Built for the Next Decade of Retail
RetailClub AI Festival is the only retail event built on the belief that the world is about to change beyond recognition. We’re bringing together 2,000+ retail and brand leaders, AI operators, and founders who know the comfortable plan isn’t enough. It’s time to move past checkbox AI strategies, incremental thinking, and leaving conferences with the same roadmap you walked in with. This is for the leaders already driving the shift, and the ones who know deep down they need to do more.
September 22-24, 2026
Huntington Beach, CA
Sept 22-24, 2026 | Huntington Beach, CA
Built for the Next Decade of Retail
RetailClub AI Festival is the only retail event built on the belief that the world is about to change beyond recognition. We’re bringing together 2,000+ retail and brand leaders, AI operators, and founders who know the comfortable plan isn’t enough. It’s time to move past checkbox AI strategies, incremental thinking, and leaving conferences with the same roadmap you walked in with. This is for the leaders already driving the shift, and the ones who know deep down they need to do more.
Why Now?
RetailClub AI Festival is the only retail event built on the belief that the world is about to change beyond recognition. We believe AI isn’t just transforming retail—it’s entirely reshaping the economy, society, and culture that underpin the industry as we know it.
We bring together leaders already driving this shift and those who deep down know they need to do more. We’re the only event 100% designed for the collaboration required to build the next decade of retail in an AI-first world.
We believe it’s time to move past checkbox AI strategies, incremental thinking, and leaving conferences feeling comfortable.
Retail needs an event that forces the full conversation, not a bolted-on or sanitized one. Built for the AI era, not a previous generation. An all-outdoor beachside format designed for honest peer-to-peer exchange, not convention center foot traffic. Powered by the best networking technology, not the cheapest.
Welcome to RetailClub–the new event from the founders of Shoptalk.
RetailClub AI Festival is the only retail event built on the belief that the world is about to change beyond recognition. We believe AI isn’t just transforming retail—it’s entirely reshaping the economy, society, and culture that underpin the industry as we know it.
We bring together leaders already driving this shift and those who deep down know they need to do more. We’re the only event 100% designed for the collaboration required to build the next decade of retail in an AI-first world.
We believe it’s time to move past checkbox AI strategies, incremental thinking, and leaving conferences feeling comfortable.
Retail needs an event that forces the full conversation, not a bolted-on or sanitized one. Built for the AI era, not a previous generation. An all-outdoor beachside format designed for honest peer-to-peer exchange, not convention center foot traffic. Powered by the best networking technology, not the cheapest.
Welcome to RetailClub–the new event from the founders of Shoptalk.
Build with AI
This theme is about the engine of the company itself. AI is reshaping every layer of how retailers and brands actually run.
We’ll explore how teams are using AI to move faster, make smarter decisions, deliver better customer experiences, and rebuild the tech stacks their businesses depend on.
Everyone is asking the same questions: where should we focus, and how fast should we move? This theme is for the leaders who refuse to wait for the playbook, because by the time the playbook is obvious, the positioning will already be set.
Lead with AI
This theme is about the people side of AI. New tools don’t deliver new outcomes if the org chart, incentives, and skills haven’t moved with them.
We’ll explore how leaders are reshaping team structure, navigating the tension between AI-fluent new talent and institutional knowledge, and rebuilding internal operations around AI-native workflows.
The leaders in the best position aren’t necessarily the most resourced or the most tenured. They’re the ones staying curious, upskilling themselves, and building organizations that can absorb change faster than their competitors.
Sell with AI
This theme is about the most important variable in retail: the customer. How they research, find, and buy is changing in real time, whether or not the industry is ready.
We’ll explore the rise of agentic commerce, the future of search and discovery, the new platform dynamics shaping commerce, and how retailers can win attention when their homepage is no longer the front door.
The customer behavior shift is already happening, and the retailers who win will be the ones who saw it earliest and built for it most seriously.
Live with AI
This theme zooms out. Retail sits at the center of a consumer economy that fuels nearly 70% of U.S. GDP, and AI is reshaping the work, the wages, and the consumer behavior that the industry depends on.
We’ll confront the bigger questions: what happens to consumer spending when AI eliminates entry-level jobs and reshapes whole professions, how new categories of value get created when intelligence is no longer the bottleneck, and what comes next when the assumptions retail was built on stop holding.
This theme is for the people willing to look at the full picture, not just the parts that fit on a roadmap.
RetailClub AI Festival Framework
This theme is about the engine of the company itself. AI is reshaping every layer of how retailers and brands actually run.
We’ll explore how teams are using AI to move faster, make smarter decisions, deliver better customer experiences, and rebuild the tech stacks their businesses depend on.
Everyone is asking the same questions: where should we focus, and how fast should we move? This theme is for the leaders who refuse to wait for the playbook, because by the time the playbook is obvious, the positioning will already be set.
This theme is about the people side of AI. New tools don’t deliver new outcomes if the org chart, incentives, and skills haven’t moved with them.
We’ll explore how leaders are reshaping team structure, navigating the tension between AI-fluent new talent and institutional knowledge, and rebuilding internal operations around AI-native workflows.
The leaders in the best position aren’t necessarily the most resourced or the most tenured. They’re the ones staying curious, upskilling themselves, and building organizations that can absorb change faster than their competitors.
This theme is about the most important variable in retail: the customer. How they research, find, and buy is changing in real time, whether or not the industry is ready.
We’ll explore the rise of agentic commerce, the future of search and discovery, the new platform dynamics shaping commerce, and how retailers can win attention when their homepage is no longer the front door.
The customer behavior shift is already happening, and the retailers who win will be the ones who saw it earliest and built for it most seriously.
This theme zooms out. Retail sits at the center of a consumer economy that fuels nearly 70% of U.S. GDP, and AI is reshaping the work, the wages, and the consumer behavior that the industry depends on.
We’ll confront the bigger questions: what happens to consumer spending when AI eliminates entry-level jobs and reshapes whole professions, how new categories of value get created when intelligence is no longer the bottleneck, and what comes next when the assumptions retail was built on stop holding.
This theme is for the people willing to look at the full picture, not just the parts that fit on a roadmap.
The Community Leading Retail’s AI Future
Attendees
Speakers
Sponsors
1:1 Meetings
Job Levels
Job Roles*
*Responses exceed 100% because participants could choose more than one option.
An All-Outdoor Boardwalk Designed for Honest Peer-To-Peer Exchange
You’re not moving through a dark convention center scanning badges to figure out who someone is. You’re walking a 1/3rd-mile, open-air beachside boardwalk with two stages, 250+ sponsors, activations and experiences, and 150+ speakers. It’s an environment built for conversation to happen on its own, at a picnic table over lunch, in line for a coffee, or on the walk between sessions.
Experience a Whole New Way of Learning & Networking
Step away from the day-to-day and into a custom-built environment that blends everything from participant-driven and expert-led group content to purposeful and effective networking. Navigate change alongside fellow industry leaders and trailblazers, build lasting relationships, and gain a clearer view of where AI is taking retail and how to stay ahead of it.
No windowless rooms. No fluff content. No crowded panels. Just real conversations, real connections and real value. We use cutting-edge, trusted event tech, programs and formats to deliver learnings and practical strategies, create connections, and foster relationships that help you go all-in on AI with confidence across all use cases.
FOUR ways to Breakthru
The Breakthru Networking Program is RetailClub’s networking platform built for meaningful connections.
BREAKTHRU MEETINGS
Pre-scheduled, double opt-in 15-minute meetings with other attendees, matched by mutual interest and AI-powered recommendations.
BREAKTHRU EXPERIENCES
Curated small-group activities designed for high-quality memories built together in a relaxed setting.
BREAKTHRU TALKS
45-minute, topic-based roundtable discussions to exchange insights and solve challenges in peer groups.
BREAKTHRU NETWORKING DINNERS
Invite-only dinners with 15 to 25 hand-picked guests for meaningful conversation over a shared meal.
What Three Days at RetailClub AI Festival Actually Looks Like
80% C-Level Speakers
AN Experience Unlike Any Other
breakthru Meetings program
Mind-blowing Experiences
The Community Is the Difference
What Attendees Are Saying
“I had more conversations, more genuine conversations and we got more out of it than previous shoptalk conferences. No doubt.”
“The outdoor environment kept the energy up while in meetings, attending workshops, and listening to speakers. A night-and-day difference from an average conference where you’re stuck inside. Made all the difference in the world!”
“It truly shows the founders get our community deeply. The whole concept really cracked the code on what a great experience in 2025 is.”
Trusted by Industry Leaders
Built by the People Who Defined Retail Events
From the founders of Shoptalk and Groceryshop, RetailClub brings the same standard-setting approach to a new kind of retail event, 100% designed for the collaboration required to build the next decade of retail in an AI-first world.
Caroline Farley
Co-Founder & Co-CEO
Krystina Gustafson
Co-Founder & Co-CEO
Anil D. Aggarwal
Co-Founder
Simran Rekhi Aggarwal
Co-Founder
Latest News & Announcements
The AI Conversation Retail Has Been Missing — RetailClub and Retail AI Council Are Bringing It to the Beach
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Future Proof brings together top professionals from the wealth management ecosystem to provide insights, workshops, panel discussions, and exclusive networking opportunities, driving growth and innovation in the industry.
Future Proof will be held from September 14-17, 2026, in Huntington Beach, CA. Visit the Plan Your Visit Page for information on the nearest airport and recommended hotels. No, the event is not on the beach itself; it is held on the boardwalk next to the beach!
If you work in financial services, we have a ticket type for you. Passes are available for financial advisors, LPs, early-stage startups, growth-stage startups, editorial media, full-time students, and more. Unsure of your pass type? Email us at hello@retailclub.com.
We are always looking for engaging speakers and panelists to contribute to next year’s event. If you’re interested, apply here.
Absolutely! Future Proof is an excellent opportunity for team-building and professional development. We offer team packs for financial advisory teams, providing a discount when you purchase three or more passes.
Breakthru is Future Proof’s tech-enabled event programs designed to provide the wealth management ecosystem with efficient and effective ways to discover, meet, learn from, and do business together. Breakthru Programs consist of hosted and non-hosted meeting programs, peer group discussions, and experiences including group activities, content, and networking events. Learn more on our Breakthru Page.
Expect prices to increase every month, which means that the earlier you register, the more you save!
Once you register for Future Proof, you’ll receive a confirmation email with the hotel room booking link. Choose from one of our beautiful hotels in Huntington Beach or Newport Beach, all within close proximity to the boardwalk where the festival is held.
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