thought starters for thought leaders

by Adam Siegel

This year may be in full swing, but there’s still time to catch some of the most inspiring innovation conferences in 2025. Below is a curated list of 8 standout events worth considering before the year wraps up—listed in chronological order.

Fast Company Innovation Festival

(September 15-18) New York, New York

Billed as a celebration of innovation and creativity, the Fast Company Innovation Festival features a full slate of talks by A-list leaders in business, media, entertainment and beyond, as well as immersive hands-on workshops and Fast Tracks field trips—intimate, behind-the-scenes tours of some of the most dynamic companies in NYC. The flexible format of this weeklong conference allows attendees to craft their own inspiring agendas, mixing creativity, design, leadership, social good, tech and more for a uniquely customized experience.

Future Festival World Summit

(September 23-25) Toronto, Canada

Rated as one of Inc.’s best innovation conferences and described as a place where the world’s top innovators come together to experience and create the future, Future Festival World Summit is a three-day, AI-infused conference hosted by Trend Hunter. It features engaging presentations, fresh data-driven insights, team workshops, trend safaris, personalized assessments and one-on-one consultations. The theme for this year’s event is, “How to Innovate in the Era of AI” and the agenda promises to help attendees immerse in the future, translate ideas into action, change the way they work and prepare to thrive in an AI-enabled world.

Groceryshop

(September 28-October 1) Las Vegas, Nevada

Groceryshop dives into the future of grocery retailers (supermarkets, mass merchants, convenience stores, drug stores, club/warehouse stores, discount stores and ecommerce players) as well as the rapid changes in the production and distribution of consumer products, including fresh and packaged foods and beverages along with beauty, personal care, household and health products. The conference promises 165+ speakers sharing never-before-seen research, in-depth case studies that walk step-by-step through successful initiatives, analyst presentations with smart frameworks for tackling major business problems, and global grocery and CPG perspectives from practitioners around the world. Attendees are sure to walk away with the ultimate playbook for transformation and innovation that addresses the evolution of how consumers discover, shop and buy products in the digital age.

HLTH

(October 19-22) Las Vegas, Nevada

HLTH brings together more than 12,000 top-level leaders, innovators and visionaries from across the entire health ecosystem (payers, providers, employers, investors, startups, life sciences, policymakers and innovation centers) to push the boundaries of health and care by finding innovative solutions to the industry’s most pressing problems. This year’s theme is Heroes and Legends and features four days full of mission-driven initiatives, unparalleled experiences with industry-leading speakers, learning sessions facilitated by top health and political leaders, and plenty of opportunities to collaborate and network.

IMPACT

(October 20-22) Boston, Massachusetts

Organizers call IMPACT “the world’s most useful event for anyone working in strategy, innovation, design, R&D and emerging tech inside a large organization” (including private and public companies; nonprofits and NGOs; and government agencies). The event features fireside chats, workshops, case studies, breakouts and one-to-one meetings focusing on innovation best practices, emerging technologies and new experiments, and professional development. Previous speakers include senior executives from Google, 3M, Dole Sunshine, Lucasfilm, General Mills, Lyft, Kickstarter, Williams-Sonoma, IBM, Bose, Converse, Citi, Samsung, Tiffany & Co., Ford, Hain Celestial, Ralph Lauren, Kellogg’s, Walmart, NASA, Harvard Business Review and more.

SupplySide Global

(October 27-30) Las Vegas, Nevada

SupplySide Global brings together 20,000+ participants from the dietary supplement, food and beverage, pet health and personal care industries to learn from industry experts about the hottest topics shaping the future of the health and nutrition category. Attendees can also explore 1,500+ exhibiting companies with a diverse range of offerings including food, beverage and supplement ingredients; flavors and fragrances; equipment and machinery; packaging and labeling; legal and regulatory services; lab testing and analytics; contract manufacturing; and wholesaling, distribution and brokerage services.

Innovation Roundtable Summit

(November 4-6) Copenhagen, Denmark

Started in 2014, the Innovation Roundtable Summit has rapidly become the world’s biggest gathering of innovation executives from large multinational firms—providing a unique setting for in-depth dialogue and valuable networking among corporate peers. Attendees experience three highly interactive days of peer-to-peer exchange and learning on key innovation topics and can tailor their experience around eight different themes. This already-largest-of-its-kind event has grown further to also include dedicated programs for corporate executives working in HR and Marketing. All three summits are held at the same venue and are accessible with the same ticket, facilitating cross-domain learning that promises to spark innovation and transformational growth.

NOSH Live

(December 4-5) Los Angeles, California

Members of the packaged food industry attend NOSH Live to collaborate, connect and come up with innovative solutions. Attendees will have the opportunity to go through an educational “Boot Camp,” hear all-star speakers provide actionable insights that help food businesses grow responsibly, participate in one-to-one meetings with potential partners from the supply, investment, retail and services community, get expert help perfecting their all-important elevator pitches, attend energizing pitch slams and of course, sample plenty of new products.

Want to get the most out of your next event? Don’t miss our article on how to get the most out of any conference—it’s full of tried-and-true tips to help you learn more, network better, and leave inspired.

Want to learn more about how Seed can help you grow through innovation? We’d love to partner with you! Reach out at info@seedstrategy.com.