Global Conferences That Shape Business, Innovation, and Industry
Every year, a small number of global conferences shape what comes next for business. These are not generic trade shows or networking events. They are agenda-setting convenings where executives, founders, policymakers, investors, and technologists align on priorities, debate emerging challenges, and form the relationships that drive real economic activity.
Connected Know list of top conferences help founders, business leaders, and operators understand where influence concentrates and which events matter most, even if you never step foot inside the venue.
Below is a curated, filterable list of global conferences across technology, finance, healthcare, retail, sports, mobility, and manufacturing.
Sector | Conference | Timing | Website |
|---|---|---|---|
Global Economy | World Economic Forum (WEF) – Davos | January | https://www.weforum.org |
Technology | CES (Consumer Electronics Show) | January | https://www.ces.tech |
Retail / Commerce | NRF: Retail’s Big Show | January | https://nrf.com/ |
Healthcare | JPMorgan Healthcare Conference | January | https://www.jpmorgan.com/healthcareconference |
Healthcare | Arab Health | January | https://www.arabhealthonline.com |
Sports & Entertainment | NACDA Leadership Conference | June | https://www.nacda.com |
Technology | MWC (Mobile World Congress) | February | https://www.mwcbarcelona.com |
Technology | SXSW | March | https://www.sxsw.com |
Technology | NVIDIA GTC | March | https://www.nvidia.com/gtc |
Retail / Commerce | Shoptalk | March | https://shoptalk.com |
Retail / Commerce | Adobe Summit | April | https://business.adobe.com/summit |
Sports & Entertainment | MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference | March | https://www.sloansportsconference.com |
Technology | RSA Conference | March | https://www.rsaconference.com |
Sports & Entertainment | Sports Business Journal – World Congress of Sports | April | https://www.worldcongressofsports.com |
Automotive | Auto Shanghai | April | https://www.autoshanghai.org |
Industrial / Manufacturing | Hannover Messe | April | https://www.hannovermesse.de |
Industrial / Manufacturing | Bauma | April (triennial) | https://bauma.de |
Global Economy | Milken Institute Global Conference | May | https://milkeninstitute.org/events/global-conference |
Finance | Consensus (CoinDesk) | May | https://consensus.coindesk.com |
Automotive | ACT Expo | May | https://www.actexpo.com |
Healthcare | BIO International Convention | June | https://www.bio.org/events/bio-international-convention |
Technology | MOVE | June | https://www.terrapinn.com/exhibition/move-america/index.stm |
Automotive | AutoTech: Detroit | June | https://www.autotechdetroit.com |
Sports & Entertainment | Comic-Con International (San Diego) | July | https://www.comic-con.org |
Sports & Entertainment | Sports Licensing & Tailgate Show (SLATS) | January | https://sportstailgateshow.com/ |
Sports & Entertainment | National Sports Collectors Convention (NSCC) | July / August | https://nsccshow.com |
Gaming / Entertainment | Gamescom | August | https://www.gamescom.global |
Finance | Sibos (SWIFT) | September | https://www.sibos.com |
Industrial / Manufacturing | IMTS (International Manufacturing Technology Show) | September (biennial) | https://www.imts.com |
Automotive | IAA Mobility | September | https://www.iaa-mobility.com |
Technology | TechCrunch Disrupt | October | https://techcrunch.com/events |
Global Economy | Fortune Global Forum | September | https://fortune.com/conferences |
Global Economy | Money20/20 (USA) | October | https://www.money2020.com |
Global Economy | Forbes Global CEO Conference | October | https://www.forbes.com/global-ceo-conference |
Healthcare | HLTH Conference | October | https://www.hlth.com |
Sports & Entertainment | G2E (Global Gaming Expo) | October | https://www.globalgamingexpo.com |
Finance | IMF & World Bank Annual Meetings | October | https://www.imf.org/en/Meetings |
Healthcare | MEDICA | November | https://www.medica-tradefair.com |
Technology | AWS re:Invent | November | https://reinvent.awsevents.com |
Connected Know curates and maintains this global conferences resource to help founders, executives, operators, and investors understand where business conversations with real economic impact take place.
The conferences listed above span technology, finance, retail, healthcare, sports, mobility, manufacturing, and global economic policy. While not every event is meant to be attended, each plays a role in shaping industry trends, investment priorities, regulatory direction, and market behavior.
For business leaders based in Rochester and other growth markets, tracking insights from global conferences such as CES, the World Economic Forum, NRF, SXSW, and Forbes Global Forum provides early visibility into what will influence hiring, technology adoption, consumer behavior, and competitive strategy in the months and years ahead.