NEAA 2026 returns with new competition, three keynotes

Payment professionals will convene Feb. 3 to 5, 2026, at the Encore Boston Harbor Resort, for the Northeast Acquirers Association's 41st annual conference and expo. NEAA organizers credit sponsors, exhibitors, board members and volunteers with scaling the former workshop into an acquiring conference that modeled the way for subsequent events in the Southeast, Midwest and Western regions.

These local, affordable venues are designed to help merchant level salespeople (MLSs) network and learn from other industry stakeholders, stated NEAA President Alan Forgione.

"We wanted to create an affordable, educational and worthwhile experience for MLSs," Forgione said. "Boston has always been a good draw, and we'll be at the Encore this year, a beautiful new property."

Expanded, rebranded competition

Forgione mentioned that a new agenda item, Showcase Showdown, will replace the former tech competition known as Catapult. The updated Shark-Tank-style event is scheduled to debut Wed., Feb. 4, with 12 contestants presenting to a judging panel and live audience.

"Catapult featured new companies breaking into our space," he said. "Showcase Showdown will allow existing brands with differentiating products to compete for Best in Show." Showcase Showdown contestants were chosen from a large pool of applicants, Forgione added, stating the presentations will be strictly educational and devoid of sales pitches.

Old and new favorites

NEAA 2026 will reprise popular sessions, such as View from the Hill by ETA Executive Vice President Scott Talbott, and The B2B business opportunity, by Roger McNamara, director, strategic merchant services for Visa, with emerging trend presentations, including Stablecoin 101 by Keith Van Der Leest, U.S. general manager at BVNK, and panel discussions on AI and embedded payments.

Diamond sponsors will once again offer pre-event breakout sessions, which event organizers summarized as follows: ​

• Netevia: Combine to Win"
• NMI: NMI University: Grow Your Business and Improve Merchant Success with NMI's Smart Solutions
• GETTRX: Get ISVs: Your Brand. Our Platform. 
• Electronic Payments: EPI meet up & tech lab
• Global Payments: Your Roadmap to Payments Success
• SignaPay: Court-side with SignaPay
• Merchant Industry: Merchant Industry: More Deals. More Residuals. Total Control
• Paytech Women: Advancing Women in Payments: Leadership, Access, and Industry Impact
• VeriFone: The Verifone Victa Experience: Powering Modern Commerce

Sponsors will also host a flurry of parties, beginning Wednesday evening, Feb. 4, with NMI's opening reception in the exhibit hall, followed by Netevia's opening night party and concluding the following day, Feb. 5, with GETTRX's closing reception.

Multiple keynotes

Several celebrity speakers will share perspectives on technology, strategy and leadership at NEAA 2026 in the following keynote addresses:

• Poker Power Leadership and Sales Strategies with April Oury: Angel investor and small business mentor Abby Oury helps professionals build wealth and scale their organizations. Through her investing and advisory roles at Poker Power and Prota Ventures, she helps connect founders, funders and operators in health, wellness and tech.

• AI in Payments with David Birch: Author, technologist and public speaker David Birch has chaired panels at Mobile World Congress, Money 2020, SIBOS and many other international events. He has covered a diversity of topics in his books, which include Identity is the New Money; Before Babylon, Beyond Bitcoin; The Currency Cold War; and most recently, Money in the Metaverse.

• A Fireside Chat with Abby Gustaitis: Abby Gustaitis, account executive at Visa, is an acclaimed Olympic athlete, U.S. Women's Rugby champion and sports commentator. A year after competing in the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, she joined the Visa Champions program, a two-year rotational program for athletes transitioning from sports to executive leadership, formerly known as the Olympians and Paralympians Business Development Program.

For additional information or to register for the conference, visit https://www.northeastacquirers.com.

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