The 3 next big things from midsize companies for 2026

The continued growth of AI is streamlining tasks, such as event planning, that once required tabbing between spreadsheets, emails, and vendor websites. It’s also unleashing new possibilities for innovations that can tackle its need for reliable and affordable energy. These companies, employing between 100 and 499 people, are taking advantage of both types of AI opportunities. BoomPopFor making corporate event planning less of a headacheCorporate events are a $1.5 trillion market, but actually planning them has historically left companies downing in a sea of disparate apps. BoomPop has created an AI-native platform that can find locations for events from corporate retreats to customer dinners, gather rates and quotes, and enable booking with just a few clicks. The platform, which relies on a proprietary database of roughly 1.5 million vendors, can also craft invitations, track RSVPs, and integrate with calendar software. The company has booked more than $60 million in business for venues in the past two years, assisting clients such as Google, Netflix, Amazon, and Dick’s Sporting Goods. LightmatterFor using light to connect the chips that power AIModern AI models rely on small neur…