January 2026 Event Recap
These events have concluded. Here is what happened at the major gatherings.
CES 2026 (January 6-9, Las Vegas): CES drew 148,392 verified attendees and 4,100+ exhibitors across 2.6 million square feet. AI sessions attracted 39,929 attendees, a 22% year-over-year increase, while robotics sessions drew 19,605 attendees, up 26%. Eureka Park hosted 1,230 startups. Source: CES 2026 Audit Summary.
World Economic Forum Annual Meeting (January 19-23, Davos): Nearly 3,000 leaders gathered under the theme “A Spirit of Dialogue.” A record 400 political leaders attended, including 65 heads of state and government. 830 CEOs and Chairs participated. Key themes: agentic AI, geoeconomic fragmentation, and trade resilience. Source: weforum.org.
World Future Energy Summit (January 13-15, Abu Dhabi): The annual energy transition conference at ADNEC Centre brought together clean energy, water, and smart city stakeholders from across the Middle East and North Africa.
CISA/INL ICS Cybersecurity Training (January 12-15, Idaho Falls): The Department of Homeland Security’s flagship ICS cybersecurity training course, including the RED-BLUE Exercise (ICS301), ran at Idaho National Laboratory.
NEPCON Japan 2026 (January 21-23, Tokyo): Asia’s electronics manufacturing and packaging conference at Tokyo Big Sight.
Cleantech Forum North America (January 26-28, San Diego): Cleantech Group’s annual summit at Paradise Point Resort connecting cleantech investors and innovators.
For upcoming events, see the May 2026 Industrial AI Events Guide or browse the full IIoT World Events Calendar.
This guide covered January 2026 events. For upcoming conferences, see the Industrial AI Events in May 2026: Conference Guide or browse the full IIoT World Events Calendar.
New year, new budgets, and a fresh slate of industrial priorities—secure connectivity, resilient operations, and scalable modernization. January 2026 offers a compact and high-impact set of gatherings where Industrial IoT (IIoT) and ICS/OT cybersecurity conversations show up in different forms: flagship tech showcases, critical infrastructure training, energy-transition summits, executive-level policy dialogue, electronics manufacturing, and sustainability-driven industrial innovation.
CES 2026
Date: January 6 – 9, 2026
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Hashtag: #CES2026
CES 2026 opens the year as the world’s largest technology showcase, offering early visibility into innovations that increasingly influence industrial environments. While traditionally consumer-focused, CES has become an important signal for Industrial IoT adoption, with strong representation across AI, edge computing, sensors, connectivity, robotics, and digital platforms that eventually shape industrial solutions.
Main theme:
The global stage for innovation—showcasing emerging technologies across AI, connectivity, mobility, and more, with growing relevance to IIoT through connected devices, edge intelligence, and industrial technology trends.
Target audience:
Technology and industry leaders, innovators, startups, investors, media, and product and engineering teams.
Event link:
https://www.ces.tech/
Our team will be on site at CES 2026, sharing live updates and insights throughout the event. Follow our LinkedIn page and X account.
World Future Energy Summit 2026
Date: January 13 – 15, 2026
Location: ADNEC Centre, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Hashtag: #WFES2026
The World Future Energy Summit brings together the global energy ecosystem at a moment when industrial decarbonization and digitalization are deeply interconnected. For IIoT and OT leaders, the summit provides insight into how smart infrastructure, connected energy systems, and industrial sustainability initiatives are being deployed at scale.
Main theme:
Bridging climate policy and action by connecting energy transition leaders, advanced technologies, and real-world implementation across industries.
Target audience:
Energy leaders, policymakers, investors, technology innovators, sustainability professionals, and infrastructure stakeholders.
Event link:
https://www.worldfutureenergysummit.com
CISA / Idaho National Laboratory — ICS Cybersecurity & RED-BLUE Exercise (ICS301)
Date: January 12 – 15, 2026
Location: Idaho National Laboratory (INL), United States
Hashtags: #ICSCybersecurity #CISA #INL
This highly regarded, hands-on training is one of the most practical learning opportunities available for ICS and OT cybersecurity professionals. Delivered by CISA in collaboration with Idaho National Laboratory, the course immerses participants in realistic industrial environments, culminating in a red team vs. blue team exercise focused on defending operational systems.
Main theme:
Instructor-led ICS defense training designed to improve detection, response, and resilience in industrial control system environments.
Target audience:
Critical infrastructure defenders, OT and ICS security professionals, engineers, incident response teams, and operations personnel.
Event link:
https://www.cisa.gov/ics-training-calendar
World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026
Date: January 19 – 23, 2026
Location: Davos-Klosters, Switzerland
Hashtag: #WEF26
While not an industrial event in the traditional sense, the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting influences the global policy and economic context in which IIoT, cybersecurity, and critical infrastructure decisions are made. Discussions around technology governance, resilience, cyber risk, and infrastructure modernization often signal future regulatory and investment directions.
Main theme:
“A Spirit of Dialogue” — convening leaders from government, business, academia, and civil society to address shared global challenges.
Target audience:
Global leaders from government, business, academia, international organizations, and civil society.
Event link:
https://www.weforum.org/meetings/world-economic-forum-annual-meeting-2026/
NEPCON JAPAN 2026
Date: January 21 – 23, 2026
Location: Tokyo Big Sight, Tokyo, Japan
Hashtag: #NEPCONJAPAN
NEPCON JAPAN is a key event for professionals involved in electronics manufacturing, embedded systems, and industrial hardware. As secure-by-design principles become increasingly important for IIoT deployments, visibility into the electronics supply chain and manufacturing technologies is critical.
Main theme:
Electronics R&D, manufacturing, testing, and packaging technologies supporting innovation across industrial and connected products.
Target audience:
Electronics manufacturers, engineers, suppliers, and technology stakeholders across industrial and embedded systems.
Event link:
https://www.nepconjapan.jp/tokyo/en-gb.html
Cleantech Forum North America 2026
Date: January 26 – 28, 2026
Location: San Diego, California, USA (Paradise Point Resort & Spa)
Hashtags: #CleantechForumNA #Cleantech #IIoT
Cleantech Forum North America sits at the intersection of clean technology, industrial operations, and digital transformation. As sustainability goals increasingly depend on data, connectivity, and operational intelligence, this forum is highly relevant for IIoT leaders supporting energy efficiency, asset optimization, and emissions reduction.
Main theme:
Convening innovators, investors, and corporate leaders to accelerate sustainable innovation, business growth, and climate solutions.
Target audience:
Cleantech innovators, startups, corporate leaders, investors (VC and PE), sustainability-focused engineers and technology teams, policymakers, and ecosystem partners.
Event link:
https://cleantech.com/event/cleantech-forum-na/
If you plan to attend an event aligned with the above and would like to add it to a future list, feel free to reach out with details at info@iiot-world.com (please include a link, dates, number of attendees, hashtag, and location).
For the latest IIoT World event coverage and upcoming conference guides, visit the IIoT World Events Calendar.
