Call For Papers 2026 (EN)

The theme of this year’s IAB Forum is: Beyond hype. What gives real value?

Download the brief in PDF or read below:

In a world full of trends and promises, we want to discover together how to recognize technologies, strategies, and ideas that truly change business, organizations, and society. We are looking for practitioners, visionaries, and bold voices who are not afraid to demystify hype, show the real effects of implementations, and inspire action. 

We are looking for presentations that answer the following questions: 

● How to distinguish hype from real value? 

● How to move from hype to practical implementations/applications? 

● How to reconcile the pressure to adapt with the need for stability? 

● How to reach your audience through the media noise? 

● How to measure audience attention and real business impact? 

● How to protect your brand in a world of deepfakes and clutter? 

● Which technologies are actually changing the way business works? 

● Has attention become the new currency of marketing? 

● What skills are key to harnessing the potential of new solutions? 

● How can you avoid the trap of “trend chasing” and focus on what really works? 

● How can you test new trends and think ahead? 

● How can hype add value? 

● What new developments and trends are worth watching—what is just a fad, and what is changing the rules of the game? 

● If you are intrigued by any issue related to the conference topic, this is the right place to be. 

Inspiring topics: 

● Demystifying trends – what is worth investing in and what is just a passing fad? 

● Examples of real value – case studies, concrete results, increased efficiency, savings, improved customer experience. 

● Methods and indicators for measuring value – how to assess whether something is a “game changer” or just “hype”? 

● The perspective of people and organizations – the impact of change on work culture, competencies, trust in technology. 

● Sustainable development and ethics – are innovations responsible and do they support long-term goals? 

How to submit your topic? 

Prepare a submission including: 

● Presentation title 

● Short description of the presentation (max. 200 words): Describe what your presentation will be about and why it is important 

● Speaker information: Bio, experience, links to publications or presentations 

Submissions will be accepted until February 3, 2026, exclusively via the online form. 

Benefits for speakers: 

● Presentation in front of leaders in the digital, marketing, and innovation industries in Poland 

● Wide-scale promotion of your experience and knowledge 

● Opportunity to influence the future direction of the digital industry 

Submission procedure, selection schedule, and conditions for participation: 

1. Applications will be accepted until February 3, 2026. Applications should be submitted via the IAB Forum 2026 form -> link to the form 

2. Only applications submitted correctly via the official IAB Forum 2026 application form will be considered. 

3. During the IAB Forum 2026, we also want to give young people a voice and learn about their point of view. That is why we encourage companies to nominate not only experienced experts from their ranks, but also young people under 30 who want to share their perspective on the topics covered by the conference. (Please note: Acceptance of an expert’s application from one company does not preclude the possibility of a young person from the same company presenting their point of view on a topic related to the IAB Forum 2026.) 

4. The content of the application must not be a copy of the content of the published brief. 

5. The organizer may ask for clarification of the application. 

6. The expected presentation time during the conference is 20 minutes. 

7. The Program Council appoints a Mentor for each presentation, who, together with the speaker, ensures the high quality of the presentation. 

8. The speaker is required to work with the Mentor on the final form of the presentation. On the dates specified by the Mentor/IAB Polska, the speaker will present/share a draft, and then the final version of the presentation selected in the first stage. 

9. The Mentor has the right to submit a request to IAB Polska to remove the presentation from the agenda in the event of failure to meet the above-mentioned deadlines and/or unsatisfactory content. 

10. IAB Polska/the Program Council reserve the right to remove a presentation from the conference program in the event of offensive, derivative, self-promotional, or sales-oriented content. 

11. IAB Polska and the Program Council will create a reserve list of speakers who will be able to speak in the event of failure to meet the deadlines and rules for preparing presentations by the speakers selected in the first stage. 

12. IAB Polska will publish the list of speakers by May 5, 2026, at the latest. 

13. The presentations will be made available to conference participants. By submitting a presentation, the speaker agrees to make the presented material available and to record the content of their presentation, and grants IAB Polska the right to distribute it. 

14. By submitting their presentation, speakers agree to the publication of their name, photos, and provided biography. Speakers also agree to undertake jointly agreed marketing activities for the IAB Forum. 

15. The speaker receives a personal pass from IAB Polska entitling the speaker to full participation in the IAB Forum 2026. 

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Join us and help shape the future of the digital industry. We look forward to receiving your application!