FAB26: Reimagining the Future Together

The story of the Fab Lab movement is as much about people as it is about technology. It began with a handful of curious minds at CBA (Center for Bits and Atoms) lab at MIT, driven by a shared belief that tools for making should be accessible to everyone. From that seed grew a global network of fab labs spanning six continents, where makers, dreamers, educators, students, and community builders rediscover the joy of learning by doing and then use that learning to shape the world around them.

Now, 25 years later, the Fab Lab community is coming home.

From July 27–31, 2026, FAB26 the International Fab Lab Conference & Symposium will bring this global community back to Boston, Massachusetts. An area rich with innovation history and home to the pioneering spirit that sparked the Fab Lab movement. But FAB26 is not simply a reunion. It’s a collective inquiry, a call to reflect on the past, assess the present, and reimagine the future of shared digital fabrication, open technology, inclusive learning, and collaborative problem-solving. The event’s theme pushes us to ask:

what comes next, and how can we shape it together?

FAB26 is designed to be:

• Collaborative, with sessions that bring diverse perspectives into conversation
• Hands-on, with workshops that invite you to create and prototype together
• Inspirational, with stories and insights from the global Fab Lab network
• Open & inclusive, welcoming voices from grassroots practitioners to institutional leaders

Whether you’ve been part of the network for years or are just discovering it, FAB26 offers a space to connect, learn, and build future-facing ideas.

To celebrate the launch of FAB26 and the opening of our program, tickets are now available at a special rate. This is a limited-time opportunity to secure your place at the global gathering of the Fab Lab community while benefiting from reduced pricing.

Your ticket gives you access to five days of talks, workshops, hands-on experiences, community gatherings, and networking moments across Cambridge and Boston, bringing together makers, educators, researchers, and innovators from around the world.

Open Calls: Your Moment to Contribute
FAB26 is shaped by you, and the opportunities to contribute are now open:

• Lead a Workshop: Have a hands-on skill, tool process, or creative method you’re excited about? Run a workshop and share it with an international audience eager to learn from your approach.
• Submit a Talk: Got a story, project, research insight, or bold idea? Apply to present a talk and inspire others with your perspective.
• Submit Research: Are you exploring new territory in digital fabrication, education, sustainability, or community impact? Share your findings with fellow thinkers and practitioners.

Whether it’s a prototype, a community initiative, or a transformative design, FAB26 is the place to show it and spark new collaborations.

👉 Explore all opportunities and submit your application here

FAB26 isn’t just a conference, it's a movement in motion.
Join Us In Boston this summer for FAB26