The 100 Year Project 2027 Design Summit | April 28-30, 2027
University of Central Florida | Orlando, Florida
Annual gathering for the curious, the creative and the committed.
The 100 Year Project’s third annual Design Summit is where education leaders, technologists, students (!!!!) and changemakers come together to imagine what’s possible for the next 50 years — and to build it.
We are thrilled to announce that the 2027 Design Summit will take place from April 28-30 at University of Central Florida — mark your calendar to join us!
Over three energizing days, through the lens of community-created science fiction-style films, we’ll explore bold ideas, tackle persistent challenges and design real-world solutions that put learners at the center.
The Design Summit is where collaboration sparks action — where your perspective helps move the field forward. Registration, hotel information and speaker announcements are coming soon. Stay tuned for updates!
Space is limited at the venue, so the Summit is first-come-first-serve, and we’ll close it when we reach 230.
Discounted early registration is $277. After November 9, 2026, the rate is $377.
Summit Agenda at a Glance
When to Arrive + Leave
Plan to arrive by 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 28.
The Summit begins that afternoon with check-in, opening remarks, and an interactive Launch Mission, followed by our Opening Reception.
Programming concludes at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, April 30.
Please plan travel accordingly so you can participate through the Summit closing.
Where
Most Summit programming will take place at:
The Celeste Hotel
4105 N Alafaya Trail
Orlando, FL 32826
On April 28, participants will also travel as part of the Launch Mission to UCF’s Exolith Lab, with shuttle transportation provided between locations.
Wednesday, April 28 | Launch Day
1:30–8:00 p.m.
Check in at The Celeste Hotel and meet your team before the Summit officially launches at 2:00 p.m. From there, teams will take on an immersive challenge spanning The Celeste and UCF’s Exolith Lab.
We’ll reconvene at The Celeste for a collective reveal before rolling directly into the Opening Reception from 6:00–8:00 p.m., featuring food, beverages, conversation, creative installations, and participatory activities.
Thursday, April 29 | Design Summit Day 1
8:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. | The Celeste Hotel
Breakfast begins at 8:00 a.m., with Summit programming starting at 9:00 a.m.
Together, we’ll begin 50 years in the future — 2077 — with inspiration from students, future-focused speakers, and futures literacy activities. Participants will then form scenario teams and begin designing possible futures, first at the 50-year horizon and then working backward toward 2052.
Friday, April 30 | Design Summit Day 2
8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. | The Celeste Hotel
Breakfast begins at 8:00 a.m., followed by a second day of collaborative design.
Teams will continue working backward from their future scenarios toward the 10-year horizon of 2037, identify calls to action, and turn their ideas into compelling presentations.
The Summit culminates with Future Scenario Presentations and a collective closing focused on what comes next — in three weeks, three months, and three years.
Breakfast, lunch, and snacks are provided throughout the event.
Why attend?
- Connect with an international community of forward-thinking education professionals
- Co-create solutions that address real challenges in your institutions, schools and systems
- Recharge your vision with stories, tools and practices from the field
- Design what’s next for teaching, learning and leading
Photos by UT San Antonio
The Summit outcome + output
This work will equip education leaders to co-create learning ecosystems that stand the test of time — supporting students for the next half-century and beyond.
We’ll bring our collective insights to life in a practical guide.
Design Summit details
- When: April 28-30, 2027 – Exolith Lab mission and opening reception evening of Apr. 28, then two full conference days on Apr. 29 & 30.
- Where: UCF in Orlando, Florida –
- Who: University and K-12 leaders, educators, students, technologists
- What to expect: Interactive strategic planning sessions, working groups, inspiring panels of students and visionaries in education
Summit Themes: Signals in the Sky
When navigators used to look to the night sky, they weren’t searching for certainty. They were searching for clues.
Most transformative changes don’t arrive fully formed, but begin as scattered signals. Like a breakthrough that seems niche, an idea that sounds improbable, or a shift in behavior that feels insignificant until it isn’t. Taken individually, they are easy to overlook. Viewed together, they can reveal entirely new directions.
The exploration areas below are intended to help participants identify those signals in the form of posing possible future scenarios for the year 2077. Some scenarios may fit neatly within a single area of exploration. Others may stretch across several, or point toward something we haven’t thought to look for yet
Become a partner of the 2027 Design Summit
Interested in partnering with us for 2026-27? View sponsorship details below, then contact samantha@sabconsulting.org.
HOST
Lead Partner & activation partners
The 100 Year EdTech Project was founded by Enterprise Technology at Arizona State University with SAB Creative & Consulting in 2023. After ASU hosted two events, the torch was passed to Academic Innovation at UT San Antonio, which hosted the 2025 and 2026 Design Summits.
Core Planning Committee
Tom Cavanagh, University of Central Florida
Wendy Howard, University of Central Florida
Samantha Adams Becker, SAB Creative & Consulting
Angela Gunder, Opened Culture
Anita Gabbard, University of Central Florida
Melissa Vito, The University of Texas at San Antonio
Lev Gonick, Arizona State University
Joe Lambert, StoryCenter