WMF 2026 draws 75,000 people in Bologna as AI, startups and culture converge

WMF – We Make Future closed its largest edition in Bologna after drawing more than 75,000 attendees from 90 countries over June 24-26. The event underscored Italy’s growing role as a global hub for AI, innovation, investment and cultural exchange, while announcing its next stops in San Francisco, Riyadh, Las Vegas, Milan and Bologna.

Why it matters: - WMF 2026 showed how AI and digital innovation are increasingly tied to business development, jobs, education, public policy and cultural debate. - The event also reinforced Bologna’s position as a major international meeting point for startups, investors, institutions and technology companies. - The scale of the gathering points to continued demand for cross-border innovation events that combine dealmaking, learning and public discussion.

What happened: - WMF – We Make Future held its largest edition to date from June 24 to 26 at BolognaFiere in Bologna. - Search On Media Group organized the event. - More than 75,000 attendees from 90 countries took part. - The event covered more than 70,000 square meters and used nine halls and 90 stages. - More than 1,000 speakers, over 800 exhibitors and sponsors, 3,000 startups, SMEs and open innovation stakeholders, more than 50 international delegations, 20 country pavilions, over 40 side events and more than 3,000 organized B2B meetings were part of the program.

The details: - WMF 2026 focused on artificial intelligence, technology, digital transformation and social innovation. - The event brought participants from Europe, North America, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. - The program was structured around 14 strategic sectors designed to connect industries that are distinct but increasingly interdependent. - Companies, institutions, Big Tech organizations, SMEs, startups, investors, professionals and research centers all used the platform for business, growth and collaboration opportunities. - Organizations represented included Dell Technologies, Intel, Philip Morris International, Generative Bionics, LG NOVA, Billboard Italia, Google, Microsoft, the European Space Agency, CINECA, the Italian Institute of Technology, AMD, Fincantieri, Rai Pubblicità, eToro, Klarna, OpenAI, Chora, Will Media and the Clust-ER Innovate, Build, Tourism and Agritech networks. - The startup and open innovation ecosystem brought together 3,000 startups, SMEs and investors for business matching, international networking, pitching opportunities, visibility and access to growth programs. - The WMF International Startup Competition held its 13th edition and named four winners: TerraSpark won the Jury Award, MaestroHub won the Audience Award, Brainfood Intelligent Media Cloud won the Global Impact Challenge Award and WealthRyse won the Saudi Makes Future Award. - The event’s investor, corporate, media and startup support network spans Europe, North America and Asia. - The network covers the full startup life cycle from pre-seed to scale-up and represents $304 billion in assets under management, $1.5 billion in portfolio value and more than 17,000 investment rounds managed. - WMF 2026 featured a mainstage program with institutions, entrepreneurs, researchers, artists, journalists, activists and innovators discussing the future of technology and society. - Guests included Henna Virkkunen, Michiel Scheffer, Lucia Borgonzoni, Roberto Saviano, Brunello Cucinelli, Mathew Knowles, Alberto Sangiovanni Vincentelli, Francesca Albanese, Nicola Gratteri, Veronica La Regina, Francesco Ubertini, Stefano Massini, Chris Smalls, Pierpaolo Bombardieri, Giuseppe Lombardo, Enrico Mentana, Corrado Formigli, Giulia Lamarca, Camihawke, Awed, Guglielmo Scilla, Gabriele Vagnato, Veronica Maffei and Karma B. - Discussions covered European technological sovereignty, artificial intelligence, supercomputing, semiconductors, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, employment, rights, public safety, journalism, geopolitics, sustainability, organized crime and Big Tech surveillance. - The event also included concerts by Dardust, Ditonellapiaga and other artists, plus entertainment and educational experiences tied to music, creativity and experimentation. - ICARUS, a project supported by tech creator Jakidale, set a Guinness World Record at WMF for the world’s largest paper airplane. - ONIL, Italy’s first independent observatory dedicated to the impact of artificial intelligence on employment, was announced from the WMF Mainstage and formally established during UIL’s 19th National Congress. - The observatory was created through an agreement signed by UIL General Secretary Pierpaolo Bombardieri and Cosmano Lombardo. - The initiative builds on a joint effort launched in 2021 that included a proposal for Italy’s first collective labor agreement for the AI and digital technology sector. - Several stages offered interpretation in English, Italian, Spanish and Arabic. - The education program covered artificial intelligence, digital marketing, advertising, data and analytics, cybersecurity, machine learning, e-commerce, tourism, vibe coding, social media, work and human resources, smart cities, open innovation and fundraising.

Between the lines: - WMF is positioning itself as more than a trade show by blending business matchmaking with policy discussion, education and culture. - The strong international mix suggests the event is trying to serve as a bridge between European innovation ecosystems and global capital, talent and technology networks. - The creation of ONIL signals that the labor implications of AI are moving from abstract debate to institutional action in Italy. - The broad policy agenda on stage shows that AI events are now being used to debate regulation, sovereignty and social impact, not only product launches and startup growth.

What's next: - WMF’s global program continues on November 5, 2026, in San Francisco with AI For Future. - Saudi Makes Future follows in Riyadh from December 14 to 16. - WMF will then return to CES in Las Vegas and host AI Festival 2027 in Milan on February 11 and 12. - WMF 2027 is scheduled to return to BolognaFiere from June 10 to 12. - WMF will keep operating as a recurring platform across Europe, the U.S. and the Middle East.

The bottom line: - WMF 2026 used scale, global reach and a wide agenda to cement its role as a major international platform for AI, business and public debate.