ConExpo 2026: The Biggest Takeaways and What They Mean for Your Business

ConExpo 2026 brought together the construction industry in Las Vegas for one of the biggest trade shows the industry has seen in years.

The show runs every three years, so it’s quite the “must-attend-if-you-can” event. Contractors from all over the country showed up with the same questions:

• What’s next?
• What tools are other crews using?
• What does the future of the jobsite look like?

Whether you’re a general contractor, a subcontractor or somewhere in between, staying on top of what’s new in the industry is always worthwhile.

Here’s a breakdown of what happened at the 2026 show!

What Happens at ConExpo?

ConExpo-Con/AGG is the largest construction trade show in North America, and the 2026 edition in Las Vegas was one of its biggest runs yet.

Over 140,000 construction professionals from 128 countries packed the Las Vegas Convention Center to see new equipment, connect with vendors and explore what tools could work for their operations.

The show covered more than 3 million square feet of exhibition space — indoors and out. Attendees had access to 150 education sessions, live equipment demos and a brand-new keynote stage called the Ground Breakers Stage.

Three years between shows means this isn’t a casual event. Contractors, manufacturers and tech companies treat it like a launching pad — and the 2026 show delivered.

2026’s Educational Programming

The show’s education programming was one of the most comprehensive in CONEXPO history. Organized across 16 session tracks, the 150+ sessions covered topics ranging from emerging technology and AI to safety leadership, sustainability, workforce development and practical business operations — with content relevant for contractors of every size and specialty.

The 2026 show also debuted several new programming formats aimed at specific audiences.

EmpowerHER brought together women in construction for networking and leadership conversations, while Shop Talks & Walks gave attendees hands-on experience with equipment maintenance demos and interactive jobsite discussions.

Both programs drew strong attendance and underscored the show’s commitment to professional development beyond product launches.

Between sessions and exhibit halls, the Community Zone served as an informal gathering place, hosting live podcast recordings and peer conversations throughout the week. When the show floor closed each evening, CONEXPO After Dark offered three nights of exclusive networking events across Las Vegas — kicking off with a party at Atomic Golf featuring live music and interactive bays.

Who Was at the Show?

Some of the biggest names in construction equipment brought their latest to the floor. Major exhibitors included:

• Caterpillar — including a 70,000-square-foot exhibit with a stadium for its Global Operator Challenge
• John Deere
• Komatsu
• Volvo Construction Equipment
• Case Construction Equipment
• Bobcat
• Kubota
• Takeuchi
• Topcon
• Vermeer
• Kenworth
• Mack Trucks

The tech side of construction got serious attention too.

Amazon Web Services headlined the Ground Breakers Stage with a keynote on how digital transformation is changing how we build. John Deere’s CTO spoke about helping contractors tackle workforce challenges with smarter, more purposeful technology.

Foundation Software Demos New Products at ConExpo

ConExpo isn’t just about iron and equipment — it’s also where construction technology gets its moment.

Foundation Software was at ConExpo 2026 to connect with contractors and show what’s possible when the business side of construction has the right tools behind it.

Putting Financial Tools in the Spotlight

Foundation Software has been helping contractors run the business side of construction since 1985.

Over the years, that’s grown into a full platform built specifically for the way construction companies operate:

• FOUNDATION® — Job cost accounting software
• Payroll4Construction — Construction payroll service
• WorkMax — Mobile time tracking app
• The EDGE® — Takeoff & estimating software for the roofing, concrete and interior trades
• McCormick — MEP takeoff & estimating software
• HQSuite (ProjectHQ®, SafetyHQ®, hrHQ, CrewHQ, ExecutiveHQ) — Platform of construction apps

At ConExpo 2026, Foundation also introduced its newest addition: FOUNDATION Pay. Contractors dealing with credit card reconciliation headaches, scattered receipts or time-consuming vendor check runs will find a lot to like here.

What FOUNDATION Pay Does

FOUNDATION Pay is an expense and payment management platform. It brings together corporate cards, vendor bill pay services and online payments — all in one place, all connected directly to FOUNDATION® accounting software.

Corporate Card

FOUNDATION Pay Corporate Cards connect every swipe directly to your job cost data in FOUNDATION — no manual entry, no reconciling at month-end.

• Real-time job cost coding after every card swipe
• Automatic receipt capture via text — no expense reports, no paper trail to chase
• Custom limits and merchant controls for every card
• Daily synced transactions for a faster, cleaner month-end close

Bill Pay

FOUNDATION Pay Bill Pay is a vendor management service that handles vendor payments for customers.

• Pay vendors directly from FOUNDATION A/P workflows
• ACH, check or virtual card based on vendor preference
• Automatic G/L posting and hourly payment batching
• Reduce fraud risk and unlock virtual card rebate opportunities

Online Payments

FOUNDATION Pay Online Repayments handles the receivables side of the equation. Contractors can choose invoices and send them to customers who can pay them immediately via a secure payment portal — improving cash flow visibility and cutting down on check delays.

• Accept digital customer payments via ACH or card
• Reduce mailed checks and deposit delays
• Payments applied directly to invoices in FOUNDATION
• Improve cash flow visibility and forecasting

When everything feeds into one system, your job cost data stays accurate from the first swipe to the final invoice — no manual re-entry, no reconciling between disconnected tools.

FOUNDATION Pay gives your whole team better visibility into where money is going — and when it’s coming in.

Missed the Conference? Not to Worry!

Whether you were on the show floor or back at the office, the tools and technology showcased at ConExpo are available to you right now.

Ready to see it in action?

Talk to an expert and find out how FOUNDATION Pay fits into your operation.