INDEX’26 showcased a distinguished roster of global authorities at the intersection of marketing and technology. The summit commenced with a pivotal keynote by Dane Vahey, Head of B2B at OpenAI, followed by insights from Alexandra London, CMO at G2. The gathering witnessed unprecedented organic interest, with registrations closing at 2.5 times the venue capacity and a waitlist exceeding 80 professionals, achieved entirely without the use of paid promotion. This overwhelming response underscores a critical urgency among modern enterprises to master AI-led discovery and visibility.
Anirudh Singla, Co-founder and CEO of Pepper, stated that INDEX’26 was designed specifically as a room for operators actively rethinking growth rather than functioning as a standard marketing conference. He noted that the validation seen in San Francisco confirms a larger shift where enterprises are prioritizing the speed of adaptation to AI discovery. Singla highlighted that the presence of leaders from platforms such as OpenAI, LinkedIn, and Reddit signals that Generative Engine Optimization has transitioned from a conceptual framework into active implementation, describing INDEX as a global movement grounded in real insights and outcomes.
An ecosystem panel featuring Dev Khare of Lightspeed Ventures, Sid Arora from LinkedIn, and DJ Capobianco of Reddit examined how shifting market dynamics are currently redefining growth strategies. The summit also hosted prominent speakers including Joyce Hwang from Dropbox, Heidi Bullock from Marketo, Christine Royston from Wrike, Amanda Kahlow, Drew Neisser, Sydney Sloan, Elay Cohen, and AJ Gandhi. This curated audience included decision-makers from industry giants such as Salesforce, Nvidia, Intel, Snowflake, Gong, 6sense, Demandbase, JFrog, Zendesk, and Tealium, comprising a dense concentration of CMOs, VPs, and Heads of Marketing.
A central highlight of the proceedings was the GEO research presentation delivered by founding member Kishan Panpalia. The session drew standing-room-only participation and exceptional engagement, evidenced by attendees capturing over 500 screenshots of the 20-slide presentation, a rare reaction for research-focused content that underscores the intense relevance of GEO frameworks. Reflecting on this structural evolution, Dev Khare remarked that market structures, rather than just marketing tactics, are undergoing fundamental changes, a sentiment that resonated with leaders tasked with rethinking the systems driving demand.
In the 24 hours following the event, industry figures including Claire Darling, Genefa Murphy, Anand Akela, Meghan Keough, Sandra Lopez, Karen Brewer, and David DeJonghe shared organic, unsolicited feedback on LinkedIn, characterizing INDEX’26 as one of the highest-quality marketing conferences of the year. The success of the summit serves as a testament to conviction-led community building, as Pepper united global technology platforms and enterprise leaders based on industry trust and insight without large-scale funding or agency amplification. Following the momentum generated in San Francisco, INDEX’26 is scheduled to convene in New York City on May 27, as Pepper expands its global footprint and continues to lead the discourse on AI-first growth and GEO adoption.
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