kidTECH 2026 will take place at the magnificent Peterson Automotive Museum, located in the heart of Los Angeles and adjacent to iconic landmarks such as The La Brea Tar Pits and The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.

It should come as no surprise that the kids and family tech space continues to change rapidly. In our opening session, we will take a look at the moment we find ourselves in, while also looking at some research to help set the tone for the following sessions. Grab some hot food and a cold drink, and join us as we kick off our one-of-a-kind kidTECH micro-conference.

Presenters:
- Shai Samet (kidSAFE Seal)
- Zak Ringelstein (Zigazoo)
- Patrick Benad (Precisify)

From animated blockbusters to viral kids’ content, the creators behind today’s most beloved family-friendly media are navigating a rapidly evolving production landscape shaped by artificial intelligence. This panel brings together leading film and music producers to explore how AI is transforming the way child-friendly content is conceived, created, and curated – and whether it is a threat to originality and creative talent or a powerful tool to unlocking faster production, richer storytelling, and personalized experiences.

Panelists will share real-world examples from their own projects, discuss ethical boundaries unique to young audiences, and examine how studios and creators can responsibly harness AI without compromising quality or safety. Expect a candid, forward-looking conversation on whether the kids’ content industry is at risk—or on the brink of its most significant growth yet.

Panelists:
- Veronica Miles (Film Producer) - moderator
- Zachary Schiller (CenterStage Technologies)
- Galyn Susman (Producer, ex-Pixar) - virtual
- Geneva Wasserman (Dentsu Entertainment)
- Chris Schreiber (Feed.fm)

Just like at past kidTECH conferences, our friends Barry and Jade will make sure things don't get too serious!

Parents have long celebrated toys that keep kids off screens, so why are AI-powered plushes and chatbot companions drawing such intense scrutiny? This panel digs into what's really driving the unease: Is it the blurring line between tool and friend? Concerns about always-on microphones and data collection? The potential for emotional dependency? Or is regulation simply struggling to keep pace with novel technology? Hear directly from the voices shaping this space as they unpack the public and regulatory fears, share lessons from the front lines, and discuss what responsible innovation looks like.

Panelists:
- Shai Samet (kidSAFE Seal) - moderator
- Mick Brege (With Love)
- Fateen Anam Rafid (Bondu)
- Professor Rachel Flynn (San Francisco State University) - virtual
- Mo Sadek (Alice)

Indulge in ice cream and sprinkles, watch a preview of the magic to come later in the evening, and find your group to partake in an off-site activity of your choice. See the options below, and don't forget to come back for the taco bar dinner and magic show at 6:00pm sharp!

Choose from the following activities:

(1) the more adventurous, Beverly Hills Segway Tour. Embark on an exhilarating adventure as you glide through the iconic glowing lamps of the Urban Light installation at LACMA and the prehistoric bubbling pools of the La Brea Tar Pits, and along the bustling avenues of Beverly Hills aboard your Segway, the epitome of modern transportation. As you move through the legendary 90210 neighborhood, Rodeo Drive, and palm-lined avenues, the glamour, history, and hidden backstories of Beverly Hills come into focus, revealing details even many locals don’t know.

Location of tour: Meetup at Petersen Museum parking lot
Duration: Meetup at 3:45pm; tour runs 4:00-6:00pm
More Details: https://anothersideoflosangelestours.com/package/beverly-hills-segway-tour/

(2) the more athletic, outdoor Pickleball tournament, at PIKL Los Angeles. Bring your sneakers for a one-of-a-kind, fast-paced contest challenging your colleagues to your best game of Pickleball at one of LA's premier pickleball facilities.

Location of tournament: PIKL Los Angeles, located at 639 S La Brea Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90036.
Duration: 3:45-5:45pm to allow time to travel to and from the venue (please arrange your own transportation, e.g. Uber)
More Details: https://piklla.com

(3) the more relaxed, Petersen Museum Highlights Tour followed by a documentary screening. Begin with a guided walk-through of the Petersen Automotive Museum's signature exhibits, then settle in for a special screening of "Your Attention Please", a new feature documentary on the attention economy's impact on kids and families.

Location: Petersen Automotive Museum
Duration: 3:30-4:30pm guided tour; 4:30-6:00pm documentary screening
More Details: https://www.yourattentionplz.com

Come back to kidTECH headquarters for a one-of-a-kind, make your own taco dinner, while being mesmerized by Shlomo Levinger, one of the world's foremost magicians and mentalists.

With the new COPPA requirements now in effect following the April 22, 2026 compliance deadline, companies serving children online are entering a new era of regulatory scrutiny and operational change. This session will break down what the updated law means in practice, including key compliance obligations, practical implementation challenges, and immediate priorities and recommendations for product, legal, and cybersecurity teams. This presentation will also examine the FTC’s latest enforcement guidance on how COPPA (versus other laws) applies to age verification techniques.

Presenters:
- Akhil Bhardwaj (kidSAFE Seal)

Nex Playground launched in 2023 with a first production run of just 5,000 units. Two years later, it has surpassed one million consoles sold and even outsold the Xbox for Black Friday week. So how does a small kids' tech company pull that off? In this fireside chat, Nex Co-Founder and CEO David Lee joins us, alongside his colleague and an entrepreneur with deep roots in the kids' digital industry, to talk about the decisions, pivots, and strategies behind Nex's remarkable rise and what lessons the rest of our industry can take away.

Panelists:
- Maxeme Tuchman (Dark Horse Ops, ex-Caribu at Mattel) - mod
- David Lee (Nex)
- Arleigh Greenwald (Nex)

As AI becomes embedded in the online products kids use every day, the challenge isn’t just innovation. The experience also needs to be high quality, genuinely age-appropriate, and lasting. Real-world examples will illustrate what works (and what doesn’t), giving builders, designers, and product leaders the tools to create AI-powered experiences that kids love and that parents and regulators can stand behind.

Presenters:
- Dr. Carla Engelbrecht (AI Meets ABCs, ex-Netflix, Sesame Workshop)

Grab some food and find a table with a topic you're interested in. Fancy another topic? No worries, feel free to move around, or if you're bored, get some fresh air on the porch.

Roundtable topics will include:

(1) Safety: A discussion of content appropriateness in child-directed products, including moderation challenges for AI products and user-generated content.
- Moderators: Mo Sadek (Alice, formerly ActiveFence), Josh Thurman (AngelQ)

(2) Privacy: Big developments in new federal, state, and international laws regulating online privacy for children and teens.
- Moderators: Akhil Bhardwaj (kidSAFE), Debora Fiore (kidSAFE)

(3) Security: Technical and procedural cybersecurity considerations for kids' websites, apps, and connected products.
- Moderator: Doug Hughes (TÜV Rheinland), Jonathan Chandler (kidSAFE)

(4) Free-for-all Networking: This is the roundtable designated purely for networking and chatting about whatever's on your mind.
- No moderators necessary :-)

What do ed-tech, health-tech, toy-tech, and AI-tech have in common in the kids' digital space? More than you'd think! After all, they're all selling to the same demographic, navigating the same regulatory constraints, vying for the same shelf space (physical or digital), and trying to earn a place in the same kids' routines. This panel brings together operators from radically different corners of kids' tech to compare playbooks, including marketing, distribution, and even go-to-market strategies. Expect candid cross-pollination and a few "wait, you do that too?" moments.

Panelists:
- Maxeme Tuchman (Dark Horse Ops, ex-Caribu at Mattel) - mod
- Jeff Piontek (Kibeam Learning)
- Eric Covert (GoNoodle)
- Yolanda Ha (Kido AI)
- Josh Thurman (AngelQ)

While online experiences tend to dominate the youth and family market these days, offline play – such as board games, fidget toys, collectibles, and accessories – also continues to thrive. What's driving the enduring appeal of a well-crafted card game, party game, or satisfying tactile toy in an era of infinite scroll? In this panel, Barry will talk with representatives from some of the most beloved names in physical play, exploring what makes screenless products successful, how they foster creativity and social interaction, and how their core principles can inspire the design of innovative online experiences, as well.

Panelists:
- Barry McLaughlin (Barry & Jason Games) - moderator
- Daisy Ritz (Exploding Kittens)
- David McGranaghan (McMiLLER)

Refuel with a smoothie out on the rooftop terrace, find an old or new friend, and have a good schmooze.

This panel is a staple of the kidTECH micro-conference and is back again this year by popular demand! Over the past few years, dozens of initiatives have been launched to develop creative tech solutions for modern-day challenges faced by children and students, whether physically, mentally, socially, academically, or religiously. But there are just a few standout products doing exceptional work and making a real impact in this space. Hear from these companies on what it takes to build "tech for good!"

Panelists:
- Hege Tokerud (Aiba)
- Kristina Jones (Guardian Lane)
- Jonathan Zweifler (Reed AI) - virtual
- Michael Kramer (EchoBridge)
- Ognjen Todic (Keen Research)