The Z-Wave Alliance, a prominent standards development organisation promoting advancements in smart home technology and Z-Wave® systems, has unveiled the event schedule for the Z-Wave Spring Summit 2026.
This significant gathering, scheduled from 27 to 29 May 2026, will be hosted in Vienna, Austria. It aims to convene leaders from the Z-Wave ecosystem for three days of collaboration, strategy discussions, technical testing, and professional networking.
Summit features and networking opportunities
The Z-Wave Spring Summit will present an extensive agenda featuring the renowned Unplug Fest, intimate fireside discussions, dedicated marketing and technical sessions, interactive panels, as well as various social networking activities designed to foster unity and knowledge sharing within the Z-Wave community.
The Z-Wave Spring Summit will present an extensive agenda featuring the renowned Unplug Fest
Commencing the summit, Unplug Fest serves as the Alliance’s practical platform for testing interoperability, emphasising real-world deployment scenarios and extensive network performance in 2026. This year, the focus is on the simultaneous operation of Z-Wave mesh and Z-Wave Long Range (ZWLR) networks, showcasing how different devices and network configurations can function seamlessly together. Attendees will have the opportunity to experiment with new and freshly certified devices under dynamic conditions, further cementing Z-Wave's large-scale reliability.
Technical demonstrations
Key capabilities demonstrated include simultaneous operation of mesh and ZWLR networks, efficient functioning of multiple parallel networks, SmartStart technology for rapid device onboarding via QR codes, optimised routing with Dynamic routing and Explorer Frames, and multicast control for synchronised, low-latency responses.
While access to interoperability tests is reserved for members, select demonstrations will be open to installers and non-members, providing insights into Z-Wave’s performance and deployment efficiency.
Industry trends and collaborative sessions
Sessions will cover the intersection of AI and smart home futures, offering valuable market insights
Following Unplug Fest, the summit proceeds with a full day of collaborative sessions open to Alliance members, installers, developers, and non-members exploring Z-Wave technology. These sessions begin with a keynote from Chairman Avi Rosenthal, who will discuss the Alliance’s strategic direction and future opportunities.
The schedule also includes a member-led fireside chat on Z-Wave evolution, discussions on the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), and emerging innovations like the Z-Wave Wake on Event End Node (WOEEN) role type. Furthermore, sessions will cover the intersection of AI and smart home futures, offering valuable market insights.
Exclusive member working sessions
The final summit day is dedicated to exclusive member sessions focusing on the technical and marketing aspects of advancing the Z-Wave ecosystem.
Topics for these sessions include developments in User Credential Command Class v3 (UCCCv3), Aliro, device evolution, and discussions around Z-Wave certification and compliance. Additionally, a technical roadmap preview and market growth strategies around ZWLR will be explored, alongside marketing and go-to-market strategies.
Registration and sponsorship
Members of the Z-Wave Alliance can secure early bird registration for $399 USD until 30 April 2026. From 1 May onwards, standard registration for the Spring Summit and Unplug Fest will be $599 USD. Non-member companies, including installers and integrators interested in Z-Wave development, can register for $99 USD, gaining access to selected Unplug Fest demonstrations on 27 May and the joint sessions on 28 May. Participants can refer to the posted agenda for available sessions.
The Z-Wave Alliance extends appreciation to the sponsors who support the Spring Summit. Sponsors for the 2026 event include MK Logic, Silicon Labs, Trident IoT, Vision, and Zooz as Gold sponsors, with Aeotec sponsoring Unplug Fest and BlueConnect Partners sponsoring breaks.
The Z-Wave Alliance, the standards development organisation dedicated to advancing the smart home and Z-Wave® technology, is pleased to announce the schedule of events for the Z-Wave Spring Summit 2026. Taking place May 27-29, 2026, in Vienna, Austria, this event brings together leaders from across the entire Z-Wave ecosystem for three days of collaboration, discussion, planning, testing, networking, and education.
The upcoming Z-Wave Spring Summit will feature a comprehensive schedule including a dedicated Unplug Fest, intimate fireside chat sessions, marketing and technical working tracks, interactive panels and a range of social and networking opportunities designed to unify the Z-Wave community.
Recently certified devices
The Z-Wave Spring Summit kicks off with Unplug Fest, the Alliance’s hands-on interoperability testing ground, refined for 2026 to focus on real-world deployment scenarios and large-scale network performance.
This year’s event centres on the simultaneous operation of Z-Wave mesh and Z-Wave Long Range (ZWLR) networks within a live environment, demonstrating how diverse device types and network topologies can seamlessly coexist. Participants will test new and recently certified devices in dynamic conditions, reinforcing Z-Wave’s reliability at scale.
Live demonstrations will highlight key capabilities, including:
- Simultaneous mesh and ZWLR operation on a single network
- Multiple networks operating in parallel in dense environments
- SmartStart commissioning for rapid, QR-based device onboarding
- Dynamic routing and Explorer Frames for automatic optimisation
- Multicast control for synchronised low-latency device response
Low-latency device response
While interoperability testing remains exclusive to members, select demonstrations during the Unplug Fest portion of the Spring Summit will be open to installers and non-members, offering a first-hand look at Z-Wave’s performance, scalability, and ease of deployment.
Following Unplug Fest, the Summit opens with a full day of joint sessions designed to explore key industry trends and showcase the strength of the Z-Wave ecosystem. This portion of the event is open to Z-Wave Alliance members, as well as installers, developers, and non-members interested in working with Z-Wave.
Key market trends
The first day of sessions begins with a welcome address from Chairman Avi Rosenthal outlining the Alliance’s direction and key opportunities ahead, followed immediately by a member-driven fireside chat discussing the evolution of Z-Wave and the role of collaboration in driving the ecosystem forward.
The day one agenda will also include sessions that address the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), cover emerging innovations such as the Z-Wave Wake on Event End Node (WOEEN) role type, discuss the intersection between AI and the future of the intelligent home, and reveal key market trends and insights.
Member-exclusive working sessions
The Summit concludes with a full day of member-exclusive working sessions across technical and marketing tracks, focused on advancing the Z-Wave ecosystem from both a product and market perspective. Key areas of focus include:
- User Credential Command Class v3 (UCCCv3), Aliro, and device evolution
- Z-Wave Certification and compliance
- Technical roadmap preview with new opportunity discussion
- Z-Wave Long Range (ZWLR) and market growth
- Marketing strategy and go-to-market execution
Early bird registration
Z-Wave Alliance members can take advantage of early bird registration for $399 USD through April 30, 2026.
Beginning May 1, standard registration for the Spring Summit and Unplug Fest will be $599 USD. Installers, integrators and non-member companies interested in developing with Z-Wave can register for $99 USD, which includes access to select Unplug Fest demonstrations showcasing Z-Wave in action on May 27th, and the joint sessions on May 28th. Reference the posted agenda to see which sessions are available to non-member attendees.
The Z-Wave Alliance thanks the generous sponsors who make the Spring Summit possible. Sponsors of the Spring 2026 event include:
- MK Logic (Gold)
- Silicon Labs (Gold)
- Trident IoT (Gold)
- Vision (Gold)
- Zooz (Gold)
- Aeotec (Unplug Fest Sponsor)
- BlueConnect Partners (Break Sponsor)
