medical devices · Indianapolis
AACN NTI 2027Exhibitor guide: booth costs, dates and deadlines
- Event dates
- May 2–5, 2027
- Exhibit hall
- May 4–5, 2027 (Tue 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Wed 10:30 a.m.–3 p.m.)
- Venue
- Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis
4.9 client rating3,000+ exhibitors10,000+ booths builtSince 2015
Quick answers
AACN NTI 2027 in 30 seconds
The short version for exhibitors. Every figure has its source further down the page.
- When is AACN NTI 2027?
- May 2–5, 2027, at Indiana Convention Center, Indianapolis.
- When is the exhibit hall open?
- May 4–5, 2027, Tue 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Wed 10:30 a.m.–3 p.m.
- How big is AACN NTI?
- 300+ exhibits (2026 edition).
- What does a 10×20 booth cost all-in?
- $7,500 – $15,000 for a Purple rental with design, graphics, lighting, install and dismantle. Space and show services are billed by the show.
- What is the next exhibitor deadline?
- Full booth payment due; from February 6 cancellations and reductions forfeit 100 percent: February 5, 2027.
Everything about AACN NTI 2027 in one place
AACN NTI 2027 fact sheet
| Official name | AACN National Teaching Institute & Critical Care Exposition (NTI 2027) |
|---|---|
| Event dates | May 2–5, 2027 |
| Exhibit hall dates | May 4–5, 2027 (Tue 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Wed 10:30 a.m.–3 p.m.) source |
| Venue | Indiana Convention Center 100 S Capitol Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46225 |
| Organizer | American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) |
| Size (2026) | 300+ exhibits source |
| Who attends | ICU, cardiac, telemetry, emergency and transport nurses, clinical nurse specialists, nurse practitioners and nurse managers |
| Next deadline | Full booth payment due; from February 6 cancellations and reductions forfeit 100 percent: February 5, 2027 source |
| Nearest airport | Indianapolis International Airport (IND) |
| Hotels | Convention Housing Management, AACN's official housing bureau, taking NTI 2027 reservations from November 2026 Official hotel page → |
| Official website | aacn.org |
Official AACN NTI resources
AACN NTI 2027 calendar
AACN NTI 2027 dates and deadlines
The dates the organizer has published, in order, each linked to the page that states it. The next one is highlighted.
- Full booth payment due; from February 6 cancellations and reductions forfeit 100 percentContracted exhibitors source
- Exhibitor installation opens at 8 a.m.Exhibitors and contractors source
- NTI 2027 opens in IndianapolisAttendees source
- Last installation day; booths set by 5 p.m.Exhibitors source
- Critical Care Exposition opens, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.Attendees and exhibitors source
- Exposition closes at 3 p.m.; dismantle until 8 p.m.Exhibitors source
- Dismantle 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; hall must be clearExhibitors and contractors source
01 Purple at AACN NTI 2027
AACN NTI 2027 booths in Indianapolis where ICU nurses try the device
Critical care nurses reach the Exposition in two short days and judge a product by how it fits the bedside, so we build hands-on stations and room for ExpoEd teaching. At the Indiana Convention Center, Teamsters run the docks and Freeman lays carpet, and we have your booth set by 5 p.m. Monday.
- May 2–5 · Indianapolis
- 300+ exhibits in 2026
- Exposition open May 4–5
What makes AACN NTI different, and how we build for it
NTI is the national conference of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, and its Critical Care Exposition packs the whole trade show into two short days.In 2026 nurses moved between eight ExpoEd Learning Centers, the new Advanced Critical Care Skills Experience with 17-plus skill stations, the Critical Care Challenge, the Sepsis Showcase and Stop the Bleed training, then walked the booths expecting the same thing: show me how it works at the bedside. ExpoEd sessions run 30 minutes inside exhibitor booths, so teaching in your space draws traffic. A booth that teaches, lets nurses handle the device and clears the aisle quickly wins this floor.
A device in their hands, a two-minute demo that matches a real ICU workflow, and staff who speak clinically rather than in sales terms.
A quieter corner to talk about rollout, training and staffing impact, with outcome data they can take back to their unit.
Evidence, protocols and product detail for sepsis, cardiac, neuro and transport care, plus continuing education they can apply on their next shift.
Your team in Indianapolis
Two shops, one project manager, every hall
We build in our own production shop in Fishkill, NY, and our Las Vegas hub, ship to the Indiana Convention Center, and install with our own project manager on the floor and vetted local labor. Predictable 30–45-day turnarounds, secure storage and pre-show QA.
Your team walks into a lit, stocked booth. You just show up.
Inside AACN NTI 2027
Rules that shape your booth
AACN accepts no peninsula booths; islands and signs flown above them stop at 20 feet, with at least 50 percent see-through recommended up to 8 feet and a rendering approved in advance (2027 terms). We draw open island frames and send the rendering early.
Inline and perimeter construction stops at 8 feet 3 inches, and anything in the front 5 feet stays under 4 feet (2027 terms). We put monitors and graphics on the back wall and keep the bedside demo low at the aisle.
Products not FDA-approved for the use shown, still investigational or not sold in the U.S. need a visible clearance-status sign near the product and on its graphics, with the FDA letter kept at the booth (2027 terms). We print the signs into every graphic.
X-ray equipment may be displayed but not operated, and oxygen or other medical gas cylinders must be strapped upright and never used in the exhibit area (2027 terms). We build secured cylinder stands and cabinets that make the equipment look ready without running it.
Crates must be ready for removal by noon and every booth set by 5 p.m. on the last move-in day, with flooring down by 3 p.m., or AACN may finish the work at your expense (2027 terms). Our crew completes the build on Sunday.
Programs worth planning for
Continuing education sessions held inside exhibitor booths and Learning Centers on the Exposition floor; in 2026 each ran 30 minutes and earned CERPs. Open to exhibiting companies, and AACN approves the content.
Exhibitor-sponsored 60-minute education sessions listed in the 2026 program and open to exhibiting companies and organizations; 2027 pricing arrives with the prospectus.
Interactive demonstrations of new equipment, devices and technology on the Exposition floor in 2026, beside the Advanced Critical Care Skills Experience and its 17-plus hands-on stations.
NTI is the largest trade show for acute and critical care nurses, with 300+ exhibits in 2026; choose it over AORN Global Surgical Conference when your buyers work ICU, step-down and transport units rather than the operating room. Compare every medical devices show we build for →
02 Booths & pricing for AACN NTI 2027
Popular booth sizes at AACN NTI
NTI sells 10×10 inlines and islands only; AACN does not accept peninsulas. Device leaders take islands up to 20 feet, while suppliers, health systems recruiting nurses and nursing schools fill the inline rows. We recommend a 10×20 for two bedside stations, the smallest size AACN allows for in-booth education, or a 20×20 island.
Two hands-on bedside stations under the 8-foot-3 back wall, a short presentation screen for an approved education session and locked storage for disposables.
Shown: Eagle Chemical, a Purple inline booth
See 10×20 rental booths →
Mock bed rail and monitor arm in the first bay, a second device demo in the middle, and a quieter corner at the far end where nurse managers and educators talk rollout and training.
Shown: Tipmed, a Purple inline booth
See 10×30 rental booths →
A mock patient bay with a bed or manikin, a seated mini-theater for ExpoEd-style talks and a hanging sign kept under AACN's 20-foot limit.
Shown: Optipak, a Purple island exhibit
See 20×20 rental booths →
Several workflow stations from monitoring to transport, a recruiting or training lounge and private rooms for health system buyers.
Shown: Olon S.p.A., a Purple large-format exhibit
See 20×30 rental booths →In Purple's price
- Design and a 3D rendering, revised until it is right
- Structure, printed graphics, counters and storage as specified
- Lighting and power distribution inside the booth
- Installation and dismantle, with our project manager on the floor
- Every show-service order and deadline tracked for you
Billed by the show and its contractor
- Booth space (paid to the organizer)
- Material handling / drayage, where the space rate does not include it
- Electrical service, internet and rigging
- Booth cleaning and any union labor the venue requires
Rates to plan with for AACN NTI:
- Drayage About $135 per cwt, 200 lb minimum, 2026–2027 planning rate
- Cancellation 50 percent of booth fees before Feb 5, 2027; 100 percent from Feb 6 source
- Exhibitor insurance $1,000,000 per occurrence, $2,000,000 aggregate, 2027 terms source
We estimate every one of these on your proposal, so the total is on paper before you sign.
Prices are all-in 2026 rental ranges for design, structure, graphics, installation and dismantle; custom builds are quoted per project. Get an exact number for AACN NTI with the booth cost calculator or read the 2026 booth cost guide.
Send the show, your booth size and what the space needs to do. We reply within one business day and send a rendering and a fixed proposal, usually within a week. No charge.
Your team walks into a lit, stocked booth. You just show up.
03 Built by Purple
Booths we have designed, built and installed
Case study · Pixee Medical
Pixee Medical at a medical technology congress
A focused, demo-first booth for augmented-reality surgical guidance, built so every visitor could try the technology while traffic kept moving.
Same buyer instinct, different specialty: Pixee Medical let every visitor try its surgical guidance while traffic kept moving, which is what a nurse-facing demo at NTI must do.
Read the Pixee Medical case study All case studies →“We were very happy with the experience and with the support provided throughout the project. The booth looked great, the coordination process was smooth, and everything was handled professionally, which made the event much easier for our team.”
Miriam Valdes, Communications Manager, INdermal · more client reviews
Trusted by exhibitors including
04 Designing for critical care device, supply and health system brands at AACN NTI
Four things we get right for AACN NTI exhibitors
1Build the demo around a bedside
NTI nurses judge a product by how it fits an ICU room. We build mock bed rails, IV poles, headwalls and monitor arms so the device sits where it would on the unit, with power and data hidden in the furniture. X-ray units may be displayed at NTI, never operated.
Size the booth for ExpoEd teaching
AACN may refuse education sessions in any exhibit smaller than 10×20 and wants spectators kept out of the aisle. We plan seating inside your line, a screen readable from the back row and speakers mounted under the 10-foot height AACN sets for sound systems.
Label every investigational device
AACN's 2027 terms require a sign showing FDA clearance status beside any product not approved for that use or not sold in the U.S., on the graphics that depict it too, plus the FDA letter at the booth. We print those labels into the plinth and graphic files.
Ten exhibit hours, two crowded days
The Exposition is open six hours on Tuesday and four and a half on Wednesday, with crowds between sessions. We lay out open corners and two or three parallel stations so a nurse tries the device and moves on, and keep 8-ounce drinks, the AACN maximum, off the demo counters.
Concept rendering
Every proposal comes with a rendering like this
You see the booth in 3D before we cut a single panel: layout, graphics, lighting and product positions, revised until it is right. Shown: a Purple concept for Purple AI.
Start my AACN NTI concept05 Indiana Convention Center · Indianapolis
Logistics for AACN NTI 2027, handled
Indiana passed right-to-work in 2012, yet the Indiana Convention Center keeps its own policy: union crews handle every install, teardown and crate move, and Teamsters alone touch the docks and freight doors. Freeman is AACN's official contractor and lays the hall carpet, so NTI wants crates cleared by noon and every booth set by 5 p.m. on Monday, May 3. Installation runs May 1 to 3 and dismantle May 5 to 6, ending 5 p.m. Thursday. Our drayage budget for this hall is roughly $135 per hundredweight, 200 pounds minimum. Twelve hotels, including the JW Marriott where NTI sessions run, connect by skywalk, and our project manager directs the union crew.
Hall rules, drayage estimates and freight deadlines for this building are in our Indiana Convention Center exhibitor guide.
Hall guide
NTI holds the Critical Care Exposition at the Indiana Convention Center, with sessions also at the skywalk-connected JW Marriott. AACN has not named the 2027 halls, so these are the spaces this building uses.
Eleven exhibit halls with 566,600 square feet of floor, and dock and freight door access restricted to Teamsters crews.
Our advice: Everything larger than a hand-carry goes through the docks, so we crate devices and demo furniture for union handling.
71 meeting rooms and three ballrooms, with 113,302 square feet of breakout space and 62,173 square feet of ballroom space for sessions.
Our advice: Product theater or education rooms here are hand-carry only, so those sessions get their own small hand-carry case, packed apart from the booth crates.
Enclosed bridges link the building to 12 downtown hotels with more than 4,700 rooms, including the JW Marriott where NTI sessions run.
Our advice: Staff reach the floor without going outside, but the skywalk is not a freight route; collateral and devices ship with the booth.
What Purple handles
- NTI 2027 Service Kit orders, the EAC form and insurance certificates
- Island rendering for AACN approval and hanging signs kept under 20 feet
- Bedside demo furniture with hidden power and data
- FDA clearance labels on plinths and graphics
- Union install and dismantle directed by our own project manager
Timeline, counted back from move-in
Full NTI 2027 booth payment due to AACN: February 5, 2027. From February 6 any cancellation or reduction costs 100 percent of the booth fee, so we settle your footprint and island plan before then.
We need design sign-off by mid-February 2027.
- February 5, 2027Full booth payment due to AACN; cancellations from February 6 forfeit the whole fee. We confirm footprint and island rendering with you before then.
- Mid-February 2027Design sign-off, demo equipment list and power plan approved; island rendering sent to AACN for approval.
- Late February to early April 2027Production in Fishkill, NY over 30 to 45 days; demo furniture built and test-fitted to your devices, FDA status labels printed.
- April 2027Crates ship to Freeman under the NTI 2027 Service Kit; certificates of insurance reach AACN 30 days before move-in.
- May 1–3, 2027Installation, May 1 from 8 a.m. and May 2–3 from 7 a.m.; booth set by 5 p.m. Monday, May 3, and every station tested.
- May 4–6, 2027Exposition May 4–5, then dismantle May 5, 3 to 8 p.m., and May 6, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; devices packed to your return plan.
Purple planning timeline. Official move-in, freight target and order deadlines come from your exhibitor kit and assigned schedule; we confirm them against your booth when you book.
Printable budget & deadline sheetTravel to AACN NTI 2027
Getting to AACN NTI 2027: airport and hotels
Fly in
Indianapolis International Airport (IND)
Stay
Convention Housing Management, AACN's official housing bureau, taking NTI 2027 reservations from November 2026
Find the venue
Indiana Convention Center
100 S Capitol Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46225
Travel facts from aacn.org.
AACN NTI by the numbers
AACN NTI year by year
How AACN NTI 2027 compares with other medical devices shows
The medical devices shows closest to AACN NTI on the calendar, with the latest size each organizer has published. Each name opens our exhibitor guide for that show.
| Show | Dates | City | Latest published size |
|---|---|---|---|
| ACP Internal MedicineAmerican College of Physicians (ACP) | April 15–17, 2027 | Los Angeles, CA | 6,994 attendees (2026) |
| HSPAHealthcare Sterile Processing Association (HSPA) | April 24–27, 2027 | Columbus, OH | 1,417 attendees (2026) |
| AATS Annual MeetingAmerican Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) | May 1–4, 2027 | Los Angeles, CA | 2,831 attendees · 111 exhibitors (2026) |
| AAN Annual MeetingAmerican Academy of Neurology (AAN) | May 1–5, 2027 | Washington, DC | 16,340 total attendees (2026) |
| ARVOAssociation for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO) | May 2–6, 2027 | San Diego, CA | 10,990+ attendees · 220+ exhibitors (2026) |
| AACN NTIAmerican Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) | May 2–5, 2027 | Indianapolis, IN | 300+ exhibits (2026) |
| MEDevice BostonInforma Markets | May 11–12, 2027 | Boston, MA | 1,500+ attendees (2026) |
| Heart RhythmHeart Rhythm Society (HRS) | May 13–16, 2027 | San Francisco, CA | 10,573 attendees · 150+ exhibitors (2026) |
| ATSAmerican Thoracic Society | May 14–19, 2027 | New Orleans, LA | 10,004 attendees (2026) |
| DDWDigestive Disease Week | May 15–18, 2027 | Washington, D.C., DC | 31.73% international attendees (2026) |
AACN NTI exhibitor questions
Questions exhibitors ask us before AACN NTI
How much does a booth at AACN NTI 2027 cost?
The bedside demo sets the number at NTI. A 10×20 rental with two hands-on stations costs $7,500 to $15,000; a 20×20 custom island with a mock patient bay and seating runs $50,000 to $120,000. AACN bills space separately; its 2027 space rates are not confirmed yet and arrive with the prospectus in early November 2026.
What are the AACN NTI 2027 exhibitor deadlines?
Your 50 percent deposit is due within 30 days of AACN's invoice, and the full booth payment by February 5, 2027; from February 6 a cancellation costs 100 percent. Certificates of insurance reach AACN 30 days ahead of installation, and we need design sign-off by mid-February to build in 30 to 45 days.
Can we rent a booth for NTI, and what does a rental include?
A Purple NTI rental gives you the frame, printed graphics, bedside demo counters, monitor mounts, lighting and lockable storage for disposables, with freight, union install and dismantle quoted together. Many first-time exhibitors rent a 10×20 and buy only the demo furniture, which then travels to their other nursing meetings.
Can we set up our own booth at the Indiana Convention Center?
Your staff can hand-carry materials, but the building keeps assembly, teardown and freight handling for union crews, with Teamsters alone on the docks. An outside builder must be named on AACN's Exhibitor-Appointed Contractor form with its own insurance. We file that form and our project manager directs the crew.
Can we teach or run demos in our NTI booth?
Teaching works at NTI: ExpoEd brings 30-minute continuing education sessions into exhibitor booths. AACN's 2027 terms require presentations to relate to critical care nursing, keep spectators out of the aisle and may refuse floor education in exhibits smaller than 10×20, so we size the seating and screen to fit.
What does drayage cost at AACN NTI and who pays it?
The exhibitor pays Freeman for material handling, billed by weight under the NTI 2027 Service Kit, which AACN posts in February. Our planning estimate for the Indiana Convention Center is about $135 per hundredweight for 2026 and 2027, with a 200-pound minimum, and it appears as its own line on your proposal.
When can we dismantle at NTI?
The Exposition closes at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, May 5, 2027, and no packing may start earlier; AACN counts early teardown as a violation under its published penalties, which begin with lost priority points. Dismantle runs 3 to 8 p.m. that evening and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, May 6, and anything left after 5 p.m. is removed at your expense.
What can we give away at NTI?
AACN's 2027 terms let you hand out food and drinks only if ordered through the convention center, with beverages of 8 ounces or less and no popcorn, peanuts in the shell or alcohol. Helium balloons, cash and lottery tickets are banned, and giveaways should teach about the product. We build a counter sized for the caterer's service.
Can we reuse our NTI booth at other nursing shows?
Critical care brands often follow NTI with AORN Global Surgical Conference, the AANP National Conference, the ATS International Conference or APIC. We build the bed rails, headwalls and monitor arms as modules, keep the kit in our warehouse between shows and reprint graphics for each clinical audience.
When is AACN NTI 2027?
NTI 2027 runs Sunday, May 2 to Wednesday, May 5, 2027 in Indianapolis. The Critical Care Exposition opens only on the last two days: Tuesday, May 4, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Wednesday, May 5, 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. AACN lists Boston, May 21–24, as the following NTI.
Where is AACN NTI 2027 held?
At the Indiana Convention Center, 100 S Capitol Ave in downtown Indianapolis, with sessions also at the JW Marriott Indianapolis, 10 S West St. Which of the building's exhibit halls the 2027 Exposition uses is not confirmed yet, so we label crates by booth number and confirm the hall once AACN posts the Service Kit.
How many people attend AACN NTI?
AACN reported more than 300 exhibits on 200,000 square feet at NTI 2026 in San Diego, and its NTI 2027 page promises more than 300 exhibitors across 200,000 square feet in Indianapolis. On its exhibitor pages AACN describes its audience as more than 6,000 nurses, without tying that figure to one year.
Is AACN NTI open to the public?
No. The Exposition is limited to registered NTI attendees and registered representatives of companies that contracted space, and no one else may demonstrate products or hand out material. AACN also keeps anyone under 18 out of the hall during move-in and move-out and bans strollers.
How do we get a booth at AACN NTI 2027?
Apply through AACN's Become an Exhibitor page; the 2027 Exhibitor Prospectus with rates follows in early November 2026. AACN confirms space with a 50 percent deposit, tracks priority points earned for years exhibited, and does not accept beauty, anti-aging, LED skincare, TENS or EMS products.
Before you sign with anyone
Five questions to ask any exhibit builder for AACN NTI:
- Is every fee on the proposal, including what the show contractor bills?
- Who builds the booth: your own shop or a subcontractor?
- Will your project manager be on the floor for install and dismantle?
- What exactly is in the rental, and what is billed by the show?
- Where does the booth go after the show, and what does storage cost?
Common situations
Already own a booth? We refresh the graphics, repair what is worn, ship it, install it and store it between shows. You keep the structure you paid for.
Exhibiting from outside the US? We are your team on the ground: freight to the advance warehouse, show-service orders, installation and storage, with one project manager answering your emails in your time zone.
Short on time? A rental with your graphics can be ready in two to three weeks. We tell you on the first call what is realistic for your date.
Get a proposal
Tell us about your AACN NTI booth
What happens next
- We reply within one business day with questions about your products, goals and footprint.
- You get a concept rendering and a fixed proposal, usually within a week. Every last fee listed upfront, in full, on paper.
- We build in 30–45 days, ship to the advance warehouse and install before the hall opens.