Breakout Builders: Future of Cities
90 National Leaders. 30 Local Catalysts. Building the future of cities, together.
November 11th - 14th 2026
Breakout Builders: Future of Cities is a multi-day, cross-sector experience that explores the intersection of community development and innovation for the public good.
By bringing the full economic development ecosystem together in shared space and amplifying emerging voices shaping our cities, we can break down the walls that keep industries apart.
Through city-wide site visits, hands-on working sessions, and intimate dinners, attendees get rare access to Pittsburgh’s most innovative spaces and people — and leave with insights and relationships that actually go somewhere.
Why Atlanta?
Atlanta is undergoing one of the most ambitious waves of infrastructure and mixed-use development in the country. It's a city changing in real time, where capital, policy, technology, and community converge.
Atlanta creates culture. From civil rights to hip-hop to entrepreneurship, this city has always exported the ideas, movements, and models the rest of the world adopts. That same energy drives how Atlanta builds.
Here, legacy industry, cutting-edge research, and local innovation come together to test new models that other cities can learn from.
OUR PARTNERS
FOCUS AREAS
01
Capital deployment and design iteration to enable affordable and equitable housing strategies for pathways toward 20,000 affordable units by 2030
02
Transit-oriented development enabling connectivity, affordability, and economic resilience
03
Cultural investment as core infrastructure for art, community vitality, and placemaking
04
AI/ Technology integration to connect community needs by delivering tools, services and civic trust
What to Expect
❋ Curated & Mission-driven
"Breakout Builders brings together a curated, cross-sector community united by a shared commitment to shaping the future. The room includes founders, funders, policy leaders, and technologists working across civic innovation, responsible AI, governance, and community impact. Every participant is selected for their ability to build, fund, or lead. We create rooms where conversations spark change.
❋ Immersive & Action-oriented
We blend ideation sessions, city-based exploration, storytelling, and skills-based workshops, accelerating real projects and fostering lasting connections with other builders.
❋ Expert Facilitation
Led by industry experts, community leaders, and experienced guides who know how to hold space, encourage participation, and keep things moving with purpose.
❋ Open & Intersdisciplinary
Breakout is a platform for collaboration across organizations, sectors, and communities. We surface and support projects that can grow, connecting grassroots builders with national funders, and local leaders with new partners.
What a Day Could Feel LikeSneak Peek : TBD [EDIT]
Small group sessions at the Andy Warhol Museum, before the doors open to the public.
Check-InBehind-the-scenes access to Pittsburgh’s innovation economy, including early-stage founders at Innovation Works.
Time inside CMU’s Entertainment Technology Center, and discussions with leaders shaping responsible AI.
Group ActivityIDEO.org working session focused on rethinking food systems alongside local leaders and national funders.
Creative WorkshopHalf-day immersion at Hazelwood Green, with 6 hands-on tracks in AI, advanced manufacturing, community wealth, and future learning.
Choose Your Own Adventure Hosted dinners across the city with the people building Pittsburgh from the inside out.
DinnerFrequently Asked Questions
“Where entrepreneurs and leaders create change. This conference was less conference and more a meeting of the minds that empowered you to be the change you want to see in the world.”
— Forbes