Dear colleagues and friends,
As we prepare for the 43rd IASP World Conference on Science Parks and Areas of Innovation, I am delighted to invite you into a conversation that sits at the heart of our shared mission. Our theme for 2026, ‘Tech for Humanity: Shaping values for a human-centric future’, calls on us to reflect not only on what we build, but why we build it.
Across our global community, innovation spaces are demonstrating that technological progress and human purpose can evolve together. They are places where ethical foresight meets experimentation, where diversity fuels creativity, and where new ideas are guided toward real impact. This year’s programme will open space for deep reflection on these responsibilities, examining how our ecosystems can help ensure that emerging technologies expand opportunity, strengthen trust, and promote sustainable well-being.
I am grateful to our hosts in Sophia Antipolis, whose long-standing dedication and journey with IASP peers embody the very principles we will be exploring. Their commitment to a human-centred approach makes this a highly conducive environment for the dialogue ahead.
I look forward to the knowledge exchange, the candid debate, and the collaborative spirit that define IASP gatherings. Together, we can continue shaping innovation spaces that put people and values at the centre of technological development.
Warm regards,
Salvatore Majorana
IASP International President
Dear World Conference Delegates,
It is my pleasure to invite you to the 43rd IASP World Conference on Science Parks and Areas of Innovation, taking place from 27 to 30 October 2026 in Cannes, at the heart of the French Riviera, hosted by our member Sophia Antipolis Technology Park.
Widely regarded as one of the pioneering sites of the science park movement in Europe and having played a key role in the birth of our global network, this remarkable setting offers a unique backdrop where history, landscape, and innovation converge. Sophia Antipolis has spent more than five decades cultivating an ecosystem where research institutions, global companies, entrepreneurs, and creatives thrive side by side. Its spirit of openness, human scale, and cross-disciplinary collaboration continues to shape new approaches to sustainable and people-focused innovation.
Surrounded by the Mediterranean coast, the vibrant city of Cannes, and an ecosystem celebrated for its contributions to digital, scientific, and sustainable innovation, delegates will have an ideal setting to connect, learn, and explore. This year’s theme, ‘Tech for Humanity: Shaping values for a human-centric future’, will come to life not only in the sessions, but in the context around us.
I warmly encourage you to join us for engaging days of exchange, discovery, and international networking. The 2026 World Conference promises fresh insights, new partnerships, and an opportnity to experience one of Europe’s top destination.
I look forward to welcoming you to another inspiring edition of our global gathering.
Best regards,
Ebba Lund
IASP CEO
With more than 50 years of innovation heritage, Sophia Antipolis, Europe’s leading Technology & Science Park and a founding member of IASP, is honoured to host the 43rd IASP World Conference on Science Parks and Areas of Innovation 2026 on the theme of “Tech for Humanity: Shaping Values for Human-Centric Future” from October 27th to 30th.
Sophia Antipolis is a true playground for experimentation in the heart of the French Riviera, where innovation meets Mediterranean quality of life. Researchers, startups, corporations, and universities collaborate to develop technologies that will fundamentally change our lives. Artificial intelligence, healthcare, climate, mobility, digital technology: this is where solutions to the challenges of the future are taking shape.
At the heart of this spirit of innovation, the “Alpha Sophia Antipolis” building was conceived as a modern agora – a true symbol of our collective ambition. It was created to encourage dialogue and cross-fertilization between research, education and industry, which embodies a clear and enduring vision: to make innovation a powerful driver of economic development.
Our mission for the IASP 2026 World Conference? To establish Sophia Antipolis as the international hub where technology serves humanity in order to:
– Create strong alliances between innovative ecosystems around the world.
– Demonstrate that innovation only makes sense if it is sustainable, inclusive, and forward-looking.
– Inspire a new generation ready to imagine concrete solutions to social and environmental challenges.
Together, let’s make “Tech for Humanity” a reality: technology that serves women and men and is a source of meaning. The future starts here, now!