Milan will host World Manufacturing Forum 2026 on October 22 and 23, an international event promoted by the World Manufacturing Foundation and focused on the changes reshaping manufacturing. The 14th edition will be held at Palazzo Mezzanotte under the theme “Navigating the Future of Manufacturing: Trends Compass & Technology Radars”.
According to the event information released by the organisers, the forum will bring together companies, academia and institutions to discuss digital transformation, sustainable transition, skills, global value chains and the broader geopolitical and economic context. The announced attendance includes 400 companies, 30 international speakers, 10 manufacturing value chains and contributors from 21 countries.
The first day, Thursday, October 22, will focus mainly on global manufacturing outlooks, value-chain competitiveness and digital transformation. Opening remarks are scheduled from Diego Andreis, president of the World Manufacturing Foundation, and Attilio Fontana, president of the Lombardy Region. The agenda also includes a panel on global partnerships for manufacturing competitiveness and a technical session involving industrial and academic contributors.
In the afternoon, the European Commission is due to contribute through Cécile Huet, head of the “Excellence in AI & Robotics” unit, with a session on the European strategy to move AI, data and robotics from research into industrial adoption. The programme also includes the presentation of the World Manufacturing Report 2026, described as a map of major global trends and technology radars covering both emerging and mature technologies, alongside a Gartner keynote and an Assolombarda session on the role of industrial data in AI development.
The second day, Friday, October 23, will turn to emerging technologies and the future of industrial work. Planned topics include AI, industrial data analytics, digital twins, Physical AI and humanoid robotics, with sessions addressing both advanced AI applications and the evolution of human-machine collaboration.
The forum is set to close with a panel on industrial policy for future-ready manufacturing value chains, with announced participation from Giuseppe Pasini and institutional representatives from Italy, Germany and Spain. A recognition ceremony, the signing of Memoranda of Understanding between the World Manufacturing Foundation and partners, and closing remarks by Diego Andreis, Marco Taisch and David Romero are also scheduled.
