FAQ

When is EVOLVE?

EVOLVE will take place on Thursday, September 24th.

Where will EVOLVE take place?

EVOLVE will take place 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 all focused on Engineering Operations, platform engineering, and the future of developer experience. Last year we brought together 250+ attendees, 24 roundtables, and 10+ sessions. 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.

Is EVOLVE in-person only?

Yes. EVOLVE 2026 is an in-person event held in New York City on September 24. We believe the most valuable conversations happen in the room — the roundtable and workshop format is designed specifically for that kind of candid, peer-to-peer exchange.

What’s included with my ticket?

Your pass covers the full day: all keynotes, sessions, roundtables, workshops, and networking.

What topics does EVOLVE cover?

EVOLVE covers the full scope of Engineering Operations: 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 in the Evolve schedule builder.

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.

Is there a cost to attend?

Attendance is application-based. Ticket pricing will be shared with applicants after their application is reviewed. Apply at the link above 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.

What is the refund policy?

If you need to cancel, please reach out to info@evolve.cortex.io as soon as possible. Full refunds are available up to 30 days before the event. Cancellations within 30 days may be eligible for a credit toward EVOLVE 2027.

Can I transfer my ticket to someone else?

Yes, ticket transfers are accommodated on a case-by-case basis. Contact us at info@evolve.cortex.io with your name, your colleague's name and email, and we'll take care of it.

What if the event is cancelled or postponed?

In the unlikely event EVOLVE 2026 is cancelled or postponed, all registered attendees will be notified directly via email with options for a full refund or transfer to the rescheduled date.

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 May 30, 2026, and speakers are notified by June 15, 2026.

What should I bring?

Just yourself and your ideas. 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. We recommend bringing business cards — the networking is just as valuable as the sessions.

What are hotels near the venue?

Attendance is application-based. Ticket pricing will be shared with applicants after their application is reviewed. Apply at the link above to get started.

Who organizes EVOLVE?

EVOLVE is organized by Cortex, the Engineering Operations platform that helps engineering leaders enforce reliability standards automatically, so teams can move fast without breaking things. World-class engineering teams like Canva, Grammarly, and CLEAR use Cortex to drive operational maturity across their organizations. Learn more at cortex.io.

How is EVOLVE different from KubeCon/PlatformCon?

Most conferences are either too broad or too vendor-heavy. EVOLVE is purpose-built 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 sponsored keynotes. Just real stories from teams who've done the work.