The 16th annual Forward Festival takes place Aug. 17-21 and features more than 50 events across the Madison area, providing opportunities for entrepreneurs, innovators and business leaders to connect, learn and collaborate. 

“Forward Festival continues to evolve alongside the entrepreneurial community,” Ross Larson, festival board member and software developer at Paradigm, said in a statement. “What makes the festival unique is that it’s built by the community, for the community. Every event offers an opportunity to learn something new, make meaningful connections and be inspired by all the innovation happening across Wisconsin.”

This year’s programming includes a networking event at a sauna and events covering founder productivity and Wisconsin’s growing organic food ecosystem, among many others. These new topics join the festival’s continued focus on trends, including artificial intelligence, with nine sessions exploring practical applications of AI, highlighted by the inaugural AI Summit on Aug. 21 at 100state. 

The returning signature events are comprised of the Badger Startup Summit on Aug. 17, the Greater Madison Chamber of Commerce’s Pressure Chamber pitch competition on Aug. 18 and the High Tech Happy Hour 25th Anniversary Celebration on Aug. 20. Events will be held both virtually and in-person at venues across the Madison area. 

Forward Festival concludes with the Closing Happy Hour at 5 p.m. on Aug. 21. 

Tickets can be purchased here.