1. 7:30 a.m.

   Check-in

2. 8:00 a.m.

   Registration, Interactive Exhibit Area, Networking and Continental Breakfast

3. 9:00 a.m.

   Welcome Remarks

4. 9:10 – 10:00 a.m.

   The Future of Higher Education

   Colleges and universities face enormous challenges due to changes in demographics and federal funding priorities. How are Northern Colorado’s institutions navigating these changes, and what opportunities exist for them to further drive the region’s economy?

   Kamel Haddad, interim president, University of Northern Colorado; Ann Hutchison, president & CEO, Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce; Cassandra Moseley, vice president for research, Colorado State University; Larry Pakowski, vice president for student affairs, Aims Community College; Colleen Simpson, president, Front Range Community College; Ann Stevens, provost & executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, University of Colorado Boulder

5. 10:05 – 10:55 a.m.

   Economic Drivers: Fueling Entrepreneurship in Targeted Industries

   Northern Colorado boasts a diverse mix of industries, but which ones will drive the economy in the next decade? We’ll hear from industry leaders in aerospace, data centers, laser fusion and life sciences about how their companies and sectors will influence the evolution of the region’s economy.

   Rose Nash, founder & CEO, Biota; Tanya Ramond, business development director, Colorado Quantum Incubator; Ken Reardon, associate dean for research, Colorado State University; Justin Siebert, COO, Ursa Major Technologies Inc.; Rich Werner, president & CEO, Upstate Colorado Economic Development

6. 10:55 – 11:05 a.m.

   Intermission

7. 11:05 – 11:40 a.m.

   Keynote: The Road Ahead — What’s Next for Colorado’s Economy

   Dr. Phyllis Resnick will explore the state economic outlook informed by recent forecasts from the Colorado Futures Center’s ColoradoCast model, what it means for the Northern Colorado economy, and what other Center models of disproportionately impacted communities and social factors affecting student success mean for future state and regional competitiveness.

   Dr. Phyllis Resnick, executive director & lead economist, Colorado Futures Center

8. 11:40 a.m. – 12:10 p.m.

   Keynote: Reading the Market — What M&A and Capital Trends Signal for the Rest of 2026

   Matt Rupprecht will examine current M&A and capital market trends, how activity in the first half of the year has compared to expectations, and what transaction, financing, and investor dynamics may signal for the remainder of 2026. Drawing on both national and Rocky Mountain region perspectives, he will discuss the factors shaping business valuations, deal activity, and growth opportunities across the region.

   Matt Rupprecht, managing director, PMCF

9. 12:10 p.m.

   Closing Remarks

For program and panel information, contact Chris Wood, publisher/editor, cwood@bizwest.com. For sponsorship, vendor booths and tickets, contact your account executive or Jeff Nuttall, jnuttall@bizwest.com.