3M has been named a 2026 Best of CES award winner by EXHIBITOR magazine for its exhibit at CES 2026. The award-winning trade show exhibit was designed and built in partnership with STAR Exhibits to support strategic business engagement and showcase 3M’s innovations across key focus areas.
Each year, EXHIBITOR magazine’s Best of CES awards recognize the top 20 exhibits and activations from among the thousands of brands exhibiting at CES. With approximately 4,100 exhibitors at CES 2026, the program highlights the top one percent of exhibit experiences on the show floor.
“The companies that earn a spot on our Best of CES list do so because their booth design is inspired, their content is solid, and they expertly engage attendees,” said Emily Olson. “These exhibits are among the top one percent on the show floor. It’s a rare honor and we’re delighted to recognize the stellar work that makes CES a can’t-miss show year after year.”
A strategic exhibit designed for B2B engagement
For CES 2026, 3M evolved its exhibit strategy to focus on intentional business-to-business engagement. Located in a 50’ x 70’ footprint near the entrance of North Hall, the exhibit created a structured environment for manufacturers, partners, analysts, and media to explore the company’s advanced materials and technology innovations.
The space was designed to support both high-impact visual storytelling and deeper business conversations, featuring dedicated zones for demonstrations, innovation storytelling, and private meetings.
“CES is an important moment for us to connect with partners and showcase how 3M is helping our customers accelerate the process of bringing products to market,” said Collin Hummel, Director of Partnerships, 3M. “STAR helped us create an environment that supported those conversations while making it easy for visitors to understand how we’re helping our customers innovate.”
A collaborative approach to exhibit strategy and design
CES is one of the most competitive trade show environments in the world, making recognition from EXHIBITOR magazine particularly meaningful for exhibiting brands.
The collaboration between 3M and STAR focused on creating a purpose-built exhibit environment that balanced visual impact with structured engagement, allowing visitors to easily navigate the space while enabling the 3M team to host more intentional conversations with key audiences.
To learn more about the award-winning CES exhibit, read the full case study.
