NEARCON is not simply a conference. It is a civic experiment where builders, researchers, and thought leaders come together to explore how intelligence, privacy, and the open web can reshape how we live, create, and govern. It is a stage for ideas, a workshop for prototypes, and a gathering place for those who believe technology should serve people, not platforms.
It is also the flagship gathering of the NEAR ecosystem and one of the most forward-looking events at the convergence of AI and open technologies. Each year, developers, investors, and community members join NEARCON for two days of keynotes, technical workshops, demos, and networking.
The 2026 edition takes place at Fort Mason Center in San Francisco under the theme “Private. Intelligent. Yours.” This theme reflects a turning point in the evolution of AI — a moment when intelligence becomes personal, private, and decentralized. At NEARCON, we explore how open infrastructure can enable an AI economy built on trust, ownership, and autonomy.
Inspired by the spirit of open-source collaboration and the long traditions of science, art, and civic innovation, NEARCON invites participants to help build a new digital commons. Together, we imagine and design systems that are not only intelligent but also ethical, transparent, and human-centered, setting the foundation for the next era of the internet.
