We've got answers for your Think 2026 questions

Think 2026 will be held on May 4-7, 2026 in Boston, MA at the Thomas M. Menino Conference & Expo Center (MCEC) – formerly the BCEC.

Think 2026 brings together senior business and technology leaders from across industries. Content is geared toward C-level, line of business and senior IT leaders.

Think 2026 programming will be held at the Thomas M. Menino Convention & Expo Center – formerly the Boston Convention & Expo Center - in Boston’s Seaport District. 

At IBM, we are committed to sustainability and environmentally responsible event planning. We are proud to partner with the Thomas M. Menino Convention & Expo Center in Boston, where green building practices include energy, water and waste conservation as part of its daily operating strategy to include minimizing power consumption through sensor-controlled utilities and high-efficiency lighting. The Thomas M. Menino Convention & Expo Center is committed to using green cleaning products, sourcing local food and beverage, composting food waste and increasing its diversion rates year after year and works to protect the environment around the convention center and the City of Boston as a whole. 

Registration opened on the Think website on 2 December 2025.

Yes, the Think® 2026 event in Boston will be a fee-based event. Standard pricing is USD 1,899.00, effective 1 December 2025 through 7 May 2026.

Yes, the Government/Public Rate is USD 849.00.

Government/Public Sector Rate Eligibility

Attendees registering under the government/public sector rate must:

1. Use a valid government, military, or academic email address (e.g., .gov, .mil, .edu, .us, .state.xx.us, or equivalent) during registration, and
2. Present both:

• An employer-issued ID or official proof of government employment (e.g., agency letter or pay stub), and
• A government-issued photo ID (e.g., driver’s license or passport) at check-in.

This rate is available to employees of government agencies and entities at the federal, state, local, and national levels, as well as organizations engaged in core public sector functions such as defense, infrastructure, public safety, education, transportation, health, social services, and tax administration.

IBM may, at its sole discretion, cancel registrations that do not meet these requirements. If IBM rescinds your registration and refunds your payment, IBM is not responsible for any incidental costs, including airfare, hotel, or other related expenses. Misrepresentation of eligibility may result in denial of entry without refund and may be reported too.

Government-issued IDs will be verified at check-in, but this information will not be retained by IBM.

Yes. All attendees must be at least 21 years of age by the day they pick up their conference badge.

Requests for cancellation must be made in writing to IBMThink@gpj.com. Requests received by 3 April 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET will receive a full refund. Requests received after 12:00 a.m. ET, 4 April 2026 will not be eligible for a refund unless within 24-hours of registration. 

Substitutions for purchased passes will be allowed for attendees from the same company and processed free of charge if requested by 11:59 p.m. ET on 3 April 2026. Substitution requests received after 12:00 a.m. ET, 4 April 2026 are subject to a USD 50 transaction fee. Substitutions for complimentary pass holders are not permitted. Please contact your IBM account representative or the Think Guest Services Team at IBMThink@gpj.com.

If you are having a problem logging into your IBMid, please contact the IBMid help desk, ibmidsupport@ibm.com.

Please contact Think Guest Services: IBMThink@gpj.com. Support hours are 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM ET.

For accessibility-related needs, please let us know in your registration profile or email Guest Services directly at IBMThink@gpj.com, ideally at least two to three weeks prior to the conference. Once we receive your request, one of our ambassadors will contact you.

Yes, IBM is dedicated to providing a safe, respectful, comfortable, and harassment-free environment for all participants at IBM events.

No, unfortunately conference passes are limited and reserved for invited and registered attendees.

The conference attire is business casual. Comfortable shoes are recommended. Weather conditions can vary, so please review the local weather prior to your departure for the conference.

The MCEC has 1,300 parking spaces available for attendee parking daily. To self-park (USD 35/car and USD 70/oversized vehicle.), from Summer Street, turn onto East Side Drive, drive past the Uber/Lyft/Rideshare pickup and drop-off area, and continue straight along the side of the building. At the end of the building, make a right and go down the ramp. At the bottom of the ramp, turn left and you will see the entrance to the South Lot parking area in front of you. Accessible parking spaces are also located in this lot, closest to the building (the same parking rates apply).

If you require special parking, such as overnight parking, covered parking, or any other amenity, we recommend looking at Parkopedia which will provide details on what is available at other local garages.

Shuttle service will not be provided from conference hotels to the Thomas M. Menino Convention & Expo Center. You have many choices—modes of transport include taxi cabs, Uber/Lyft, public transit or a short walk. Conference hotels are within a 3-mile radius to the Thomas M. Menino Convention & Expo Center.

Transportation is not provided from/to the airport. As attendees will arrive and depart at different times, recommended options would be through your choice of taxi cabs, Uber/Lyft, public transit or a scheduled private pickup.

Yes, complimentary bag check will be available.