2026 Agenda
Wednesday, October 28
Time
Event
7:30 am – Lobby Level
Registration Opens
7:30-8:45 am – 2nd Floor
Breakfast
8:00 am-12:00 pm – 2nd Floor
One-to-One Meetings
8:45-9:00 am – Roof
Welcome Remarks
Sara Jane Demy, Founder & CEO, Demy-Colton
9:00-9:55 am – Roof
“Big Think" Morning Plenary Session
Leading the AI-First Biopharma Revolution: Faster Decisions. Faster Medicines. Better Outcomes.
AI is rapidly redefining what is possible across biopharma but the next generation of winners will go beyond deploying new technologies to redesign how the enterprise operates, innovates and competes. This executive conversation brings together CEOs, CDOs, COOs and technology leaders who are actively shaping the digital-first future of life sciences. The discussion will explore how leading organizations are using AI to accelerate scientific and business decisions, create more agile operating models, unlock the value of data, empower a new digital workforce and ultimately move breakthrough medicines to patients faster.
Moderator:
- MaryAnne Rizk, Managing Partner, Rizk Management Advisors
Panel:
- Maneesh Goyal, COO, Mayo Clinic Platform
- William Soliman, Founder & CEO, Accreditation Council for Medical Affairs (ACMA)
- Fabio Thiers, Founder & CEO, ConverGen AI
10:00-10:55 am – 12th Floor
Spotlight Panel 4A
BioFuture Now: Pioneering the Future of Biopharma Breakthroughs
Biotech companies turning bold science into scalable impact, from next generation therapeutics and AI native discovery engines to platforms built to expand across indications, this session offers a rare insider view of what’s coming next in healthcare and life sciences—and the stories investors and pharma will be talking about first.
Moderator:
- Kambiz Yazdi, Biotech Equity Research Analyst, U.S Bancorp | BTIG
Panel:
- Andrew Hall, CEO, Consano Bio
- Michael Webb, CEO, Epion Therapeutics, Inc.
- Shreefāl Mehta, President & Co-founder, Guidant BioTherapeutics Inc
- Abhijit Bhatia, COO, Rakuten Medical
- Anna Kazanchyan, CEO, Saghmos Therapeutics
10:00-10:55 am – Roof
Spotlight Panel 4B
Rewiring Minds: Breakthroughs in Brain & CNS Health
Companies advancing the next generation of brain and CNS therapeutics, from novel small molecules and biologics to advanced gene, cell, and RNA based approaches, will showcase drug candidates and platforms targeting neurological, neurodegenerative, and psychiatric conditions.
Moderator:
- Graig Suvannavejh, Managing Director, Equity Research, Biopharmaceuticals & Biotechnology, Mizuho Securities USA LLC
Panel:
- Maria Luisa Pineda, CEO & Co-Founder, Envisagenics, Inc
- Alexander Gebauer, Co-Founder & Executive Chairman, Galimedix Therapeutics, Inc
- Beth Hoffman, President & CEO, Origami Therapeutics, Inc.
- Ons M’Saad, CEO, panluminate Inc.
- Richard Austin, CEO, President & Co-Founder, Reglagene, Inc.
11:00-11:55 am – Roof
Seed Pitch Doctor Presentations
Innovative Seed companies present a 5-minute, high-impact introduction & company presentation with a panel of investors and industry leaders (“Pitch Doctors") offering real-time, actionable feedback.
Companies:
• Valentin Zhigulin, CEO, Axia Discovery Inc
• Ben Kolisnyk, CEO, Bough Biosciences
• Charles Mobbs, Founder, Gilga-Med, Inc.
• David Kuntin, CEO & Co-Founder, Mesenbio Limited
• Kevin Hou, Co-Founder & CEO, MolAIcule, Inc.
• David Larwood, CEO, MycaZED Therapeutics
• Avery Yan, Founder & CEO, Riboway Therapeutics, Inc.
• Inkook Chun, CEO, QuantFlow
Pitch Doctor Moderator:
• Alexander Dundara, Partner, Team Leader, Life Sciences, Withum
Pitch Doctors:
• Jay Campbell, Life Sciences Executive, CBO, CFO, & Advisory Board Member
• Christopher Ghadban, Head LifeSci Investing, The Venture Collective (TVC)
• Rachel Ravens, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, 46Health
• Evonne Sepsis, Founder & Managing Director, ESC Advisors
12:00-1:00 pm – 2nd Floor
Networking Lunch
1:00 pm – 2nd Floor
One-to-One Meetings
1:00-1:55 pm – Roof
“Big Think" Plenary Session
From Seed to Scale: How Will the Next Wave of Biotech Get Financed
The next generation of breakthrough biotech companies is being built in today’s seed market. However, with capital now flowing to later stage companies with de-risked assets, what tactics are early-stage companies are using to fund their operations.
Moderator:
Stephen Thau, Partner | Co-Head, Life Sciences Practice, Orrick
Panel:
- Christopher Ghadban, Head LifeSci Investing, The Venture Collective (TVC)
- Lori Gough, Partner, Epidarex Capital
- Ketan Yerneni, Principal, KdT Ventures
- Julie Wolf, Partner, 2048
2:00-2:55 pm – Roof
“Big Think" Plenary Session
AI & Deep Tech: Refining Health Innovation – Drug Discovery, Diagnostics and Delivery
Artificial intelligence and deep tech in drug discovery have successfully compressed preclinical timelines from years to months and boosted Phase I safety success rates, but they have not yet fundamentally solved the overarching 85% to 90% clinical failure rate in human efficacy trials – yet.
Moderator:
- Beth Rogozinski, CEO, Oncoustics
Panel:
- Tara Austraat-Churik, Partner, Blue Matter
- Karen Akinsanya, President, R&D – Therapeutics & Chief Strategy Officer, Partnering, Schrödinger
- Ingrid Müller, COO, Evotec
- Rachel Ravens, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, 46Health
3:00-3:55 pm – Roof
“Big Think" Plenary Session
China: A Global Biotech Player
Regulatory reform, improved access to capital, a fast-accelerating innovation ecosystem and the ability to cost-effectively conduct clinical trials are propelling China to the forefront of global biotech growth. This panel will explore China’s evolution into an increasingly important source of global innovation, and what this means for the future of drug development, licensing, investment, and the broader biopharma landscape.
Moderator:
- Ignacio Guerrero-Ros, SVP, Russo Partners
Panel:
- Zairan Liu, Chief International Business Officer, PharmCube
- Maria Luisa Pineda, CEO & Co-Founder, Envisagenics, Inc
- Samuel Zhang, CBO, Innovent Biologics
- Josie Zhou, Partner, McKinsey & Company
4:00-4:55 pm – Roof
“Fireside Chat " Closing Session
Leveraging Deep Disease Area Expertise to Bring Transformational Medicines to Patients
Interviewer:
- Jeremy Abbate, Publisher, Scientific American
Interviewee:
- John Reed, MD, PhD, EVP, Innovative Medicine, R&D, Johnson & Johnson