Fast Company Innovation Festival Returns to NYC with CEOs from Sephora, Starbucks, and Duolingo--Alongside Tracee Ellis Ross, Shay Mitchell, Hailee Steinfeld, Jimmy Fallon, and Bozoma Saint John

The 11th Annual Festival Will Take Place September 15–18, 2025; Tickets on Sale Now

NEW YORK, Sept. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Fast Company, the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, will host its 11th annual Fast Company Innovation Festival in New York, NY, from September 15–18. Tickets for the event are on sale now.

The Fast Company Innovation Festival brings together a dynamic lineup of entrepreneurs, changemakers, executives, and creatives from high-growth brands for four days of exclusive programming, interactive experiences, and networking opportunities, hosted at Convene Brookfield Place (225 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10281).

"What makes the Innovation Festival different is that our attendees don't just sit in a ballroom hearing about innovation; they walk into the offices of the brands shaping it, share meals with the people leading it, and leave with ideas they can use the next day. The entire experience is built for real access and designed to break down the distance between speakers and attendees to generate valuable connections and actionable ideas," said Fast Company editor-in-chief Brendan Vaughan.

Onstage programming will feature some of the most influential CEOs, founders, authors, and cultural leaders across sectors—from wellness and retail to AI and hospitality. Daily sessions include lively panels, fireside chats, editorial meet and greets, and mainstage speakers—all designed to spark conversation and community.

Prominent speakers who will lead the event programming include:

• Sam Bakhshandehpour, CEO, José Andrés Group
• Greg Cathey, SVP of Transformation and Innovation, Walmart
• Amelia DeLuca, Chief Sustainability Officer, Delta Air Lines
• Malik Ducard, Chief Content Officer, Pinterest
• Tracee Ellis Ross, Founder and CEO, Pattern Beauty
• Allison Ellsworth, Cofounder and Chief Brand Officer, Poppi
• Jimmy Fallon, Executive Producer and Host, On Brand With Jimmy Fallon; Host, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
• Sarah Gibson Tuttle, Founder and CEO, Olive & June
• Jonathan Haidt, Author, The Anxious Generation
• Norma Kamali, President and CEO, Norma Kamali
• Eiso Kant, Cofounder and CTO, Poolside
• Cristina Mancini, CEO, Black Girls Code
• Roni Mazumdar, CEO, Unapologetic Foods
• Justin McLeod, Founder and CEO, Hinge
• Myechia Minter‑Jordan, CEO, AARP
• Shay Mitchell, Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Béis Travel
• Brian Niccol, Chairman and CEO, Starbucks Coffee Company
• Ego Nwodim, Actress, Comedian, and "SNL" Cast Member
• Artemis Patrick, President and CEO, Sephora North America
• Joy Reid, Journalist, Political Analyst, Best-selling Author
• Bozoma Saint John, Chief Marketing Officer and Mentor, On Brand With Jimmy Fallon
• Luke Saunders, Founder and CEO, Farmer's Fridge
• Hailee Steinfeld, Cofounder, Angel Margarita
• Luis von Ahn, Cofounder and CEO, Duolingo
• Brendan Vaughan, Editor-in-Chief, Fast Company

The full list of speakers and programming can be found here. Credentialed media should request access to the event at [email protected].

In addition to the mainstage programming, attendees with All-Access Passes will gain access to upwards of 50 exclusive Fast Tracks—offering insider access to the offices and leaders of New York City's most innovative companies like Salt & Straw, Tecovas, Dagne Dover, Sylvain, and more.

This year's Taste of Innovation dinner series also returns with intimate, curated evenings at some of NYC's most coveted restaurants, including Naks, the Bazaar by José Andrés, Metropolis by Marcus Samuelsson, Manhatta, and Sofreh. Each experience features inspired menus, intimate conversations, and the creative spirit of the city's top culinary minds. Taste of Innovation tickets can be purchased individually or as an add-on to the festival pass (included with the Ultimate Innovator Pass).

Throughout the week, Innovation Festival sponsors will host an array of thought-leadership panels and innovative experiences designed to explore and illuminate what's next in business, culture, and more.

"Our record 25 partners this year are all deeply embedded into the festival experience. They're sparking powerful conversations, driving strategic business transformation, hosting immersive experiences, and bringing ideas to life in ways that resonate long after the festival ends," said Fast Company chief revenue officer Cece Ryan. "From thought-leadership panels to intimate dinners to smart activations, each partner fuels deeper relationships and meaningful takeaways for our attendees. We're so grateful to them for not only powering the festival but also the momentum of positive change it inspires."

In this milestone year for partner participation, attendees will have access to an expansive lineup of strategic thought leadership. Expert voices will explore urgent themes and emerging innovations such as AI's impact across sectors, healthcare transformation, experience design, the future of mobility, supply chain security, enduring leadership, aviation breakthroughs, weather forecasting, brand innovation, strategic reinvention, scenario planning, and much more. Partners presenting this compelling array of thought leadership include Convene, Delta Air Lines, Eli Lilly and Company, Esri, Fetch, GS1 US, Huge, Hyland, IBM, Innovate Alabama, NYU Langone Health, Penske, PepsiCo, PMI (Project Management Institute), Synchrony, Teton Ridge, Texas A&M University, Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP), The Weather Company, Webtoon Entertainment, and Williams.

Across the Festival Hub and at other locations around New York City, partners will host immersive experiences and thought-leadership dinners as well as festival parties, receptions, and recognition moments for selected Fast Company franchises. These special activations offer participants unique opportunities to network and engage directly with ideas shaping the future. Highlights include:

• Convene continues as the venue partner for the Innovation Festival Hub
• IBM will feature an interactive AI-powered racing game and host the closing party
• Innovate Alabama will present an immersive experience that highlights the advantages of living and working in Alabama
• Maven AGI will sponsor a dinner dedicated to the Fast Company Impact Council
• NYU Langone Health will host a dinner discussing AI's transformative role in healthcare
• SAP Labs' dinner will examine agentic AI topics
• Teton Ridge, the premier Western sports and entertainment company, will be sponsoring the festival's opening night party, bringing country and western to NYC with country music star Chancey Williams, a singer-songwriter and former saddle bronc rider
• Texas A&M University, a 2025 Innovation by Design honoree, will sponsor the IBD honoree reception
• Uber for Business will engage attendees with an on-site interactive quiz and gifting
• Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) will sponsor the Best Workplaces for Innovators honoree celebration
• Wellhub will host a dinner with senior HR executives and leaders exploring how companies of all sizes can create cultures of well-being at their organizations

About Fast Company
Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with fellow business publication Inc. For more information, please visit fastcompany.com.

SOURCE Fast Company