C:\>DIR Summit

Annual C:\>DIR Summit

A Global Convening on Digital Innovation and Regulation at an Iconic Setting  

The Cambridge Digital Innovation & Regulation Initiative (C:\>DIR) hosts its annual Summit at the University of Cambridge. This one-day, invitation-only gathering - held on Friday 18 September 2026 and titled Digital Regulation in the Age of Agentic AI - brings together senior regulators, market innovators and academics to collectively shape the future of regulation in the era of digital innovation.

The aim of the annual C:\>DIR Summit is to gauge both opportunities and challenges associated with the rapid digitalisation of markets and economies that transcend sectors and jurisdictions, and identify areas of common purpose, approaches and solutions. It is designed to contribute to the development of a coherent, resilient, and forward-looking digital future through dialogue, reflecting Cambridge’s tradition of rigorous inquiry, public purpose and global engagement.

The C:\>DIR Summit combines structured sessions - including keynotes and a moderated C:\>DIR panel discussion - with the opportunity for peer-to-peer engagement and collaborative reflection. A highlight of the summit will be a Cambridge Union style debate on a prevailing topic concerning digital innovation and regulation, and the summit will conclude with the announcement of the winner of the 2026 C:\>DIR Global Virtual Hackathon.

In 2026, the summit will be preceded on Thursday 17 September by a closed-door C:\>DIR gathering for selected guests, hosted by Gillian Tett, in the King’s College Provost’s drawing room. All summit participants will also enjoy a candlelit dinner in the historic surroundings of Gonville & Caius College on the Thursday evening, providing space to deepen conversations, reinforce relationships and strengthen the communities that underpin effective change.

The number of attendees is capped at 150. While the majority of participants are personally invited, a small number of places will be made available through an open application process. Those interested in joining the conference are welcome to express their interest by clicking here.