45Drives Unveils 2026 Creator Summit Program with AI and Open-Source Leaders

45Drives has unveiled the full program for its fourth annual Creator Summit, set to take place October 20-22 in downtown Wilmington, North Carolina. The event will bring together influential independent technology creators with enterprise infrastructure leaders, customers, open-source experts, AI researchers, academics, media figures, and film and VFX professionals to explore the future of artificial intelligence, data ownership, and modern computing infrastructure. According to Dr. Doug Milburn, President of 45Drives, “This is the strongest program we’ve assembled because it reflects how technology is actually moving.” The summit features dedicated Enterprise and Creative tracks, with the Enterprise track focusing on private and on-premises AI, high-performance data systems, data sovereignty, cybersecurity, and open-source infrastructure, while the Creative track examines AI’s impact on production, editing, design, and storytelling.

The speaker lineup includes prominent creators such as Tom Lawrence of Lawrence Systems, Wendell Wilson of Level1Techs, and Jeff Geerling, alongside Ed Rawlings of Unraid, Brett Kelly of 45Drives, Bob Henderson of Cass County, Ryan Walker of JR Automation, Dane Adams of Arista Networks, Allan Jude of Klara, Nicholas Wiczynski of NGW Post, Severine Erickson and Fenner Rockliffe of Niche VFX, Tyler Zibaie of Lighthouse Films, and Christos Makridis of Arizona State University. Harvard educator and United Nations Senior Expert Alexander Puutio and PhillComm Global Founder and CEO Jon Lindsay Phillips will also join for a cross-disciplinary discussion on enterprise AI adoption. The program kicks off on October 20 at The Skyline Center with sessions from Brett Kelly and Ed Rawlings, followed by Tom Lawrence and a remote Musora Media session, then Wendell Wilson and Jeff Geerling. An invite-only Unraid event at Jengo’s Playhouse will feature the 45HomeLab x Unraid Signature Series. Day two includes Bob Henderson, Nicholas Wiczynski, Allan Jude, Severine Erickson, Ryan Walker, Dane Adams, Tyler Zibaie, and Christos Makridis, culminating in the live 45Flow Stunt. The final day at Union Station Auditorium features the AI High Speed Stunt, Enterprise AI Pulse with Makridis, Puutio, and Phillips, a Panelist Livestream, and closing remarks.

Sponsors include Seagate, Unraid, Michael Best, and Cintas, with Seagate maintaining a presence throughout. The event will spotlight customers and ecosystem partners like Cass County and JR Automation. Now in its fourth year, Creator Summit brings together enterprise IT teams, open-source engineers, creators, filmmakers, academics, and media to shape the future of technology. Attendance is available in person or virtually, with key talks livestreamed. Registration and more information can be found on the 45Drives Creator Summit page.