Venus Williams and José Andrés join Jimmy O. Yang and influential marketing leaders for three days of inspiration and innovation in Las Vegas

Braze (Nasdaq: BRZE), the leading customer engagement platform that empowers brands to Be Absolutely Engaging™, today announced that tennis champion and entrepreneur Venus Williams will headline Forge 2026, taking place September 28–30 at Fontainebleau Las Vegas. Williams will join chef and humanitarian José Andrés, actor and comedian Jimmy O. Yang, and marketing visionaries from some of the world’s biggest brands for three days of conversations, insights and practical guidance focused on succeeding through a period of rapid industry change.

Braze also unveiled “Made for This” as the theme for this year’s event. Inspired by the resilience and adaptability marketers have developed throughout their careers, the theme reflects a central message: marketers already possess the experience and skills needed to lead through changing consumer expectations, emerging technologies and the rapid adoption of AI.

“Marketers are hearing a lot about everything they need to change, learn or become, and that can make this moment feel more daunting than exciting,” said Astha Malik, Chief Business Officer at Braze. “We believe there is enormous opportunity ahead, and marketers are better prepared to seize it than they may realize. Made for This recognizes what they already know while helping them build the skills, confidence and connections to lead through what comes next.”

At Forge, attendees will explore the latest ideas, technologies and approaches shaping customer engagement while learning directly from peers tackling many of the same challenges. The event will combine executive perspectives, customer case studies, hands-on learning and opportunities for the Braze community to exchange ideas and best practices.

An All-Star Lineup Made for Forge

Forge 2026 will feature a lineup spanning marketing, entertainment, entrepreneurship and creativity, with speakers whose careers reflect the adaptability and reinvention at the heart of Made for This.

Venus Williams, one of the most accomplished athletes in the history of sports, will headline Forge with a perspective shaped by performing at the highest level and continually evolving through change. A seven-time Grand Slam champion, entrepreneur and longtime advocate for equality, Williams has carried her competitive drive beyond the court into ventures spanning design, wellness and entertainment. Her career embodies the Made for This theme by drawing on experience and resilience to keep moving forward and lead through what comes next.

José Andrés, chef, restaurateur and humanitarian, has built a career around turning ideas into action and responding to change with ingenuity and purpose. Through his work across food, entrepreneurship and humanitarian relief, Andrés brings a distinctive perspective on leadership, adaptability and the ability to act when circumstances demand it.

Jimmy O. Yang, the stand-up comedian, actor and writer known for Silicon Valley and Crazy Rich Asians, will bring his perspective on storytelling, ambition and navigating an unconventional career. Yang’s work spans television, film, stand-up and writing, including sold-out international tours and his bestselling memoir How to American.

Kyle Cooke, entrepreneur, DJ and television personality known for Bravo’s Summer House and Winter House and Peacock’s The Traitors, will be the DJ for the Forge closing party. As the founder of beverage brand Loverboy and a rising DJ, Cooke has built a career across entrepreneurship, entertainment and music.

Together, their careers offer different expressions of the Made for This idea: experience becomes an advantage when the world changes around you.

Forge will also feature Matthew Luhn, former Pixar and Disney storyteller, animator and author of The Best Story Wins, alongside marketing thought leader Seth Matlins, host of Create or Destroy: Reimagining Marketing.

Marketers Learning From Marketers

Marketing leaders from brands including, PGA TOUR, Intuit, AMC Global Media, Peloton, Bilt, Luxury Escapes, Remitly, Compare the Market, ClassPass and Exact Sciences will share how they are approaching customer engagement, creativity, personalization and emerging technology.

They will be joined by Braze leaders including Bill Magnuson, Cofounder and CEO; Astha Malik, Chief Marketing and Business Officer; and Jon Hyman, Cofounder and CTO who will share their perspectives on the future of customer engagement and the technologies shaping it.

Forge is designed to give attendees the chance to hear what is working, learn from what has not, and exchange practical ideas with other marketers. Across more than 75 keynotes, breakout sessions, demos, masterclasses and other experiences, attendees can take part in customer case studies, peer discussions, hands-on labs, AI workshops, product demonstrations and roundtables, alongside training and certification opportunities.

Made to Lead, Innovate, Create and Build

The Made for This theme will extend across four learning tracks designed around the different ways marketers are navigating change.

Made to lead will focus on how senior marketing leaders can guide their organizations and teams through constant change. Made to innovate will explore how marketers can use AI and emerging technologies to improve efficiency and unlock new opportunities.

Made to create will put creativity, storytelling and standout customer experiences at the center of the conversation, while Made to build will provide practical frameworks and strategies for executing, measuring and optimizing modern marketing programs.

Together, the program is designed to help marketers leave Forge with a clearer view of what is changing, practical ideas they can put to work and greater confidence in their ability to navigate what comes next.

You Were Made for This

Forge 2026 will take place September 28–30, 2026 at Fontainebleau Las Vegas, bringing together the global Braze community for three days of learning, connection and celebration.

Registration is now open. To explore the latest agenda and speaker lineup and register for Forge 2026, visit forge.braze.com/2026.

About Braze

Braze is the leading customer engagement platform that empowers brands to Be Absolutely Engaging™. Braze helps brands deliver great customer experiences that drive value both for consumers and for their businesses. Built on a foundation of composable intelligence, BrazeAI™ allows marketers to combine and activate AI agents, models, and features at every touchpoint throughout the Braze Customer Engagement Platform for smarter, faster, and more meaningful customer engagement. From cross-channel messaging and journey orchestration to Al-powered decisioning and optimization, Braze enables companies to turn action into interaction through autonomous, 1:1 personalized experiences. The company has been consistently recognized as a Leader in marketing technology by industry analysts, and was named a G2 “Best of Marketing and Digital Advertising Software Product” in 2026. Braze was also named a 2026 Best Places to Work by Built In, a 2025 America’s Greenest Companies by Newsweek, and a 2025 Fortune Best Workplace in Technology™ by Great Place To Work®. The company is headquartered in New York with 15 offices across the Americas, EMEA, and APAC. Learn more at braze.com.

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