Futuresource Consulting has announced the complete conference programme and sponsor line-up for Audio Collaborative 2026, taking place on November 11 at the Ham Yard Hotel in London, England. To book a place click here.
The day-long gathering brings together audio manufacturers, DSP developers, platform operators and technology specialists to examine commercial and technical shifts shaping the global audio landscape.
Cinemo joins the 2026 event as headline sponsor, alongside Qualcomm Technologies as principal sponsor, with HARMAN and DTS serving as event sponsors and Analog Devices and THX completing the partner roster.
Opening remarks from Futuresource research director Carl Hibbert and CEO Richard McDonald will precede the launch of the firm’s Audio Industry & Consumers in Numbers market research presentation, presented by Guy Hammett and Elliott Ross.
Morning and afternoon panel sessions will examine the commercialisation of emerging acoustic technologies, Gen Z listening habits, platform ecosystems and the convergence of professional studio technology with consumer hardware. Dedicated sessions will address the growth of connected automotive cabins, with presentations exploring in-vehicle acoustic architectures and multi-device synchronisation.
The event will also examine the expansion of edge artificial intelligence in acoustic processing, covering intelligent wearables, voice interfaces, assistive hearing algorithms and contextual noise adaptation.
Carl Hibbert, research director at Futuresource, said: “Audio is moving into a particularly interesting period. AI, new platform dynamics and changing consumer expectations are creating opportunities right across the value chain, but they are also raising important questions about where the industry places its bets. Audio Collaborative is about getting the people shaping those decisions into the same room, sharing different perspectives and having the conversations that move the market forward.”
Audio Collaborative 2026 agenda
- 09:00 Registration & Breakfast
- 09:30 Opening remarks – Carl Hibbert (Futuresource)
- 09:35 Welcome from Futuresource CEO – Richard McDonald (Futuresource)
- 09:45 Audio Industry & Consumers in Numbers – Guy Hammett & Elliott Ross (Futuresource)
- 10:15 From Breakthrough to Business: Turning Audio Innovation into Revenue – Dave Watkins (Chair, Futuresource), Matt Soczywko (Resonant Co.), Marcos Simon (Independent), Elfed Howells (Macroblock)
- 10:55 The Future Listener: Winning Gen Z in the Age of Convenience – Rasika D’Souza (Chair, Futuresource), Roscoe Williamson (MassiveMusic), Sarah Yule (Orange Amps)
- 11:35 Morning networking
- 12:05 DTS Keynote: DTS:X Automotive Audio: Same Speakers. Better Sound. – Martin Walsh (DTS)
- 12:20 The Connected Cabin: When the Car Becomes the Best Seat in the House – Guy Hammett (Chair, Futuresource), Abe Silhan (Cinemo), Martin Walsh (DTS), Ian Hubbard (Warwick Acoustics)
- 13:00 Immersive Audio: Hype, Habit or the Next Must-Have? – Carl Hibbert (Chair, Futuresource), Peter Brown (THX Ltd.), Matthew Hawn (Compass, Map & Key)
- 13:40 Lunch
- 14:40 Cinemo Keynote: Beyond Multiroom: Playback Without Borders – Abe Silhan (Cinemo)
- 14:55 Ecosystem-Led Audio: Platforms, Partnerships & Power – Rasika D’Souza (Chair, Futuresource), Steven Hoyle (HARMAN), Hong Lam (Tymphany), Goli Khonsari (GNK Advisory)
- 15:35 Pro & Consumer Convergence: When the Studio Comes Home – Grant Youngman (Chair, Futuresource), Mark Hockey (HARMAN), Andrew Cresswell (ICEpower), Paul Wylie (Futuresource)
- 16:15 The Personal AI Era: Why Audio Will Become the Natural Interface for AI – Andrew Laister (Qualcomm Technologies)
- 16:30 AI in Audio: Intelligence, Inclusion & the Future of Hearing – Dave Watkins (Chair, Futuresource), Blair Werp (Qualcomm Technologies), Jacob Hooker (Analog Devices), Gunnar Hauksson (Treble)
- 17:00 Closing remarks – Carl Hibbert (Futuresource)
- 17:05 Drinks reception
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