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FUTURE FESTIVAL CHICAGO
Our Top Chicago
Innovation Conference

On May 9th 2023, join Chicago's top innovators to experience next year's trends before they happen. 85% rate Future Festival as the "best business event they've ever attended."
100-150 Top-Tier
Innovators
Innovation &
Trend Keynotes
1:1 Meetings &
Assessments
After Party &
Networking
Pro Platform
+ Takeaways
5-10
DISRUPTIVE
IDEAS
MAY
9-10*, 2023
Innovation Keynote Seaker Jeremy Gutsche "Our Chicago Innovation Conference is a 1 Day Accelerated Program that brings Chicago innovators the best of our epic Future Festival - Trend Hunter's multi-day trends, insight and innovation mega-event. This is our fourth year bringing the accelerated trends & innovation conference to Chicago, so it's a great opportunity to experience next year's trends from the #1 trend firm while prototyping your future."

– Jeremy Gutsche, CEO & NY Times Bestselling Author

Our Chicago Innovation Conference

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Why Attend THIS Year
Trend Hunter Image play_circle_outline
Why You Should Bring Your Team
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Sample Keynote: Create the Future (3,500,000 Views)
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2023 Trend Report Sample (5 Minutes)

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

Join top innovators who attend our innovation conference series to get fresh, data-driven, applicable insights

insight conference networking
Insight Conference Innovation Brands

What's different at Our Chicago Innovation Conference?
Immerse yourself in the future. Learn to action ideas. Change the way you work. Thrive in an AI-enabled world.
Our 1-5 day innovation conferences are immersive, takeaway-focused training events

100+ Data-Driven Insights
vs. Outdated Material
Downloadable Presentations
vs. Take-Your-Own Notes
Individual Assessments
vs. Generic Content
Energetic & Actionable
vs. Random & Outdated

Futurist Keynotes at The Chicago Innovation Conference

Future Tech: AI, Automation, Metaverse and The Super Future
Future Tech
AI, Automation, Metaverse and The Super Future

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.

Jeremy’s Top 10 Innovation Lessons of All Time
Jeremy’s Top 10 Innovation Lessons of All Time

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 Matrix
The 18 Megatrends Matrix

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.

Work Culture: Work Scenarios of a Post-Pandemic World
Work Culture
Work Scenarios of a 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.

Micro-Generations, Post-Pandemic: The New Formative Years
Micro-Generations, Post-Pandemic
The New Formative Years

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.

Retail: The Hybridization of Shopping
Retail
The Hybridization of Shopping

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.

4 Elements of an Innovator: How to Innovate like a Rap Star
4 Elements of an Innovator
How to Innovate like a Rap Star

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.

Innovators Series Interview
Innovators Series Interview

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.

Future Tech: AI, Automation, Metaverse and The Super Future
Future Tech
AI, Automation, Metaverse and The Super Future

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.

Morning
  • 8:30 AM
    Morning Show
  • 8:40 AM
    Jeremy’s Top 10 Innovation Lessons of All Time
  • 10:10 AM
    Break
  • 10:30 AM
    18 Mega Trends Matrix
  • 11:15 AM
    Work Scenarios of a Post-Pandemic World
  • 12:00 PM
    Lunch
Afternoon
  • 1:00 PM
    Micro-Generations, Post-Pandemic - The New Formative Years
  • 2:00 PM
    Retail - The Hybridization of Shopping
  • 2:30 PM
    4 Elements of an Innovator - How to Innovate like a Rap Star
  • 3:00 PM
    Break
  • 3:20 PM
    Innovators Series
  • 3:40 PM
    Future Tech - AI, Automation, Metaverse and The Super Future
  • 4:10 PM
    Cocktail Reception

Schedule may be subject to change without notice until a week prior to the event.

Speakers at The Chicago Innovation Conference

Innovation Conference Speaker Jeremy Gutsche
Jeremy Gutsche
NYT Bestselling Author & CEO of Trend Hunter
Innovating in Chaos, Crisis and Recession
Innovation Conference Speaker Courtney Scharf
Courtney Scharf
Chief Client Officer
Work Culture: Work Scenarios of a Post-Pandemic World
Innovation Conference Speaker Gil Cohen
Gil Cohen
SVP Client Success
Retail: The Hybridization of Shopping
Innovation Conference Speaker Mark Onufer
Mark Onufer
Director of Sales
Future Tech: AI, Automation, Metaverse and The Super Future
Innovation Conference Speaker Jonathon Brown
Jonathon Brown
Chief Growth Officer, Emcee & Client Interviewer
4 Elements of an Innovator: How to Innovate like a Rap Star

Why visit? We’ll suggest more than a dozen innovation hotspots for you to explore following Future Festival Chicago.

Future Festival Chicago Why Visit

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

WORKSHOP DAY - Filter all your new ideas into actionable insights

Future Festival AI Conference Workshops
Turn insights into action on this remarkable day. You'll learn:
• High Performance Innovation Methods for Your Brand
• How to Get Better & Faster
• How to Find Overlooked Ideas Using Patterns & Megatrends
Important: Here's why most people attend in teams of 6+:
• Focus All Exercises on YOUR Company at a Private Table
• Develop 5-10 Company Specific Innovation Ideas & 20+ Next Steps
• Get a Group Innovation Assessment to See Strengths, Gaps & Opportunities

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

In-Person 3-5 Day Festivals