Fab City Summit
The Fab City Global Initiative’s annual gathering connects city-makers, educators, innovators, and public leaders shaping regenerative, locally productive futures. Hosted in a different region each year, the Summit grounds global conversations in local action and serves as the moment when new cities and regions officially pledge to join the Fab City Network.
Launched in 2014, the Fab City Summit has taken place across continents, adapting to local contexts while advancing a global mission.
Amsterdam, 2016. First official gathering of the Fab City Global Initiative, marking the transition from concept to global commitment.
Copenhagen, 2017. Explored data sovereignty, local manufacturing, and the role of cities in shaping the digital society.
Paris, 2018. Co-hosted with Fab City Paris, focused on circular economy.
Amsterdam, 2019. Returned to the roots, highlighting lessons from urban experimentation and local production.
Barcelona, 2020. Hosted online and broadcasted from Barcelona.
Montreal, 2021. Hosted hybrid by Fab City Montreal, expanded the Full Stack framework.
Bali, 2022. Held during the Bali Fab Fest; introducing Fab Island, 8 new pledges.
Bhutan, 2023. Super Fab Lab gathering, Summit + Pledge, 50+ cities milestone.
Yucatán, 2024. Celebration of Latin American leadership in Fab Cities.
Czechia, 2025. Hosted as Fab City Program at FAB25, integrating with the global Fab Lab ecosystem.
The Fab City Summit is the flagship annual gathering of the Fab City Global Initiative. It brings together public leaders, grassroots changemakers, urban practitioners, and institutional partners committed to building cities that are regenerative, locally productive, and globally connected. Hosted in a different region each year, the Summit is where local innovation meets international strategy, and where new cities and regions formally pledge to join the Fab City Network.
Across immersive workshops, roundtables, keynote talks, and co-creation activities, participants engage with the Fab City Full Stack and contribute to shaping shared agendas for policy, infrastructure, learning, distributed design and open technology. The Summit serves as a working platform to activate new collaborations, surface local initiatives, and accelerate systemic change. This is where we connect ideas to action, and set the pace for the future we are collectively building.
Who Can Join?
Fab City Leaders and Local Governments
Representatives from the 56+ cities, regions, and islands that have pledged to the Fab City Network, working to localize production and build regenerative urban futures.
Makers, Designers, and Civic Innovators
The doers and builders behind local transformation, working in Fab Labs, collectives, and innovation hubs to prototype tangible change from the ground up.
Researchers, Institutions, and Strategic Partners
The thought leaders, educators, and enablers advancing the network through research, policy, infrastructure, and systemic support.
How to Take Part?
Join the Next Edition!
In 2026, the Fab City Summit heads to Boston, where it will be hosted alongside the annual gathering of the global Fab Lab Network. After a decade, the FAB Event returns to its origin, co-hosted by MIT’s Center for Bits and Atoms and the Fab Foundation, one of the co-founders of the Fab City Global Initiative.
This edition is especially meaningful to us. Boston is not only a historical anchor for the Fab ecosystem, it’s also home to key institutions and individuals who shaped the vision we carry forward today. The Summit will bring together our global network of pledging cities, partners, and change-makers in dialogue with the broader Fab Lab movement.
The main event will take place from July 27 to 31, 2026. Stay tuned for updates.