It’s back — DINnovation Day 2026, our one-day celebration of innovation, ideas, and the people pushing things forward across the housing sector.

This year’s event brings together a brilliant mix of speakers, case studies and practical provocations exploring how innovation is showing up across leadership, digital and data, customer experience, compliance, operating models and service transformation.

As always, the aim is to keep things fast-paced, useful and enjoyable. Sessions are short, sharp and designed to give you something to think about, challenge you a little, and leave you with ideas you can take away and apply in your own organisation.

Whether you join for the full day or dip into the sessions most relevant to you, DINnovation Day 2026 is a chance to hear what others are trying, explore what’s changing, and connect with fellow members who care about making progress happen.

We’ve lined up a varied programme of sessions across the day, with a mixture of practical examples, emerging thinking and real-world learning from people working inside and outside the sector.

No long, boring PowerPoints, just fresh insight, useful challenge and a positive, high-energy day focused on what innovation can really look like in practice.

Sessions include

10:00am with Sharon Wilson and Helen at Kynde Connect

Topic: When the Challenge Isn’t Obvious – But Really Matters

A practical session exploring innovation in connection, collaboration and support.

10:30am with Dr Rob Rowlands

Topic: Digital, Data and Research - The Perfect Combination

Exploring how better use of digital, data and research can help organisations make smarter decisions and improve outcomes.

11am with Tendayi Viki, Senior Partner at Strategyzer

Topic: Innovation Readiness - Understanding if your organisation is ready to innovate - take the test!

Fresh thinking on strategy, innovation and how organisations can design for change in more intentional ways.

11:30am with Aman Jindal, CEO of DeNoize

Topic: The sound of silence - Noise cancelling windows

Hear from a Dutch innovator who has built a system to automatically block external noise from buildings using noise cancelling technology.

12:00pm - TBC

12:45pm – 1:30pm – Lunch

1:30pm with Kevin Hornsby, Director or Customer Service

Topic: The Ongo Operating Model Reboot

A session focused on rethinking operating models and what it takes to redesign how organisations work.

2:00pm with Julian Lockett, NiCE

Topic: Proposed Session Flow DINnovation Online (Cognigy Agentic AI Agent)

Exploring strategic housing challenges and how new approaches to service and engagement can improve outcomes.

2:30pm with Tom Manning, Founder of The Pathway Academy

Topic: From Awkward to Empowered: Balancing Safety and Accountability in Management

A thought-provoking session on leadership, culture or organisational effectiveness.

3pm with Michael Craggs, Development & Asset Management Innovation Lead at Bromford

Topic: The Retrofit Rethink

A practical innovation focused session to close the day.

3:30pm with Michael Nicholas, Founder Phaneros

Topic: Strategy and Innovation for the Age of AI

Who should attend?

Anyone interested in learning something new, solving longstanding challenges differently, or simply getting a dose of fresh thinking will benefit from attending DINnovation Day 2026.

Whether you are a CEO, board member, executive director, head of service, transformation lead, digital specialist or frontline colleague, there will be something in the day for you. Every session has innovation at its heart, but the themes and takeaways will be relevant across a wide range of roles and responsibilities.

Registration

Register once and we’ll be in touch 7–10 days before the event with more details and the joining links for the sessions, so you can attend as many of the sessions as are of interest.

Cost

DINnovation Day 2026 is free to attend for all DIN members as part of your subscription. You’re welcome to share it with colleagues across your organisation.

There is also no charge for DIN partners and non-member housing providers.