The TECH B2B team always looks forward to these events, both to reconnect with our contacts and clients and to keep a finger on the pulse of the diverse but interconnected tech sectors we serve. When we go, we always pack our natural curiosity along with our TECH B2B gear. Here are some of the questions we'll be exploring at each event this year: 

1. Have recent market disruptions sharpened go-to-market tactics at all? Technology suppliers at either show have weathered more than their share of market disruptions this decade: a global pandemic, a supply gap in micro-electronics, trade uncertainties. Such challenges have almost certainly taught lessons and prompted innovation in how companies have adapted their sales approaches. Are companies leaning more heavily into direct sales?  

1. What is fueling growth in machine vision? Penetration into new applications and markets? Expanded sales in current markets? Or are there other contributors, like the addition of new capabilities? Any source of growth is valuable to the industry. For vision suppliers, the question is how to best position themselves to capitalize on it? 

1. Lasers are so 21st Century. Where is the innovation in photonics today? Pandemic aside, the number of exhibitors at Photonics West has held steady for decades — kept aloft, in part, by an insular value chain that has traditionally resisted the vagaries of downstream market forces. But no industry can survive without fresh blood. Has the number of startups notably affected the composition of Photonics West's exhibit floor? What new technologies and applications are driving that new growth? And how are these new untested players getting their message out? Strengthening integrator partnerships? Or building new channel strategies entirely? What marketing implications does this have? 

1. What's the most effective way to communicate AI integration without triggering buyer skepticism? Claims of AI value-add became all-pervasive in both automation and photonics virtually overnight. How can companies measure the potential impact and return of AI investment in their processes? Conversely, how are suppliers of AI solutions demonstrating the differentiated value of their solution to prospective customers? 

Finally, a question we'll be asking ourselves as we navigate 2026: What can January's trade show energy tell us and our clients about where to invest attention and resources in 2026?  

We're attending two very different events—one focused on engineering and implementation, the other on component-level innovation. Yet both target similar downstream markets, including manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, and defense. It will be interesting to see how players in each industry adapt their approaches to the inevitable opportunities, challenges, and churn in these end-markets. 

Our Business Forum team will explore many of these themes during live Manufacturing Matters podcast recordings on-site—so stay tuned for those conversations in the coming weeks. We always look forward to reconnecting with you at these events to get more candid perspectives. In the meantime,  feel free to ping us on social media or contact us with your own burning questions. See you soon! 

Will you be at either of these events? Let's meet! Contact us today.