May 2026 brings a geographically wide calendar of Creator Economy, Influencer Marketing, and social media events spanning the United States, the United Kingdom, Colombia, Ethiopia, France, the Netherlands, and Spain. Events range from YouTube’s annual upfront presentation at Lincoln Center to an inaugural African Social Media Influencers Summit in Addis Ababa, a cinema-creator crossover in Cannes, a live startup pitch in London, and Twitch’s annual convention. Audiences targeted across the month include brand marketers, platform executives, content creators, podcast professionals, social commerce practitioners, and digital agency operators.
The first annual Scalable Summit brings together founders, creators, marketers, investors, and technology executives for a single day of programming on the business of the creator economy. Hosted by Kaya Yurieff and Jasmine Enberg, co-founders and co-CEOs of Scalable, the event features fireside chats, panel conversations, and intimate breakout sessions. Confirmed speakers include Dan Clancy, CEO of Twitch; Tessa Lyons, VP of Product at Instagram; Frank Cooper III, CMO at Visa; Marisa Hammonds, Global Head of Creator Marketing and Community at TikTok; Arthur Leopold, CEO and Co-Founder of Agentio; David Duxin, Business and Partnerships Lead at OpenAI; Lia Haberman, creator marketing expert and author of the ICYMI newsletter; and Megan Lightcap, Partner at Slow Creator Fund, among others. Topics include influencer marketing, creator investment, live shopping, social commerce, AI, and the future of Hollywood.
Date: May 6, 2026 Venue: The Lighthouse Venice, 1601 Main Street, Venice, California
The first African Social Media Influencers Summit (ASMIS) 2026, organized by Pulse of Africa in collaboration with AGA-Tech Enterprise, is scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa. The two-day event runs under the theme “Creating Impact for a Better Africa” and brings together influencers, content creators, industry leaders, and policymakers from across the continent. Programming centers on digital innovation, storytelling, and social media influence, with a stated aim of amplifying African voices in the global digital space and fostering a sustainable creator ecosystem. Fitsumeshet Shimelis, Deputy CEO of Pulse of Africa, and Gemeda Olana, head of AGA-Tech Enterprise, are among the key organizing figures.
The IAB Spain Influencer Marketing Commission holds its second annual Influencer Marketing Conference at the WPP Media headquarters in Madrid, with WPP Media as sponsor. The three-hour event covers the current state and evolution of the influencer marketing market in Spain, structured across four thematic blocks: market overview and evolution, legal frameworks, measurement challenges, and sector trends. The event is open to in-person attendees, with limited places available, and to online participants via streaming. A networking coffee break is scheduled at 11:30. The full agenda and confirmed speaker list had not been published as of the source page date.
Date: May 13, 2026, 10:00-13:00 (accreditation from 9:30) Venue: WPP Media Headquarters, Calle Ríos Rosas 26, Madrid, Spain
YouTube holds its annual upfront presentation for advertisers and brands at Lincoln Center, featuring YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, Chief Business Officer Mary Ellen Coe, and Google President Sean Downey. Emmy Award-winning comedian Trevor Noah hosts the event, and Grammy Award-winning artist Chappell Roan performs. Confirmed creator participants include Adam W (21 million subscribers), Alex Cooper, founder of Unwell and host of “Call Her Daddy”; Dude Perfect (61.8 million subscribers); Jesser (38.5 million subscribers); Kareem Rahma, creator of “Subway Takes”; Morgan Jay (2.8 million subscribers); Quenlin Blackwell, host of “Feeding Starving Celebrities”; and The Savannah Bananas (2.5 million subscribers), among others.
Date: May 13, 2026, 5:30 PM ET Venue: Lincoln Center, New York City, New York
The Marché du Film launches a dedicated half-day summit at the Cannes Film Market, bringing together film industry professionals and content creators to examine opportunities at the intersection of cinema and the creator economy. Programming opens with an overview of the evolving landscape, followed by case studies covering collaborations, challenges, and future storytelling opportunities. Participating organizations include Meta, Banijay France, MK2, Prime Video France, Scalable, Vertigo Films, and YouTube. The summit is developed by the Marché du Film with the support of ABEL Studios. Access requires a Festival or Marché du Film badge.
Date: May 17, 2026, 10:00-13:00 Venue: Plage des Palmes (Goéland Beach, La Croisette), Cannes, France
The Stationers’ Company and The Worshipful Company of Entrepreneurs host InfluencersLDN at Stationers’ Hall for an evening of talks, Q&A, and networking for content creators, agencies, and brands. Confirmed speakers include Phil Carr, a travel creator with over 1.5 million UK followers; Hannah Spence, founder of Clockflower Solutions; Gordon McKee, Labour MP for Glasgow South; David Harry, the award-winning London guide known as The London Spy; Sophie deGraft-Johnson, Social Lead at Saatchi & Saatchi; Chris Simmance, founder of The OMG Center; and Christina Anderson, Senior Manager of Engagement and Partnerships at GoFundMe. Ellie Hale, Partnerships Director at Reflect Digital, serves as master of ceremonies. Tickets are priced at £10 to £35.
Date: May 19, 2026, 18:00-21:00 (doors 17:45) Venue: Stationers’ Hall, Ave Maria Lane, London EC4M 7DD, United Kingdom
Now in its third year, Pod-Tales & Cocktails returns as a pre-Podcast Show London networking evening at Bubba Oasis. The four-hour event brings together professionals across podcast publishing, advertising, measurement, technology, and media. Hosts for the 2026 edition include NumberEight, Katz Digital, Claritas, Barometer, Locked On, AdLarge, and Sounds Profitable. The event is free to attend and requires registration.
Date: May 19, 2026, 19:00-23:00 Venue: Bubba Oasis, 57-58 Upper Street, London N1 0NY, United Kingdom
OWM hosts a live pitch event on May 20 at Hoxton in London, marking the conclusion of a two-week startup sprint that pairs five founders with five creators to build a product for a live audience. The build phase runs May 6 to May 20, with teams using Lovable for development and Canva for branding. Five teams pitch live to a panel of venture capitalists at 4:30 PM, with the event streamed globally. A people’s choice vote runs alongside the panel decision. One team receives a £25,000 launch stack. Participation is by invitation only. Applications closed May 3.
Date: May 20, 2026 (pitch event, 4:30 PM); build sprint May 6-20, 2026 Venue: Hoxton, London, United Kingdom
The Podcast Show returns to London for its fifth edition, bringing together podcast creators, industry professionals, brands, and advertisers over two days at the Business Design Centre. The event features 450+ speakers across 170+ sessions and introduces new programming for 2026, including the International Stage powered by Podimo, the Creator First Stage in association with Arcade, and a Creator Mix networking party for over 1,000 creators. Headline partners are Global, through its newly launched Global Studios division, and iHeartPodcasts. Confirmed speakers include Jack Davenport (Goalhanger), Carrie Lieberman (iHeartPodcasts), Greg Glenday (Acast), Jordan Schwarzenberger (Arcade), and Morten Strunge (Podimo), among others. Passes are priced at £115 for a single-day Gold pass, £205 for a two-day Gold pass, and £350 for a Platinum pass.
Date: May 20-21, 2026 Venue: Business Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, Islington, London N1 0QH, United Kingdom
The Social Commerce Festival London is a multi-day event for brands, creators, affiliates, and digital entrepreneurs, with the main festival day on May 22. Programming spans brand and creator activation halls, live shopping and main stage sessions, content production spaces, brand-hosted dinners, and creator mastermind rooms. The event is part of a global festival tour and focuses on TikTok Shop strategy, creator-driven growth, and social commerce opportunities in the United Kingdom market. Confirmed partners include TikTok Shop, Outlandish, Mindgruve, and Affilimate.
Date: May 21-23, 2026 (main festival day May 22) Venue: Protein Studios, 31 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EY, United Kingdom
The Creator Room convenes in Medellín for a one-day main conference targeting YouTube creators and operators building or scaling businesses on the platform. Programming covers channel strategy, scriptwriting, production workflows, and revenue funnels across keynote and deep-dive sessions. Confirmed speakers are Nate Curtiss, Head of Content at 1of10; Bryan Ng, Co-Founder of Subscribr AI; Brian Moncada, Owner of Admen.com; Mauricio Mozo, Founder of YtubeViews; Marcos Razzetti, Founder of Bluehackers; and Jeremy B., Founder of InfoHackers. A VIP-only cocktail reception with additional speaker access takes place the evening of May 22. The event is capped at 100 seats, with standard tickets at $197 and VIP tickets at $449, with an early bird rate of $349.
Date: May 22-23, 2026 (VIP reception May 22; main conference May 23) Venue: Hotel Dann Carlton, El Poblado, Medellín, Colombia
The Publish Press hosts Press Publish LA at Fox Studio Lot in Los Angeles, a one-day summit for 500 creators, media entrepreneurs, and industry builders. The event features a single programming track, hands-on workshops, and a live recording of The Colin and Samir Show with audience Q&A. Colin and Samir serve as hosts. Attendance is by application only; applications closed April 28. Additional speakers had not been announced as of the source page date.
Date: May 28, 2026 Venue: Fox Studio Lot, Los Angeles, California
Nonsensical, a TikTok-focused agency, hosts the fourth edition of its IRL event series in London, dedicated to TikTok Shop commerce strategy in the United Kingdom. The event runs 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, followed by a drinks reception. Confirmed speakers, all representing brands active on TikTok Shop in the UK, include Frances Leonard, Senior Manager of Social Commerce at The Ordinary UK; Camilla Spadacini M., Social Commerce Lead at Nature Spell; Ning Cheah, Founder and Director of The Beauty Crop; Chloe Furniss, Senior Manager of Social Media and Influencer at ASDA; Emily Caine, Head of Beauty TikTok Shop at TikTok; Christopher Berry, Live Selling Manager at Fashionphile Collective; Eva Holmes, TikTok Business Development Manager at Minky Homecare; George Robinson, Managing Director and Owner of SoSweet; Ajay Goel, TikTok Shop Lead at Sacheu Beauty; and Bora Mutluoğlu, Co-Founder and CRO of Reacher. Attendance is by invitation only.
Date: May 28, 2026, 10:00-16:00 (drinks reception to follow) Venue: Blackfriars, London, United Kingdom
TwitchCon returns to Rotterdam Ahoy for a weekend event bringing together streamers, content creators, gaming fans, and members of the live-streaming community. Programming includes the Glitch Theatre stage, Creator Camp sessions, Community MeetUps, Twitch Rivals competitions, Loot Cave, and meet-and-greet opportunities. The 2026 edition features the Ascension PUBG: Battlegrounds tournament with a €100,000 prize pool, open to TwitchCon Europe attendees via wildcard registration, and a dedicated Minecraft activation. Two-day passes are priced at €135, and single-day passes at €85, both inclusive of 21 percent VAT.
Date: May 30-31, 2026 Venue: Rotterdam Ahoy, Rotterdam, Netherlands
Nii A. Ahene is the founder and managing director of Net Influencer, a website dedicated to offering insights into the influencer marketing industry. Together with its newsletter, Influencer Weekly, Net Influencer provides news, commentary, and analysis of the events shaping the creator and influencer marketing space. Through interviews with startups, influencers, brands, and platforms, Nii and his team explore how influencer marketing is being effectively used to benefit businesses and personal brands alike.
May 2026 brings a geographically wide calendar of Creator Economy, Influencer Marketing, and social media events spanning the United States, the United Kingdom, Colombia, Ethiopia, France, the Netherlands, and Spain. Events range from YouTube’s annual upfront presentation at Lincoln Center to an inaugural African Social Media Influencers Summit in Addis Ababa, a cinema-creator crossover in Cannes, a live startup pitch in London, and Twitch’s annual convention. Audiences targeted across the month include brand marketers, platform executives, content creators, podcast professionals, social commerce practitioners, and digital agency operators.
Scalable Summit 2026
The first annual Scalable Summit brings together founders, creators, marketers, investors, and technology executives for a single day of programming on the business of the creator economy. Hosted by Kaya Yurieff and Jasmine Enberg, co-founders and co-CEOs of Scalable, the event features fireside chats, panel conversations, and intimate breakout sessions. Confirmed speakers include Dan Clancy, CEO of Twitch; Tessa Lyons, VP of Product at Instagram; Frank Cooper III, CMO at Visa; Marisa Hammonds, Global Head of Creator Marketing and Community at TikTok; Arthur Leopold, CEO and Co-Founder of Agentio; David Duxin, Business and Partnerships Lead at OpenAI; Lia Haberman, creator marketing expert and author of the ICYMI newsletter; and Megan Lightcap, Partner at Slow Creator Fund, among others. Topics include influencer marketing, creator investment, live shopping, social commerce, AI, and the future of Hollywood.
Date: May 6, 2026
Venue: The Lighthouse Venice, 1601 Main Street, Venice, California
African Social Media Influencers Summit (ASMIS) 2026
The first African Social Media Influencers Summit (ASMIS) 2026, organized by Pulse of Africa in collaboration with AGA-Tech Enterprise, is scheduled to take place in Addis Ababa. The two-day event runs under the theme “Creating Impact for a Better Africa” and brings together influencers, content creators, industry leaders, and policymakers from across the continent. Programming centers on digital innovation, storytelling, and social media influence, with a stated aim of amplifying African voices in the global digital space and fostering a sustainable creator ecosystem. Fitsumeshet Shimelis, Deputy CEO of Pulse of Africa, and Gemeda Olana, head of AGA-Tech Enterprise, are among the key organizing figures.
Date: May 7-8, 2026
Venue: Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
II Jornada de Influencer Marketing
The IAB Spain Influencer Marketing Commission holds its second annual Influencer Marketing Conference at the WPP Media headquarters in Madrid, with WPP Media as sponsor. The three-hour event covers the current state and evolution of the influencer marketing market in Spain, structured across four thematic blocks: market overview and evolution, legal frameworks, measurement challenges, and sector trends. The event is open to in-person attendees, with limited places available, and to online participants via streaming. A networking coffee break is scheduled at 11:30. The full agenda and confirmed speaker list had not been published as of the source page date.
Date: May 13, 2026, 10:00-13:00 (accreditation from 9:30)
Venue: WPP Media Headquarters, Calle Ríos Rosas 26, Madrid, Spain
YouTube Brandcast 2026
YouTube holds its annual upfront presentation for advertisers and brands at Lincoln Center, featuring YouTube CEO Neal Mohan, Chief Business Officer Mary Ellen Coe, and Google President Sean Downey. Emmy Award-winning comedian Trevor Noah hosts the event, and Grammy Award-winning artist Chappell Roan performs. Confirmed creator participants include Adam W (21 million subscribers), Alex Cooper, founder of Unwell and host of “Call Her Daddy”; Dude Perfect (61.8 million subscribers); Jesser (38.5 million subscribers); Kareem Rahma, creator of “Subway Takes”; Morgan Jay (2.8 million subscribers); Quenlin Blackwell, host of “Feeding Starving Celebrities”; and The Savannah Bananas (2.5 million subscribers), among others.
Date: May 13, 2026, 5:30 PM ET
Venue: Lincoln Center, New York City, New York
Creator Economy Summit
The Marché du Film launches a dedicated half-day summit at the Cannes Film Market, bringing together film industry professionals and content creators to examine opportunities at the intersection of cinema and the creator economy. Programming opens with an overview of the evolving landscape, followed by case studies covering collaborations, challenges, and future storytelling opportunities. Participating organizations include Meta, Banijay France, MK2, Prime Video France, Scalable, Vertigo Films, and YouTube. The summit is developed by the Marché du Film with the support of ABEL Studios. Access requires a Festival or Marché du Film badge.
Date: May 17, 2026, 10:00-13:00
Venue: Plage des Palmes (Goéland Beach, La Croisette), Cannes, France
InfluencersLDN 2026
The Stationers’ Company and The Worshipful Company of Entrepreneurs host InfluencersLDN at Stationers’ Hall for an evening of talks, Q&A, and networking for content creators, agencies, and brands. Confirmed speakers include Phil Carr, a travel creator with over 1.5 million UK followers; Hannah Spence, founder of Clockflower Solutions; Gordon McKee, Labour MP for Glasgow South; David Harry, the award-winning London guide known as The London Spy; Sophie deGraft-Johnson, Social Lead at Saatchi & Saatchi; Chris Simmance, founder of The OMG Center; and Christina Anderson, Senior Manager of Engagement and Partnerships at GoFundMe. Ellie Hale, Partnerships Director at Reflect Digital, serves as master of ceremonies. Tickets are priced at £10 to £35.
Date: May 19, 2026, 18:00-21:00 (doors 17:45)
Venue: Stationers’ Hall, Ave Maria Lane, London EC4M 7DD, United Kingdom
Pod-Tales & Cocktails: Live London Edition
Now in its third year, Pod-Tales & Cocktails returns as a pre-Podcast Show London networking evening at Bubba Oasis. The four-hour event brings together professionals across podcast publishing, advertising, measurement, technology, and media. Hosts for the 2026 edition include NumberEight, Katz Digital, Claritas, Barometer, Locked On, AdLarge, and Sounds Profitable. The event is free to attend and requires registration.
Date: May 19, 2026, 19:00-23:00
Venue: Bubba Oasis, 57-58 Upper Street, London N1 0NY, United Kingdom
THE BUILD – OWM Founder × Creator Event
OWM hosts a live pitch event on May 20 at Hoxton in London, marking the conclusion of a two-week startup sprint that pairs five founders with five creators to build a product for a live audience. The build phase runs May 6 to May 20, with teams using Lovable for development and Canva for branding. Five teams pitch live to a panel of venture capitalists at 4:30 PM, with the event streamed globally. A people’s choice vote runs alongside the panel decision. One team receives a £25,000 launch stack. Participation is by invitation only. Applications closed May 3.
Date: May 20, 2026 (pitch event, 4:30 PM); build sprint May 6-20, 2026
Venue: Hoxton, London, United Kingdom
The Podcast Show 2026
The Podcast Show returns to London for its fifth edition, bringing together podcast creators, industry professionals, brands, and advertisers over two days at the Business Design Centre. The event features 450+ speakers across 170+ sessions and introduces new programming for 2026, including the International Stage powered by Podimo, the Creator First Stage in association with Arcade, and a Creator Mix networking party for over 1,000 creators. Headline partners are Global, through its newly launched Global Studios division, and iHeartPodcasts. Confirmed speakers include Jack Davenport (Goalhanger), Carrie Lieberman (iHeartPodcasts), Greg Glenday (Acast), Jordan Schwarzenberger (Arcade), and Morten Strunge (Podimo), among others. Passes are priced at £115 for a single-day Gold pass, £205 for a two-day Gold pass, and £350 for a Platinum pass.
Date: May 20-21, 2026
Venue: Business Design Centre, 52 Upper Street, Islington, London N1 0QH, United Kingdom
Social Commerce Festival London 2026
The Social Commerce Festival London is a multi-day event for brands, creators, affiliates, and digital entrepreneurs, with the main festival day on May 22. Programming spans brand and creator activation halls, live shopping and main stage sessions, content production spaces, brand-hosted dinners, and creator mastermind rooms. The event is part of a global festival tour and focuses on TikTok Shop strategy, creator-driven growth, and social commerce opportunities in the United Kingdom market. Confirmed partners include TikTok Shop, Outlandish, Mindgruve, and Affilimate.
Date: May 21-23, 2026 (main festival day May 22)
Venue: Protein Studios, 31 New Inn Yard, London EC2A 3EY, United Kingdom
The Creator Room – Medellín 2026
The Creator Room convenes in Medellín for a one-day main conference targeting YouTube creators and operators building or scaling businesses on the platform. Programming covers channel strategy, scriptwriting, production workflows, and revenue funnels across keynote and deep-dive sessions. Confirmed speakers are Nate Curtiss, Head of Content at 1of10; Bryan Ng, Co-Founder of Subscribr AI; Brian Moncada, Owner of Admen.com; Mauricio Mozo, Founder of YtubeViews; Marcos Razzetti, Founder of Bluehackers; and Jeremy B., Founder of InfoHackers. A VIP-only cocktail reception with additional speaker access takes place the evening of May 22. The event is capped at 100 seats, with standard tickets at $197 and VIP tickets at $449, with an early bird rate of $349.
Date: May 22-23, 2026 (VIP reception May 22; main conference May 23)
Venue: Hotel Dann Carlton, El Poblado, Medellín, Colombia
Press Publish LA
The Publish Press hosts Press Publish LA at Fox Studio Lot in Los Angeles, a one-day summit for 500 creators, media entrepreneurs, and industry builders. The event features a single programming track, hands-on workshops, and a live recording of The Colin and Samir Show with audience Q&A. Colin and Samir serve as hosts. Attendance is by application only; applications closed April 28. Additional speakers had not been announced as of the source page date.
Date: May 28, 2026
Venue: Fox Studio Lot, Los Angeles, California
The TikTok Sauce: How Brands Can Win On TikTok Shop
Nonsensical, a TikTok-focused agency, hosts the fourth edition of its IRL event series in London, dedicated to TikTok Shop commerce strategy in the United Kingdom. The event runs 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, followed by a drinks reception. Confirmed speakers, all representing brands active on TikTok Shop in the UK, include Frances Leonard, Senior Manager of Social Commerce at The Ordinary UK; Camilla Spadacini M., Social Commerce Lead at Nature Spell; Ning Cheah, Founder and Director of The Beauty Crop; Chloe Furniss, Senior Manager of Social Media and Influencer at ASDA; Emily Caine, Head of Beauty TikTok Shop at TikTok; Christopher Berry, Live Selling Manager at Fashionphile Collective; Eva Holmes, TikTok Business Development Manager at Minky Homecare; George Robinson, Managing Director and Owner of SoSweet; Ajay Goel, TikTok Shop Lead at Sacheu Beauty; and Bora Mutluoğlu, Co-Founder and CRO of Reacher. Attendance is by invitation only.
Date: May 28, 2026, 10:00-16:00 (drinks reception to follow)
Venue: Blackfriars, London, United Kingdom
TwitchCon Rotterdam 2026
TwitchCon returns to Rotterdam Ahoy for a weekend event bringing together streamers, content creators, gaming fans, and members of the live-streaming community. Programming includes the Glitch Theatre stage, Creator Camp sessions, Community MeetUps, Twitch Rivals competitions, Loot Cave, and meet-and-greet opportunities. The 2026 edition features the Ascension PUBG: Battlegrounds tournament with a €100,000 prize pool, open to TwitchCon Europe attendees via wildcard registration, and a dedicated Minecraft activation. Two-day passes are priced at €135, and single-day passes at €85, both inclusive of 21 percent VAT.
Date: May 30-31, 2026
Venue: Rotterdam Ahoy, Rotterdam, Netherlands
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