SC26 Supercomputing Conference Guide: Dates & Attendees
By Ilyas Kerbal,
SC26, the International Conference for High Performance Computing, Networking, Storage and Analysis, runs from 15 to 20 November at McCormick Place in Chicago. It draws more than 14,000 people and around 450 exhibitors, and SC27 is reported for Denver in November 2027.
National labs, universities, HPC centers and enterprises meet vendors of processors, systems, interconnects, storage and cooling, and the TOP500 supercomputer list is released here. This guide covers what to know and how vendors can reach buyers.
SC26 at a glance
| Next edition | SC26: 15-20 November 2026, Chicago; SC27 reported for Denver, November 2027 |
| Venue | McCormick Place (SC26) |
| City | Chicago, IL (2026); rotates |
| Typical month | November |
| Frequency | Annual |
| Attendance | ~14,000+ |
| Exhibitors | ~450 exhibitors |
| Industry | HPC, AI infrastructure, networking & storage |
| Organizer | ACM and IEEE Computer Society |
| Official website | supercomputing.org |
About SC
SC brings together national labs, universities, HPC centers and enterprises with vendors of processors, systems, interconnects, storage and cooling. With AI data centers booming, the exhibit floor has become a key venue for AI infrastructure vendors.
The technical program includes papers, tutorials and workshops, and the TOP500 supercomputer list is published there.
Where and when to find SC
Rotates between US cities (Atlanta, Denver, St. Louis, Chicago…).
Does it change location? Yes, it rotates between US cities.
Chicago skyline during the day. Photo by Pedro Lastra on Unsplash.
Who attends SC?
- HPC center directors and researchers
- National labs and government
- Enterprise AI infrastructure buyers
- Vendors and integrators
You will find real buyers with real budgets, mixed with technical staff and partners. Segmenting the attendee list by role and company size before the show saves a lot of wasted booth conversations.
Your booth is booked. Is your target list? I build enriched SC attendee and exhibitor lists so your team can book meetings weeks ahead. Ask about SC
Industries and niches covered
- Supercomputers and AI clusters
- Processors and accelerators
- High-speed networking
- Storage
- Liquid cooling and data-center infrastructure
- HPC software
Why SC matters for sales teams
HPC and AI infrastructure buyers manage some of the largest technology budgets in research and industry. SC is where they evaluate new systems, cooling and storage approaches, and meet suppliers.
For vendors, the most valuable contacts are HPC center directors, research computing leaders and enterprise AI infrastructure teams. Separating them from students and researchers without purchasing roles helps focus your time.
Should you go to SC?
Best for: vendors with a defined segment in high-performance computing who are ready to filter the attendee base by role and company size.
Less ideal for: teams expecting qualified leads to come to them. At SC, the useful meetings are almost always arranged before the show opens.
SC ticket prices
| Option | Price / details |
|---|---|
| Also good to know | Technical program and exhibits-only registration on sc26.supercomputing.org; exhibits-only is cheaper |
| Typical cost | Exhibits-only ~a few hundred dollars; technical program ~$1,000+. |
Prices change between editions and by registration date, so treat these as a guide and check supercomputing.org before you buy.
Does SC have an app?
SC provides a digital experience and online schedule (sc26.conference-program.com).
If you plan to prospect through the event app, expect friction: limited search filters, caps on messages and connection requests, and no way to get the data into your CRM. It helps on the day, but it is not a target list.
Is SC worth it?
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Concentrated HPC/AI infrastructure buyers | Academic/technical audience |
| Big government and research budgets | Rotating cities |
| Technical credibility |
Getting meetings at SC
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| Early planning | Pull the attendee, exhibitor and speaker lists and score them against your ideal customer profile. |
| Pre-show outreach | Contact your top tier personally and your second tier with a short sequence. Aim to book meetings, not booth visits. |
| On site | Work from a printed or mobile list of priority accounts and use breaks and evening events for warm introductions. |
| Post-show | Follow up fast, share what you promised, and keep the list for next year’s edition. |
Many government and university buyers follow fiscal-year procurement cycles. Use SC to start conversations that feed into spring budget planning.
Want this done for you? Send me the event and your ideal buyer profile. I’ll return an enriched SC list, ready for your outreach sequence. Contact me on Prospector
Frequently asked questions
When is SC26?
SC26: 15-20 November 2026, Chicago; SC27 reported for Denver, November 2027. Dates can shift, so confirm on the official website (supercomputing.org) before booking travel.
Where is SC held?
Rotates between US cities (Atlanta, Denver, St. Louis, Chicago…).
Does it move? Yes, it rotates between US cities.
How much does a SC ticket cost?
Exhibits-only ~a few hundred dollars; technical program ~$1,000+. See the pricing table above for pass types.
Who attends SC?
Mainly HPC center directors and researchers; national labs and government; enterprise AI infrastructure buyers; vendors and integrators.
Can I get the SC attendee list?
Event organisers rarely sell attendee lists. Prospector builds one for you from the event app and website: attendees, exhibitors and speakers, enriched with job title, company, company size, industry, LinkedIn profile and work email where available, delivered as a CRM-ready file before the event. Ask about SC here.
Get the SC attendee list
Whether you are exhibiting or walking the floor at SC, the teams that win are the ones who arrive with meetings already booked. Get in touch through Prospector and I’ll put together the attendee list for your event.
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- SEMICON West 2026 Guide: Dates, Venue & Who Attends
Photo credits
- Cover image: Photo by NASA on Unsplash
- In-article image: Photo by Pedro Lastra on Unsplash
Sources
Event details were last checked in October 2026. Dates, venues and prices can change, so confirm them on the official event website.