Strength in Numbers Mixer
2026-03-23 14:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Pine and Poplar, 307 S Roxboro St, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
We’re excited to see our Strength in Numbers members at Venture Connect! We’ll be kicking off the summit with an invite-only Strength in Numbers Mixer on Monday, March 23th, the afternoon before Venture Connect begins. The private gathering is your chance to build connections with fellow female-identifying founders, operators, investors, and key ecosystem partners in a more intimate setting before the rest of the conference.
A special thank you to our Impact Investors – 4LV and Hutchison PLLC.

Our Event Sponsors – Customers Bank and Pappas Capital.

How do you get your invite? By purchasing your Venture Connect ticket! Register Here.

Kickoff Party
2026-03-23 17:00 - 19:00 | NC
Join us as we officially kick off Venture Connect 2026 with an evening designed to energize, connect, and celebrate the entrepreneurial community.
Thank you to our sponsors Baker Donelson and Xyzagen for this event!

How do you get your invite? By purchasing your Venture Connect ticket! Register Here.

Doors Open | Registration, Check-In & Breakfast
2026-03-24 07:30 - 08:30 | DPAC Floor 1 Lobby, 123 William V Bill Bell Wy, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
Kick off your VC26 experience with registration and a light continental breakfast. Connect with fellow attendees over coffee, fuel up for an inspiring day ahead, and get ready to dive into the conversations that will shape the future of the Triangle’s innovation ecosystem. Doors open early—see you there!

Special thanks to our Breakfast Sponsor, Edward Jones.

Partnering & Investor Meetings
2026-03-24 07:30 - 16:30, 2026-03-25 07:30 - 16:30 | DPAC Floor 3 Lobby, 123 William V Bill Bell Wy, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
Looking to accelerate your business growth? Bookable meeting spaces are available for one-on-one conversations with investors, partners, and key ecosystem resources. Whether you’re seeking capital, strategic guidance, or industry connections, this is your chance to forge valuable relationships that drive your startup forward. Schedule your meetings and make every moment count!

Sponsor Connection
2026-03-24 07:30 - 16:30, 2026-03-25 07:30 - 16:30 | DPAC Floor 2 Lobby, 123 William V Bill Bell Wy, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
Spend time connecting with our Venture Connect sponsors! Visit their booths, learn about their work, and explore ways to collaborate and build meaningful relationships.

Opening Session | Dematerialization and Rematerialization
2026-03-24 08:30 - 09:45 | DPAC Stage, 123 William V Bill Bell Wy, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
Venture Connect 2026 opens with a bold framing of the venture landscape amid sweeping technological and societal change. Robert Tercek, co-founder of The Futurists Network and Nura Studios AI, explores the defining force of the 21st century: dematerialization—the ongoing shift of physical products, infrastructure, and entire industries into software. For more than three decades, software has reshaped manufacturing, logistics, retail, media, telecommunications, transportation, banking, and finance.
Now, we are entering the next phase: rematerialization. Powered by artificial intelligence, computational biology, and synthetic biology, physical systems and resources can be redesigned and re-engineered into entirely new configurations. Machine intelligence is accelerating value creation, unlocking new business models, and challenging conventional assumptions about how companies are built and scaled. From AI-driven enterprises to programmable biology, these twin forces will redefine both software services and life sciences—reshaping the very foundation of venture investment.
Building on these opening insights, Tercek is joined on stage by Chloe Domergue, Principal and Practice Leader in Human Capital at Deloitte, for a forward-looking conversation about what future organizations will require to succeed. As technology transforms how value is created, fundamental questions emerge: How many people does a startup truly need? What roles will matter most? How will human capital strategies evolve in an era defined by intelligent systems? Together, they will explore how founders and investors must rethink talent, structure, and scale for the next generation of high-growth companies.

Presentation Session | Early-Stage Technology Companies
2026-03-24 10:00 - 10:05 | DPAC President’s Club, 123 William V Bill Bell Wy, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
In addition to the DPAC Stage presentations, Venture Connect features a dynamic lightning round where emerging technology companies present rapid-fire pitches.

Presentation Session | Human Health — Biotech & Medtech
2026-03-24 10:00 - 10:50 | DPAC Stage, 123 William V Bill Bell Wy, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
From ENT care to oncology, the companies in this session are redefining how medicine is practiced, delivered, and experienced. Whether through novel device engineering, AI-powered diagnostics, or breakthrough therapeutics, these innovators are tackling some of healthcare’s most persistent challenges.
Thank you, Wyrick Robbins, for sponsoring this event.

Presentation Session | Software Innovation
2026-03-24 11:05 - 12:00, 2026-03-25 11:05 - 12:00 | DPAC Stage, 123 William V Bill Bell Wy, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
This session showcases software companies using artificial intelligence, automation, and modern cloud platforms to solve real-world problems across healthcare, construction, education, finance, and beyond. What unites them is a commitment to replacing inefficiency with intelligence — and delivering measurable impact to the people and organizations they serve.

Presentation Session | Early-Stage Life Science Companies
2026-03-24 11:05 - 12:00 | DPAC President’s Club, 123 William V Bill Bell Wy, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
In addition to the DPAC Stage presentations, Venture Connect features a dynamic lightning round where emerging life science companies present rapid-fire pitches.

Biotech Investor Lunch
2026-03-24 12:00 - 13:00 | NanaSteak, 345 Blackwell St, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
We are excited to host an invite-only Biotech Investor Lunch during Venture Connect. This is a unique opportunity to network with fellow biotech investors over lunch and engage in insightful conversations.
Thank you to Seward & Kissel & Dean Dorton for sponsoring this lunch!

Lunch Break | Connect & Recharge
2026-03-24 12:00 - 13:00 | DPAC Floor 2 Lobby, 123 William V Bill Bell Wy, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
Take a break, grab a bite, and connect organically with fellow attendees. This unscripted, unstructured lunch is your time to step outside, spark new conversations, and build relationships in a relaxed setting. Whether you’re diving into a deep discussion or simply recharging for the afternoon sessions, this is your opportunity to network, unwind, and fuel up for what’s next.

Presentation Session | Science for a Healthier Planet
2026-03-24 13:15 - 14:05 | DPAC Stage, 123 William V Bill Bell Wy, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
The companies in this session are confronting some of the most pressing environmental and agricultural challenges of our time. From climate-resilient crops to next-generation water treatment and sustainable seafood, these innovators are using science to build a more resilient and sustainable world.

From Scale to Sale: Building Leverage Before You Need It
2026-03-24 13:15 - 14:05 | DPAC President’s Club, 123 William V Bill Bell Wy, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
Transaction readiness isn’t a last-minute sprint—it’s the result of disciplined decisions made years earlier. In this session, Tyson Nargassans, CED Founder in Residence and CEO of Slope Software, shares hard-won lessons on how to structure your company so you can move quickly, command stronger valuations, and stay in control when investors or acquirers come calling. Learn what sophisticated buyers look for, where founders unintentionally invite retrades or lose leverage, and what you can implement now to avoid painful surprises later.

Is Your Board Keeping You Up at Night?
2026-03-24 13:30 - 15:00 | NanaSteak, 345 Blackwell St, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
Boards can accelerate your company or slow it down. In this interactive workshop, Mitch Heath draws on his experience leading and scaling a venture backed company to tackle real boardroom challenges founders face. You’ll work through how to manage dynamics, run meetings that drive decisions, and get real value from your board. Come ready to share, pressure test scenarios, and leave with practical tactics you can use immediately.

Presentation Session | Next-Gen Hardware & Deep Tech
2026-03-24 14:20 - 15:10, 2026-03-25 10:00 - 10:50 | DPAC Stage, 123 William V Bill Bell Wy, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
The companies in this session are operating at the frontier of what hardware and deep technology can do. From advanced robotics and satellite systems to novel materials and semiconductor architecture, these innovators are building the physical and computational infrastructure of tomorrow.

Student & Startup Talent Meet-Up
2026-03-24 14:20 - 15:10, 2026-03-25 10:00 - 10:50 | DPAC President’s Club, 123 William V Bill Bell Wy, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
An informal, high-energy meet-up designed to connect students, startups, and university partners in one room. Whether you’re a founder looking for sharp summer talent or a student seeking a hands-on internship for Summer 2026, this session creates space for real conversations and meaningful connections. Come ready to introduce yourself, explore opportunities, and spark the next great fit.

Tech Investor Panel
2026-03-24 15:25 - 16:00 | DPAC Stage, 123 William V Bill Bell Wy, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
Join a respected panel of growth-stage investors (moderated by Peter Franconi of Fulcrum Equity Partners) as they discuss relevant topics ranging from the capital raising environment to the prevalence of AI in software business models.

Early Exits & Transaction Ready
2026-03-24 15:25 - 16:15 | DPAC President’s Club, 123 William V Bill Bell Wy, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
Given the long roadmaps, most life science companies are going to exit well before revenue and some exit much earlier than originally planned. How did these opportunities unfold? How did you prepare? What do you wish you had done differently? Join us for an exciting fireside chat with exited founders sharing insights from their journeys.
Hosts will include: Kelli Luginbuhl, Leah Townsend, & Giles Shih.

Fireside Chat | Supercharge GTM in the Modern AI Landscape
2026-03-24 16:15 - 17:00 | DPAC Stage, 123 William V Bill Bell Wy, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
Go to market execution is where most startups stall, and AI is changing how the best teams solve it. Kelly Breslin Wright, former President and COO of Gong and CRO of Tableau, joins Susan Cook, former CEO of Zaloni and CEO of DAS42, for a candid conversation on building high performing GTM engines. They will share practical lessons on hiring, ICP clarity, messaging, and using AI to move faster without losing focus, plus what founders often get wrong when trying to scale revenue.

Investor Dinner
2026-03-24 18:00 - 21:00 | NC
A private, invite-only dinner offers a chance for our regional VCs to connect directly with out-of-region funds in an intimate setting.
A special thank you to EisnerAmper, Hutchison PLLC, & JP Morgan for sponsoring this event.

Day Two | Doors Open & Morning Welcome
2026-03-25 07:30 - 08:30 | DPAC Floor 1 Lobby, 123 William V Bill Bell Wy, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
Start your second day at VC26 with registration and a light continental breakfast. Grab a coffee, reconnect with fellow attendees, and get ready for another day of impactful conversations and game-changing connections. Doors open early—let’s dive back in!

Day 2 Kickoff | How the Triangle Ecosystem Compares Globally
2026-03-25 08:30 - 09:45 | DPAC Stage, 123 William V Bill Bell Wy, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
Bill Spruill leads a fireside chat with Yoram Wijngaarde, CEO of Dealroom. The conversation will break down how the Triangle stacks up against other global ecosystems and what the data shows about category shifts, founder activity, and where capital is actually flowing right now.

Collaborative Intelligence in Action, Charting the Path Forward for your Organization
2026-03-25 10:00 - 11:30 | NanaSteak, 345 Blackwell St, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
Led by Chloe Domergue, Human Capital Deloitte Principal, this hands-on workshop explores what collaborative intelligence between humans and AI looks like inside a real organization. The next leap in performance will not come from better tools alone. It will come from teams that think differently, challenge assumptions, and work intentionally with intelligent systems.
Through guided discussion and applied scenarios, you will examine how cognitive diversity, experimentation, and human judgment improve AI outcomes and build trust. Expect practical frameworks and clear next steps to help you chart a path forward in a world where change has no finish line.

Fundraising is Much More Than a Pitch Deck
2026-03-25 11:05 - 12:00 | DPAC President’s Club, 123 William V Bill Bell Wy, Durham, NC, 27701, United States
This talk with Lesley Ross of Enjoy the Work covers revealing topics such as “The 28 Questions All Investors Ask” and what represents a “Minimum Viable Investor Funnel, ” providing the audience with frameworks from which to construct a professional fundraise regardless if your startup is barely off the ground or well beyond product-market fit.
