Each year, we bring our customer community together for Emburse in Motion, a three-day event focused on how travel and finance leaders are actually managing change.
Not in theory. Not in headlines. In practice.
Ahead of last year’s event, we asked attendees what’s really on their minds. The responses were specific. Honest. Operational.
Those signals shape EIM 2026.
We surveyed 100+ travel and finance leaders at last year's EIM to determine what they are most looking forward to in New Orleans this May. And we listened.
Register today to take advantage of our Early Bird Special before it closes on February 28, 2026.
62% say reducing manual processes is their top priority
Nearly two-thirds of respondents told us their biggest focus right now is eliminating manual work. Close behind: 55.3% want better tools for employees. And 40.4% are focused on improving compliance and policy adherence.
That’s not strategic fluff. That’s workflow friction.
Manual reviews that shouldn’t exist. Approval cycles that stall. Policies that live on paper instead of in the flow of spend.
At EIM, those issues are addressed head-on. In Nashville, the most crowded sessions weren’t theoretical. They were tactical. Leaders walked through real workflows, asking hard questions about automation, guardrails, and where controls belong.
In 2026, expect even more working sessions. If you’re responsible for removing operational drag, this is the room where that work gets sharpened.
51% want hands-on learning, not just presentations
More than half of the attendees ranked labs and demos as their top priority. That outranked networking (31.9%) and even product previews (38.3%).
Travel and finance leaders don’t just show up for inspiration, but also for implementation. They want to test how AI behaves with real data. They want to see how automation affects close cycles. They want something they can take back to their teams on Monday.
Last year’s Discovery Hub sessions were packed. One attendee shared that speaking directly with our experts was “incredibly helpful.” Another described the one-on-one time with Emburse leaders as “the difference-maker.”
This year in New Orleans, we’re expanding direct access to product teams. Insight only matters if it’s actionable.
Over 70% are early in their AI journey
Consider these insights from our respondents:
- 40% are just starting to explore AI.
- 30% aren’t using it yet.
- Only 17% report actively using AI in workflows.
That’s not hesitation. It’s discipline. Travel and finance leaders don’t adopt technology because it’s trending. They adopt it when it strengthens control, reduces risk, and delivers measurable value.
In fact, 27.7% said they want insights they can bring back to their CEO, CFO, or Board.
At EIM, AI conversations stay grounded. Duplicate detection. Real-time risk signals. Context-aware receipt analysis. Practical governance questions.
You’ll see how AI integrates across travel, expense, payments, and analytics without compromising oversight.
And you’ll hear directly from the teams building it.
Nearly 32% say compliance and policy enforcement create the most friction
Compliance remains the biggest workflow pain point. Approval bottlenecks and employee adoption follow closely at 21% each.
Those challenges compound; policy fails when adoption fails; bottlenecks form when controls are rigid. Reporting lags when systems don’t connect.
EIM 2026 centers on three themes: People, Platform, and Possibilities. As outlined in this year’s event overview, the focus is clear — culture meets control, intelligence meets execution, and efficiency meets strategy.
Compliance isn’t treated as a back-office constraint. It’s embedded across sessions — from carbon tracking at booking to AI reconciliation to automated policy nudges.
If governance is your responsibility, you’ll leave with practical ways to strengthen it without slowing the business.
Nearly 40% want product previews and roadmap clarity
More than a third of attendees ranked product previews and innovation as a top priority.
But what they’re asking for isn’t flash. It’s transparency.
Open responses included questions about roadmap timing, invoice rule automation, AI fraud detection, analytics configuration, and data protection.
That level of engagement is what makes EIM different.
It’s where customers sit across from product leaders and ask direct questions. It’s where we share where we’re headed — and why.
One attendee described being paired with a project manager during implementation as invaluable. That kind of access builds trust. Trust accelerates progress.
Travel, finance, and spend are evolving
The theme for EIM 2026 is straightforward: travel and finance and the way we manage spend is evolving.
You’ll see that evolution through dynamic keynotes, breakout sessions, networking, and hands-on learning is designed to turn expense data into strategic value.
We’ll do it in New Orleans — May 12–14, 2026 — where the setting gives our community space to connect in a different way.
But the real value is in the room.
Leaders comparing notes. Engineers answering unscripted questions. Travel and finance teams who walk away clearer than when they arrived.
Join us in New Orleans
Registration is now open: https://emburse.swoogo.com/eim2026/
Early Bird pricing ends February 28, 2026. Spots are limited.
If you’re leading travel and finance through complexity, this is your room. I hope you’ll be in it.