Pune to Host CROSSDIVE 2026 Global Foresight Summit on October 22–23

Pune is set to host the CROSSDIVE 2026 Global Foresight Summit on October 22–23. Organised by Pune-based strategic foresight and innovation consulting company Turian Labs, the event will bring together Indian and international foresight practitioners, business leaders, policymakers, researchers, technologists, designers, and academics.

The summit focuses on helping organisations look beyond conventional short-term forecasts to prepare for rapid technological, geopolitical, demographic, and societal shifts. According to the organisers, long-term business decisions are increasingly difficult to base solely on historical patterns due to changing energy and commodity economics, export controls, artificial intelligence, and evolving consumer behaviours.

Unlike traditional forecasting, which targets single likely outcomes, strategic foresight uses methods such as horizon scanning, signal and trend analysis, systems thinking, and scenario planning. These approaches allow businesses and institutions to explore multiple plausible futures and evaluate whether current strategies remain relevant under different conditions.

The programme features four interconnected conversations examining the evolving expectations of Indian consumers through 2035, the impact of artificial intelligence on skills, the implications of geopolitical shifts for supply chains, and the opportunities emerging from urbanisation and longer working lives. The agenda combines keynotes and panel discussions with masterclasses, workshops, and roundtables covering foresight fundamentals, speculative design, trend analysis, intergenerational thinking, and the future of work.

Participants are expected to include startup founders, CXOs, strategy leaders, investors, and academics. The speaker line-up includes representatives from Australia's Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Business Finland, Aditya Birla Group, Venture Center, NIFT-VisioNxt, CSIR-NCL, Google, JioHotstar, and Tech Mahindra, alongside international foresight organisations.

Turian Labs brings over a decade of experience in helping global organisations understand emerging shifts in society, business, and governance to the event. Industry and group registrations for the summit are currently open through the organisers.

"Strategic foresight is becoming a critical tool for businesses navigating complex economic and technological changes. Events like CROSSDIVE 2026 offer a useful platform for founders, startup leaders, and enterprises to look beyond standard quarterly forecasts. By engaging with cross-disciplinary frameworks in AI, supply chains, and consumer trends, business leaders can build greater resilience and make more informed long-term investments for the upcoming decade." — Dr. Shishir Gupta, Founder & CEO, StartupLanes