Beyond Now Experiences Announces Major 2027 Expansion, With 76 Programs Across the U.S. and London

STAMFORD, Conn., October 28, 2026 – Responding to growing interest among students and families in hands-on, real-world learning opportunities, Beyond Now Experiences, a program of Summer Discovery Group, today announced a major expansion for 2027. The program will offer 76 experiences across three formats, including six Beyond Now Summits, 40 Pop-Up Experiences and 30 immersive Residencies, connecting students directly with the industry leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, athletes and creators shaping business, technology, entertainment, sports and culture.

Designed for high school and college students, Beyond Now provides opportunities to learn directly from industry leaders, explore potential careers and gain perspectives that extend beyond traditional classroom learning. Through interactive conversations, behind-the-scenes access and hands-on experiences, students can discover new interests, better understand emerging opportunities and gain greater confidence and clarity about their futures.

Launched in 2023 as part of Summer Discovery's UCLA program, Beyond Now has welcomed more than 5,000 students and featured speakers from a broad range of industries, including business, technology, finance, entertainment, sports and media. Past speakers include Mark Cuban, Bronny James, Jordan Matter, Suzy Welch, and Jameis Winston, among others. Speakers at a single Beyond Now Summit have represented a combined social media following of more than 110 million. For 2027, Beyond Now plans to recruit approximately 400 speakers across its six Summits, significantly expanding the range of industry perspectives and experiences available to students.

“We’re proud of what we’ve built with the Beyond Now Summit over the past four years. We believe in transformative, in-person experiences that put students in front of leaders in business, entertainment, media, sports and culture, and we’ve seen the results firsthand: students going on to start businesses, launch philanthropic initiatives and build technology products,” said Scott Rosenbluth, Managing Director of Beyond Now Experiences. “Expanding that into a year-round calendar of Summits, Pop-Ups and Residencies is the most exciting step we’ve taken, and we’re looking forward to seeing what students do with it.”

Three Ways to Experience Beyond Now in 2027

The 2027 expansion introduces three distinct ways for students to participate, from full-day Summits that provide exposure to a wide range of industries and leaders to smaller, interactive experiences and immersive programs that allow students to explore specific interests in greater depth.

Together, the Summits, Pop-Up Experiences and Residencies create a year-round calendar of opportunities for students at different stages of their academic and personal development. Programming is designed separately for high school and college students, with select experiences available to eighth graders.

Beyond Now Summits

Beyond Now Summits are full-day experiences that bring hundreds of students together with entrepreneurs, industry leaders, innovators, athletes and creators across a range of fields. Students participate in interactive sessions, live Q&As and opportunities to connect directly with speakers, gaining firsthand perspectives on careers and industries that interest them.

Each Summit features six areas of programming: Business and Leadership, Personal Branding and Creator, College and the Future of Learning, STEAM, Sports Business and Make Change. Events also feature a food festival celebrating local flavors and opportunities for students to meet participating speakers.

The 2027 Beyond Now Summit schedule includes:

• MiamiSaturday, February 20
• Bay AreaSaturday, March 13
• New YorkSunday, March 21
• Austin, University of Texas at AustinFriday, July 9
• Los Angeles, UCLATuesday, July 13
• London, King's College LondonWednesday, July 21

Summits in Miami, the Bay Area and New York will be open to students independently of Summer Discovery enrollment. The Austin and Los Angeles Summits will be available to enrolled Summer Discovery students, while the London Summit will be available to Atlas Summer Courses students.

Pop-Up Experiences

Beyond Now Pop-Up Experiences bring smaller groups of 20 to 50 students directly into companies, studios, venues and other professional settings, offering opportunities to see how businesses and creative organizations operate firsthand.

Forty Pop-Up Experiences are planned for 2027, with formats ranging from visits inside leading companies and extended conversations with industry professionals to hackathons, AI-assisted coding workshops, pitch competitions, content creation experiences and behind-the-scenes access at major events.

Offered throughout the year in Beyond Now Summit markets, Pop-Ups will feature programming tailored separately for high school and college students. Select experiences will also provide opportunities for parents and students to participate together.

Beyond Now Residencies

New for 2027, Beyond Now Residencies offer immersive three-, seven- and 10-day experiences that give students opportunities to explore specific industries, develop practical skills and learn directly from experienced professionals.

Thirty Residencies are planned across winter break, spring break and summer, covering business, media, personal branding, sports, technology and creative industries. Programs will be led by instructors with extensive professional experience, with additional guest sessions featuring Beyond Now speakers.

Designed for students who are beginning to explore potential career interests as well as those who have identified a particular passion, Residencies provide extended opportunities for hands-on learning, collaboration and professional exposure. Enrollment will open in waves beginning in mid-November.

“Our Summits have shown us what can happen when students have the opportunity to learn directly from people working at the top of their fields,” Rosenbluth said. “But one day is just the beginning. With Pop-Ups and Residencies, we're giving students more time to ask questions, see how industries operate firsthand and develop practical skills alongside experienced professionals. It's an opportunity to take what inspires them at a Summit and explore those interests in greater depth.”

2027 Registration and Programming Announcements

Tickets for the 2027 Beyond Now Summits will go on sale at gobeyondnow.com beginning November 9 for Miami, followed by the Bay Area on November 16 and New York on November 23. The first speaker lineup, for Beyond Now Miami, will also be announced November 9, with additional lineups to be announced throughout the season.

Residency enrollment opens in mid-November, beginning with summer programs, with Pop-Up registration details to follow.

“The world our students are preparing to enter is changing faster than ever, and families are looking for experiences that help young people understand the opportunities ahead of them,” said Christopher Barrett, CEO of Summer Discovery Group. “For nearly 60 years, Summer Discovery has helped students gain confidence, explore their interests and prepare for college and beyond. Beyond Now builds on that commitment by connecting students directly with the people building businesses, creating new technologies and shaping industries. With this expansion, we're creating even more opportunities for young people to discover what's possible and gain the confidence to pursue their futures.”