2026 ICF Global Summit

Coming to the Columbus Region (Ohio, USA) from October 13-15, 2026!

From the Wright Brothers to John Glenn, Henry Ford to John Deere, the middle states of America have nurtured innovators who repeatedly changed the world. That makes it the perfect location for the 21st annual Global Summit of the Intelligent Community Forum. Attracting attendees from multiple countries, the Summit will take them inside a rich innovation ecosystem drawing investment from multinationals, pioneering in sustainable growth and fostering startups developing the technologies of tomorrow. Through conference sessions and a VIP delegation, they will explore the government-business-education partnerships of the region’s Intelligent Communities responsible for this progress and learn lessons they can apply to their own economic and community development.

Featured Speakers:

Michel Angelo Bomtempo
Mayor
City of Assaí
Paraná, Brazil

Kevin L. Boyce
Commissioner
Franklin County,
Ohio, USA

Chang Li-Shan
Magistrate,
Yunlin County
(Taiwan)

Mike McCann
Mayor
City of Defiance,
Ohio, United States

José Guillén Parra
First Deputy Mayor for Urban Development and Smart City (Murcia, Spain)

Bob Ferguson
Councilor
City of Fairfield,
(Iowa, United States)

Christine Coch
CEO, Brightlands Maastricht Health Campus
(Brightlands-Limburg, Netherlands)

Alison Burgess
Executive Director, Communications and Engagement, Durham Region, Ontario, Canada

Robbert Koldenhof
Director & Manager,
LIOF
(Brightlands-Limburg, Netherlands

Lindsay Miller, J.D.
Owner/Consultant,
Connected Future
Consultancy
(Ohio, USA)

Brandon Brown
CIO
City of Dublin
(Ohio, USA)

Jaime Santamarta
Councilor for Environmental, Urban Services, Smart City & Transport (Las Rozas de Madrid, Spain)

Jennifer Hankins
President & CEO,
Rev1 Ventures
(Ohio, USA)

Doug McCollough
Executive Director,
The Beta District
(Dublin, Ohio,
United States)

Duane Powell
CIO
City of Hilliard
(Ohio, United States)

David J. Staley, PhD
Associate Professor, Department of History, College of Arts and Sciences, The Ohio State University

Stu Davis
VP, Consulting
Expert, CGI
(USA)

Rebecca Singer
President & CEO, CIFT - Center for Innovative Food Technology
(Ohio, USA)

John O'Grady
Commissioner,
Franklin County
(Ohio, USA)

Rob McCann
President
Hamilton Technology Centre
(Hamilton, Ontario,
Canada)

Sherry Kish
National Practice
Consultant & Advanced Mobility Advisor, HNTB (Ohio, USA)

Donna Gillespie
CEO, Kingston Economic Development Corporation (Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

Agnes Caldwall, PhD
Executive VP & Dean of Academic Affairs, Defiance College
(Ohio, USA)

Tamlyn Shimizu
Head of Markets & Partnerships, Global; Senior Communications Expert, BABLE Smart Cities

Nahom Abegaze
Director of Continuous
Improvement, Maharishi
International University
(Iowa, USA)

Agustin Argelich
President & Principal
Argelich Networks
(Barcelona, Spain)

Rachel Ray
Economic Development Director, City of
Westerville, Ohio
(USA)

Moez Chaabouni
Founder, President
& CEO, Summit
Technologies
(Ohio, USA)

Agenda

See highlights from the last ICF Global Summit in Columbus:

Features

Use cases in broadband-based development, workforce upskilling and innovation partnerships that are transforming the region’s economy.
Insights into policies, programs and practices that preserve and improve quality of life through major economic change.
Examples of sustainable practices from industry to agriculture that address climate change while increasing resilience, saving money and generating revenue.
Exposure to large and small communities participating in progress and growing the technology companies of tomorrow.
Curated networking, multinational connections and information exchanges.

More information and a full program to be released soon. If you're interested in attending the extended VIP Delegation program from October 12-16, contact ICF Co-Founder John Jung.

Summit 2026 Sponsors and Partners

WHERE

Columbus Region, Ohio, USA

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