Cognitive Innovation Conference (CognoCon) 2026

Where bold ideas and real-world innovation collide to shape the AI-driven future of work. Hear from thought leaders working today to create a more innovative and better tomorrow.


The future of work isn’t arriving, it’s being invented. The Cognitive Innovation Conference (CognoCon) unites researchers, creators, and industry leaders who are shaping what comes next. From emerging markets and intelligent enterprises to human-AI collaboration, CognoCon is where academic insight meets real-world experimentation. Our goal is to bridge academia, industry, and government to engage with and explore the evolution of business, work, and society in the age of artificial intelligence and spark the ideas that will define tomorrow.

Vision & Objectives

  • Unite leading academics, innovators, and industry experts to shape the next era of AI-driven work and society.
  • Showcase innovative technologies with hands-on demonstrations.
  • Create a dynamic ecosystem for networking, collaboration, and new partnerships across academia, industry, entrepreneurship, and government.

When

May 9, 2026
7:30 am - 9:00 pm

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Where

KSU Center
Room 400

View Directions to the KSU center.

Conference Enrollment

Please sign-up before May 9th. Space is limited.

Sign-Up for CognoCon Here

Conference Cost

Early Bird Rate

Before April 1st
$100

Advanced Rate

April 1st - May 1st
$150

Standard Rate

After May 1st
$200

*Admission cost included badge, meals, and swag

Conference Hotel (Discounted Rate Provided)

Reserve your room by April 18th to receive the CognoCon discounted room rate.

Reserve your room

Agenda

Time Program
7:30 – 8:30 AM Registration & Networking Breakfast
8:30 – 8:45 AM Welcome Remarks
8:45 – 9:30 AM

Keynote Speaker #1

Ray Quintana

  • Chairman and President of Forevver Association
  • Co-Founder / CEO of DevvDigital Inc.
  • CEO of Envviron SAS
  • Investor/Member Board of Directors for TS Nano
9:30 – 10:45 AM

Breakout Sessions #1 (Academic & Industry tracks)
11:00 – 12:00 PM

Panel Session #1 (e.g., “AI & Business Transformation”)

  • Priya Sarathy (Moderator) - Director, Center for Data Sciences and Analytics, Kennesaw State University
  • Sandeep Sivadas - Vice President Technology, Georgia Pacific
  • Jim Lester - CEO of Longitude Health
  • Julie Rachel - Regional Director, Cloud Solution Architects, Microsoft
  • Stephen Helwig - General Manager, Azure, Microsoft
12:00 – 1:30 PM Networking Lunch + Expo Floor Open
1:30 – 2:45 PM Breakout Sessions #2 (Academic & Industry tracks)
2:45 – 4:00 PM Breakout Sessions #3 (Academic & Industry tracks)
4:00 – 4:45 PM

Keynote Speaker #2

Fotios Fitsilis

  • Scientific Service - Head of Department (Hellenic Parliament - Greece)
  • Professor - AI and parliamentary governance (Universidad Austral, Argentina)
4:45 – 5:00 PM Closing Remarks
5:00 – 9:00 PM

Social Event & Networking

Horned Owl Brewery
2765 S Main St
Kennesaw, GA
30144
(View on Google Maps)