OpenAI, NVIDIA, Anthropic, Microsoft and global leaders announced for WMF – We Make Future 2026, June 24 – 26 in Bologna, Italy.
BOLOGNA, ITALY, ITALY, February 13, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — WMF – We Make Future has announced the first 150 international speakers for its 2026 edition, scheduled to take place June 24–26 at BolognaFiere, Italy. As Europe’s leading international B2B trade fairs and festivals dedicated to Artificial Intelligence, technology, and digital innovation, WMF 2026 will bring together global leaders to address the technological, economic, and social transformations shaping the future.
Among the first confirmed participants are representatives from OpenAI, NVIDIA, Anthropic, Microsoft, Google, Lenovo, and The LEGO Group, alongside leading academics, researchers, investors, institutional leaders, journalists, and innovators from North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
The event is conceived, produced, and organized by Search On Media Group.
“WMF was created to connect different yet complementary worlds – research, business, institutions, investment, and society – around the defining challenges of our time,” said Cosmano Lombardo, Founder and CEO of Search On Media Group and creator of WMF. “With the 2026 edition, we are placing Italy and Bologna back at the center of the global debate on artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and social impact. The first 150 speakers are just a preview of an international ecosystem that will come together in June to discuss innovation, development, and the future, creating tangible connections between ideas, capital, and people.”
A global platform for AI, innovation, and impact
Building on the success of the previous edition – which welcomed over 73,000 attendees from 90 countries, featured 1,000+ speakers and 700+ exhibitors and sponsors – WMF 2026 will once again convene entrepreneurs, researchers, AI experts, Big Tech executives, venture capitalists, policymakers, media professionals, and civil society leaders.
The program will span 14 strategic sectors, addressing WMF’s long-standing Future Challenges framework and offering a multidisciplinary perspective on innovation across AI, robotics, advanced manufacturing, space economy, healthcare, finance, public policy, digital rights, media, culture, and social impact.
Research, Artificial Intelligence, and Robotics
AI and scientific research will be central to WMF 2026, with contributions from globally recognized figures such as Alberto Sangiovanni Vincentelli (University of California, Berkeley), pioneer of electronic design automation; Nestor Maslej (Stanford Human-Centered AI Institute); Corey Ching (OpenAI); Karen Zhou (Anthropic); Marco Pavone (NVIDIA, Autonomous Vehicle Research); Giorgio Metta (Italian Institute of Technology); and Daniele Pucci (Generative Bionics).
Their participation reflects WMF’s role as a meeting point between cutting-edge research and real-world industrial applications, spanning autonomous systems, humanoid robotics, and AI-driven infrastructures.
Industry, manufacturing, and applied innovation
WMF 2026 will also host senior leaders from global technology and innovation-driven organizations, including Aprajita Jain (Google), Massimo Chiriatti (Lenovo), Matteo Mille (Microsoft), and Federico Menna (EIT Digital). Discussions will focus on AI adoption in enterprise environments, digital transformation, and new models for industrial growth.
Space economy and scientific frontiers
Emerging technological frontiers will be explored through contributions from the European Space Agency (ESA) and leading research institutions. Confirmed speakers include Pierre-Philippe Mathieu and Claudio Iacopino (ESA), alongside Simone Bianco, Director of Computational Biology at Altos Labs Bay Area Institute of Science.
Policy, institutions, security, and digital rights
WMF 2026 will address the governance of innovation through the participation of international policymakers, legal experts, and institutional leaders, focusing on AI regulation, cybersecurity, public services, and digital rights, reinforcing WMF’s positioning as a forum where technology meets policy and society.
Investment, venture capital, and open innovation
A strong emphasis will be placed on venture capital, scaleups, and startup ecosystems, with the presence of international accelerators and investment funds such as Alchemist Accelerator, Waterman Ventures, Sansar Ventures, Zest Investments, Silicon Allee, Centrepolis Accelerator, and innovation hubs from Europe, the United States, and Asia. These stakeholders will engage in B2B meetings, networking sessions, and investment-focused discussions designed to foster cross-border collaboration and capital flow.
Media, culture, and social innovation
WMF 2026 will also highlight the role of information, media, and culture in the AI era, featuring international journalists and media professionals from global outlets, alongside content creators, activists, and leaders in social innovation. This cross-sector dialogue reinforces WMF’s commitment to exploring the societal implications of emerging technologies.
Toward WMF 2026
The announcement of the first 150 speakers marks only the beginning of a program that will continue to expand in the coming weeks. With WMF 2026, Italy and Europe once again position themselves at the center of the global conversation on artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and social impact, confirming WMF’s role as an international platform for dialogue, collaboration, and future-building
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