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Salt River Ballroom 2-3, (2nd floor foyer)

Summit MC:
Jim Bell, Professor and Director, NewSpace Initiative, Arizona State University

Speaker
• Michael Crow, President, Arizona State University

What does the future of the space economy look like in Arizona and how can Arizona be a key contributor to its growth?
Arizona has long been a dominant player in aerospace and defense manufacturing but our growing advanced materials and technology sectors provides the foundation for the nascent commercial space ecosystem in the state. Hear from the President & CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority on the economic development initiatives our state is taking to grow our space economy.

Opening speaker
• Vic Narusis, Vice President, Arizona Commerce Authority

What economic development strategies have worked in some of the nation’s largest space economies and internationally and how can Arizona learn from these best practices?
Space generates billions of dollars in economic activity across the U.S.with a heavy concentration of commercial and government space activity happening in a few key states. This panel will examine existing models and discuss best practices to inform how Arizona might evolve its strategy to support a long term, sustainable space economy in the state.

Moderator
• Timiebi Aganaba, Assistant Professor, School for the Future of Innovation in Society, Arizona State University

Panelists
• Alires Almon, Chair Colorado Space Business Roundtable J.E.D.I. Space Council
• Bryce Kennedy, President, Global Space Leadership, Space Valley Coalition of New Mexico
• Daniel Da Cruz, Consul General of Luxembourg in San Francisco & Executive Director at Luxembourg Trade and Investment Office San Francisco
• Eric Sundby, Executive Director, Space Force Association
• Frank DiBello, President and CEO, Space Florida (Ret.)

Coffee break + networking

From satellites to new commercial space stations, what is the future of commercial activity in low-Earth orbit and what will be the benefits for terrestrial markets?
Low-Earth orbit has long been home to satellites ranging from military reconnaissance to telecommunications capabilities but commercial LEO has yet to unlock its full potential for economic growth. Learn about new value creating commercial LEO activities and what they mean for terrestrial and off-world markets.

Moderator
• Jeffrey Manber, President International and Space Stations, Voyager Space

Panelists
• Ghonhee Lee, Founder and CEO, Katalyst Space
• Jim Cantrell, CEO and Co-Founder, Phantom Space
• Paul Grogan, Associate Professor, School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence, Arizona State University
• Taylor Armentrout, Sr. Manager Government Affairs, Virgin Galactic

How can the R&D in the microgravity environment accelerate innovation and drive value to terrestrial markets and the broader Arizona economy?
For decades, the ISS has led the way in breakthrough R&D. New commercial LEO destinations are now looking to enable even greater innovation by offering new, customer service-focused operating models by the end of the decade. As research and manufacturing start to scale up in space, the panel will discuss its impact on industries such as biopharma and advanced manufacturing.

Moderator
• Molly Mulligan, Director of Business Development, Redwire

Panelists
• Cheryl Nickerson, Professor, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University
• Donna Roberts, Deputy Chief Scientist, International Space Station National Laboratory
• Erika Hamden Director, University of Arizona Space Institute
• Ryan Hartman, President and CEO, Worldview

Omni Tempe Hotel
Salt River Ballroom 4 (2nd floor)

How can Arizona lead the way in space?
Arizona has long been a leader in aerospace and defense. Hear from Governor Katie Hobbs on how Arizona is accelerating growth in this new space economy.

Host
• Sandra Watson, President and CEO, Arizona Commerce Authority

Special guest
• Katie Hobbs, Governor of Arizona

What does using resources that are already in space mean for the sustainability of both space exploration and our activities on Earth?
From the Moon to Mars, humanity has its sights set on expanding into the solar system. The panel will discuss how accessing extraterrestrial resources from water to oxygen and valuable minerals might impact the energy sector on Earth and accelerate our expansion in space. Learn about the enabling technologies being developed by legacy mining companies and new space companies.

Moderator
• Steve Trussell, Executive Director - Arizona Rock Products Association & The Arizona Mining Association

Panelists
• Dean Bergman, Director of Business Development, Honeybee Robotics
• Jeremiah Pate, Founder and CEO, Lunasonde
• Jim Crowell, Founder & CEO, Crow Industries
• Matt Gialich, Co-Founder and CEO, AstroForge

Coffee break + networking

Where are investors placing their bets in the space sector and how can states partner with the investor community to help derisk emerging space markets?
Global activity in space has grown to $546 billion in 2023 but access to capital to support this market in Arizona continues to challenge local commercial space companies. Hear what the future of space investment has to hold and how Arizona may lead the way in sustainable funding for space companies.

Moderator
• Jessica Pacheco, Managing Director, AZVC

Panelists
• Ehab Gabr, Director of Advanced Manufacturing, Plug and Play
• Eric ‘ERock’ Christopher, CEO, BizFamous
• Kelli Kedis Ogborn, Vice President, Space Commerce & Entrepreneurship, Space Foundation
• Lewis Jones, Vice President, Seraphim Space

Omni Tempe Hotel:
Lucero Rooftop Patio