The Fast Company Innovation Festival, presented by Capital One Business, is returning to New York City this September 14–17. Hosted at Convene Brookfield Place in downtown Manhattan, Fast Company is packing four days with insightful conversations, immersive experiential sessions, behind-the-scenes field trips, exclusive dinners, and meaningful networking opportunities.

In addition to the programming attendees know and love, this year’s Festival will feature a curated lineup of programming that dives into “A Brand New Brand Called You,” on Thursday, September 17. Building off of Tom Peters’ 1997 seminal Fast Company cover story,” these sessions and workshops will give you a personalized playbook in how to build your brand at work and how to manage a workforce of personal brands.  

With so much programming to choose from, we’ve collected a few highlights you’ll want to put on your calendars: 

Conversations with industry experts

Discussing everything from the future of creativity in an AI-filled world to how to actually have conversations with people you fundamentally disagree with, headliners at this year’s Festival include: 

• Martha Stewart, Cofounder, Entrepreneur and Author, Hint
• Elizabeth Banks, Co-owner and Chief Creative Officer, Archer Roose Wines 
• Leslie Odom Jr., Vocalist, Songwriter, Author and Actor 
• Jessica Tarlov, Author, Co-host of The Five and Raging Moderates, Fox News
• Bill Ackman, CEO, Pershing Square Capital Management 
• Jimmy Pitaro, Chairman, ESPN
• George Arison, Chairman of the board and CEO, Grindr 
• Libby Wadle, CEO, J. Crew Group
• Mark Barrocas, CEO, Sharkninja
• Sean Sherman, Founder and CEO, NATIFS and the Sioux Chef 

Insider access to innovative companies

Fast Tracks—our version of field trips for adults—are back! Over 45 companies are opening their doors to attendees and inviting them inside for hands-on, intimate experiences. Highlights include: 

• Touring a museum exhibition with Nike and the brand’s Chief Design Officer Martin Lodi 
• A wine and cheese tasting at Roscioli
• A live broadcast of All Things Considered with WNYC 
• Dying scarves with plant-based colorants at Fashion Institute of Technology 
• Getting a massage from an AI-powered robot, flying in a virtual reality experience, and racing on an F1 simulator at tm:rw

One-of-a-kind culinary experiences

Attend dinners at some of New York City’s most talked-about restaurants through our Taste of Innovation dinners. You’ll dine, drink, and mingle with fellow attendees and Fast Company’s editorial staff, as well as hear intimate conversations with leaders in the food space. Check out this year’s dinners, and what separates them from a standard dining experience, below: 

A Dinner and Conversation at Ci Siamo: How to leverage tech to elevate human experiences 

AI is now transforming the way every industry works—even those defined by human interaction, like hospitality. At Ci Siamo, recently ranked a top-100 restaurant in New York City by The New York Times, you’ll hear from Union Square Hospitality Group’s (USHG) chief brand officer, Rachel Kornafel, and its VP of digital innovation, Morgan Wiley Howland, on how Danny Meyer’s famed restaurant group is harnessing AI to make the hospitality experience feel more human, not less—focused on better understanding, connecting with, and delighting guests. You’ll gain an understanding of how to apply USHG’s learnings to your own organization, regardless of industry—and enjoy a few surprises from Ci Siamo’s executive chef, Hillary Sterling, along the way.

What’s included: 

• Three-course family-style meal
• Beer and wine included, plus one cocktail per guest
• Special appearance by acclaimed chef Hillary Sterling
• Raffle for Ammazza!, a cookbook by Hillary Sterling
• All gratuities included

A Dinner and Conversation at Cote 550: Reimagining Korean barbecue through hospitality and design

What happens when a restaurateur starts thinking like a world-builder? Simon Kim’s 550 Madison was one of the most anticipated restaurant openings in New York City this year—and the wait has been worth it. Six years in the making, 550 Madison’s sprawling three-level concept, including Bar Chimera, Cote 550, and Sushi Yoshitake, reimagines what restaurants can be: part culinary destination, part hospitality laboratory, part cultural experience. Designed in collaboration with legendary architect David Rockwell, 550 Madison is one of New York City’s most iconic postmodern architectural landmarks. Together, Kim and Rockwell have created a collection of distinct hospitality experiences that honor the building’s heritage while embracing a new vision of blending the communal experience of Korean barbecue with the hallmarks of a classic American chophouse. 

What’s included: 

• Five-course meal featuring appetizers, a Korean barbecue experience, dessert, and curated premium wine selections
• Complimentary welcome champagne toast
• Intimate conversation with Simon Kim, founder and CEO of Gracious Hospitality Management
• Karaoke in private dining room following dinner
• All gratuities included

Taste of Innovation tickets can be purchased individually or as an add-on to your festival pass. 

Hands-on workshops

Want to dive deeper into a topic you can’t stop thinking about while engaging with other attendees, hearing from experts, and problem-solving in an intentional setting? Our workshops are designed for exactly that purpose. Here’s just a sample of the sessions attendees can participate in: 

• Your Business Model Is Already Obsolete (You Just Haven’t Felt It Yet)
• How to Design for a World That Doesn’t Exist Yet
• Reset Your Response to Stress
• Experiential Lab: The Future of Fashion Is Already in Your Closet
• The Judgment Pipeline: What Happens When AI Starts Making the Decisions?

Unforgettable celebrations

What would the Innovation Festival be without a party—or several? All attendees can mingle at our Kickoff and Closing Night cocktail hours at our Festival hub. We’re also recognizing our Innovation By Design, Best Workplaces for Innovators, and World Changing Ideas honorees at exclusive receptions, and hosting our Impact Council members for a dinner sponsored by PwC. 

Exciting raffles and giveaways

Festival attendees will have the chance to win prizes from buzzy brands including Bathhouse, Therabody, and Roscioli, and our Ultimate Innovator pass holders will receive gift bags featuring products from BEÍS, Brick, Carbone, Cotopaxi, Dazzle Dry, K18, Levi’s, Peach & Lily, Stanley 1913, and Tilt Beauty. Enticed? It’s not too late to purchase your pass!

More Festival speakers and announcements are coming, so be sure to keep an eye on our website. Purchase your festival pass today and save—standard rates end Friday, August 21.

A special thanks to this year’s Innovation Festival sponsors: Blackbaud, Capital One, Convene, Fetch, Goldman Sachs, GS1 US, IHG Hotels and Resorts, JLL Design, JustWorks, Kindle Scribe, Napster, Nature’s Garden, Penske, PepsiCo, PwC, Siegel+Gale, Tata Consulting Services, Texas A&M University, UL Standards and Engagement, Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Wellhub, and Western Governors University.