The Room · PS/NExT Summit ’26
Read the room.
A look at who came to PS/NExT ’26, drawn from everyone who registered.
0%
were Coachella Valley residents
0%
came for new technology
0.0
interest areas the average attendee picked
Scroll to begin
Where the room came from
A hometown summit.
Three in four attendees were Coachella Valley residents, and Palm Springs alone made up 44% of the room. The crowd spanned 9 desert cities.
0%
were Coachella
Valley residents
Each dot is 1% of the room
Technology and creativity
Technology and creativity.
65% came for new technology, 45% for creativity, and 39% wanted both — the overlap PS/NExT is built around.
39%
wanted both
Range of interests
A curious crowd.
The average attendee picked nearly five different themes. Three in ten said they were simply there to explore, and about one in ten picked 12 or more.
0.0
interest areas the average attendee picked
0%
picked three or more interests
0%
picked 12 or more of the 16 themes
What people wanted to explore
What drew them in.
We asked what people most wanted to explore; they could pick as many as they liked. Share of all attendees:
- New technology & emerging trends0%
- Business growth & productivity0%
- Creativity, design, film, music & media0%
- Networking & community connection0%
- Education & future skills0%
- Entrepreneurship & startups0%
- Just curious, here to explore0%
- Automation, robotics & the future of work0%
- Workforce development & future careers0%
- Privacy, safety, scams & digital trust0%
- Building software, apps & tools0%
- Health, wellness & longevity0%
- Civic innovation & economic development0%
- Hospitality, tourism & local business0%
- The Local Business Vibe-a-thon0%
- The GenJam creative sprint0%
What went together
Interests rarely traveled alone.
Cross each interest against the others and the strongest pairing was new tech and creativity, chosen together by 39%. Networking paired with nearly everything.
Most common interest pairings— both chosen, share of all attendees
- New tech + Creativity0%
- New tech + Business growth0%
- New tech + Networking0%
- New tech + Education0%
- Business growth + Networking0%
- Creativity + Business growth0%
- Entrepreneurship + Networking0%
- Education + Networking0%
The cross-section
A broad cross-section.
It wasn’t just a tech crowd. Across 11 industries, no single one topped one in seven, and creative and technology were essentially tied — a cross-section of the regional economy, not one sector.
- Creative / Design0%
- Technology0%
- Government / Civic0%
- Marketing / Media0%
- Nonprofit0%
- Education0%
- Entrepreneurship / Startup0%
- Healthcare0%
- Real Estate / Development0%
- Hospitality0%
The next generation
A strong student turnout.
Nearly one in five attendees was a student on a Coachella Valley Student Pass. Most already knew what they wanted to pursue; the rest were still deciding.
0%
of the room was
the next generation
And 0% of them came from a single feeder school — College of the Desert.
What students came to pursue— share of students
- Business & Entrepreneurship0%
- Technology0%
- Design & Creativity0%
- Marketing & Media0%
- Still figuring it out0%
- Healthcare0%
- Education0%
- Film & Entertainment0%
- Engineering0%
- Public Service0%
Hands-on
There to build, not just attend.
A good share of the room wanted to take part in the hands-on programs, not just sit in sessions.
0%
wanted into GenJam, the creative sprint
0%
wanted into the Local Business Vibe-a-thon
0%
were builders — there for software, automation & robotics
Worth noting · the industries most interested in GenJam weren’t the obvious creative ones. Highest interest rates within their own field:
Staying in touch
Already engaged.
Most attendees opted into event communications and asked to hear about what came next.
0%
opted into event communications
0%
wanted to know what came next
Until next year
There’s room for you in ’27.
Whether you’re local, curious, building something, or just exploring — PS/NExT 27 is coming. Drop your email and you’ll be first to hear when registration opens.
Based on PS/NExT 26 attendee registrations, shown as percentages only.