8:00 – 8:45 AM | Registration & Networking Breakfast

8:45 – 9:00 AM | Welcome & State of the Ecosystem

9:00 – 9:30 AM | The Power of Regional Ecosystems: How States Drive National Innovation 

This panel brings together state association and regional hub leaders to explore how localized strategies are shaping the future of the U.S. life sciences sector. Panelists will share how their regions are building and scaling successful ecosystems—through strategic investments in infrastructure, workforce development, research partnerships, and policy alignment. The discussion will highlight what differentiates leading states, how they compete and collaborate, and the role regional hubs play in strengthening the nation’s ability to innovate, manufacture, and deliver life-saving technologies.

9:30 – 10:00 AM | Keynote

10:00-10:30 | CEO Spotlights: Decisions That Define a Company 

• Lori Chmura, CEO, Nyra Medical 

• Samir Patel, President & CEO, Moonlight Therapeutics 

• Gareth Sheridan, Founder & CEO, Nutriband 

10:30-11:10 | Panel Discussion: From Discovery to Delivery: AI, Biopharma Innovation, and the Future of Scalable Therapeutics

As the pace of innovation accelerates, the intersection of artificial intelligence and biopharma is transforming how therapies are discovered, developed, and delivered at scale. This panel brings together leaders from emerging AI-driven biotech and global biopharmaceutical companies to explore how new technologies and business models are reshaping the path from early discovery to commercial manufacturing.

11:10-11:30 | Break

11:30-12:00 | Keynote 

• Tim Opler, Managing Director, Stifel 

Noon- 12:20 | Boxed Lunch/ Break

12:20-1:20 | Startup Showcase 

Presented by Johnson & Johnson

1:20-1:30 | Transition

1:30 – 2:10 | Panel Discussion: Resilience, Supply Chains, and the Future of U.S. Life Sciences Manufacturing

Moving beyond broad discussions of “supply chain resilience,” the conversation will focus on the real, boardroom-level decisions shaping strategy today: balancing cost versus redundancy, global efficiency versus regional manufacturing footprint, and speed versus regulatory complexity. At the core of these decisions is a rigorous cost-benefit analysis—how companies evaluate risk, investment, and return when determining where and how to build, scale, and source.

Importantly, the discussion will bridge strategy and execution—examining not only how these decisions are made, but how they are operationalized on the ground. Panelists will share practical insights into implementation challenges, trade-offs encountered during execution, and the tensions between long-term strategy and near-term realities.

2:10- 3:00 | Spark Sessions: Scaling in Georgia (FOUR)

3:00-3:30 | Refreshment Break

3:30- 4:10 | Panel Discussion: Derisking Commercialization: The New Capital Stack in Life Sciences

As biotech funding dynamics evolve, investors are prioritizing commercial discipline, capital efficiency, and strategic partnerships. Traditional venture pathways are giving way to hybrid models — royalty-backed financing, milestone-based investments, venture debt, and collaborative commercialization strategies. This session explores what defines an investable life sciences company in 2026, how partnerships are reshaping valuation and risk, and whether capital-efficient segments like MedTech and diagnostics offer new regional advantages.

4:15: Closing Remarks 

4:30: Conclude