Every year, Procore's Groundbreak conference gives the construction industry a preview of where its technology is headed.
This year, the message is loud and clear: artificial intelligence has moved from the hype cycle onto the jobsite, and the companies that learn to use it well will have a real edge.
For construction companies, that shift matters more than it might seem. They carry the budget, the risk and the responsibility for delivering every project. Yet for years, leaders have struggled to see what is really happening in the field. Late change orders, schedule slips that show up a month too late and cost reports that never quite match reality are familiar frustrations.
Groundbreak 2026 is built around closing that gap. With the theme "Build and win together in the AI era," Procore is betting that connected project data and AI tools can give construction companies, their clients and trade partners the same clear view of a project at the same time.
The event lands in Orlando on October 21 and 22, 2026, which means the clock is ticking. Whether you are an operations leader weighing your first trip, an executive deciding who to send, or simply curious about where construction tech is going, this guide covers everything you need to know before you go.
Here are the essentials in one place. Bookmark this section, screenshot it, or send it to whoever handles your team's travel.
Groundbreak is Procore's annual flagship conference, and it has grown into one of the biggest construction technology events on the calendar. Procore expected more than 4,500 people from over 35 countries at the 2024 edition, and the event has only gained momentum since.
At its core, Groundbreak is where Procore shares what is next for its platform. It is also where construction companies of every size, from general contractors to specialty trades, compare notes with tech partners on what is actually working in the field. Think of it as part product launch, part industry summit and part reunion.
Not necessarily. The keynotes, industry sessions and networking are valuable for anyone working in construction. That said, the hands-on workshops and many product sessions are designed for teams already using Procore.
If your partners run projects on Procore but your company does not, Groundbreak is a smart way to understand the data they are already collecting and how you can tap into it.
If there is one word you will hear more than any other in Orlando, it is AI. This year's program digs into how AI and connected project data can lift productivity, speed up decisions and help construction firms tackle long-standing challenges.
That can sound abstract, so here is what it means in practical terms for construction companies.
AI tools that scan daily logs, RFIs, change events and budgets can flag trouble before it becomes a crisis. For a construction company, that means hearing about a likely overrun in week six instead of month six.
Construction companies sit on mountains of documents: drawings, specs, submittals, meeting minutes and contracts. Expect plenty of demos showing how AI can search, summarize and pull answers from that pile in seconds.
Construction companies rarely run just one project. Connected data makes it easier to compare performance across jobs, contractors and regions, and to spot patterns that would never show up in a single monthly report.
The "build and win together" part of the theme is the real story. When construction companies, their clients and trade partners work from the same data, disputes shrink and trust grows. Watch for sessions on shared workflows, transparent reporting and joint risk management.
AI is not a magic fix. As you move through sessions and the Expo Hall, keep a few questions in your back pocket: Where does this data come from? Who owns it? How accurate is it? And what does it actually change about how my team makes decisions?
Procore has assembled a lineup that mixes company leadership, AI heavyweights and a closing act designed to send everyone home talking. Here is who to circle on your schedule.
Ajei Gopal leads Procore's mission to connect everyone in construction on a single global platform. His opening keynote will lay out where the industry is heading and how technology can help teams build and win together.
Why it matters to construction companies: This is where Procore typically shares its product roadmap for the year ahead. Whatever is announced here will likely shape the tools your teams and partners use on your projects within months.
Zack Kass ran go-to-market at OpenAI before most companies even had an AI strategy. Today he advises leaders on what AI actually changes about their business. His talk focuses on how AI amplifies people and why the hardest part is getting your team ready to embrace it.
Why it matters to construction companies: Construction companies often struggle to get internal buy-in for new tools. Kass speaks directly to the people side of AI adoption, which is where most technology rollouts stall.
Oz Pearlman reads minds, predicts choices and leaves audiences arguing about what they just saw. He closes the conference with a message about challenging what you think is possible.
Why it matters to construction companies: It is pure entertainment, and after two packed days, that is the point. Stay for it.
Beyond the main stage, the lineup includes several Procore leaders and outside voices:
If you want the inside track on Procore's upcoming features, keep an eye on the product leaders. For a wider lens on how construction connects with the public, don't miss Fred Mills’s session.
More than 80 sessions are on the program, so you will need to choose wisely. Start with the challenges your team is facing right now, and let those guide your schedule instead of the flashiest session titles.
Here is how construction companies can sort the full agenda by priority.
Money is where every project wins or loses, and this track goes straight to it. Look for sessions on budgeting, forecasting, change management, pay applications and cost reporting. These conversations speak most directly to a construction company's bottom line, especially in a market still dealing with material price swings and tariff uncertainty.
The best financial sessions tend to focus on visibility. How do you catch a budget overrun while there is still time to fix it? How do you connect field data to the accounting system so that forecasts reflect what is really happening on site? And how do you speed up pay applications so cash keeps moving through the project?
What to listen for: Real numbers. Sessions where a company shares how much time it saved on monthly cost reports, or how much earlier it flagged an overrun, are worth far more than general talk about "financial transparency."
Sessions by Procore Experts:
This is the engine room of any construction project. Sessions on RFIs, submittals, schedules, daily logs and dashboards show how teams keep work moving and keep everyone informed. Even if you know these workflows well, there is usually a smarter way to run them.
Expect a heavy dose of AI here, from tools that draft RFI responses to dashboards that summarize a week of jobsite activity in a few lines. The question to keep asking is whether the tool actually reduces manual work or simply moves it somewhere else.
What to listen for: Practical advice on reporting. Understanding how strong teams structure their dashboards makes it much easier to build reports your leadership will actually read, and to ask partners for the information you really need.
Sessions
The decisions made before ground is broken often shape a project's outcome more than anything that happens after. Preconstruction sessions cover estimating, bid management, bid leveling, scope definition and early collaboration between project teams and trade partners.
If your company has a pipeline of new work, this track is a smart investment of your time. Look for sessions on using historical project data to sharpen estimates, and on managing bids so that comparisons between trade partners are fair and complete.
What to listen for: How companies are using past project data to price new work with more confidence. Better estimates on the front end mean fewer surprises in the field.
Sessions:
AI is the headline act this year, and it will show up in nearly every corner of the agenda. Dedicated AI sessions are likely to cover document search, automated reporting, schedule and risk analysis, and AI assistants built into everyday workflows.
The challenge is separating real progress from polished promises. Prioritize sessions that show live use cases on real projects, ideally presented by the companies using the tools. Pay close attention to how they handled data quality, team training and rollout, since those are where most AI projects succeed or fail.
What to listen for: A clear answer to one question: what work went away because of this tool? If a speaker cannot answer that, the session may be more vision than practice.
Sessions:
Labor shortages affect every construction company's schedule, and keeping crews safe remains the most important job on any site. Sessions on workforce planning, resource management and jobsite safety tackle both challenges head on.
On the workforce side, look for sessions on forecasting labor needs across projects, moving crews where they are needed most, and attracting and keeping skilled workers. On the safety side, expect discussions on inspections, incident reporting, training records and using data to spot risks before someone gets hurt.
What to listen for: Ideas that connect safety and workforce data to the rest of the project. When safety and labor information lives alongside schedules and budgets, leaders get a much clearer picture of risk.
Sessions:
When you have a choice, pick sessions where a customer is presenting. Construction companies that share their own wins and missteps tend to offer the most practical lessons you can take home.
Also, register for sessions early. Procore handles session registration through the Attendee Portal on a first-come, first-served basis, and some sessions reach capacity before the event. Don't overlook the product theater sessions in the Expo Hall either. They are short, focused and easy to fit between breakouts.
If keynotes are the big picture, workshops are where you roll up your sleeves. Procore Workshops are classroom-style, in-app training sessions led by Procore experts.
Workshops are an add-on to the standard conference pass. Depending on the workshop pass you buy, you can choose up to two or four sessions. They run on Tuesday, October 20, the pre-conference day, with half-day sessions continuing on October 21.
Topics include budget management, RFIs, submittals, reporting, configuration and new product features. The workshops are built mainly for Procore admins and project managers.
If your organization uses Procore directly, the answer is yes. A budget or reporting workshop can pay for itself the first time your team builds a cleaner monthly report. If your partners use Procore but your team does not, you can likely skip the workshops and focus on keynotes, industry sessions and the Expo Hall.
Plan ahead: Popular workshops can fill up, so register early if you want your first choices. Also plan to arrive in Orlando by Monday night if you are booked for Tuesday sessions.
The Expo Hall is where Groundbreak turns from conference into marketplace. Companies that build on Procore set up shop here to show how their tools connect to the platform, and this year's floor has been billed as a reimagined experience.
For construction companies, the Expo Hall is a chance to see the wider ecosystem the industry relies on, all in one room.
Walk the full hall once before stopping at booths, so you know what is there. Then come back to the five or six vendors that match your biggest pain points.
Ask every vendor the same three questions:
Networking receptions are also held in the Expo Hall, so evening hours are a great time for more relaxed conversations with exhibitors.
Some of the best business at Groundbreak happens away from the session rooms. Between receptions, meals and one very big party, there are plenty of chances to build relationships.
This year's Groundbreak Bash takes over Universal Islands of Adventure on the evening of Thursday, October 22. Ticket holders get access to rides, themed islands and dining throughout the park.
The Bash is included with the Full Conference Pass. Want to bring a spouse or colleague? A separate guest pass is available for an extra fee, but it only covers the Bash, not keynotes or sessions.
Receptions are held in the Expo Hall and give you a lower-key setting to meet peers and vendors. Meals listed on the agenda are also good moments to sit with people outside your usual circle.
The Groundbreaker Awards recognize companies and individuals doing standout work with construction technology. Keep an eye on the winners. Their stories often make excellent case studies to share with your own team.
Groundbreak offers several pass types, so it pays to know what each one includes before you buy.
Third-party attendee guides list the Full Conference Pass at $1,795. Pricing can change as the event gets closer, so confirm current rates on Procore's registration page before you book. Procore also lists a public sector rate in its FAQ, which is worth checking if you work on public sector projects.
If you need sign-off to attend, frame the trip around specific outcomes. Pick two or three problems your team needs to solve, list the sessions and vendors that address them, and promise a short debrief when you return.
Leadership is far more likely to approve a trip with a clear return on investment.
Orlando is built for big conventions, which makes Groundbreak one of the easier trips on the events calendar. A little planning still goes a long way.
Orlando International Airport (MCO) is the main airport for the convention district. The Orange County Convention Center sits on International Drive, about 15 minutes from MCO by car. Rideshare and taxis are the simplest options.
Procore has an official hotel block, and booking through it is the easiest route. The International Drive area has plenty of hotels within walking distance or a short ride of the convention center. Two popular picks:
If you are attending workshops on October 20, fly in Monday, October 19. If you are only attending the main conference, arriving Tuesday evening gets you settled before Wednesday's opening keynote.
International Drive is packed with restaurants for team dinners, and the theme parks are close by if you want to extend your stay. Plan any client dinners early, since popular spots book up fast during big conventions.
With Groundbreak just weeks away, here is a simple checklist to work through before you head to Orlando.
Not everyone can get to Orlando, and that is fine. Procore keeps an archive of past Groundbreak content online, so you can still catch up on keynotes and sessions.
On-demand libraries are available for 2025, 2024, 2023 and 2022. Last year's keynotes are a great primer if you are attending for the first time, since they show how Procore's AI story has developed.
Procore's FAQ also addresses whether 2026 keynotes and sessions will be recorded. Check the FAQ page for the latest, and watch the Groundbreak site after the event for new recordings.
Groundbreak is packed with content, and construction companies that show up with a plan often walk away with the most useful insights. Here is what to keep in mind.
Within a week of returning, hold a short debrief with your team. Share the top three ideas you heard, the vendors worth a follow-up demo, and one change you want to test on an upcoming project. Then schedule a conversation with your key partners about what you learned. The value of Groundbreak shows up in what you do after Orlando.
The main conference runs Wednesday, October 21 and Thursday, October 22, 2026. Pre-conference activities, including workshops, take place on Tuesday, October 20.
At the Orange County Convention Center, 9800 International Drive, Orlando, Florida 32819.
Third-party guides list the Full Conference Pass at $1,795. Check Procore's registration page for current pricing, including any public sector or student rates.
All keynotes, breakout sessions (space permitting), the Expo Hall, networking receptions, agenda meals and the Groundbreak Bash.
No. Procore Workshops require an add-on pass, which lets you choose two or four hands-on training sessions.
Yes, to the Bash. A paid guest pass covers the Groundbreak Bash on October 22 only. Guests cannot attend keynotes or sessions.
No. The cancellation and refund window closed on September 25, 2026.
No, but Procore users will get the most out of the product sessions and workshops. Construction companies that work alongside Procore users will also find plenty of value.
Procore CEO Ajei Gopal opens Day 1, AI advisor Zack Kass opens Day 2, and mentalist Oz Pearlman closes the event.
Procore offers on-demand content from past years. Check the Groundbreak FAQ for details on 2026 recordings.
Procore lists media contact information on its Groundbreak FAQ page.
Groundbreak 2026 arrives at a moment when construction is rethinking how projects get planned, built and paid for. For construction companies, it is a rare chance to see the tools your partners use, hear where AI is really headed, and build relationships that make your next project run smoother.
The event is only weeks away, so now is the time to lock in your pass, book your hotel and map out your plan. Register for Groundbreak 2026 and get ready for Orlando.
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