Upcoming Events:22 June 2026 - 25 June 2026
Location:
About the Event
Dust off your passports and prepare to plug in. Automate, North America’s most titan-sized and influential automation expo, is making a grand return to Chicago’s McCormick Place from June 22-25, 2026. Hosted by the Association for Advancing Automation (A3), this is the definitive pilgrimage for anyone looking to see, touch, and truly get to grips with the future of manufacturing and logistics. If it involves a robotic arm, a hyper-intelligent camera, or an AI that’s considerably sharper than your average smart-kettle, you’ll find it here.
Following a record-shattering 2025 outing in Detroit—which saw more than 45,000 people descend on the show floor—expectations for the Chicago leg are nothing short of stratospheric. Automate has evolved into the essential summit for C-suite execs, engineers, and factory floor visionaries who are done with the “Industry 4.0” marketing fluff and are ready to actually build it. The exhibition floor is a sprawling silicon metropolis, showcasing everything from heavy-duty six-axis industrial giants to the latest collaborative cobots and autonomous mobile platforms.
This isn’t just a tyre-kicking exercise for the curious. Attendees arrive with real-world headaches and serious shopping lists. The event is tailor-made for professionals across the spectrum—aerospace, automotive, life sciences, and consumer goods—searching for tangible ways to tackle labour shortages, unblock supply chains, and meet the relentless demand for efficiency. Whether you’re dipping your toes into robotics for the first time or scaling up a massive existing fleet, Automate is the ultimate one-stop shop for the hardware, software, and intellectual firepower needed to get the job done.
The four-day event is split between a massive, free-to-enter exhibition and a premium educational conference. The former is where you witness the tech in its element; the latter is where you learn how to make it sing, with sessions led by the brightest sparks in the automation world.
Key Numbers
Past Automate events have set some seriously high benchmarks. While we wait for the 2026 stats to be tallied, the 2025 Detroit show gives a clear indication of the sheer scale of the thing:
- 45,000+ registrants: A record-breaking crowd of attendees from every corner of the globe hit the 2025 show.
- 900+ exhibitors: The sold-out 2025 floor was a massive ecosystem of tech providers, from established industry titans to disruptive startups.
- 400,000 square feet: The 2025 exhibition space was a gargantuan showcase of cutting-edge tech.
- 140+ conference sessions: The paid conference offers deep-dive insights into the industry’s most pressing challenges.
- $10,000 prize: The Automate Startup Challenge hands a cool $10,000 to the most innovative young firm in the field.
Important Dates
While the full schedule of deadlines for the conference programme is still being finalised, make sure these dates are firmly in your diary.
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Automate Startup Challenge | June 22, 2026 |
| Exhibition & Conference | June 22-25, 2026 |
| Exhibitor Registration & Conference Submission Deadlines | To Be Announced |
Keep a close eye on the official Automate website for updates on paper submissions and early-bird registration for the conference.
Venue & Getting There
Automate 2026 will be held at the colossal McCormick Place, located at 2301 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Chicago, Illinois. As the largest convention centre in North America, it’s a fitting stage for the continent’s biggest automation show.
- By Air: Chicago is served by two major international hubs, O’Hare (ORD) and Midway (MDW), both offering excellent transport links to the city centre and the venue.
- By Public Transport: The Metra Electric Line has a dedicated stop right beneath McCormick Place. Several CTA bus routes serve the venue directly, and the Cermak–McCormick Place station on the ‘L’ Green Line is just a short stroll away.
- Accommodation: There’s a vast array of hotels in the vicinity. Official hotel blocks with discounted rates are usually announced on the Automate website as the event approaches.
Key Themes
The conference and exhibition floor are built around the core pillars of modern automation. Expect deep dives and world-first reveals in the following sectors:
- AI & Smart Automation: Discovering how artificial intelligence, machine learning, and computer vision are making systems more intuitive and adaptable than ever.
- Robotics: Applications, Systems & Innovations: From heavy-payload industrial arms to the latest cobots and the much-anticipated Humanoid Robot Forum, this is the beating heart of the show.
- Machine Vision & Imaging: A focus on the “eyes” of the operation, covering advanced optics, 3D imaging, and the inspection systems that guarantee precision.
- Motion Control & Motors: The fundamental bits and bobs that make things move, including the latest in drives, motors, and conveyance systems.
- Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) & Logistics: Demos and sessions focused on streamlining the supply chain and warehousing with intelligent, mobile platforms.
Competitions
Automate Startup Challenge
A perennial highlight, the Automate Startup Challenge pits ten of the world’s most promising early-stage automation firms against one another. Finalists pitch their tech live on stage to a panel of industry veterans and VC heavyweights, competing for a $10,000 cash prize and invaluable industry kudos. The showdown is set for Monday, June 22—essential viewing for anyone looking to spot the next unicorn.
Student Challenges
Automate is also looking to the future, investing heavily in the next generation of engineering talent. The event features several robotics competitions for students, including the VEX Robotics High School Contest, giving young innovators a chance to show off their skills on a global stage.
Exhibition & Industry
The Automate show floor is effectively a city in its own right. With over 900 exhibitors at the last count, you can expect to see every major player in the game. Industry heavyweights like FANUC, KUKA, Universal Robots, Cognex, and Yaskawa will be out in force with massive stands showcasing their latest platforms.
Beyond the household names, the floor is a goldmine of discovery. You’ll find hundreds of specialist firms offering everything from bespoke end-of-arm tooling and advanced sensors to game-changing software. Dedicated areas, such as the Humanoid Robot Pavilion and the Education Pavilion, provide a focused look at specific niches within the industry.
Schedule at a Glance
A detailed day-by-day itinerary will be released closer to the date, but the general flow of the week is as follows:
- Monday, June 22: Show Floor Open (10:00 - 17:00), Conference Sessions, Automate Startup Challenge (15:00 - 17:00)
- Tuesday, June 23: Show Floor Open (10:00 - 17:00), Conference Sessions, Keynotes
- Wednesday, June 24: Show Floor Open (10:00 - 17:00), Conference Sessions, Keynotes
- Thursday, June 25: Show Floor Open (10:00 - 15:00), Final Conference Sessions
Registration
The best bit? It won’t cost you a penny to witness the future first-hand.
- Exhibition Registration: Access to the main show floor, keynotes, and theatre presentations is completely free.
- Conference Registration: The deep-dive technical conference requires a paid pass. Pricing tiers (including single-day and all-access passes) and early-bird deadlines will be posted on the official site.
You can sign up for updates and bag your free expo pass at the official Automate Show website.
