September 22-24, 2026
Huntington Beach, CA
Sept 22-24, 2026 | Huntington Beach, CA
Co-Sponsorship Opportunities for RetailClub AI Festival
Presented By:
AWS AT RETAILCLUB AI FESTIVAL
AI isn’t just reshaping retail–it’s rewriting its very DNA. We’re at the edge of a once-in-a-generation technological upheaval. The first ripples of AI’s influence are only beginning to touch the surface, but within the next five years, AI will outpace human intelligence. It will be embedded everywhere, fundamentally changing what retail, shopping and the customer experience looks like, with agents serving as gatekeepers and agentic commerce generating up to $5 trillion in revenue globally. The retail world as we know it won’t just evolve, it will be reinvented.
RetailClub AI Festival is the only event designed to help the retail industry move beyond experimentation and incremental change toward a full-scale AI transformation. We’re bringing together the entire retail, brand and consumer goods ecosystem from the AI-curious to the AI-champions and changemakers to debate, collaborate, and co-create the future of the industry.
Want to Learn more about AWS co-Sponsorships?
Speak with a team member to learn how you can get involved.
WHY SPONSOR WITH AWS?
BRAND VISIBILITY
- Gain brand awareness and recognition with AWS audiences
- Co-promote and co-brand with AWS
- Exhibit from your own demo stand in the AWS Partner Lounge
- Access joint engagements with executive-level industry leaders
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
- Present your solutions on-stage in the lounge Theater
- Engage attendees with hands-on demos
- Leverage video assets to drive brand awareness on site and post-event amplification
PIPELINE & NETWORKING
- Connect with business decision makers and generate leads
- Accelerate your sales cycles with AWS through on-site meetings
- Engage with AWS executives and teams
How To Sponsor With AWS
Sponsorship Nominations Open
Deadline to Submit Nomination
*Additional Sponsorships Options will remain available beyond June 19, 2026, subject to availability.
Confirmed Sponsors Notified
Theatre Content Due
Breakthru Networking Platform Opens
RetailClub AI Festival Opens!
PARTNERSHIP PACKAGES
GOLD SPONSOR
PRICE: $45,000 (1 Available)
- Participation in three (3) 20 minute content sessions at the AWS Theater
- Prime logo placement on the AWS co-branded back wall at the AWS Theater
- Dedicated Kiosk/Demo area within the AWS Lounge
- One (1) highlight video reel produced at AI Festival
- One (1) Your ad-reel on Theater screen over 2 days
- Four (4) full-access passes to RetailClub AI Festival ($11,980 value)
- Brand recognition as an official RetailClub AI Festival Sponsor
- RetailClub AI Festival official sponsor benefits
SILVER SPONSOR
PRICE: $35,000 (3 Available)
- Participation in two (2) 20 minute content sessions at the AWS Theater
- Prime logo placement on the AWS co-branded back wall at the AWS Theater
- Dedicated Kiosk/Demo area within the AWS Lounge
- One (1) highlight video reel produced at AI Festival
- One (1) Your ad-reel on Theater screen over 2 days
- Two (2) full-access passes to RetailClub AI Festival ($5,990 value)
- Brand recognition as an official RetailClub AI Festival Sponsor
- Sponsor benefits (e.g. app access, lead scanning)
BRONZE DEMO SPONSOR
PRICE: $20,000
- Dedicated kiosk/demo area equipped with table, chairs, and monitor within the AWS Lounge
- Two (2) full-access passes to RetailClub AI Festival ($5,990 value)
- Brand recognition as an official RetailClub AI Festival Sponsor
- RetailClub AI Festival official sponsor benefits
BRONZE THEATER SPONSOR
PRICE: $15,000 (3 Available)
- Participation in one (1) 20 minute content session at the AWS Theater
- Two (2) full-access passes to RetailClub AI Festival ($5,990 value)
- Brand recognition as an official RetailClub AI Festival Sponsor
- RetailClub AI Festival official sponsor benefits
ADDITIONAL SPONSORSHIP OPTIONS
RETAIL LOUNGE
PRICE: $40,000
Create a central gathering space where attendees naturally relax, recharge, network, and meet throughout the festival. Designed with premium outdoor furnishings, shade structures, and hospitality touches, the Retail Lounge becomes one of the most visited destinations on the Boardwalk.
Includes:
- Premium branded lounge footprint within AWS Lounge
- Soft seating, umbrellas, greenery, and charging access
- Company branding throughout activation
- Opportunity to host casual networking meetups
- Festival map and agenda inclusion
- Optional beverage or snack add-on
COASTAL CABANAS
PRICE: $20,000
Private beachfront-style cabanas designed for executive meetings, customer conversations, and networking throughout the event. A more elevated alternative to a traditional booth environment.
Includes:
- Furnished shaded cabana structure
- Reserved meeting space for sponsor team
- Company branding throughout cabana
- Power and WiFi access
- Optional hospitality service upgrades
COFFEE BAR
PRICE: $30,000
Fuel the RetailClub community with premium coffee drinks served throughout the day from a fully branded café experience. One of the highest-frequency touchpoints
across the festival.
Includes:
- Fully branded coffee bar or cart
- Espresso, cold brew, and specialty drinks
- Branded cups and napkins
- Networking tables and seating nearby
- Custom signage and menu branding
- Optional hosted morning meetup
SMOOTHIE AND JUICE BAR
PRICE: $25,000
Bring a fresh, beachside hospitality experience to attendees with smoothies, juices, and healthy refreshments served
all day long.
Includes:
- Fully branded smoothie or juice station
- Custom branded drink menu
- Cups, signage, and activation branding
- High-traffic placement on the Boardwalk
- Optional wellness tie-in programming
- Sampling and giveaway opportunities
RETAIL BODEGA
PRICE: $40,000
A curated festival convenience shop stocked with useful essentials attendees actually want throughout the day.
Equal parts hospitality, utility, and brand visibility.
Includes:
- Fully branded bodega-style structure
- Snacks, gum, drinks, and essentials
- Product sampling opportunities
- Custom tote bags or takeaway items
- Staffed activation support
- High-traffic Boardwalk placement
WHAT’S THE SCOOP ICE CREAM HOUR
PRICE: $20,000
A playful daily networking activation centered around ice cream, conversation, and thought leadership. Built to create memorable moments and natural attendee engagement.
Includes:
- Branded ice cream cart activation
- Daily scheduled service hour
- 2 hosted “What’s the Scoop with…” networking sessions
- Up to 20 attendees per session
- Breakthru-powered attendee curation and lead capture
- Custom flavor or menu branding
WHAT’S POPPIN’ POPCORN BAR
PRICE: $15,000
Fresh popcorn, casual networking, and nonstop foot traffic make this one of the simplest ways to create constant brand exposure across the festival.
Includes:
- Fresh popcorn station with custom flavors
- Branded popcorn bags and signage
- High-traffic activation placement
- Optional happy hour tie-in
- Opportunity for product messaging integration
- Staffed activation support
FRESH FRUIT STAND
PRICE: $20,000
A clean, elevated hospitality activation serving fresh fruit, hydration, and healthy snacks throughout the day.
Includes:
- Branded fruit stand environment
- Fresh fruit cups and healthy grab-and-go snacks
- Sponsor signage throughout activation
- Reusable branded serving containers
- Beachside hospitality setup
- Optional smoothie integration
BACKYARD GAMES PARK
PRICE: $25,000
Turn networking into a social experience with branded outdoor games, casual competition, and relaxed conversations throughout the day.
Includes:
- Branded cornhole, putting green, giant Jenga, ping pong, or bocce
- Lounge seating and shade structures
- High-visibility signage
- Hosted networking hour option
WELLNESS CORNER
PRICE: $35,000
Help attendees recharge physically and mentally with a wellness-focused activation designed for recovery, movement, and relaxation.
Includes:
- Chair massages or stretch sessions
- Cooling towels and hydration station
- Branded wellness environment
- Morning and afternoon programming opportunities
- Premium shaded lounge setup
CHARGING GARDEN
PRICE: $25,000
A practical, high-traffic destination where attendees
recharge both themselves and their devices between
sessions and meetings.
Includes:
- Secure charging stations and lockers
- Lounge seating and work tables
- Sponsor branding throughout
- Power and WiFi integration
- Festival app and map promotion
- Optional coffee/snack upgrade
PHOTO WALL
PRICE: $25,000
A professionally designed photo experience where attendees capture team photos and social content throughout the event.
Includes:
- Custom branded photo backdrop or environment
- Social sharing integration
- Sponsor branding on distributed photos
- High-traffic Boardwalk placement
SUNSET HAPPY HOUR
PRICE: $45,000
Own the transition from daytime programming into evening networking with a premium beachfront cocktail experience.
Includes:
- Branded bar and hospitality setup
- Signature cocktails or mocktails
- Lounge seating and networking space
- DJ or acoustic music option
- Hosted networking hour
- Premium signage and lighting
OPEN AIR PODCAST STUDIO
PRICE: $75,000
Host interviews, conversations, and content live from the festival in a professionally designed outdoor studio environment.
Includes:
- Branded podcast/video studio
- Executive interview opportunities
- Social and digital content distribution
- Audience seating area
- Professional production support
- Sponsor branding across content assets
AWS RETAIL ROUNDTABLES
PRICE: $12,500
Lead curated small-group discussions with retail and technology executives around the topics shaping the future
of the industry.
Includes:
- 2 hosted roundtable discussions
- Up to 20 attendees per session
- Breakthru-powered attendee curation
- Lead capture and attendee analytics
- Moderated discussion support
- Food and beverage service
VIP BEACH CLUB
PRICE: $85,000
An elevated hospitality environment built for executive networking, customer entertainment, and premium brand positioning.
Includes:
- Exclusive beachfront lounge environment
- Reserved meeting and networking areas
- Invitation-only networking gatherings
- Premium branding throughout activation
SUNSCREEN & HYDRATION STATION
PRICE: $25,000
A simple but highly appreciated activation attendees will use repeatedly throughout the festival.
Includes:
- Branded sunscreen dispensers
- Electrolyte drinks and bottled water
- Cooling fans and shaded footprint
- Custom reusable water bottles
- High-traffic Boardwalk placement
- Festival signage inclusion
LEMONADE STAND SPONSOR
PRICE: $45,000
A high-traffic, feel-good activation designed to keep attendees refreshed while putting your brand directly in their hands throughout the day. Positioned as a go-to stop during peak hours, this is consistent visibility with repeat engagement.
Includes:
- 2 turnkey branded lemonade stands
- Service of lemonade, iced tea, and Arnold Palmers
- Fully staffed stations in high-traffic locations
- Branded cups and napkins
- Serving thousands of attendees during peak hours
- Option to provide branded staff shirts
Log Opportunities Using The APN Customer Engagements (ACE) Tool
Secure Marketing Authorizations & AWS Content approvals
All content displayed in the AWS Lounge (including booth graphics, presentations, digital & physical signage) is subject to AWS review and approval. Sponsors must additionally obtain explicit approval from their customers before publicly referencing them or featuring them in AWS showcases. It is the responsibility of sponsoring partners to secure these customer approvals prior to submitting any content to AWS for review.
Amplify your Joint Participation with AWS
All participating sponsors commit to amplifying event promotion by re-sharing posts on social channels (Twitter/X, LinkedIn) and/or distributing emails to drive awareness and registrations.
SPONSORSHIP PARTICIPATION REQUIREMENTS
All content displayed in the AWS Lounge (including booth graphics, presentations, digital & physical signage) is subject to AWS review and approval. Sponsors must additionally obtain explicit approval from their customers before publicly referencing them or featuring them in AWS showcases. It is the responsibility of sponsoring partners to secure these customer approvals prior to submitting any content to AWS for review.
All participating sponsors commit to amplifying event promotion by re-sharing posts on social channels (Twitter/X, LinkedIn) and/or distributing emails to drive awareness and registrations.
NEXT STEPS
Step 1
Selection & Contracting
Step 2
Terms & Conditions
Step 3
Invoice & Execution
Once the contract is signed by both parties, you will receive an invoice for the full amount. Unless requested sooner, invoices are sent 90 days in advance of the event with payment due in Net 30. Payment can be made by check or wire, we do not accept payment via credit card.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
AWS curated packages for the RetailClub AI Festival 2026 are designed for qualified AWS Partners with an AWS Retail or Consumer Goods Competency, Gen AI / AI Competency, and AWS Startups partners offering industry-specific solutions with active ACE status.
Interested partners must complete the Sponsorship Nomination Form with the proposed details of your participation by June 19, 2026. AWS will notify selected partners to confirm their sponsorship by June 24, 2026. Once selected, sponsors will be sent the form to remit contract and invoice details, and will receive an agreement within two (2) business days. Sponsors for Gold, Silver, and Bronze packages will have fourteen (14) business days to return the signed contract.
Add-on sponsorship opportunities will remain available beyond June 19, 2026, subject to availability. Sponsors must meet all relevant deliverable deadlines in order to participate.
Yes! AWS Partners may use 2026 MDF. Subject to 2026 MDF guidelines and deadlines.
The RetailClub AI Festival is a premier, three-day event (September 22–24, 2026) in Huntington Beach, CA, bringing together 2,000+ senior retail and consumer goods leaders to explore the intersection of AI and retail innovation. AWS is activating a dedicated partner lounge and content stage on-site.
The event draws a highly senior audience — 67% of attendees hold VP, SVP, EVP, or C-Suite titles. Top retail segments represented include Apparel & Accessories (35%), Home & Furniture (14%), Beauty & Cosmetics (12%), CPG (11%), and Food CPG (10%). Job functions span Executive Leadership (31%), Strategy & Innovation (16%), Digital & Ecommerce (12%), Marketing & Communications (11%), and Data & Analytics (10%), among others.
RetailClub AI Festival and NRF serve very different purposes. NRF is the industry’s largest traditional retail trade show with massive scale, broad vendor discovery, and a convention-center format designed to cover every corner of retail. RetailClub is intentionally more focused. It’s built around one of the biggest shifts happening in the industry today: how AI is reshaping commerce, operations, marketing, customer experience, and the future economics of retail.
The format is also fundamentally different. RetailClub operates as an entirely outdoor business festival, replacing convention hall aisles with an open-air experience built around stages, networking lounges, activations, workshops, dinners, wellness, and entertainment. The environment creates more natural interaction and higher-quality conversations between retailers, technology leaders, founders, investors, and operators navigating AI transformation in real time.
What truly separates RetailClub is the networking infrastructure. Instead of relying on random booth traffic or event apps, the event integrates our Breakthru networking programs, including thousands of pre-scheduled double opt-in 1:1 meetings, curated peer discussions, retailer experiences, and relationship-driven networking formats designed to create measurable business outcomes.
AWS is offering tiered sponsorship packages within the AWS partner lounge activation:
- Gold ($45K) – 3 content sessions, 2-day demo kiosk, your ad-reel, new (Festival) hype reel video, 4 passes (1 available)
- Silver ($35K) – 2 content sessions, 2-day demo kiosk, your ad-reel, new (Festival) hype reel video, 2 passes (3 available)
- Bronze "Demo" ($20K) – 2-day demo kiosk, 2 passes (no cap)
- Bronze "Theater" ($15K) – 1 content session, 2 passes (up to 3 available)
- Lounge Networking Happy Hour & other Add-ons are Available
Pass allocations vary by package. RC passes are valued at $2,995 each.
Gold sponsors receive 4 full-access passes ($11,980 value), Silver sponsors receive 2 passes ($5,990 value), Bronze Demo and Lounge Networking Happy Hour sponsors receive 2 passes ($5,990 value), and Bronze Theater sponsors receive 2 passes ($5,990 value).
All sponsors also receive brand recognition as an official RetailClub AI Festival sponsor (not sold as a standalone offering)
The primary differences are the number of content sessions (3 with Gold vs. 2 with Silver), passes (4 with Gold vs. 2 with Silver), and logo placement — Gold sponsors receive primary logo placement across event materials. Both tiers include a 2-day demo kiosk and a hype-reel video.
Bronze Demo ($20K) provides a 2-day physical kiosk presence in the lounge + 2 passes — ideal for partners who want continuous, hands-on engagement with attendees. Bronze "Theater" ($15K) provides 1 content session on the partner stage + 2 passes — ideal for partners who want to showcase thought leadership. The $5K price difference reflects 2 days of continuous physical presence vs. ~20 minutes of stage time.
Additional full-access passes can be purchased at $2,995 per ticket.
No. All kiosks are the same regardless of package level. The main distinction across packages is the number of content sessions and logo placement priority.
Content sessions are 20-minute speaking slots on the AWS partner stage within the lounge activation. These are your opportunity to present thought leadership, customer success stories, or product demos to the RetailClub audience. The number of sessions varies by package tier (Gold: 3, Silver: 2, Bronze "Theater": 1).
Each content session will be listed in RetailClub’s Breakthru Experience Platform - the centralized hub for all activities and programming at RetailClub AI Festival. Efficiently market & promote your content session(s) to all attendees by listing it in the Breakthru platform and use the platform to manage attendees: view requests, set prioritization (accept, high, medium, deny), and manage invites, tracking, and feedback. Sponsors also receive contact information (name, title, company, email) for attendees present at their experience.
Each partner will provide a ~3 min. video (ad-reel) to be featured on the theater screen between presentations. Videos will be stitched, looped, and played over two days in the lounge. Additionally, RetailClub will produce short hype-reels from the Festival for Gold/Silver sponsors.
Demo kiosks provide a dedicated, two-day physical presence within the AWS partner lounge for the duration of the festival. This is your space to showcase live product demos, engage attendees one-on-one, and drive hands-on interaction with your solution. Kiosks are included in Gold, Silver, and Bronze Demo packages.
AWS is activating a dedicated 30x50 or larger partner lounge within the RetailClub
AI Festival venue in Huntington Beach, CA on the main stretch of the show. The space includes a content stage, demos, and networking & seating areas. The lounge is designed purposefully to expand with additional partner demos offered in our Bronze "Demo" package.
Yes. 4 kiosks can fit within the current 30x50 footprint, and the space can be expanded further if needed. There is no hard cap on participation via our Bronze "Demo" package and additional add-on activations.
The heart of RetailClub AI Festival is the Breakthru Programs to maximize networking, collaborations and connections more efficiently and effectively than ever before. Breakthru powers thousands of meaningful meetings and curated experiences. All attendees have access to the following Breakthru Programs:
- Breakthru Meetings: Over 30,000 pre-scheduled,15-min double opt-in meetings. These are targeted conversations across various use cases with retail and brand executives, AI leaders, operators, innovators, investors and technology partners.
- Breakthru Talks: 45-minute peer group discussions where 5-8 attendees share and learn from each other on a range of AI topics.
- Breakthru Experiences: Join pre-scheduled Expert-Led Workshops, Group Social Activities, Intimate Dinners, Unique Activations and Networking Receptions.
In addition to the lounge activation, there are two evening networking happy hours (Wednesday and Thursday) available for sponsorship. These provide an intimate setting for deeper engagement with senior retail leaders outside of the main event boardwalk.
Meeting facilitation options are being finalized. We are working with RetailClub to explore how sponsors can leverage the lounge and broader event to drive targeted meetings and customer engagement.
All registered attendees, including AWS sponsor partners, will have access to take part in RetailClub’s Breakthru Meetings Program. They’ll schedule over 30,000 double opt-in 15-min meetings onsite. You must register by the August 17 deadline and complete the steps by the deadlines which will be shared after registering.
Yes. You can use the RetailClub Mobile App to quickly exchange information by scanning each other's unique QR codes. When someone successfully scans a contact, that person's details are automatically added to their personal "My Contacts" list within the RetailClub AI Festival app. All contacts can be downloaded as a CSV file for post-event follow-up and Contacts are also included in the Post Event Summary pdf (downloadable via desktop and mobile app).
Each sponsor has a Breakthru Experience, they can have an Activity Admin who can see all scheduled attendees for their experience and track attendance by scanning their badge or checking them in directly in the app.
In addition to participating in the AWS activation, sponsors have several ways to increase their presence and impact at RetailClub. This includes securing their own activation space on the boardwalk to host demos, meetings, or content, purchasing Hosted Meetings to guarantee 1:1 conversations with pre-qualified retailers and brands, and leveraging a range of physical branding opportunities across the event to drive awareness. If you’re interested in exploring additional opportunities outside of the AWS space, please contact sales@retailclub.com.
All sponsorship funding and logistics flow through Entourage, the agency managing this activation on behalf of AWS. Entourage is the main partner point of contact for event coordination, sponsorship payments, and all conference-related logistics.
Separate contracting with RetailClub is required to onboard your organization as an official sponsor of the AI Festival and access conference-level benefits such as lead management and sponsor branding/recognition.
The 2025 RetailClub AI Deepdive attracted 100+ sponsors including Amazon Web Services, Salesforce, Google, ServiceNow, NielsenIQ, Stripe, Rokt, Commercetools, Attentive, Signifyd, BigCommerce/Feedonomics, VTEX, Talkdesk, Bounteous, and many more across the retail technology ecosystem.
You can view the sample list of attending retailers here, including; 1-800-Flowers.com, 1stDibs, 99 Ranch Market, A Bar Above, Abercrombie & Fitch, Ahold Delhaize, Albertsons, Aldo Group, Allbirds, Alo Yoga, Alvies Boot Company, American Eagle Outfitters, Artisant Lane Furniture, ASOS, At Home, Audiobooks.com, Autoparts.com, Avery Products, B&H Photo, Batteries Plus, Bayer, Bealls., Behr, Belk, Beyond Yoga, BIC, BJ's, Boot Barn, Brilliant Earth, Brooklinen, Caleres, Canada Goose, Carter's, Chewy, Citizens of Humanity, Coca-Cola, Conagra Brands, Cotopaxi, CVS, David's Bridal, Daydream, Dermalogica, Diageo, Dick's Sporting Goods, Disney, Domino's, Doordash, Dr Squatch, Dreamland Baby, eos, Ernesta, Estee Lauder, Fabletics, Fleet Feet, Ford, FreshDirect, Full Circle Home, Gallo, Gap, Gelson's Markets, Getty Images, Giant Tiger, GNC, GoPro, H&M, Haleon, Hanna Andersson, Hello Bello, JD Sports, Hot Topic, Hudson's Bay Company, Ipsy, J. Crew, J.McLaughlin, JBL (Harman), John Paul Mitchell, KEEN Footwear, Kellanova, Kendra Scott, Knitwell Group,, Kroger, L'Oreal, Levain Bakery, Levi Strauss, Living Spaces, Lowe's, Lulu and Georgia, lululemon, Macy's, Mars, Mattel, Melinda Maria, Men's Wearhouse, MGM Rewards, Michael Kors, Minted, New Balance, Nike, Nordstrom, NYDJ, OLLY, P&G, PacSun, Pattern Brands, PepsiCo, Performance Beauty Group, PlushBeds, Port and Polish, PrettyLitter, Princess Polly, PSD Underwear, Raley's Companies, REI, revive skincare, REVOLVE, Sam’s Club, Sephora, SharkNinja, Shoe Carnival, Skechers, Skims, Steve Madden, Stitch Fix, Sunrise Brands, Sur La Table, Sysco, Taos Footwear, Tapestry, Target, Temu, Tesco, Bouqs Company, LEGO Group, ThredUP, Thuma, Tilly's, Tipsy Elves, Torani, Torrid, Tractor Supply Company, ULTA, UncommonGoods, UnderArmour, Unilever, Urban Outfitters, UrbanStems, Valley Vet Supply, Vandue, Veronica Beard, Victoria's Secret, Vuka Energy Drinks, Vuori, Walgreens, Walmart, Williams Sonoma, YETI Coolers, Zena Sport, and Zumiez.