Next Fest 2027

Doors open, coffee and the Next Economy Showcase
Explore products, demonstrations, services and stories from Next List businesses and B Corps.

Welcome: help build what comes next
The next economy is already being built. How fast it grows depends on decisions made right across the ecosystem.

George Monbiot, live from the UK
A 30-minute provocation connecting the day to the wider economic and environmental transition.

Future Signals, with Victoria Mulligan
A fast, specific look at the forces reshaping the Next economy in Aotearoa New Zealand and what they mean for you.

Market Movers
How can procurement and purchasing power create markets for sustainable solutions? Buyers explain what they need. Innovators respond from experience. Then make sense of it together at your table.

Next List pitch sessions begin
Innovators pitch their unique solutions to our biggest challenges. You cast your vote for a winner of the $10,000 prize.

B Corp From better business to a better system
Achieving B Corp Certification is a powerful milestone, but building the next economy requires us to go further. This panel explores how B Corps can move from individual impact to collective power, using the scale and influence of our community to help reshape the systems and rules of business. Because the challenges we face are bigger than any one business or network, and what comes next, we build together.

Future Finance
How can capital and new approaches to risk help sustainable businesses scale? Investors, lenders and risk specialists examine what builds or blocks confidence.

Shaping the Next Economy  - Centring Māori Leadership
A more equitable and regenerative economy cannot be built without Indigenous leadership.  Bringing together Māori B Corp and SBN leaders, this kōrero explores the Māori economy through the lens of whanaungatanga and asks what it means for Māori leadership to be centred in shaping the next economy, and for the wider business community to work alongside that leadership.

From Awareness to Action
What actually shifts people's choices and behaviours, and what part do communications play? Specialists diagnose the system behind a decision, not just the message.

Capability
What do businesses need to grow without losing what makes them successful? Sprout People and three businesses share contrasting scaling stories.

Conversation Zones
Two opportunities to explore an issue, case or connection in Market Movers, Capital and Risk, Communications and Behaviour Change, and Capability zones.

Crowd voting and announcement of the pitch prize winner
Vote for the Next List business to receive the $10,000 cash prize.

What moved today?
A short synthesis of what was learned, what you can act on and what needs wider work.

Next Fest After Hours
Music, tastings, founder encounters and relaxed introductions carry on into the evening.

Next Fest is a day of conversations, practical learning, connection and collective action. It brings together businesses, leaders and changemakers who are working towards a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient economy. It is brought to you by the Sustainable Business Network in collaboration with B Lab Australia & Aotearoa New Zealand.

The B Corp Welcome Dinner is a special gathering for the B Corp community alongside Next Fest 2027. It is available as part of the B Corp Welcome Dinner + Next Fest ticket bundle. Hosted by B Lab Australia & Aotearoa New Zealand, the evening is an opportunity to come together over kai, reconnect with familiar faces, welcome new ones and kick off our time together in Tāmaki Makaurau. The B Corp Welcome Event is offered in combination with a Next Fest 2027 ticket and is not currently available as a standalone event.

The B Corp Welcome Event, Next Fest 2027, and the Sustainable Business Awards will be held at Shed 10, located on Queens Wharf in central Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. Shed 10 is located on the waterfront, a short walk from Britomart and Auckland’s city centre. Detailed arrival information will be shared with ticket holders closer to the event.

Next Fest ticket includes:
Entry to the one-day Next Fest 2027 programme on Weds 31 March 2027
Catering including all day barista coffee and snacks, and networking drinks and nibbles. Please note that lunch is not provided.
Access to talks, workshops and programme sessions
Opportunities to connect with the B Corp and Sustainable Business Network communities

The Next Fest & Sustainable Business Awards ticket bundle includes:
Entry to the one day Next Fest 2027 programme, as above
Entry to the Sustainable Business Awards event on Thurs 26 November 2026, including dinner and beverages

The Next Fest & B Corp Welcome Dinner ticket bundle includes:
Entry to the one day Next Fest 2027 programme, as above
Entry to the B Corp Welcome Event at Shed 10 on Tues 30 March 2027, including dinner and beverages

No. Accommodation is not included in your ticket and attendees will need to arrange and pay for their own accommodation. Flights and other travel to and from Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland are not included in the ticket price and will need to be arranged independently.

If you’re travelling from Australia or elsewhere in Aotearoa, we recommend factoring travel and accommodation into your plans before booking.

Shed 10 is centrally located in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, with a range of accommodation options available throughout the CBD and surrounding areas.

Yes! We welcome multiple people from the same organisation, subject to ticket availability. Each attendee will need their own ticket.

If you can no longer attend, please contact the event team. Ticket transfers may be possible so long as we are notified in good time.

A full refund will be made if we are notified no less than 7 days before the event. Refunds are not available after this point.

Catering will include all day barista coffee and snacks, and networking drinks and nibbles. You will be free to bring your own lunch or visit one of many local eateries for lunch.

The B Corp Welcome Dinner on Tuesday will be catered including dinner and drinks.

We want the B Corp Welcome Event and Next Fest to be welcoming and accessible to everyone.

If you have accessibility requirements or need adjustments to participate, please let us know during the ticket checkout process. You can also contact the event team directly to discuss your needs ahead of the event.

Where possible, please let us know in advance so our team has time to make appropriate arrangements.

You’ll receive a booking confirmation after purchasing your ticket.

In the lead-up to Next Fest, we’ll be in touch with further information including the program, speakers, arrival details and anything else you need to know before joining us in Tāmaki Makaurau.

We’ll continue to update the Next Fest website as speakers, sessions and other event details are confirmed. Important practical information will also be sent directly to registered attendees.

We have tried to keep pricing as accessible as possible, however there are some discounts available for those that meet the criteria. Please contact us at [email protected] to establish if you qualify

We have a discounted package available to those on the Next List. The package includes:

• a place at the Awards for your team, partners, customers, board and supporters who helped get you there

• a display at the Next Economy Showcase, an all-day expo alongside fellow Next List organisations and B Corps

• a Zoho-powered event app to track your connections and leads

• access to business leaders, buyers, investors, lenders and policymakers looking to back sustainable solutions

• the chance to pitch for a $10,000 cash prize voted by the audience

Next Fest has been designed for interactive engagement and is best experienced in person. The event will not be broadcast or recorded.

We’d love to help. Please get in touch with us at [email protected] and we'll get your question answered!