NextGen extends 2026 award, speaker submission deadlines amid strong industry interest

The response to the 2026 NextGen Supply Chain Conference awards program has been strong, and organizers are extending the submission deadline to provide companies additional time to complete their submissions for this year’s revamped recognition program.

The new deadline for award submissions is now June 1, 2026.

Conference organizers are also extending the deadline for speaker submissions to June 1, allowing practitioners and end users additional time to submit proposals focused on real-world supply chain challenges, execution strategies, and measurable business outcomes.

The 2026 NextGen Supply Chain Conference, taking place Oct. 21–23, 2026, at the W Nashville in Nashville, Tennessee, has revamped its awards program this year to place greater emphasis on operational execution, measurable transformation, and real-world deployment of AI, automation, and digital technologies.

“The level of engagement and early interest we’ve seen across both the awards program and conference agenda development has been extremely encouraging,” said Brian Straight, technical director of the event and Editor in Chief of Supply Chain Management Review. “Extending the deadlines ensure organizations that are currently finalizing submissions or coordinating internally still have an opportunity to participate.”

A stronger focus on execution

The updated awards program reflects the changing realities of modern supply chains. AI, automation, and digital transformation are now operational imperatives. The 2026 awards are designed to recognize companies moving beyond pilots and theory into scaled execution and measurable business impact.

As in previous years, the conference will recognize both End User organizations and Solution Providers.

End User awards recognize organizations that have successfully operationalized technology and transformation initiatives in production environments. Solution Provider awards honor firms delivering measurable customer impact through deployed technologies and services.

Both end users and solution providers will be recognized in the following categories:

• Intelligent Transformation Award: Recognizing organizations embedding AI and advanced technologies into day-to-day supply chain operations at scale.
• Autonomous Operations Award: Honoring organizations deploying robotics and automation to drive measurable operational improvements.

Special recognition awards

Additional recognition categories include:

• Startup Award: Spotlighting emerging companies demonstrating innovation, differentiation, and market traction.
• Partnership in Execution Award: New for 2026, recognizing collaborative success between end users and solution providers or consulting partners delivering measurable business outcomes together.

The Partnership in Execution Award reflects a reality that transformation increasingly depends on successful collaboration across organizations, technologies, and operational teams.

All award winners are required to attend the conference and present as part of the conference agenda.

Expanding participation across the conference

In addition to the awards program, the conference agenda continues to take shape with several keynote presentations and featured sessions already confirmed.

Among the announced keynote presentations is the 2026 Visionary Keynote from Tractor Supply. Colin Yankee, chief supply chain officer for Tractor Supply, will accept the Visionary Award and sit for a fireside chat to discuss the company’s approach to redesigning its supply chain.

The Friday morning keynote will be delivered by Dr. Mar G. Gimeno, associate vice president of U.S. Supply Chain and Global Launches for Eli Lily.

Additional practitioner-led sessions and industry speakers among the conference’ four focus areas (logistics and fulfillment, retail, food & beverage, and chemicals/pharmaceuticals) are being added daily. Among the companies confirmed to be speaker are Amazon, Fanatics, Mars, DP World, Penske Logistics, Target, Evonik, and Johnson & Johnson.

The conference continues to prioritize end-user-driven discussions centered on execution, workforce transformation, operational resilience, AI deployment, automation, and supply chain strategy.

The conference is expected to host approximately 250 senior-level supply chain, logistics, procurement, manufacturing, and operations executives.

How to get involved

Organizations interested in participating in the 2026 NextGen Supply Chain Conference can:

• Submit for an award (new deadline: June 1). Click here.
• Apply to speak by proposing a session focused on operational execution and measurable outcomes (new deadline: June 1). Click here.
• Register to attend. Click here.
• Explore sponsorship opportunities to engage directly with a highly targeted executive audience. Click here.

The 2026 conference theme—Innovate. Upskill. Transform.—reflects the continued focus on technology deployment, workforce evolution, and operational execution shaping the future of supply chain management.

SC
MR