Agenda | Inc. 5000 Conference & Gala 2026

The AI opportunity is no longer about what the technology can do, but what founders choose to do with it. As increasingly autonomous systems raise new questions about safety, oversight, and human control, founders are navigating a more complicated innovation terrain that demands moving fast enough to capture opportunity while understanding where technology needs guardrails. This conversation explores where AI creates real opportunity and where founders need to exercise judgment as they build products and companies in a world of ever-changing technology.

What happens when the industry you built your business in no longer looks the same? A decade into building Simpson Street, Kerry Washington and Pilar Savone are navigating a very different Hollywood. In this candid discussion, they’ll delve into how they’ve evolved their business, where they see room to grow, and what they’ve learned about scaling a company without losing what makes it distinct.

You don’t have to raise venture capital—or give up equity—to fund your company’s next stage of growth. From revenue-based financing to customer-funded growth and alternative sources of capital, this conversation will explore how founders continue financing expansion on their own terms, the trade-offs of their approach, and how to choose the right funding strategy for your business.

AI is changing how growing businesses compete, and the gap between those using it well and those still figuring it out is growing. This panel explores how practical AI, paired with reliable technology and the right support, can help businesses streamline operations, save time, and scale with confidence. Hear honest perspectives on how AI is being used today to automate routine tasks, strengthen security, and create more capacity for the work that drives growth. You'll leave with a clearer picture of where AI delivers the most value for businesses like yours, along with practical steps to reduce overhead, move faster, and make smarter decisions. If you're looking to sharpen your edge and get more from your technology investment, this session is for you.

Economic volatility, geopolitical tensions, technological disruption, and shifting regulatory landscapes have made uncertainty a constant reality for leaders. In this timely conversation, Janet Napolitano and Eric Ries explore how leaders can make high-stakes decisions when the future is anything but certain. Drawing on perspectives from government, academia, entrepreneurship, and business transformation, they will discuss how organizations can build resilience, manage risk, and uncover opportunity when certainty is no longer an option.

In a marketplace shaped by cultural relevance, community, speed, and discerning consumers, challenger brands are finding new ways to compete and win. This conversation explores how companies are creating competitive advantage through relevance, differentiation, and customer obsession, transforming attention into loyalty and loyalty into growth.

Jay Shetty has inspired millions with his perspectives on purpose, leadership, and human connection. In this conversation, we move beyond the philosophy to explore what it takes to put those principles into action as a founder. From shaping culture to scaling teams, this session examines how values become behaviors and how leadership philosophies become the daily practices that define enduring organizations.

For decades, the formula for sales growth was simple: More revenue meant more reps. But AI is rewriting the equation. As AI takes on more of the work involved in prospecting, lead qualification, pipeline management, research, and deal execution, sales organizations are confronting a provocative question: Do you really need to keep growing your sales team to keep growing revenue? Our CEO Survey findings suggest some sales teams are already getting smaller as AI adoption increases. But shrinking head count isn’t the whole story. The bigger question is knowing what to automate, what to augment with AI, and where human sellers still deliver irreplaceable high-touch value. Join us to explore how AI is reshaping sales team structure, productivity, and head count, and why the future of revenue growth may depend less on how many people you have and more on how intelligently you deploy humans and AI together.

Reed Hastings spent nearly three decades building Netflix from a DVD-by-mail startup into one of the world’s most influential companies. Now, after stepping away from Netflix’s board, he’s applying that same appetite for big ideas to very different problems. From his reimagining education and thinking about AI’s impact on work to his transforming Powder Mountain into a new kind of community, we’ll delve into what it means to build at extraordinary scale, walk away from what you’ve built, and find new ways to put ambition to work.

Too often, business leaders make the mistake of treating AI strategy and people strategy as separate priorities that occasionally intersect. The most successful companies know that, while AI is an undoubtedly powerful tool, technology alone does not create business results. Today’s fast-growth organizations are blending their AI strategy with human-centered processes: fostering workforce trust, establishing leadership credibility, and operating with clarity. Experts from Insperity, Lighthouse Research & Advisory, and Inc. 5000 honoree PredictAP discuss what it takes to blend AI and people strategies to deliver stronger teams, improved execution, and a more adaptable business.

What does it take to successfully scale in today’s competitive economy? This panel brings together leaders from economic development, venture capital, and an Inc. 5000 honoree to share practical insights on navigating the next phase of growth. Panelists will discuss attracting and retaining talent, securing investment, expanding into new markets, and building strategic partnerships that support long-term success. Drawing on Virginia’s strengths as a hub for global brands, high-growth startups, and industries ranging from life sciences and advanced manufacturing to cybersecurity and aerospace, this conversation will provide actionable strategies for companies preparing to scale, expand, and lead what comes next.

Great events don't just create moments; they also create momentum. Join founders and marketing leaders as they share the real costs, biggest challenges, and proven strategies behind experiences that continue delivering value long after the doors close.

For generations, the traditional family-business playbook has centered on one question: Who takes over next? Founders and business owners are expanding the definition of legacy—building businesses independently, returning to the family enterprise, acquiring established companies, or passing them to new owners outside of the family. This conversation will explore the realities of building, inheriting, acquiring, and transitioning family businesses and how owners can preserve what matters while creating room for something new.

Trends can make a brand relevant, but staying power requires something deeper. Join us as we unpack the fundamentals of enduring brands—from cultivating a distinct point of view and earning customer loyalty to knowing what to protect, what to reinvent, and when to change. We'll explore what has evolved in brand building over the years, and what has remained true.

Hundreds of conversations with some of the world’s most accomplished CEOs and entrepreneurs have given Steven Bartlett a front-row seat to the decisions that separate growing businesses from those that stall. In this conversation, we’ll explore what he’s learned about building strategies that hold up under pressure, the patterns he sees across the companies he interviews, and how those lessons shape the companies, investments, and ideas he’s building today.

How do you build a company that helps people perform, recover, and live better without sacrificing your own ability to do the same? This conversation dives into the health and performance systems behind the founders shaping the future of wellness. We’ll explore what actually helps founders sustain high performance, what sacrifices aren’t worth making, and how to build a company without making burnout part of the business model.

Building a successful company once is hard, but building another one forces founders to make a different set of choices. In this conversation, high-growth founders share the assumptions, habits, and playbooks they left behind, the lessons they carried forward, and the decisions they're making differently to accelerate growth. Learn how successful entrepreneurs are building smarter, faster, and with greater intention the second time around.

As high-growth companies navigate economic uncertainty and rapid technological change, HR is becoming a strategic lever for growth – not simply a supporting function. The latest Inc. 5000 CEO Survey reveals how leaders are rethinking talent strategy: building AI readiness, strengthening soft skills, prioritizing adaptability, and creating cultures designed to scale. For the fastest-growing businesses, the question is no longer just how to hire and retain great people, but how to build a workforce that can evolve with the business – and turn talent into a lasting source of resilience and competitive advantage.

Winning a major customer is rarely about luck. In this conversation, founders will pull back the curtain on the strategies behind their most significant deals and share practical lessons for turning hard-won opportunities into a lasting competitive advantage.

Success can outpace operations faster than leaders expect. The companies that scale effectively identify operational risks early, maintain financial visibility, make strategic hiring decisions, and use technology to build resilience as they grow. This discussion examines how high-growth organizations navigate the challenges of expansion, from recognizing early warning signs to creating the systems and processes needed for sustainable growth. Designed for ambitious leaders navigating hypergrowth, the conversation offers practical strategies to sustain momentum, avoid common pitfalls, and build resilient operations that support long-term performance.

As AI raises the baseline for productivity and makes average performance easier to replicate, sustainable competitive advantage increasingly comes from the combination of exceptional talent and exceptional teamwork. In this conversation, Super Players co-author Verne Harnish and Superteams author Ron Friedman will explore what separates top performers from the pack, why even the most talented individuals need the right environment to thrive, and how leaders can build organizations that learn faster, execute better, and create outsize results.

Behind every successful company is a backstory: a series of decisions, opportunities, lessons learned, moments of uncertainty, and key turning points that shaped what came next. Often, the most successful entrepreneurs are those who understand that the journey is just as valuable as the achievements. While current success is impressive, the key to long-term value lies in understanding how it was built. This discussion explores the experiences behind the outcome and invites reflection on how pivotal decisions, important lessons, and defining moments translate into lasting achievement.

Fast-growth companies move at a breakneck pace, and keeping up can be both exciting and overwhelming. The founder drives the vision, but can also be an agent of chaos. This session is closed to Inc. 5000 founders and designed for Inc. 5000 team members to strategize on how to manage up well by navigating shifting priorities, evolving roles, and high expectations. Panelists will share practical tips, strategies, and insider tricks for surviving (and thriving) in a rapidly scaling environment.

Some of today's fastest-growing companies are proving that bigger teams aren't always necessary for bigger results. Join founders who are using AI and a growing ecosystem of technology and service providers to operate more efficiently, move faster, and scale with lean teams.

The next phase of growth might open more possibilities than a company can pursue. Founders must decide where to place their next bets. Whether entering new markets, expanding the product, pursuing new customers, or building entirely new sources of revenue, this conversation explores how high-growth founders evaluate those opportunities, build on the strengths of the business, and develop a growth strategy that creates meaningful advantage for what comes next.