunter’s Create the Future framework, inspiring you and equipping you with the tools to innovate in your industry.
We will be hosting a live, on-stage interview with a surprise guest, with past guests including some of the world’s most respected business leaders, authors and change makers. Learn from this best through compelling personal stories, key consumer insights and more.
How we think about advanced technologies has changed greatly over the last few years, with the introduction of the metaverse, NFTs, and advanced AI all becoming deeply integrated into the personal and business worlds alike. This keynote explores the Superfuture, or the future of technology, and how it will be impacted by these modern forces.
Schedule may be subject to change without notice until a week prior to the event.
There are plenty of sights to see while visiting Chicago for our CPG Innovation Conference. Following the conference, check out cultural hotspots such as the Design Museum of Chicago or the American Writers Museum. Considered a piece of “Real Chicago” since 1952, the Club Lago team will make you feel right at home with a variety of lunch and dinner options. If you’re looking for something more adventurous, experience flavor innovation at Alinea Restaurant, whose menu focuses on molecular gastronomy with a variety of traditional foods that are deconstructed into new shapes, colors and textures.
Plus, explore a dozen more unique hotspots in Chicago with our exclusive Future Festival workbook!
Conference Theatre
AMC River East 21
322 E Illinois St, Chicago, IL 60611, United States
Lunch & Cocktail Hour
Volare
201 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611
Innovators Who Send Teams: Starbucks, Disney, Visa, The US Air Force, Adidas, Domino's, Aflac, Staples, Netflix, Microsoft, Red Bull, Universal, Target, Pepsi, VW, Walmart, Bayer, Honda