Data Center World 2026 Expands to Meet the AI Era, Uniting Innovation, Capital and Policy Leadership

Innovation Challenge, Investor Briefing, and New Policy Summit Convenes Industry Leaders to Accelerate Action

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Data Center World today announced a significantly expanded 2026 program lineup when it returns April 20–23 to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C., positioning the industry at the center of the AI era. Anchored by a record-breaking expo floor, the event brings together data center experts and thought leaders with new conference experiences and executive forums.

The 2026 edition highlights “Innovation at Scale” and will feature a record-breaking 500 solution providers and is on pace to sell out, with more than 20% growth in exhibitors compared to 2025. As a result, the show has doubled its expo floor programming which now spans two dedicated theaters showcasing dynamic content, including the Rack and Stack Competition and Solution Spotlights.

“We’ve designed Data Center World 2026 to give attendees more than insights. It’s built to deliver practical strategies, meaningful connections and direct access to the technologies shaping the future of digital infrastructure,” said Tara Gibb, Senior Director, Data Center World. “From engaging with emerging startups to participating in critical conversations around AI, energy and policy, attendees will leave with the knowledge, partnerships and perspective needed to build and operate the next generation of data centers.”

Data Center World 2026 returns with its signature programs designed to spotlight innovation, shape policy conversations and recognize industry leadership, as well as premieres a new offering:

• Reimagined Innovation Challenge: Powered by ABB, the most promising 24 startups transforming the data center landscape will pitch their breakthrough technologies directly to venture capitalists, hyperscalers, utilities and enterprise leaders, while also showcasing their solutions in the dedicated Innovation Alley exhibit space. Winners will receive keynote-stage recognition and industry-wide exposure.
• Investor Briefing: Hosted as a one-day summit on Monday, April 20, this finance-focused forum helps attendees decode the rapidly evolving data center market and better understand the investment landscape shaping digital infrastructure. Featuring expert-led presentations, analyst insights and executive panels, the program will examine key trends, capital requirements and growth opportunities driven by AI and hyperscale expansion.
• NEW Public Policy Forum: Presented in partnership with ITI, the leading global technology advocate, this one-day forum on April 23 will convene policymakers, data center executives and community leaders to address the critical policy decisions shaping the industry’s future. Leveraging its Washington, D.C. location, the forum will examine federal priorities for digital infrastructure under the Trump Administration’s AI Action Plan, as well as national standards for energy access and permitting for new developments. The program will also explore how the industry is working with communities to address challenges and highlight the data center ecosystem’s role in driving employment and technical innovation.

2026 Lifetime Achievement Award

The Data Center World Awards will recognize Joseph Kava, a pioneering leader in hyperscale infrastructure, with its prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award. The honor celebrates Kava’s lasting contributions to data center design, sustainability and operational excellence, as well as his leadership in advancing global infrastructure to support cloud computing and AI at scale.

To register for passes to the show, visit www.datacenterworld.com.

Submissions for sponsors and exhibitors are open until March 20. Please contact Sandra Kupiec at [e-mail] for additional details.

Interested media can register for a press pass here.

ABOUT DATA CENTER WORLD
Data Center World is the leading global conference for data-center facilities and IT professionals, delivering premier education, expansive networking, and the widest access to best-in-class vendors. For more than 40 years, the event has helped data center and IT infrastructure leaders navigate an increasingly complex and AI-driven landscape. The event provides top-quality, vendor-neutral insights that empower professionals to solve real-world challenges. CIO Dive named Data Center World one of the top technology conferences to attend in 2024 for the second consecutive year. Additionally, for the third year in a row, Data Center World has been recognized by Trade Show Executive as a fast-growing trade show.

Data Center World 2026 will be held April 20–23 in Washington, D.C., uniting thousands of senior practitioners and hundreds of solution providers to explore the future of AI-ready infrastructure, sustainable power, edge and hyperscale innovation, and next-generation facilities.

Data Center World continues to expand its global footprint. To access the Data Center World Global Event series, visit Data Center World's Global Events.

Data Center World is produced by Informa PLC in partnership with AFCOM.

ABOUT AFCOM
AFCOM advances data center and IT professionals by delivering comprehensive and vendor-neutral education and peer-to-peer networking to its members around the world. Through forward-looking research, AFCOM supports thousands of IT, operations, facilities, builders/designers and vendors working in the data center and IT infrastructure industry. In serving the data center industry for more than 40 years, AFCOM has earned recognition as the market leader in educating, connecting and guiding the data center community.