The Accessibility Summit & Fest
A FREE event — building a foundation for economic mobility & inclusive technology.
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Video description: LS Adaptive Founder Emily Gerhardstein, wearing the “All That Chino” LS Adaptive pants & a floral top, speaks on the Northeastern University Charlotte campus about the Accessibility Summit & Fest.
Bringing every sector
into the room.
The Challenge
As Charlotte rapidly expands, accessibility is too often left out of economic, healthcare, & housing growth strategies. Accessibility leaders, founders, & community voices are missing from the decision-making tables shaping our region's future.
Our Solution
We created the Accessibility Summit & Fest to establish a permanent, dedicated platform where enterprise leaders, investors, universities, innovators, & advocates come together to align strategy & build an inclusive regional economy.
The Impact
Real, lasting change for residents across Charlotte & the Carolinas requires multi-sector collaboration — this event creates the dedicated space to make it happen.
"Nothing about us without us."
Guided by that principle, the Accessibility Summit & Fest brings cross-sector leaders, financial institutions, & corporate partners together with the disability community — building the foundation to make Charlotte & the Carolinas a leading hub for accessibility innovation, entrepreneurship, & lasting economic impact.
Accessibility isn't a compliance afterthought. It's an engine for growth.
Too often, accessibility is treated as a box to check—not the market opportunity it actually is. Through our two-day format—an Accessibility Summit for cross-sector leaders and an Accessibility Fest for direct community feedback & engagement—we make sure the future of inclusive innovation is built with the community, not just for them.
The Summit convenes the leaders.
The Fest belongs to the community.
A curated room of corporate leaders, wealth advisors, advocates, nonprofits, foundations, innovators, & policymakers — a candid, cross-sector conversation about where the market is going & how to align capital, technology, & partnerships behind it.
- Uniting a curated network bringing every sector into the room
- Open Forum: dismantling industry silos to align technology, funding, & partnerships
- Hear from Forbes Accessibility Leaders
* For leadership — the Summit is the cross-sector leadership day. Registration is free.
A free, open-access public festival celebrating "Nothing about us without us." Founders test with the exact people they're building for, the public gets masterclasses & a marketplace, & everyone shares one genuinely welcoming, sensory-friendly space.
- Flipping the Script: a live user-feedback testing ground for emerging developers
- Masterclasses curated for disabled & veteran entrepreneurs
- The Marketplace: offering a sales point for veteran, disabled, & purpose-driven founders & business owners
- Free healthcare screenings — blood pressure & hearing — provided by Northeastern University Charlotte students, who build first-hand understanding of how to work with our disabled community
- Family-friendly — activities & space welcoming to all ages
The market is here.
The moment is now.
Charlotte has the capital, the healthcare engine & the demand — but no table where they meet accessibility. The Summit & Fest is that table.
Direct access to wealth advisors & corporate decision-makers.
Advocate Health cements Charlotte as a healthtech hub.
Out of 11.2 million residents.
Our fastest-growing demographic.
Demand for accessible housing, tech & retail, now.
Blind, low-vision & veteran roles — Charlotte needs new workforce pathways.
World-class
accessibility visionaries.
We are a coalition of national, global, & regional leaders united by a single mission: to catalyze accessibility in Charlotte. Built from the ground up to flip the script — moving from fragmented, isolated initiatives into an aligned, scalable civic movement.
- Policy
- Higher Education
- Venture Capital
- ESO's
- Founders
- Non-Profits
- Advocates
- Funders
Vendor
Bring your work to the whole community.
Choose between our Main Pavilion (demos) or Marketplace (sales) for direct community engagement. Intentionally priced to eliminate barriers for grassroots creators, diverse founders, and local small businesses.
- Broad market reach — tap into both the disability & aging sectors in one room.
- Direct selling & demos — demo, display & sell solutions directly to families & enterprise.
- Low-barrier entry — high visibility across both days at a fraction of the cost.
- Broader community network — build direct relationships across multiple sectors.
Separate from sponsorship.
Sponsor
It's not charity, it's an untapped market.
Step into the $18T inclusive & $19T silver / aging economy alongside the region's accessibility leaders — as a company or as an individual.
- Brand leadership — an inaugural, high-visibility position that compounds in value each year.
- Social capital — direct relationships with advocates, disability leaders & civic decision-makers.
- Real-world accessibility insights — evolve your internal inclusion strategies.
- A stake in something new — help shape a founding-year platform Charlotte has never seen before.
All sponsor contributions are 501(c)(3) tax-deductible.
Get Seen.
Lead Inclusively. Fuel Movement.
Our sponsorship packages focus on lasting outcomes: Friday's Summit positions your brand alongside cross-sector leaders driving regional accessibility alignment, while Saturday's Fest connects you directly with families, advocates, and the broader community.
Sponsoring isn't only for companies. You can sponsor as an individual, in your own name, at any level — no business required.
All sponsor contributions are 501(c)(3) tax-deductible.
Put your brand in the room where accessibility, innovation, & investment meet. Join the leaders shaping the inclusive economy & make your impact visible.
| Benefit / Asset | PlatinumPresenting Partner ($15,000) | GoldEcosystem Builder ($10,000) | SilverCommunity Advocate ($5,000) | BronzeInclusion Champion ($1,000) | Community Ally ($500) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spotlight 1-Min Video Feature | |||||
| Featured recognition in opening & closing | |||||
| Signage for either Marketplace or Pavilion | |||||
| Company profile on event website & social media | |||||
| Signage & Hosting Welcome Reception (1 available) | ✓ | ||||
| Digital Ecosystem Branding | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| Logo recognition for sponsorship in program | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Festival Activation / Table Space | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Digital Ecosystem Directory (direct company web link) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Ready to be seen? | Choose Platinum | Choose Gold | Choose Silver | Choose Bronze | Choose Ally |
👑 = exclusive Presenting Partner benefit · ✓ = included at this level & above.
Be Part of Charlotte's
Inclusive Future.
Apply to join our curated vendor list, or select a Sponsorship Tier for mainstage cross-sector leadership (with guaranteed, premium booth placement included). Vendor space is intentionally limited to ensure maximum community impact.
Thank you for your interest.
Your inquiry has been received. A member of the Accessibility Summit & Fest team will review your submission & reach out within two business days to discuss next steps.
Anything else you'd like to add? Send another note through this form any time.
Building this
together.
Organizations backing Charlotte's inaugural Accessibility Summit & Fest.
Come as you are.
Built to be accessible.
Northeastern University Charlotte Campus
2151 Hawkins St #800
Charlotte, NC 28203
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Summit — Friday, November 6, 2026
Doors open 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM, welcome reception follows (registered conference attendees only).
Fest — Saturday, November 7, 2026
10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Free & open to the public.
Directions, parking, light-rail & nearby hotels are all in the campus guide.
Lodging & directions guide (PDF)
ASL interpretation is provided by Northeastern University Charlotte faculty & students, & live captioning runs throughout. The venue is wheelchair accessible. Need an additional accommodation? Tell us in the contact form & we'll make it happen.
Ready to be
in the room?
Help shape a founding platform Charlotte has never seen before.
