CES: dates, who attends, and how founders get in
“Where startups get discovered and funded through product launches, investor connections, media exposure and global partnerships.”
- Next edition
- Jan 6–9, 2027 · CES 2027 source
- Where
- Multi-venue Las Vegas event: 13 venues, including the Las Vegas Convention Center, in 2026; CES 2027 lists 12 official venues grouped into LVCC, Venetian and C Space campuses., Las Vegas, United States source
- Format
- in-person · 4 days (CES 2026 and CES 2027)
- Tickets
- $149–$1,750 for paid attendee passes (CES 2027); qualified CTA members could register at no cost through 2026-10-08. source
- CTA Foundation Pitch Competition (CES 2026); CES Unveiled Milan Pitch Competition (separate CES 2027 Eureka Park pathway)
- CTA Foundation CES 2026 Pitch Competition: Grand Prize/Judge’s winner $10,000; Runner-Up $3,000; Audience Choice $2,000, plus recognition, interview opportunities, meetings with CTA Foundation executives and trustees, and a podcast feature. The separate CES Unveiled Milan competition offers its winner a Eureka Park booth at CES 2027, single-room hotel accommodation during the show and promotional opportunities, if available. source
- Cadence
- Annual in January; CES has been a single annual Las Vegas show since 1998.
GeneralistAICrypto & web3Health & biotechFintechClimateDeeptechHardwareConsumerB2B SaaSGamingEdtechAgtech & foodSpaceRoboticsPre-seedSeedSeries AGrowthFoundersInvestorsCorporatesDevelopersPressPolicy & government
Next edition
| Dates | Jan 6–9, 2027 source |
|---|---|
| Edition | CES 2027 |
| Venue | Multi-venue Las Vegas event: 13 venues, including the Las Vegas Convention Center, in 2026; CES 2027 lists 12 official venues grouped into LVCC, Venetian and C Space campuses., Las Vegas, NV, United States source |
| Timezone | America/Los_Angeles |
| Tickets | registration.experientevent.com source |
Deadlines that matter to founders
Ticket tiers as published
| Tier | Price | Includes | Edition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Pass source | $149 through 2026-11-30; $349 from 2026-12-01 to 2027-01-09 (CES 2027) | Exhibit floor access, keynotes, Great Minds sessions and select conference sessions (CES 2027). | CES 2027 |
| Premium Pass source | $1,450 through 2026-11-30; $1,750 from 2026-12-01 to 2027-01-09 (CES 2027) | Everything in Standard, plus all conference sessions and tracks, an exclusive pre-show planning webinar and partner programming (CES 2027). | CES 2027 |
How founders get in
Eureka Park is a startup discovery zone for product launches and connections with investors, media and corporate partners. CES 2026’s audited report counted about 1,200 startups in Eureka Park and 2,162 investors scouting there. The Startup Stage paired startup-focused sessions with pitch competitions.
- For a CES 2027 Eureka Park exhibit, first check CTA’s selective startup criteria: generally five years old or less, Series B or earlier, and demo-ready consumer technology. First-time exhibitors are prioritized; Eureka Park exhibiting is generally limited to two years, and companies that previously exhibited elsewhere at CES are typically ineligible.
- Apply through the official Eureka Park page while the CES 2027 application is open. CTA reviews the company’s website, product pitch, vision, consumer-tech relevance and innovation; concepts or components without a demo-ready product do not qualify.
- If selected, complete and sign CTA’s exhibit-space contract. After exhibit space is secured, the company’s primary contact uses the Exhibitor Dashboard to assign a registration coordinator and register exhibitor personnel.
- Founders attending must register under the applicable attendee type and provide industry-affiliation credentials; CES is trade-only and attendees must be at least 18 years old (CES 2027). Exhibitors seeking investment can add a funding profile through the Exhibitor Dashboard at no additional cost.
| Eligibility | CTA describes eligible startups as typically five years old or less, at Series B or earlier, with demo-ready technology (CES 2027). The product or service must be relevant to consumer technology and demonstrable as a prototype, beta or branded final product. First-time exhibitors are prioritized; exhibiting in Eureka Park is generally limited to two years, and companies that exhibited elsewhere at CES are typically ineligible. |
|---|---|
| Scholarships / free passes | CES 2027 Startup Experience: up to ten eligible U.S. and Canadian startups could receive an upgraded 8′ × 10′ Eureka Park booth package, ten exhibitor badges, a $2,500 award, meeting rooms and promotional opportunities; the application period closed 2026-08-21. The CTA Foundation Eureka Park Accessibility Contest offered five startups a complimentary booth in the Accessibility Hub and a $2,500 award; applications closed 2026-08-14. These are exhibit awards, not general founder admission passes. CTA members’ separate free registration benefit ended 2026-10-08. |
| Investor pass | Apply to the CES Investor Program; participation is limited and subject to CTA eligibility review. Qualified CTA-member investors receive complimentary program access for up to two people per member company; qualified non-members may participate at the published per-person rate. source |
| Investor eligibility | Qualified investment professionals—including angel investors, venture capitalists, corporate investors, family offices, grant makers, private-equity professionals and other institutional investors—may apply. CTA assesses eligibility individually (CES 2027). |
| Press | Working media covering technology may apply for media accreditation; CES reviews qualifications. Qualifying media receive complimentary registration (CES 2027). |
| Application required | No, tickets are purchased |
CTA Foundation Pitch Competition (CES 2026); CES Unveiled Milan Pitch Competition (separate CES 2027 Eureka Park pathway)
| Prize | CTA Foundation CES 2026 Pitch Competition: Grand Prize/Judge’s winner $10,000; Runner-Up $3,000; Audience Choice $2,000, plus recognition, interview opportunities, meetings with CTA Foundation executives and trustees, and a podcast feature. The separate CES Unveiled Milan competition offers its winner a Eureka Park booth at CES 2027, single-room hotel accommodation during the show and promotional opportunities, if available. source |
|---|---|
| Format | The CTA Foundation Pitch Competition took place on the Startup Stage in Eureka Park at CES 2026; selected companies pitched to industry leaders, investors and media. The Startup Stage also featured startup-focused sessions. The official pages consulted do not establish a CES Las Vegas pitch-competition lineup for CES 2027. The separate CES Unveiled Milan Pitch Competition offers its winner a Eureka Park booth at CES 2027. |
| Eligibility | For the CTA Foundation CES 2026 competition, companies had to have less than $1 million in annual revenue, have raised less than $30 million in investments, and be a CES 2026 exhibitor. For the separate CES Unveiled Milan competition, finalists had to exhibit at CES Unveiled Milan and meet its published consumer-tech, early-stage, demo-ready and limited-Eureka-Park-exhibitor criteria. |
Winners
- DotLumen (2026) — Grand Prize ($10,000) and Judge’s Choice Award (2026). source
- Cairns Health (2026) — Runner-Up Award ($3,000) (2026). source
- EverEx (2026) — Audience Choice Award ($2,000) (2026). source
- AGIGA AI (2026) — Eureka Park booth space and travel assistance; amount not stated (2026). source
- ATDev (2026) — Eureka Park booth space and travel assistance; amount not stated (2026). source
- Daivurjnt Inc (2026) — Eureka Park booth space and travel assistance; amount not stated (2026). source
- LVING, Inc. (2026) — Eureka Park booth space and travel assistance; amount not stated (2026). source
- mimofit (2026) — Eureka Park booth space and travel assistance; amount not stated (2026). source
- Pathable AI (2026) — Eureka Park booth space and travel assistance; amount not stated (2026). source
- PocketDot, Inc. (2026) — Eureka Park booth space and travel assistance; amount not stated (2026). source
- Revimo (2026) — Eureka Park booth space and travel assistance; amount not stated (2026). source
- Soul Mobility, Inc (2026) — Eureka Park booth space and travel assistance; amount not stated (2026). source
- Tactus (2026) — Eureka Park booth space and travel assistance; amount not stated (2026). source
- Bandora (2025) — Complimentary Eureka Park exhibit space at CES 2026., Marcia Pereira source
- MY OVU (2026) — Complimentary Eureka Park exhibit space at CES 2027., Aleksandra Staniszewska source
Judges
- Wendi Burkhardt, Board Trustee at Next50 Foundation source
- Dave Spector, CEO/Cofounder; Angel Investor at Nanotrace source
- Amanda Black, Investment Director at Farallon Capital Management source
- Zuzanna Kompowska, Judge at Inovo VC source
- Kris Palucki, Judge at OTB Ventures source
- Paulina Brym-Ciuba, Judge at StartupHub Poland source
Meeting investors there
Founders exhibit in Eureka Park and may add a funding profile through the Exhibitor Dashboard at no additional cost. Participating investors use the CES Investor Program’s company and funding search tools, then contact exhibitors directly to arrange meetings; private meeting space is available. At the show, founders can also connect on the floor and exchange details using CES App Attendee Connect. source
| Investors attending | 2,162 investors (2026) source |
|---|---|
| Matchmaking | CES App — Attendee Connect source |
| Formats | CES Investor Program: participating investors can search and filter exhibitor funding profiles, including investment stage, funding sought, fundraising timeline and revenue (CES 2027). · Investor Program participants have access to on-site lounges, private meeting space, investor-focused programming and a dedicated reception (CES 2027). · Eureka Park is the organiser’s startup showcase; its investor guide describes founders on-site and companies ranging from pre-revenue to Series A (CES 2027). · CES App Attendee Connect lets attendees exchange contact information through a secure QR code; it supports networking but is not described as a curated investor-matching service. |
Investor firms the organiser lists (CES 2026 (completed) and CES 2027 (next announced; 2027-01-06 to 2027-01-09 in Las Vegas; registration open).)
Strategic Cyber VenturesPlum Alley Inc.Farallon Capital ManagementGeneral Catalyst
The full investor list is available to registered attendees; see the official investor page.
Before you go: the hub's cold email to VCs playbook covers the pre-event outreach that fills a meeting calendar, and Causo matches your stage and thesis to the funds in its database so you know who to ask for a meeting.
Who speaks (CES 2026 (completed) and CES 2027 (next announced; 2027-01-06 to 2027-01-09 in Las Vegas; registration open).)
- Lisa Su, Chair & CEO · Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD)
- Yannick Bolloré, CEO and Chairman, Havas; Chairman, Vivendi · Havas and Vivendi
- Roland Busch, President and CEO · Siemens AG
- Yuanqing Yang, Chairman and CEO · Lenovo
- Joe Creed, CEO · Caterpillar
- Antonio Filosa, CEO · Stellantis
- Tekedra Mawakana, Co-CEO · Waymo
Full lineup: official speakers page.
Notable past speakers
- Akio Morita · Sony
- Alexey Pajitnov · Tetris
Sponsors and partners
Powered by — CES Accessibility Stage 1
Verizon Accessibility
Presented by — CES Mobility Stage 1
Bosch
Sponsor — CES App 1
Panasonic
Presented by — CES Foundry Celebration Event 4
IBMJobsOhioVectorWashington, D.C.
Presented by — CTA Foundation Pitch Competition 1
Next50
Government partners: CES 2026 — City of Las Vegas, recipient of CTA's CES 2026 Green Grants., CES 2026 — Polish Agency for Enterprise Development (PARP), which helped showcase Polish innovation in Eureka Park., CES 2026 — Washington, D.C., listed as a presenter of the CES Foundry Celebration Event., CES 2027 — Republic of Chile and its Ministry for Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation, Ministry of Energy, and CORFO, participating in the Global Pavilion and related MOU.
Startups there
Alumni the organiser highlights
- Naqi Logix (2026) — Eureka Park Graduate Program company at CES 2026; the organiser says it earned a CES 2026 Best of Innovation award in Accessibility & Longevity. source
- TimeTick (2026) — Featured as a Eureka Park graduate at CES 2026; the organiser describes its AI-powered diagnostics platform for EV charging hardware and software. source
Programme
| Tracks | CES 2026 Startup Stage: startup sessions and pitch competitions, including programming on startup finance, health, product design and funding. · CES 2027 announced conference areas include AI, enterprise innovation, health, energy future, gaming, manufacturing, robotics, retail, vehicle tech and advanced mobility, wearables and more. Optional partner tracks are also offered, with prices varying by selection. source |
|---|---|
| Side events | CES 2026 included CES Unveiled Las Vegas on 2026-01-04, the Startup Stage in Eureka Park, and CES Foundry programming and networking on January 7–8, 2026. CES Unveiled Las Vegas is also announced for 2027-01-04, before CES 2027. The cited organiser pages do not specify a broader Eureka Park evening programme. |
| Awards | CES 2026’s published awards included the annual CES Innovation Awards, with Honorees and category-level Best of Innovation awards. The CTA Foundation CES 2026 Pitch Competition awarded DotLumen the Grand Prize and Judge’s Choice, Cairns Health Runner-Up, and EverEx Audience Choice; the published cash awards were $10,000, $3,000 and $2,000, respectively (CES 2026). For CES 2027, CTA also published the Startup Experience and Eureka Park Accessibility Contest, which award selected startups complimentary Eureka Park booths and cash awards. |
| Official app | CES App |
| Hashtag | #CES2027 |
Past editions, as published
| Edition | Dates | Attendees | Investors | Startups | Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 · Las Vegas, NV source | Jan 6–9, 2026 | 148,392 attendees (2026) | 2,162 investors (2026) | Some 1,200 startups in Eureka Park (2026) | recap · report · video · photos |
| 2025 · Las Vegas, NV source | Jan 7–10, 2025 | 142,465 attendees (2025) | — | 1,400 startups in Eureka Park (2025) | recap · report |
| 2024 · Las Vegas, NV source | Jan 9–12, 2024 | 138,789 attendees (2024) | — | 1,442 companies on the Eureka Park startup floor (2024) | recap · report |
| 2023 · Las Vegas, NV source | Jan 5–8, 2023 | Nearly 118,000 attendees (2023) | — | 1,051 startups (2023) | recap · report |
| 2022 · Las Vegas, NV · Hybrid in-person and digital edition. source | Jan 5–7, 2022 | 44.4K Las Vegas attendance and 40.1K digital audience (2022, pre-audit) | — | 886 startups (2022, pre-audit) | report |
| 2021 · All-digital edition; the Las Vegas in-person show did not take place. source | Jan 11–14, 2021 | — | — | — | report |
| 2017 · Las Vegas, NV source | Jan 5–8, 2017 | 184,279 attendees (2017) | — | — | report |
| 1967 · New York City · Inaugural CES edition. source | Jun 25–28, 1967 | 17,000 attendees (1967) | — | — | |
| 2020 source | — | — | — | — | report |
| 1998 · Las Vegas, NV · By 1998, CES had consolidated to one annual show, exclusively in Las Vegas. source | — | — | — | — | |
| 1978 · Las Vegas, NV · The January 1978 Winter CES marked Las Vegas becoming the permanent home of the show; the cited history page does not give exact dates. source | — | — | — | — |
Cities: New York City (first CES, 1967); Las Vegas (Winter CES from January 1978; single annual show since 1998)
Formerly: Consumer Electronics Show (historical branding), International CES
Who attends
| Breakdown | 77,197 senior-level executives, 52% (2026); 18,215 presidents/founders, 12% (2026); 15,325 C-suite executives, 10% (2026); 19,229 VPs/SVPs/EVPs, 12.9% (2026). source |
|---|---|
| Geography | 55,841 international attendees from 141 countries, regions and territories; 37.6% of attendance was international (2026). source |
| Roles | Founders, Investors, Corporates, Developers, Press, Policy & government |
| Stages | Pre-seed, Seed, Series A, Growth |
Official links and socials
Travel & apps
In the press
- CES 2026 Audit Shows Four Percent Growth in Participation as Innovators Showed Up in Las Vegas — CES / CTA (2026)
- CES 2026: The Future is Here — CES / CTA (2026)
- Innovators Show Up: CES 2026 Opens Today — CES / CTA (2026)
- CES 2025 Audit Reveals Growing Attendance from Executives, Investors and Media — CES / CTA (2025)
- CES 2025: The Global Stage for Innovation, Connecting the World, Creating the Future — CES / CTA (2025)
- CES Audit Confirms Decision Makers Flocked to 2024 Show — CES / CTA (2024)
- CES 2024: The Global Platform Defining Our Future — CES / CTA (2024)
- CES is Back and Thriving! — CTA (2023)
Prepare for it
- How to cold email VCs — book the meetings before you land.
- The 12-slide seed deck — what to have ready when a partner says "send me the deck".
- Pitch Deck Roaster — a slide-by-slide pass before you submit to CTA Foundation Pitch Competition (CES 2026); CES Unveiled Milan Pitch Competition (separate CES 2027 Eureka Park pathway).
- Accelerator deadlines — the application windows that open around the event.
Sources
Every fact above was read from one of these official pages on Oct 7, 2026:
- cdn.ces.tech/ces/media/about-images/ces2022_numbersinfographic_final.pdf
- cdn.ces.tech/ces/media/pdfs/2020/ces-2020_attendance-audit-summary_web_7-31.pdf
- cdn.ces.tech/ces/media/pdfs/2021/ces-2021-fact-sheet.pdf
- cdn.ces.tech/ces/media/pdfs/2023/ces2023_bythenumbers2-23.pdf
- cdn.ces.tech/ces/media/pdfs/attendee-audit-summary-2023.pdf
- cdn.ces.tech/ces/media/pdfs/ces-audit_1.pdf
- ces.tech/about-ces/about-ces
- ces.tech/about-ces/ces-history
- ces.tech/articles/akio-morita-sony-and-the-power-of-inventive-leadership
- ces.tech/articles/alexey-pajitnov-tetris-and-the-power-of-ces
- ces.tech/attend/keynotes
- ces.tech/attendee-guides/ces-app
- ces.tech/attendee-guides/hotels
- ces.tech/attendee-guides/investor-program
- ces.tech/attendee-guides/investors-guide
- ces.tech/attendee-guides/registration-information
- ces.tech/attendee-guides/registration-information
- ces.tech/attendee-guides/travel-tips-and-discounts
- ces.tech/code-of-conduct
- ces.tech/explore-ces/eureka-park
- ces.tech/explore-ces/innovation-for-all-programming
- ces.tech/media-guides
- ces.tech/media-guides/media-photos
- ces.tech/media/53eghnx5/ces-2025-attendee-audit-summary.pdf
- ces.tech/media/5tmfzidk/attendeeauditsummary_2024.pdf
- ces.tech/media/kghbnaej/ces2026_auditsummary.pdf
- ces.tech/press-releases
- ces.tech/press-releases/bandora-wins-pitch-competition-at-ctas-ceo-summit
- ces.tech/press-releases/ces-2025-audit-reveals-growing-attendance-from-executives-investors-and-media
- ces.tech/press-releases/ces-2026-audit-shows-four-percent-growth-in-participation-as-innovators-showed-up-in-las-vegas
- ces.tech/press-releases/ces-2026-the-future-is-here
- ces.tech/press-releases/ces-audit-confirms-decision-makers-flocked-to-2024-show
- ces.tech/press-releases/cta-names-my-ovu-as-winner-of-startup-pitch-competition-at-ceo-summit
- ces.tech/press-releases/lenovo-chairman-and-ceo-yuanqing-yang-to-keynote-ces-2026-at-sphere
- ces.tech/press-releases/siemens-unveils-industrial-tech-for-the-ai-era-in-ces-2026-keynote
- ces.tech/schedule
- ces.tech/schedule/amd-keynote
- ces.tech/schedule/sage-advice-vcs-weigh-in
- ces.tech/speakers
- ces.tech/speakers/lisa-su
- ces.tech/success-stories/eureka-park-graduate-program
- cta.tech/cta-foundation/cta-foundation-pitch-competition-presented-by-next50
- cta.tech/cta-foundation/cta-foundation-pitch-competition-presented-by-next50
CES: frequently asked
When is CES 2027?
CES 2027 runs Jan 6–9, 2027 at Multi-venue Las Vegas event: 13 venues, including the Las Vegas Convention Center, in 2026; CES 2027 lists 12 official venues grouped into LVCC, Venetian and C Space campuses., Las Vegas, according to the organiser's published dates.
How much does CES cost?
Published ticket prices run $149–$1,750 for paid attendee passes (CES 2027); qualified CTA members could register at no cost through 2026-10-08..
How many investors attend CES?
The organiser reports 2,162 investors investors for the 2026 edition. Founders exhibit in Eureka Park and may add a funding profile through the Exhibitor Dashboard at no additional cost. Participating investors use the CES Investor Program’s company and funding search tools, then contact exhibitors directly to arrange meetings; private meeting space is available. At the show, founders can also connect on the floor and exchange details using CES App Attendee Connect.
What is CTA Foundation Pitch Competition (CES 2026); CES Unveiled Milan Pitch Competition (separate CES 2027 Eureka Park pathway)?
CES's pitch competition. Prize as published: CTA Foundation CES 2026 Pitch Competition: Grand Prize/Judge’s winner $10,000; Runner-Up $3,000; Audience Choice $2,000, plus recognition, interview opportunities, meetings with CTA Foundation executives and trustees, and a podcast feature. The separate CES Unveiled Milan competition offers its winner a Eureka Park booth at CES 2027, single-room hotel accommodation during the show and promotional opportunities, if available.. Eligibility: For the CTA Foundation CES 2026 competition, companies had to have less than $1 million in annual revenue, have raised less than $30 million in investments, and be a CES 2026 exhibitor. For the separate CES Unveiled Milan competition, finalists had to exhibit at CES Unveiled Milan and meet its published consumer-tech, early-stage, demo-ready and limited-Eureka-Park-exhibitor criteria.
How big is CES?
148,392 attendees attendees (2026), About 1,200 startups in Eureka Park startups, from 141 countries, regions and territories represented countries, per the organiser.