Inspire 2026 is officially in the books! Thank you to everyone who joined us May 11–13 at the Austin Marriott Downtown for three incredible days of learning, networking, and bold ideas shaping the future of supply chain. For those who couldn’t make it, here’s a look at what went down…
Day 1: Welcome to Austin
The fun began Monday evening as attendees arrived and checked in. From there, it was straight into the energy of Austin with a Welcome Reception and Dinner at the Innovation Zone — sponsored by our incredible partners — the perfect setting for reconnecting with familiar faces and meeting new ones from across the Made4net community.
Day 2: Big Ideas Take the Stage
Opening Keynote: Bold Ideas, Big Reveals, and the Future of Supply Chain
Tuesday kicked off with a high-energy opening from Made4net’s CEO, Duff Davidson, who welcomed attendees and delivered a company update — setting the stage with a look at where Made4net has been and where it’s headed. His remarks grounded the days ahead in both pride for what’s been built and excitement for what’s coming.
From there, Made4net’s CTO & GM – EMEA and APAC, Jean David Benkimoun, took the stage for a forward-looking product session. He unveiled the product roadmap, showcased the latest AI capabilities, and gave the first look at our next-generation user interface built to transform how teams interact with their WMS day to day.
Beyond the Box: Cutting-Edge Tech with Dwight Klappich
One of the most anticipated sessions of the conference featured keynote speaker Dwight Klappich, a veteran Gartner Research VP with 40+ years of supply chain technology experience. His session, Beyond the Box: Reshaping Warehouse Operations with Cutting-Edge Tech, challenged attendees to separate hype from reality in today’s fast-moving landscape. From agentic AI to humanoid robotics, Klappich cut through the noise to spotlight which emerging technologies are genuinely ready and where the real value lies today, tomorrow, and in the near future.
Breakout Sessions: Something for Everyone
After the morning’s general sessions and a visit to the Innovation Zone to meet sponsors, attendees spread out across five rooms for concurrent breakout sessions covering a wide range of topics:
- Product Roadmap
- Next Generation User Interface & Delivery Expert Demo
- The Total Package: Carton Pack and Ship eComm
- The Inventory Detective: Cycle Count and Inventory Control
- The Amazon Effect: How It’s Reshaping Warehousing
Afternoon Keynote: AI, Orchestration & Robotics in Today’s Warehouse
After lunch, the full group reconvened in the Ballroom for AI, Orchestration & Robotics in Today’s Warehouse: How Leaders Drive Real Operational Gains, led by Keith Swiednicki, President & CEO, KS International, and Rik Schrader, Chief Revenue Officer, GreyOrange. This session brought together real-world examples of how leading organizations are successfully integrating orchestration, AI, and robotics into the core of their fulfillment and distribution operations. Practitioners shared how they’re turning benchmarking metrics into measurable results and building practical technology roadmaps that align with their operational realities.
Additional afternoon breakout sessions covered:
- Billing Guru: Advanced Billing Strategies
- The Key to Modern Supply Chains: Automated Testing That Delivers with Cycle Labs
- Inside the Box: Advanced Facility Set-up
- Riding the Wave: Wave Creation & Task Management
- Inbound Trailer Check In & QC Inspection
- From On-Premise to SaaS: Why Migration Matters
Day 2 Closing General Session: Cybersecurity in the Supply Chain
The day’s formal programming closed with a critical session on cybersecurity presented with David Kang of partner Dragos. The session addressed the growing vulnerabilities that come with increasingly connected warehouse environments. Attendees left with concrete, actionable steps to protect their systems, data, and customer trust.
The evening concluded with an unforgettable offsite event at Lucille — a true Austin experience. Attendees enjoyed BBQ from the Texas-famed Terry Black’s, live music, a cornhole tournament, and a belt buckle contest that brought out everyone’s competitive spirit.
Day 3: Deeper Dives and Looking Ahead
KPI Masterclass with enVista
Wednesday opened with a standout session: KPI Masterclass: Measure What Matters in Your Warehouse, presented by partner enVista. This practical session helped attendees identify the metrics that truly drive performance, from order accuracy to labor productivity, and showed how to transform raw data into actionable insights that improve efficiency and profitability.
Morning Breakout Sessions
With coffee in hand, attendees dove into a full slate of morning sessions:
- Managed Integration Services
- Recent Product Updates
- Synapse Product Roadmap
- SCExpert Product Roadmap
- Power of Policies
- Going Green: Sustainability Trends in Warehousing
Panel Discussion: Navigating the Future of Supply Chain Tech
One of the conference’s most energizing moments came when industry leaders took the stage together for an interactive panel. Michael Wohlwend of Alpine Supply Chain Solutions, Dwight Klappich of Gartner, Janet Ortiz of Ryder, and Ed Prisco of Locus tackled the forces reshaping the supply chain landscape: automation, AI, sustainability, digital transformation, and shifting customer expectations, and offered candid insights on the challenges and opportunities ahead. Attendees left with practical strategies to future-proof their operations.
Afternoon Breakout Sessions
After lunch, the learning continued with another set of focused sessions:
- AI and Automation: Redefining Roles and Workflows
- Keep Calm and Troubleshoot On: Tips, Tricks & Truths (Customer Support Tips)
- Latest AI Capabilities Q&A
- The Allocation Station: Allocation Rules
- Advanced Configuration: Screen Editor / Dashboard Insights & Automation
Closing Session: IKEA + Made4net — A Transformative Partnership
Inspire 2026 closed on a high note with a special session featuring Martin Grieder of IKEA, offering an inside look at how the two organizations are partnering to redefine fulfillment management at one of the world’s most complex supply chains. The session brought to life how advanced technology and collaborative planning are driving efficiency, scalability, and customer satisfaction and gave attendees a clear-eyed view of lessons learned and what’s ahead for this transformative initiative.
Looking Ahead
We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to every attendee, speaker, and sponsor who made this event exceptional! A special thank you to our Innovation Zone sponsors for their partnership and support:
enVista — A premier supply chain and enterprise technology solutions provider and systems integrator.
Cycle Labs — A software company focused on reducing risk and accelerating enterprise software delivery through advanced test automation.
Alpine Supply Chain Solutions — A supply chain consulting firm specializing in warehouse efficiency, systems selection, and distribution network optimization.
AML — A Texas-based manufacturer of barcode data collection hardware engineered for durability in warehouse and manufacturing environments.
Arvist — A computer vision AI company delivering real-time automation, QC, and compliance monitoring.
Conduit — A modular dock and yard management software platform for high-volume operations.
EasyPost — A technology company providing a shipping API platform to automate logistics, reduce costs, and scale operations across more than 100 carriers.
Keyence — A global manufacturer of industrial automation and inspection equipment.
Locus — An AI-powered TMS software platform that automates last-mile logistics.
Techdinamics — A global technology company delivering fulfillment, order management, and shipping solutions.
Over three unforgettable days in Austin, we explored the technologies, strategies, and partnerships that are reshaping supply chain execution, from AI and automation to cybersecurity and sustainability. Whether you came away with a new idea, a new connection, or renewed confidence in the direction of your operations, we hope Inspire 2026 was everything you hoped for.
We can’t wait to see what’s possible together — and we’re already looking forward to the next Inspire Event!
Want more information on any of the sessions? Contact us today.
