In case your calendar isn’t already marked, Fast Company is returning to New York City for our 10th annual Innovation Festival this Sept. 16-19. This year, we’ll have many new offerings for attendees to look forward to, but we’re also building out old favorites, including Fast Tracks.
Through our unique spin on field trips across Manhattan and Brooklyn, attendees will get an intimate look inside some of the most innovative companies in town, participate in in-depth panels and workshops led by industry experts, explore new technologies, and dive into immersive experiences. Check out just some of the highlights from this year’s Fast Track line-up and be sure to stay tuned to our Innovation Festival events as we add more Fast Tracks:
Confronting Loneliness with Powerful Questions and Powerful Play: Hosted by Sloomoo Institute and GoodQues
Amid a highly publicized loneliness epidemic, there’s something we’ve lost: an innate element of human connection that we forgot or misplaced when we were “digitally distanced.” Connections used to come much easier, but digital and social technology has divided us—especially in younger generations—and now connection is work. We need to put in an effort to connect with other people. That effort can be play, deep questions, or gathering with meaning. It’s not only important for our mental health to regain a sense of connection, but “microdosing joy” is essential for fueling the creative process. Without some spark to connect, innovation is less possible. Through the lens of new research on the proven power of play and connection, being debuted at this very presentation, we’ll explore the role of slime in feeling connected to your emotions; how asking better questions can enable empathy and connective communication for more meaningful answers; and how to align ideas, communities and futures towards a more shared, connective world.
The Intersection of Brand and Advocacy: Hosted by SolComms
The CEO role within brands has seen a major shift in recent years. What was once a job focused on raising venture capital, scaling a business, and creating innovative solutions has now evolved into something much larger. In order to win, today’s brands, and the CEOs behind them, need to stand for something. That’s how they’re building communities and cult followings for themselves and their products. From being vocal about reproductive rights in a Post-Roe world, to the growing environmental crisis, the CEOs of Blueland, Wisp, and August will share how they’ve steered their brands into advocates of today’s most pressing conversations, in turn winning the hearts of consumers, retailers, and investors.
The Business of Beer: Hosted by Talea Beer Co.
Join Talea Beer Co. for a behind-the-scenes look at one of its breweries. Talea is revolutionizing craft beer through a female-focused, brick-and-mortar strategy. As the only woman-founded and operated brewery in NYC, Talea connects with a broad group of previously under-targeted customers through playful packaging, tasty beers, and award-winning, hospitality-focused taprooms. Fast Track participants will learn about Talea’s past five years of growth, including breaking into major retailers including Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods and opening four taprooms across NYC. After a fireside chat with Talea’s cofounders, guests will break into groups to taste through a portfolio of Talea beers and go on a brewery tour of Talea’s production facility.
Other companies hosting Fast Tracks this year include Larroudé, Tony’s Chocolonely, Tubi, and Disguise. Be sure to check out the schedule on our event website, where you can sign up for the Fast Tracks that pique your interest, and keep a look out for additional sessions that catch your eye.There’s also still time to sign up for early rate Innovation Festival passes before July 26 to ensure you have first pick for Fast Tracks. For more information on passes, as well as the current agenda and speaker list—which is updated weekly—please visit our events page.
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