Great IDEAS: FAILURE IS FUEL
Early Bird Rates End August 28!
The association world continues to face rapid change. Revenue models are shifting. Member expectations are evolving. Workforce dynamics are transforming. In this environment, the greatest risk is not failure itself, it’s the failure to innovate.
Innovation requires more than great ideas. It requires the courage to fail.
Great Ideas 2026 challenges association professionals to confront uncomfortable truths, question long-held assumptions, and rethink how innovation happens. Through candid stories of failure, breakthrough ideas, collaborative problem-solving, and lessons from innovative leaders, attendees will discover how risk, experimentation, and creativity can transform setbacks into competitive advantage.
If innovation requires courage, then Great Ideas 2026 is where courage begins. Join association leaders who are willing to challenge convention, learn from failure, and create what comes next.
Innovation Lab and
Pilot Showcase
A live, immersive experience exploring how associations are transforming bold ideas into measurable impact. Five organizations will pitch innovative pilots that are reimagining community, workforce development, learning, and member value. Between live presentations, candid Fail Fest stories will reveal lessons learned from initiatives that didn’t go as planned. Leave with practical ideas, honest insights, and proven approaches you can adapt within your own organization.
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Paisley Park Experience
Explore the creative sanctuary where Prince recorded, produced, and performed. Tours will include access to the main floor, studios, wardrobes, awards, instruments, artwork, vehicles, rare recordings, Soundstage, NPG Music Club, Retail Shop & more!
MEET Minneapolis
Innovative, energetic, and easy to explore, Minneapolis is the perfect destination for Great Ideas 2026. Known for its thriving arts and culture scene, standout restaurants, scenic riverfront, and vibrant downtown, the city offers endless opportunities for inspiration and connection beyond the conference experience.
Whether you’re networking over award-winning cuisine, exploring creative neighborhoods, or gathering with peers in one of the country’s most forward-thinking cities, Minneapolis sets the stage for bold conversations and fresh ideas.
