HIKE2’s Innovation Summit 2026 Makes Leap to AI Avenue

New Venue Space Puts HIKE2 Shoulder-to-Shoulder With Global Innovators

Tickets are now available for HIKE2’s Innovation Summit 2026, scheduled for March 25-26, at Bakery Square, the marquee anchor of Pittsburgh’s AI Avenue.

The move to the city’s East End situates Pittsburgh’s premier annual innovation showcase alongside global AI innovators – such as Google and Duolingo – and just minutes away from Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pittsburgh and more.

“HIKE2 is invigorated by the energy and ideas generated by our region’s top companies and minds. We’ve wanted to bring the Innovation Summit closer to the epicenter of Pittsburgh’s AI innovation, and after four years, we’re elated to make the move to Bakery Square in 2026,” says Amanda Wodzenski, Principal & Founder of HIKE2. “Pittsburgh stands at the forefront of AI innovation and infrastructure, and AI Avenue is where momentum is built and progress is made.”

“We are delighted to welcome HIKE2 and the Innovation Summit 2026 to AI Avenue and our vibrant Bakery Square community this spring,” adds Todd Reidbord, Founding Partner & President of Walnut Capital.  “Bakery Square is a hub for innovation, and Summit attendees will immediately feel that buzz and energy. Walnut Capital believes in building places full of possibility, and we are excited to see what potential is unlocked at this year’s Summit.”  

Innovation Summit 2026 will dive into the next era of work, with some of the world’s top thought leaders and innovators exploring the dynamic ways intelligent agents can support and extend the capabilities of human employees, showcasing the place for both in the future workforce. The Summit is thoughtfully designed for:

·       Executives shaping growth and transformation agendas;

·       Leaders who sit at the intersection of strategy, technology and operations;

·       Leaders responsible for data, AI and digital platforms;

·       Teams tasked with translating new strategies into how work actually gets done.

In addition to keynotes and panels built for real deployments, attendees also will have a front-row seat for live demos and showcases highlighting AI-enabled workflows in action, as well as take part in breakouts, labs and roundtables centered on practical AI use cases.

More than 250 attendees learned from 30 speakers at Innovation Summit 2025.

“I’m excited to return to HIKE2’s Innovation Summit for the fourth consecutive year,” said Shannon Gregg, President of Cloud Adoption Solutions, a Pittsburgh-based Salesforce partner. “I look forward to learning from some of our industry’s brightest minds each Summit. HIKE2 takes great care in curating exceptional panels. I always walk away with fresh approaches that my team and I can implement, as well as an expanded network of colleagues.”

A complete list of speakers and panelists for Innovation Summit 2026 will be announced in the coming weeks.

Tickets for the two-day Summit are $250 and are available at hike2.com.com/events/innovation-summit-2026.  

To learn more about Innovation Summit 2026 and HIKE2, please visit hike2.com.

About HIKE2

HIKE2, a leading technology advisory and implementation services firm, helps businesses reimagine what’s possible in an era of constant technological disruption. They partner with organizations in the legal, financial services, insurance, business services, and high-tech SaaS industries to solve complex challenges with cutting-edge cloud solutions, AI-driven innovations, agentic initiatives, and robust data & analytics governance programs. Their best-in-class advisory services ensure clients stay ahead in an ever-evolving landscape.

About Bakery Square

Bakery Square is a mixed-use campus in Pittsburgh’s East End, redeveloped by Walnut Capital from the historic Nabisco Baking Factory into a vibrant hub for innovation, dining, retail, and community life. Home to leading office tenants, popular restaurants, and national retailers, and public gathering spaces. Bakery Square also features AI Avenue, a first-of-its-kind district celebrating artificial intelligence, robotics, and emerging technology through immersive experiences and public art.