CES 2026 in Las Vegas continues its role as the most powerful tech event in the world, where global brands, startups, investors, and policymakers come to see what is next in technology. From AI and robotics to digital health, mobility, and smart home, the show sets the agenda for the year ahead.
Running across multiple venues in Las Vegas, CES brings together the entire tech ecosystem to launch products, build partnerships, and close deals in person. In 2025, more than 142,000 participants and over 4,500 exhibitors gathered at the show, highlighting the scale you can expect again in 2026.
This guide explains what CES 2026 is, who attends, what the program looks like, and how to plan your travel and meetings so you leave Las Vegas with real outcomes instead of scattered conversations.
What Is CES 2026?
CES (originally the Consumer Electronics Show) is an annual trade show organized by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). It has run since 1967 and is now widely recognized as the flagship global event for consumer and enterprise technology.
Today, CES covers far more than traditional electronics. Core themes include:
- Artificial intelligence and agentic AI
- Digital health and medical technology
- Vehicle tech and advanced mobility
- Robotics and automation
- Smart home and IoT
- Sustainability, energy and climate tech
- Entertainment, content, and advertising technology
Exhibitors range from global names like NVIDIA, Samsung, LG, and Qualcomm to thousands of startups in Eureka Park, the startup zone that showcases early stage companies from nearly 40 countries.
CES is a business event, not a consumer expo. It is designed for industry professionals who want access to real demos, decision makers, and meetings that drive sales cycles and partnerships.
You can view the CES listing on Vendelux here: CES 2026 on Vendelux.
When And Where Is CES 2026 Taking Place?
CES 2026 will take place from January 6 to 9, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The event is centered on the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) and spreads across a network of official venues grouped into three main campuses:
- LVCC Campus: Central Plaza, Central Hall, North Hall, West Hall, and South Halls
- Venetian Campus: Venetian Expo and meeting levels that host many B2B brands and Eureka Park
- C Space Campus: Focused on content, media, advertising, and partnerships
With 12 official venues and more than 2.5 million net square feet of exhibits, expect long walking days and a spread of exhibitors across the Strip and LVCC area.
Who’s Coming To CES 2026?
Official numbers for 2026 will publish after the show, but the audited 2025 data gives a clear picture of who you will meet:
Recent CES editions have included:
- 142,465 participants (2025 total audited attendance)
- 4,500+ exhibitors, including around 1,400 startups in Eureka Park
- 6,500+ media and content creators
- Attendees from 150+ countries, regions, and territories
- Representation from 305 Fortune Global 500 companies
- 300+ conference sessions with 1,200+ speakers
The attendee profile is strongly senior:
- Around 53 percent senior-level (board, founders, C-suite, VP, director)
- Thousands of C-level executives across AI, health, mobility, retail, media, and more
You can expect a mix of:
- Device manufacturers, component suppliers, and semiconductor companies
- AI and software vendors
- Mobility, automotive, and logistics innovators
- Health tech and medtech players
- Retail, eCommerce, and payments firms
- Agencies, media companies, and adtech platforms
- Investors, analysts, and corporate development teams
Why This Audience Matters
CES compresses a year of outreach into four focused days:
- High-value buyers in one place: Budget owners and product leaders attend with mandates for partnerships and roadmapping.
- Cross-industry reach: You meet teams from automotive, health, retail, fintech, media, telecom, and more in a single trip.
- Startup and scaleup mix: Large enterprises scout for partners and acquisitions, while startups pitch pilots and joint projects.
If you sell into tech, mobility, health, retail, media, or adjacent markets, CES can move deals forward faster than months of email and video calls.
Who Will Be Speaking At CES 2026?
The full CES 2026 program is still evolving, but 2025 gives a guide to the level of speakers you can expect.
Recent editions have featured:
- CEOs and presidents from global brands in AI, automotive, retail, and telecom
- Founders and CTOs shaping AI, robotics, chip design, and cloud platforms
- Policy leaders and diplomats discussing regulation, privacy, and global tech standards
- Investors and analysts covering innovation, funding, and market shifts
Keynotes in 2025 highlighted:
- Agentic and physical AI, including AI for robotics and autonomous systems
- Digital health breakthroughs, remote diagnostics, and new care models
- Mobility and EV platforms, software-defined vehicles, and in-cabin experiences
- Sustainability, smart cities, and energy transitions
For 2026, expect a similar combination of flagship keynotes, fireside chats, and vertical tracks that cover both long term vision and practical deployment.
What Kind Of Sponsors And Exhibitions Will There Be?
The CES show floor is one of the most diverse in the global trade show calendar. In 2025, more than 4,500 exhibitors showed products and platforms across the full tech stack.
You can expect exhibitors from:
- AI and cloud computing: foundation models, agentic AI tools, edge AI, and developer platforms
- Consumer electronics: displays, TVs, audio, mobile, wearables, and accessories
- Smart home and IoT: security, energy management, appliances, and standard-based platforms like Matter
- Vehicle tech and mobility: EVs, charging infrastructure, in-car software, and autonomous systems
- Digital health: diagnostics, wearables, telehealth, and hospital technology
- Robotics and automation: service robots, industrial robotics, and logistics solutions
- Fintech and payments: embedded finance, retail tech, and checkout innovation
- Media, content, and advertising: measurement, adtech, martech, and creative platforms
Eureka Park remains a focal point for early stage companies, national pavilions, and venture activity, with startups clustered by region and theme.
What Kind Of Sessions Are There At CES 2026?
CES blends a large trade show with a substantial conference program. Session tracks typically include:
- Artificial Intelligence
- Generative and agentic AI
- AI safety, governance, and regulation
- AI for industry verticals (health, automotive, finance, media)
- Digital Health
- Remote care, telehealth, and hospital systems
- Health wearables and diagnostics
- Data privacy and interoperability
- Vehicle Tech and Advanced Mobility
- Software-defined vehicles and connected car platforms
- EV infrastructure and charging networks
- Autonomous capabilities and safety frameworks
- Sustainability and Energy
- Smart grids and home energy systems
- Climate tech, materials innovation, and circular design
- Smart Home and IoT
- Interoperability standards
- Security and privacy in connected environments
- Content, Media, and Advertising
- Streaming, measurement, and attention metrics
- AI in creative production and personalization
Sessions range from main stage keynotes and fireside chats to deep technical talks, analyst briefings, and startup pitch sessions across the campuses.
What To Expect From CES 2026 – Is The Event Worth It?
CES aims to be the place where the tech industry sets its yearly agenda. For many teams, the value comes from three layers:
- Signal on future roadmaps
- You see where categories like AI, mobility, and smart home are actually heading, beyond press releases.
- You see where categories like AI, mobility, and smart home are actually heading, beyond press releases.
- Real products, not only slideware
- Exhibitors bring working demos, early hardware, and software that you can test and discuss with engineering leads.
- Exhibitors bring working demos, early hardware, and software that you can test and discuss with engineering leads.
- Concentrated meetings
- Enterprise buyers, partners, investors, and media plan their CES calendars months in advance.
- You have a four day window where key stakeholders are within a short walk or shuttle ride.
If you are in product, partnerships, sales, strategy, or investment in tech-driven sectors, CES is one of the few events that consistently influences roadmaps, portfolio bets, and partner selections.
Why Should You Attend CES 2026?
CTA frames CES as the global stage for innovation and the most powerful tech event in the world.
Reasons teams come back every year:
- Business development
- Meet current customers and prospects in person
- Advance deals from evaluation to pilot or contract
- Partnerships and ecosystem
- Explore integrations with platforms, devices, and services
- Compare channel and distribution opportunities across markets
- Product and strategy insight
- Validate your roadmap against competitor and partner directions
- Spot adjacent markets and emerging use cases early
- Brand and PR
- Launch products in front of global media and analysts
- Capture content, demos, and references for the rest of the year
For buyers, CES is one of the best ways to understand what is real, what is hype, and which vendors align with your technical requirements.
Leverage Attendee Insights: Who’s Attending And How To Prepare
Before you lock in budget and travel, it helps to know which accounts and segments will actually be in Las Vegas.
Using Vendelux, revenue and marketing teams can:
- Upload or build an ICP list and see which accounts are expected at CES 2026
- Filter by seniority, function, and region to find the people who match your deal criteria
- Identify Fortune 500 and global brands that already attend at scale each year
- Use Vendelux Meetings to pre-book time with qualified buyers instead of hoping for chance encounters
Recent audits show more than half of CES participants are senior-level executives and that more than 300 Fortune Global 500 companies attend.
How to use that in your planning:
- Segment your outreach by tier (strategic accounts, active opportunities, net new targets)
- Create meeting menus that map to buyer roles: product, IT, procurement, partnerships
- Schedule working sessions during quieter hours, not only quick booth tours
- Align internal teams so marketing, sales, and product have a shared view of target meetings
Things To Consider Before Registering For CES 2026
Registration policies and pricing can change each year, but the structure is fairly stable. Check the official CES site for the latest details.
Key planning points:
- Pass type
- Decide if you only need access to the exhibit floor and keynotes, or if you want the full conference program.
- Some international delegations and industry groups provide combined travel and pass packages.
- Eligibility
- CES is for industry professionals. You will be asked to verify your business affiliation during registration.
- CES is for industry professionals. You will be asked to verify your business affiliation during registration.
- Team mix
- Clarify who is focused on sales meetings, who covers vendor scouting, and who attends sessions.
- Avoid sending a large team that overlaps on the same goals.
- Budget
- Include pass costs, hotel, flights, local transport, and hosted events.
- Add a line for meeting rooms or hospitality suites if you plan to host partner or customer roundtables.
Plan Your Visit To CES 2026 And What To Do After Hours
CES takes over Las Vegas, so logistics matter as much as content.
Getting around
- CES operates across LVCC, Venetian, and C Space campuses with shuttles, monorail access, and rideshare options.
- Plan extra time between venues, especially for sessions at different campuses.
After hours
Evenings during CES fill up quickly:
- Vendor receptions, invite-only dinners, and networking events happen across the Strip and nearby properties.
- Popular spots for meetings include lounges and restaurants at venues like the Venetian, Wynn, Resorts World, Aria, and Bellagio.
Plan a mix of:
- Pre-booked dinners with key accounts
- Open blocks for receptions and spontaneous meetups
- A few short breaks so your team stays sharp for meetings and demos
Las Vegas also offers shows, casinos, and attractions like the Sphere, the High Roller, and the Bellagio fountains if you want to host more informal client evenings.
Tips When Traveling To CES 2026 + Hotels
Book accommodation early
CES is a citywide event and room rates climb as January approaches. Focus on:
- Hotels near LVCC (Westgate, Renaissance, Marriott properties) for easy access
- Strip properties along the monorail route for better movement between campuses
- Properties with meeting spaces or suites if you plan to host customer sessions
Packing and comfort
CTA’s own travel tips highlight a few basics:
- You will walk a lot. Bring very comfortable shoes.
- Las Vegas can be cool or rainy in January. Pack a warm jacket and an umbrella.
- Carry a portable charger, badge, and a simple notebook for quick notes in between sessions.
Local considerations
- Arrange airport transfers in advance where possible, especially for early arrivals.
- Keep an eye on badge pickup locations and hours so the first morning does not disappear in a single line.
Summary: Careful Planning Helps You Get Full Value From CES 2026
CES 2026 is more than a showcase of gadgets. It is a dense, four day environment where technology leaders, startups, investors, and policymakers share their roadmaps and make decisions that shape the next year. With more than 140,000 participants, thousands of exhibitors, and high senior representation, the event can transform your pipeline and product strategy if you plan it properly.
To get the most from the trip:
- Define clear goals across learning, vendor assessment, and revenue outcomes.
- Use Vendelux to identify which accounts and contacts will be on site and pre-book meetings.
- Align your internal team so sessions, demos, and meetings support a single plan instead of random activity.
- Treat logistics, hotels, and after-hours hosting as part of your strategy, not an afterthought.
With the right preparation, CES 2026 can deliver a year’s worth of product insight, partnerships, and pipeline in one focused week.
