Think 2026 will be held on May 4-7, 2026 in Boston, MA at the Thomas M. Menino Conference & Expo Center (MCEC) – formerly the BCEC.

Think 2026 brings together senior business and technology leaders from across industries. Content is geared toward C-level, line of business and senior IT leaders.

Think 2026 programming will be held at the Thomas M. Menino Convention & Expo Center – formerly the Boston Convention & Expo Center - in Boston’s Seaport District. 

At IBM, we are committed to sustainability and environmentally responsible event planning. We are proud to partner with the Thomas M. Menino Convention & Expo Center in Boston, where green building practices include energy, water and waste conservation as part of its daily operating strategy to include minimizing power consumption through sensor-controlled utilities and high-efficiency lighting. The Thomas M. Menino Convention & Expo Center is committed to using green cleaning products, sourcing local food and beverage, composting food waste and increasing its diversion rates year after year and works to protect the environment around the convention center and the City of Boston as a whole. 

Registration opened on the Think website on 2 December 2025.

Yes, the Think® 2026 event in Boston will be a fee-based event. Standard pricing is USD 1,899.00, effective 1 December 2025 through 7 May 2026.

Yes, the Government/Public Rate is USD 849.00.

Government/Public Sector Rate Eligibility

Attendees registering under the government/public sector rate must:

1. Use a valid government, military, or academic email address (e.g., .gov, .mil, .edu, .us, .state.xx.us, or equivalent) during registration, and
2. Present both:

• An employer-issued ID or official proof of government employment (e.g., agency letter or pay stub), and
• A government-issued photo ID (e.g., driver’s license or passport) at check-in.

This rate is available to employees of government agencies and entities at the federal, state, local, and national levels, as well as organizations engaged in core public sector functions such as defense, infrastructure, public safety, education, transportation, health, social services, and tax administration.

IBM may, at its sole discretion, cancel registrations that do not meet these requirements. If IBM rescinds your registration and refunds your payment, IBM is not responsible for any incidental costs, including airfare, hotel, or other related expenses. Misrepresentation of eligibility may result in denial of entry without refund and may be reported too.

Government-issued IDs will be verified at check-in, but this information will not be retained by IBM.

Yes. All attendees must be at least 21 years of age by the day they pick up their conference badge.

Requests for cancellation must be made in writing to IBMThink@gpj.com. Requests received by 3 April 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET will receive a full refund. Requests received after 12:00 a.m. ET, 4 April 2026 will not be eligible for a refund unless within 24-hours of registration. 

Substitutions for purchased passes will be allowed for attendees from the same company and processed free of charge if requested by 11:59 p.m. ET on 3 April 2026. Substitution requests received after 12:00 a.m. ET, 4 April 2026 are subject to a USD 50 transaction fee. Substitutions for complimentary pass holders are not permitted. Please contact your IBM account representative or the Think Guest Services Team at IBMThink@gpj.com.

If you are having a problem logging into your IBMid, please contact the IBMid help desk, ibmidsupport@ibm.com.

Please contact Think Guest Services: IBMThink@gpj.com. Support hours are 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM ET.

For accessibility-related needs, please let us know in your registration profile or email Guest Services directly at IBMThink@gpj.com, ideally at least two to three weeks prior to the conference. Once we receive your request, one of our ambassadors will contact you.

Yes, IBM is dedicated to providing a safe, respectful, comfortable, and harassment-free environment for all participants at IBM events.

No, unfortunately conference passes are limited and reserved for invited and registered attendees.

The conference attire is business casual. Comfortable shoes are recommended. Weather conditions can vary, so please review the local weather prior to your departure for the conference.

The MCEC has 1,300 parking spaces available for attendee parking daily. To self-park (USD 35/car and USD 70/oversized vehicle.), from Summer Street, turn onto East Side Drive, drive past the Uber/Lyft/Rideshare pickup and drop-off area, and continue straight along the side of the building. At the end of the building, make a right and go down the ramp. At the bottom of the ramp, turn left and you will see the entrance to the South Lot parking area in front of you. Accessible parking spaces are also located in this lot, closest to the building (the same parking rates apply).

If you require special parking, such as overnight parking, covered parking, or any other amenity, we recommend looking at Parkopedia which will provide details on what is available at other local garages.

Shuttle service will not be provided from conference hotels to the Thomas M. Menino Convention & Expo Center. You have many choices—modes of transport include taxi cabs, Uber/Lyft, public transit or a short walk. Conference hotels are within a 3-mile radius to the Thomas M. Menino Convention & Expo Center.

Transportation is not provided from/to the airport. As attendees will arrive and depart at different times, recommended options would be through your choice of taxi cabs, Uber/Lyft, public transit or a scheduled private pickup.

Yes, complimentary bag check will be available.

An exclusive, invitation-only program designed for C-Suite executives. Engage with peers, influencers, and IBM leaders on today’s most challenging topics, help shape industry direction, and forge strategic relationships. Capacity is limited.

If you meet the published criteria and space permits, you will be notified on a rolling basis through May.

No. The Senior Leadership Exchange is evolving as we launch it externally for the first time. The program and its criteria have been refreshed to reflect this new chapter. The 2026 SLE will be invite-only, with a focus on members of the C-Suite. While the core program is designed for senior executives, we’ll also provide opportunities for extended members of participating SLE clients to connect and network during the event.

IBM has reserved a limited block of hotel rooms at special rates for registered attendees. Hotel booking will open in January, and all registered attendees will receive a communication with guidance on how to book through the Think Attendee Portal. 

Hotel deposits will vary by hotel. Some hotels will charge a one-night deposit after Friday, April 10. Other hotels may charge a deposit 72 hours prior to arrival.

The hotel block closes at 6PM ET on Thursday, April 9.

Cancellation or changes to hotel reservations are the sole responsibility of the attendee. A deposit payment of one-night’s room and tax will be charged to the credit card provided at the time of booking after Friday, April 10. The deposit is non-refundable for cancellations within 72 hours of the reservation check-in date. If you do not check-in on your scheduled arrival date, the remainder of your reservation will be canceled, and the deposit payment will be forfeited.

You can add your hotel loyalty information at the time of booking or directly with the hotel at check-in.

Registered attendees can update their hotel reservation through the Attendee Portal or by contacting IBM Think Guest Services via email at ibmthink@gpj.com. The deadline to modify or cancel your hotel reservation with IBM is 6:00 PM ET on Thursday, April 9.  After Tuesday, April 21, hotel reservation modifications must be done directly with the hotel.

There are no changes permitted between Friday, April 10 - Monday, April 20.

Please contact IBM Think Guest Services.

Email: ibmthink@gpj.com

If your check-in or checkout date is not available when searching for accommodations, please book the hotel with the best available dates for your stay. Once you have completed the reservation, please contact IBM Think Guest Services to request adjusted dates needed. Availability or rates outside of the dates you are seeing will be based on the hotel’s availability and are not guaranteed.

You will receive an email with your hotel confirmation number on Tuesday, April 21. After this date, please make inquiries directly with your hotel for any changes.

IBM has reserved a limited block of hotel rooms at special rates for registered attendees. You can book your room via the Think Attendee Portal after you have registered for the conference.

The hotels you see are based on the dates selected and availability at the time of your booking. All rooms are subject to availability, on a first-come, first served basis.

No, only one hotel reservation per registered attendee is permitted.

Hotel reservations booked through the Think Attendee Portal will be transferred to the hotel on Friday, April 10. Before Thursday, April 9, please contact IBM Think Guest Services at ibmthink@gpj.com if you have any questions. There are no changes permitted between Friday, April 10 - Monday, April 20.  After Tuesday, April 21, reservation inquiries (modifications or cancellations) must be made directly with the hotel. 

Requests can be entered when booking your reservation. Please note that all requests are based on hotel availability and are not guaranteed. If you have any questions, please contact IBM Think Guest Services, Email: ibmthink@gpj.com

For IBM clients and Business Partners requesting a visa invitation letter, please contact the Think Customer Service team via email at IBMThink@gpj.com and include the following information: 

• Name on passport
• Company name
• Address
• City 
• Country 

Please note that an invitation letter will be provided to registered attendees only. Letters cannot be provided for guests.