17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Dalian to Focus on Innovating at Scale

World Economic Forum, [email protected]

中文 | 日本語

Dalian, People's Republic of China, 24 March 2026 - The World Economic Forum's 17th Annual Meeting of the New Champions will take place on 23-25 June in Dalian, People's Republic of China, at a time of steady but uneven growth. While the global economy is projected to expand by 3.3% in 2026, emerging markets are growing nearly three times faster than advanced economies. As the geo-economic and geopolitical shifts continue to reshape trade and supply chains, the meeting will focus on how stronger institutions, increased capital flows and forward-looking policies can transform innovation and technological potential into economic progress, jobs, and new business opportunities.

Held in Asia, the leading contributor of global growth, the meeting will convene over 1,500 leaders from business, government, civil society and academia, as well as top innovators and members of the media, under the theme "Innovating at Scale" to explore how disruption can be turned into opportunity.

"To innovate at scale, we need flexible business and investment models that deliver broad-based results for society," said Mirek Dušek, Managing Director and Member of the Managing Board, World Economic Forum. "This requires closer collaboration between companies, entrepreneurs, investors and governments to accelerate technological adoption, strengthen the supply chain, and translate innovation into real growth and shared prosperity".

The meeting's programme will be structured around five key questions, where innovation, entrepreneurship and public-private cooperation are essential:

1. How can we find prosperity amid shifting trade and industrial realities?
2. How can we understand the next phase of China's economic trajectory?
3. How can technology be harnessed for outcomes in the real economy?
4. How can growth create jobs and opportunities for the next generation?
5. How can the energy and climate transition become a source of competitiveness?

These questions centre on innovation, entrepreneurship and public-private cooperation, and are key to turning disruption into opportunity while sparking new policies and approaches to drive growth.

"Asia is playing a growing role in both innovation and global growth," said Gim Huay Neo, Managing Director, Member of the Managing Board, World Economic Forum. "From advanced manufacturing to emerging technologies, the region's entrepreneurs and companies are helping turn new ideas into real economic opportunities."

Held annually and informally known as the "Summer Davos", the Annual Meeting of the New Champions provides a dynamic platform for dialogue and action on the future of global growth amid trade barriers, reconfigured supply chains, climate change pressures, demographic change, fiscal constraints and the transformational potential of artificial intelligence.

Members of the media are invited to join the in-person meeting and can apply for accreditation by clicking here.

Many sessions will be streamed on the Forum's website and social media channels, as well as its digital app, Forum Live, providing an opportunity for the Forum's Digital Members community and the public to engage in the discussions. The public programme will be available here.

The deadline for media accreditation is Friday 29 May 2026. No accreditation will be provided on-site.

Notes to editors
Read Forum Stories also in Spanish | Mandarin | Japanese
Learn about the Forum's impact
Follow the Forum on social media: X | Instagram | LinkedIn | Facebook | TikTok | Weibo | Threads | WhatsApp | YouTube | WeChat
Check out the Forum's Strategic Intelligence Platform and Transformation Maps
Watch Forum videos at wef.ch/videos | YouTube
Get Forum podcasts at wef.ch/podcasts | YouTube
Subscribe to Forum news releases

All opinions expressed are those of the author. The World Economic Forum Blog is an independent and neutral platform dedicated to generating debate around the key topics that shape global, regional and industry agendas.