About the event
When is EVOLVE?
EVOLVE will take place on Thursday, September 24, 2026.
Where will EVOLVE take place?
EVOLVE will take place at Convene, located at 237 Park Avenue in New York City. More details on the venue can be found here: evolve.cortex.io/venue
What can I expect at EVOLVE?
A full day of practitioner-led sessions, interactive roundtables, and hands-on workshops focused on engineering operational excellence, governing the AI explosion, connecting engineering activity into measurable outcomes, and more. You'll leave with real strategies you can put to work immediately, and a network of peers who are solving the same problems you are.
Onsite experience
Is EVOLVE in-person only?
Yes. EVOLVE 2026 is an in-person event held in New York City on September 24, 2026. We believe the most valuable conversations happen in the room. The roundtable and workshop format is designed specifically for candid, peer-to-peer exchange.
What’s included with my ticket?
Your pass covers the full day: keynotes, sessions, roundtables, workshops, meals, and networking.
What topics does EVOLVE cover?
EVOLVE covers the topics that matter most to engineering leaders and platform teams: internal developer portals (IDPs), platform engineering, developer experience (DevEx), AI governance in software development, DORA metrics and engineering intelligence, production readiness, service ownership, reliability, security and compliance automation, and scaling engineering culture. If your job is making developers faster and more confident, this conference was built for you.
How can I sign up for workshops?
Workshop registration opens approximately four weeks before the event.
Will session recordings be available after the event?
Yes. The keynote and session recordings will be published on the Cortex YouTube channel following the event.
Registration & tickets
Is there a cost to attend?
No. Tickets are free but space is limited. Apply here to get started.
Can I bring a colleague?
Absolutely, we encourage it. Each person will need to submit their own application. Teams who attend together tend to leave with more actionable momentum.
I have a question about my proposal. Who do I contact?
Reach out to our program team at info@evolve.cortex.io. They're happy to help you refine your abstract or answer any questions before you submit. The submission deadline is June 30, 2026, and speakers will be notified by July 15, 2026.
What should I bring?
Just yourself, your ideas, and your business cards. A full day-of guide will be sent to registered attendees in advance covering venue details, schedule, and any materials you might want for workshops.
Travel & lodging
What hotels are near the venue?
While we do not offer any official room blocks, there are several hotels in Midtown Manhattan near the event venue. Please see the Venue page for an interactive hotel map.
General information
Who organizes EVOLVE?
EVOLVE is organized by Cortex, the Engineering Operations platform that helps organizations continuously improve their operational maturity and reduce developer friction – so that the whole team operates as one. Our customers – from startups to Fortune 100 enterprises – create a culture of engineering excellence, reducing incidents by 30% and improving MTTR by 50%, all while making it easier for developers to focus on building. Learn more at cortex.io.
How is EVOLVE different from KubeCon/PlatformCon?
EVOLVE is an intimate, purpose-built event for the people accountable for engineering excellence inside an organization — the ones running scorecards, building internal developer portals, managing DORA metrics, and owning production readiness. Every session is selected for practitioners, not general audiences. No vendors or sponsored keynotes. Just real stories from teams who've done the work.
I have a question not answered here. How do I get in touch?
Email us at info@evolve.cortex.io and we'll get back to you promptly.
