May 11 – 14, 2026   |   Education May 12 – 14, 2026   |   Exhibits Detroit, MI   |   Huntington Place

DEADLINE: October 3, 2025

XPONENTIAL 2026 Call for Presentations

  • XPONENTIAL 2026 CALL FOR PRESENTATIONS
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We’re reimagining what it means to convene the leaders, builders, and bold thinkers behind the future of autonomy — and we want your voice to shape what’s next.
At XPONENTIAL 2026, we’re not just talking about the future of autonomy — we’re building it. This is no longer your typical industry conference. It’s a working forum where groundbreaking technologies meet real-world implementation. Where policy meets practice. Where strategy meets urgency. And where the stakes are too high for business-as-usual.
We are actively seeking provocative, insightful, and forward-leaning proposals that bring clarity to complex issues, provoke meaningful discussion, and provide practical takeaways for stakeholders across sectors. Whether you’re a regulator writing the rules, an engineer designing systems to scale, or an end user navigating operational hurdles, your voice helps drive the industry forward.

What We're Looking For
We want submissions that:
  • Tackle today’s toughest challenges – Address regulatory, technical, or operational hurdles facing autonomy and uncrewed systems.
  • Bring cross-sector and end-user perspectives – Share insights from defense, infrastructure, logistics, public safety, energy, agriculture, and beyond.
  • Spotlight what’s emerging – Highlight new technologies, trends, or applications shaping the future of autonomy.
  • Drive hard conversations – Explore tradeoffs, risks, ethical dilemmas, or lessons learned from failure.
  • Connect disciplines – Break out of silos and illustrate how your work intersects with security, economics, infrastructure, or global competitiveness.
 
Our audience includes policymakers, engineers, developers, procurement officers, startup founders, program managers, academics, investors, and decision-makers from across the globe. Your session should help them see around corners, avoid missteps, and move forward faster.

XPONENTIAL is Different
XPONENTIAL isn’t just another industry conference — it’s where:
  • Policy is shaped, not just discussed
  • Operational barriers are confronted, not glossed over
  • Unexpected connections lead to accelerated progress
  • Cross-sector alignment saves time and energy
We’re curating a program that reflects what matters now and what’s next — from compliance and certification to autonomy at scale, spectrum access, workforce development, and international collaboration.

Proposal Considerations
XPONENTIAL 2026 will feature a range of formats — including panels, lectures, technical presentations, roundtables, fireside chats, debates, and workshops — designed to spark discussion and drive action.
Submissions will be evaluated based on:
  • Relevance, clarity, and timeliness of topic
  • Speaker credentials and subject matter expertise
  • Program balance across sectors and use cases
  • Practicality and originality of insights
  • Thoughtfulness and completeness of proposal

Ready to Shape the Future?
Our industry will only go as far as leaders like you take it. Bring your perspective, your data, your use cases — and join us at the table where autonomy’s next chapter is being written.
Check back soon for a pdf 'preview' of the submission form.

Programming Format:
XPONENTIAL 2026 programming will be offered in a variety of formats:
  • Breakout Sessions: May 11-14
    • Lecture / Fireside Chat – 20 minutes | 1–2 speakers
      Fast-paced, high-impact conversations or solo spotlights designed to inspire and deliver sharp, actionable insights. Perfect for bold ideas, lessons learned, or visionary perspectives.
    • Interactive Panel – 50 minutes | up to 5 speakers including moderator
      Not your typical panel—moderators will actively involve the audience in shaping the discussion, bringing fresh perspectives and sparking real-time problem-solving.
    • Debate – 50 minutes | up to 3 participants
      Structured debates where opposing viewpoints tackle a high-stakes question. Includes audience Q&A to challenge assumptions and test the strength of each side’s argument.
    • Hands-On Workshop – 90–120 minutes | variable speakers
      Roll up your sleeves and work through a real-world challenge. Ideal for technical skills, policy application exercises, or collaborative problem mapping.
    • Government & Industry Roundtable – 50 minutes | 1–2 facilitators + participants
      Closed or open-door discussions focused on aligning priorities, clarifying requirements, and forging partnerships across sectors. These sessions are developed and delivered by Government Agencies.
    • Technical Briefings & Emerging Tech Sessions – 20 minutes | 1 speaker
      Concise, data-rich presentations that distill complex technical work into clear, applicable takeaways. These sessions focus on innovations, research breakthroughs, prototype testing, and performance data—always framed around real-world implementation and operational impact.
  • Sponsored Sessions: May 11-14
    • 25 - 45 minutes
    • Sponsored Sessions allow companies to share their solutions and latest advancements or developments with the community, allowing them to reach new customers and gather leads.
    • To learn more about this opportunity, please email Krys Jackson or Brett Babcock
Important Proposal Dates (click to expand)
  • Deadline to Submit: October 3, 2025
  • Accepted Proposals Notified: Week of December 15, 2025
  • Confirmations Due: January 9, 2026
  • Program published: January 30, 2026
XPONENTIAL 2026 Educational Tracks (click to expand)
  • Policy, Governance & Global Strategy
    • As autonomy continues to scale across air, ground, and maritime domains, the policies and governance frameworks that guide integration must evolve just as rapidly. This track brings together federal, state, local, tribal, and international stakeholders to address the complex policy landscape shaping the future of autonomous systems. Sessions will explore how government and industry can align around regulatory pathways, spectrum allocation, CUAS authorities, certification, and public trust, while also tackling critical issues such as infrastructure sharing, cross-border harmonization, and ethical deployment.
  • Strategic Resilience
    • From cyberattacks on industrial systems to geopolitical disruptions and constrained access to critical components, today’s uncrewed and autonomous systems industry must operate with resilience as a baseline requirement. These sessions explore how companies and integrators are responding to increasing external pressures, not by tracking policy shifts alone, but by transforming how they design, build, and secure their systems. Topics include supply chain visibility, secure-by-design principles, zero-trust architecture, export control preparedness, and reducing reliance on foreign-sourced components.
  • Technology in Motion 
    • These sessions explore the core technologies, systems, and engineering breakthroughs powering the next generation of uncrewed and autonomous systems. From advanced materials and propulsion to AI-driven perception and control systems, these sessions dive into the R&D, integration, and prototyping efforts shaping air, ground, and maritime autonomy. Attendees will gain insight into algorithm development, sensor fusion, energy efficiency, testing environments, and the complex interplay between hardware, software, and human-centered design. Emerging topics like generative AI, verification and validation, quantum influence, and modular architectures will also be explored in the context of real-world deployments. 
  • Enterprise Operations & Ecosystem Integration
    • Scaling autonomy from pilot to full deployment requires a layered ecosystem of infrastructure, data systems, and operational strategy. This track explores how autonomy is integrated into complex environments, from airports and ports to corridors, cities, and digital platforms. Sessions will examine the infrastructure, networks, and data architectures enabling logistics, delivery, inspection, and mobility use cases. Discussions will focus on systems-level coordination, predictive performance, physical and digital infrastructure design, and actionable insights that support long-term operations.
  • Building the Workforce of Autonomy
    • As the uncrewed systems and autonomy sectors grow, so does the need for a workforce equipped with the skills to design, build, operate, and support these technologies. Sessions will spotlight curriculum innovation, credentialing models, apprenticeship programs, workforce readiness strategies, and re-skilling initiatives, with a focus on bridging education and employment. From STEM engagement to community college programs, career pathways, and veteran transitions, attendees will discover how partnerships are being forged to meet the moment and shape the future.
  • Autonomy in Action
    • This track focuses on the business case, funding models, and operational value of uncrewed and autonomous systems. Designed for both innovators and end users, these sessions highlight how organizations across sectors are funding, adopting, and scaling autonomy, from industrial inspection and infrastructure monitoring to logistics, security, and environmental conservation. With a focus on implementation and impact, speakers will share use cases, ROI insights, and strategies for navigating procurement, pilot-to-scale transitions, and public-private partnerships. Whether you're building a solution or considering how to deploy one, this track delivers actionable perspectives on where autonomy works, and why.

 

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