AI Innovation

Back to Top ↑ Sessions
	Tuesday March 10
8:15	TechConnect World Innovation Conference - Plenary Keynotes
10:30	Bio in Space Symposium- Funding Opportunities for R&D in Microgravity: Discussing Public and Private Funding Mechanisms for Commercial Space Ventures
10:30	Supporting the Translation of Research-based Technologies to Products
1:00	TechConnect World Expo and SBIR/STTR Pavilion Open
1:30	TechConnect Innovation Spotlights: AI and Digital Transformation I
1:30	Bio in Space Innovation Challenge
1:30	The Role of Universities in Creating Innovation Ecosystems
1:30	AI Innovations – Healthcare and Characterization
2:30	TechConnect Innovation Spotlights: AI and Digital Transformation II
4:00	Bio in Space Innovation Challenge-Winners Announced
4:00	TechConnect World Expo, Technical Poster Session I, and Expo Social (4:00 - 6:00)
4:00	AI Innovations - Posters
4:00	University Innovations - Posters
	Wednesday March 11
10:30	Bio in Space Symposium - There and Back Again: Understanding Pathways to Orbit and the Operational Rresources in LEO
1:00	TechConnect World Expo and SBIR/STTR Pavilion Open
1:15	AI for Grid Resilience and Security Challenge
1:30	AI, Modeling, and Simulation for Advanced Materials Design
2:30	Future‑Ready by Design: How the FBI Builds Continuous Innovation
4:00	TechConnect World Expo, Technical Poster Session II, and Expo Social (4:00 - 6:00)
4:00	AI for Materials Discovery - Posters
	Thursday March 12
9:00	AI Innovations
9:00	TechConnect Innovation Spotlights: Advanced Materials, AI, Biotech, and Defense
10:00	TechConnect Innovation Spotlights: Advanced Materials, AI, Biotech, and Defense

2026 Detailed Program
	Tuesday March 10

8:15	TechConnect World Innovation Conference - Plenary Keynotes	RCC Ballroom B
	Session chair: Jennifer Rocha, Dalia Yablon, Matthew Laudon, TechConnect Division, ATI, US
	Lightweighting with single crystal graphene, and new routes to growing diamonds R. Ruoff, Ulsan National Institute of Science & Technology, KR
	Quantum Computing 101: Foundations, Frontiers, and Future Impact W. Oliver, MIT, US
	Architecting the Future with Silicon Carbide: A Platform for Power, Intelligence, and Immersion E. Balkas, Wolfspeed, US
	SBIR/STTR Keynote W. Briggs, U.S. Small Business Administration, US

10:30	Bio in Space Symposium- Funding Opportunities for R&D in Microgravity: Discussing Public and Private Funding Mechanisms for Commercial Space Ventures	RCC 303
	Session chair: Jonathan Jakischa, TechConnect Division, ATI
	Panelist M.A. Snow, Eascra Bio Tech, US
	Panelist N. Wagner, Lambda Vision Inc., US
	Panelist R. Roettgen, E2MC Ventures, US
	Panelist C. Puhl, Exobiosphere, US
	Panelist T. Morris, Kall Morris Inc., US
	Panelist E. Chancellor, Texas Space Commission, US

10:30	Supporting the Translation of Research-based Technologies to Products	Marriott State A
	Session chair: Christine Galib, Princeton University & Alex Norman, Princeton University
	It Takes a Village: Innovation Ecosystem Building Panel E. Dinu (Moderator), J.E. Odegard, J. Jones, B. Solomon, P. Datta, Numinous Capital, 62x Ventures, North Carolina State University, FedTech, Evonik, US
	Research Triangle Innovation Sphere J. Jur, NC Dept of Commerce, US
	I-Corps as the First Stop: A Proven University Innovation Model A.T. Trotsenko, J. Blaho, CUNY Incubator Network, US

1:00	TechConnect World Expo and SBIR/STTR Pavilion Open	Expo Hall AB

1:30	TechConnect Innovation Spotlights: AI and Digital Transformation I	RCC 305A
	Session chair: Sonia Vohnout, OppsSpot
	Review Panelist M. Hetrich, ABB, US
	Review Panelist L. Foster, Z-Field Technologies, US
	Review Panelist A. Phillips, Wolfpack Investor Network (WIN), North Carolina State University, US
	Review Panelist C. Sahu, ABB, US
	Review Panelist J. Epstein, Lockheed Martin, US
	Lastwall Zero Trust Identity for Multi-Domain Operations S. Moorhead, Lastwall, US
	Efficient In-Sensor and Multimodal Signal Processing using Hyperdimensional Computing Algorithms Implemented on an FPGA V. Ehsan, Arch Systems, LLC, US
	Belvedere B. Frutchey, Clear Fracture LLC, US
	FraudSphere: Dependent Multi-Agent Generative Adversarial Framework for Adaptive and Explainable Fraud Detection T. Ekin, Texas State University, US
	SMART Adaptive Twins R. Jha, SimInsights Inc., US
	A Quantum Security Remediation Platform R. Parizi, Quturn, US

1:30	Bio in Space Innovation Challenge	RCC 303
	Session chair: Katie Bornfleth, TechConnect Division, ATI
	Review Panelist S. Herschede, Varda Space Industries, US
	Review Panelist S. Giza, Space Tago, US
	Review Panelist S. Gerges, Blue Origin, US
	Review Panelist J. Yang, DMV Bio, US
	Review Panelist M. Mulligan, Space MD, US
	Review Panelist L. Foster, Z-Field Technologies, US
	Microgravity Produced Organoids for Accelerated Regenerative Therapies Prometheus Life Technologies, CH
	Microgravity-Optimized Janus Base Nanoparticles (JBNps) Eascra Biotech, US
	Parkinson’s Drug Discovery with Olfactory Brain-on-Chip on Earth and in Microgravity Olfera, US
	Arbimus RI – Trust Layer for Space Biological Data Analysis & Anomaly Detection Arbimus Corporation, US
	AI-Driven System to Predict Radiation Exposure for Astronauts University of South Florida, US
	Advanced Biomaterials for Muscle Regeneration GenAssist, Inc., US
	ScenarioLab: Multi-Domain Simulation Platform for Space Biology Research Symbio Holdings LLC, US
	Project Caduceus - Neuroendocrine Stimulation Platform to Inhibit Muscle Atrophy and Bone Loss Processes in Microgravity or Austere Environments Skybound Medtech, US
	Orbital High Throughput Screening Platform Exobiosphere, Inc., US
	SequestOne™: Predicting Cancer Outcomes Through Cellular Aging, From Microgravity to Earth SequestBio, US

1:30	The Role of Universities in Creating Innovation Ecosystems	Marriott State A
	Session chair: Christine Galib, Princeton University, & Alex Norman, Princeton University
	Fireside Chat - Policy & Process: How Economic Policy Impacts Deep Tech Innovation K. Stout, B. Soloman, International Center for Law and Economics, FedTech, US
	From Princeton Lab to Global Lithium Operations: Commercializing Water-Smart Technologies for Critical Minerals A. Fasnacht, PureLi, US
	Adaptilens: Materials Innovations driving the Development of Biomimetic Accommodating Intraocular Lenses M.L. Becker, Duke University, US
	TBD F. Heide, Princeton, US
	VectorScribe: Spinning out from university lab to startup via NSF and APT D.J. McGee, VectorScribe LLC, US
	From Microliters to Market: QATCH's Journey Z. Parlak, Qatch Technologies, LLC, US
	Balancing Deep Tech and Market Agility: From MEMS Flow Sensing to Non-Intrusive Fill-Level Monitoring Y. Fan, Tendo Technologies, Inc., US
	From Ag Waste to Membraneless Separation: How Princeton PMI Catalyzed ZOLX’s Pivot H. Parhizkar, ZOLX Inc., US
	NSF I‑Corps Spin‑Out: HYDROGENISE - Hydrogen Generation through Integrated Sustainable Electrolysis for Scalable Clean Energy S. Bashir, P. Robinson, J.L. Liu, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, US

1:30	AI Innovations – Healthcare and Characterization	Marriott State E
	Session chair: Jan-Willem Handgraaf, Siemens
	visQ.AI: A Small-Data, On-Premise Machine Learning Engine for Predicting Viscosity & Injectability of High-Concentration Biologics Z. Parlak, P. MacNichol, D. French, QATCH Technologies, US
	Detecting Alcohol Intoxication from speech - a look inside Large Acoustic Model embeddings X. Liu, R. Seiilova-Olson, A. Shamei, H. Sinan, Tenvos Inc., US
	AI-Powered Virtual Patient Simulation versus Written Case Studies in Health Professional Students J.J. Borckardt, D.H. Henninger, K. Bath, D.A. Annan-Coultas, L. Langdale, K. Kascak, C. Pelic, M. DeArellano, K. Brady, Medical University of South Carolina and Figment Learning Labs, US
	AI-Powered Auxiliary Medical Diagnostic Systems M. Farias, Texas State University, US
	AI-Integrated Framework for Intelligent Characterization and Valorization of Complex Waste Materials M. Salas, R. Rao, S. Singh, R. Kumar, A. Sarker, A. Singh, J. Yarbrough, A. Mittal, L. Pal, North Carolina State University, US
	Advanced Characterization of Textile Waste Streams Using Hyperspectral Imaging and Machine Learning for Fabric and Contaminant Detection R. Kumar, S. Singh, R. Rao, L. Pal, North Carolina State University, US
	A Systems Engineering Approach to Quantifying Resilience and Agility in Complex Systems of Systems R.B. Hayes, North Carolina State University, US

2:30	TechConnect Innovation Spotlights: AI and Digital Transformation II	RCC 305A
	Session chair: Sonia Vohnout, OppsSpot
	Review Panelist M. Hetrich, ABB, US
	Review Panelist S. Vohnout, OppsSpot, US
	Review Panelist M. McKee, New Ventures and Partnerships, University of North Carolina, US
	Review Panelist L. Foster, Z-Field Technologies, US
	Review Panelist H. Opoku, Boeing, US
	Photonic Chiplets for AI DataCenter Interconnects M. Shahine, Wiconnect Global Corp, US
	AI-driven vision system for safety monitoring of human-robot collaboration T. Yahia, Center for Intelligent Metrology & Sensing, US
	A Facility Management Digital Twin Software Platform K. Mobasher, Power Theory INC., US
	Voice-based Impairment Management R. Seiilova-Olson, Tenvos Inc., US
	IDCommand Tactical: ZTA-Compliant, PQC-Secured, Local Authentication Capabilities from the Enterprise to the Disconnected Edge S. Moorhead, Lastwall, US
	Sotaog S. Tamilarasan, Sotaog, US

4:00	Bio in Space Innovation Challenge-Winners Announced	RCC 303
	Session chair: Katie Bornfleth, TechConnect Division, ATI

4:00	TechConnect World Expo, Technical Poster Session I, and Expo Social (4:00 - 6:00)	Expo Hall AB

4:00	AI Innovations - Posters	Expo Hall AB
	AI Cyber Defense, Re-imagined A. Pabrai, ecfirst, Inc., US
	AI to Accelerate Cyber Risk Management Processes L.R. Thistlethwaite, M. Zang, K. Workman, P. Rosenberg, C. Wrinkle, M. Ford, D. Harner, J.A. Steets, Illumination Works LLC, US
	Coordinate with Care: A Digital Educational Platform N.T. McFadden, S.N. Shah, Texas State University, US
	Causal-Safe: A Multimodal Neuro-Symbolic Agent for Counterfactual Traffic Risk Assessment and Intervention S. Das, A. Rafe, Texas State University, US
	A Sheaf-Theoretic Framework for Trustworthy Multi-Sensor Fusion in Roadway Safety S. Das, A. Rafe, Texas State University, US
	A Privacy-Preserving Cyberinfrastructure for Synthetic Transportation Video and Safety Analytics S. Das, A. Rafe, Texas State University, US
	Photo Based AI Screening for Dementia and Mental Health Sensitive Interior Environments: A Decision, Support Tool for Rapid Risk Mitigation M.N. Adi, Texas State University, US
	Inventory Organization Is Crucial: How to Maximize Productivity and Reduce Errors L.A. Petty, L. Petty, XP3 Data Corp, US
	AI-Native Voice Communications for Resilient Operation in Degraded Networks C.C. Gerber, J.R. Gerber, ShadowGen Inc, US
	AI-Enabled Executive Decision Intelligence for Workforce Health and Healthcare Cost Containment P.R. Hogan, Prescient Healthcare, US
	Smart Cities, Powered by Real-Time AI Orchestration J. Rice, Vantiq, US
	An Ecosystem Approach to Applied AI and Quantum Innovation Roadmapping M. Binko, J. Hamann, S. Anjum, ENTEVATE AI+Quantum Innovation (AIQUI) Sandbox®, US

4:00	University Innovations - Posters	Expo Hall AB
	Growing Entrepreneurial Ecosystems for Resilient Innovation – Regional Distribution of Participants in New York State FAST Y-H. Kim, City University of New York, US
	The NYC Innovation Hot Spot as a model for university-led incubators to support deep technology commercialization within a state-wide ecosystem C. Cardaci, J. Blaho, NYC Innovation Hot Spot, City University of New York, US
	Wednesday March 11

10:30	Bio in Space Symposium - There and Back Again: Understanding Pathways to Orbit and the Operational Rresources in LEO	RCC 303
	Session chair: Jonathan Jakischa, TechConnect Division, ATI
	Panelist S. Giza, Space Tango, US
	Panelist S. Gerges, Blue Origin, US
	Panelist M. Roberts, International Space Station National Laboratory, US
	Panelist T. Morris, Kall Morris Inc., US
	Panelist M. Mulligan, Space MD, US
	Panelist K. Shields, VAST, US

1:00	TechConnect World Expo and SBIR/STTR Pavilion Open	Expo Hall AB

1:15	AI for Grid Resilience and Security Challenge	RCC 303
	Session chair: Katie Bornfleth, TechConnect Division, ATI
	Review Panelist P. Chilukuri, ABB, US
	Review Panelist G. Dorr, Advanced Technology International (ATI), US
	Review Panelist B. Kronenwetter, Duke Energy, US
	Review Panelist C. McCollough, Digi.City, US
	Review Panelist P. Pandey, Fidelity Investments, US
	Wayfarer: Drift-Aware Video Triage for Grid Security R-SEX Systems, Inc., US
	FusionSense AI: Secure Multi-Source Data Fusion for Grid Resilience The Simple VUE, US
	RADAR: Risk-Aware Digital Twin for Sensorless Dynamic Line (Ampacity) Rating Forecasting Impact Innovations LLC, US
	MicrogridOS – AI-Native Microgrid Design Platform Laboratory of Energy and Power Solutions (LEAPS) at Arizona State University, US
	Autonomous Demand Response for AI Data Centers (A.I.M.I.®) FLUIX AI, US
	AI-Driven EV-Powered Energy Orchestration for Next-Gen Data Centers Tuskegee University, US
	Generative Forecasting Transformer (GFT) for Grid Resilience Silurian AI, Inc., US
	ScenarioLab: Adaptive AI Platform for Grid Resilience and Self-Healing Infrastructure Symbio Holdings LLC, US
	A Secure AI-Driven Data Mesh for Resilient Electric Grids Kinnami Software Corporation, US
	A Hybrid Industrial Connectivity Platform Trinity Aether, Inc., CA

1:30	AI, Modeling, and Simulation for Advanced Materials Design	Marriott State E
	Session chair: Michael Webb, Princeton University, & Jan-Willem Handgraaf, Siemens
	Accelerating Polymer Discovery: Integrating High-Throughput Automation and Machine Learning for Tailored Macromolecular Design M. Tamasi, A.J. Gormley, Plexymer, Inc., US
	AI-driven polymers & formulations innovations at the industrial scale J. Nistane, R. Ramprasad, Matmerize, Inc, US
	STUDENT BEST ABSTRACT WINNER SemiOrg: An Open-Data, Open-Source FAIR Data Infrastructure for AI-Driven Discovery of Semiconducting Organic Materials T. Trapier, North Carolina State University, US
	The Use of AI Tools for Phosphorus Sustainability S.K. Pinky, P. Hogsed, A. Kancharla, N.A. Zaid, A. Gulyuk, D.S. Pendyala, R. Lakshmi-Ratan, R. Chirkova, E. McLamore, Y.G. Yingling, North Carolina State University, US
	Bridging Accuracy and Scale: AI-Accelerated Atomistic Simulation with Matlantis™ T. Watanabe, Matlantis Corp., JP
	SimuScan and Large-Area AFM: Toward Autonomous Nanoscale Discovery through Synthetic Data and Machine Learning R. Millan‐Solsona, M. Checa, L. Collins, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, US
	Finite Element Analysis and Experimental Evaluation of Biobased Flexible Packaging Films A. Rathaur, L. Pal, North Carolina State University, US
	Forecasting Emissions from Carbon Capture Plants Leveraging Advanced Artificial Intelligence Models K. Nithyanandam, S. Bhavsar, C. Kulkarni, Impact Innovations LLC, US

2:30	Future‑Ready by Design: How the FBI Builds Continuous Innovation	RCC 305A

4:00	TechConnect World Expo, Technical Poster Session II, and Expo Social (4:00 - 6:00)	Expo Hall AB

4:00	AI for Materials Discovery - Posters	Expo Hall AB
	Efficient in-sensor and multimodal signal processing using Hyperdimensional computing algorithms implemented on an FPGA V. Ehsan, N. Srinivasa, R. Kim, and Y. Khurana, Arch Systems, LLC, US
	AI-Driven Knowledge Graphs for Sustainable Materials Discovery and a Circular Phosphorus Economy N. Abu Zaid, Q. Yang, S. Changlani, D.S. Pendyala, B.P. Allen, A.V. Gulyuk, R. Chirkova, Y.G. Yingling, North Carolina State university, US
	Waste Valorization and AI-driven Optimization for Industrial Application. K. Shah, S. Mandal, Texas State University, US
	Temperature-Dependent Diffusion Mechanisms in Metal–Organic Frameworks Revealed by Machine-Learning Interatomic Potentials S.K. Ethirajan, A. Kulkarni, University of California, Davis, US
	SDDC-YOLO: A Diagnostic Framework for Defect Detection in Industrial Materials M. Gao, E. Shim, M. Zhu, North Carolina State University, US
	Designing Biomolecule and Surface Agnostic Interaction Descriptors Using MD M. Fedai, A.Y. Pandya, A.L. Kwansa, Y.G. Yingling, North Carolina State University, US
	Catalyzing Chemistry: Ultra High-Throughput Physical Experimentation for Advanced Materials Discovery & Optimization Z. Batts, Dot Energy LLC, US
	Thursday March 12

9:00	AI Innovations	Marriott State E
	Session chair: Bart Romanowicz, TechConnect Division, ATI
	Dependence-Aware Multi-Agent Intelligence for Adaptive Fraud Detection T. Ekin, K. Mandadapu, L. Shaw, Texas State University, US
	GENESIS: Self‑Organizing Orchestration of Agents and Foundation Models over DDS J. Upchurch, Real-Time Innovations, US
	PATHOS AI: A Secure, Institution-Specific AI Platform for Personalized Academic Advising E.C. Zhu Fainman, Texas State University, US
	Operationalizing Adversarial AI Resilience: A Framework for Trustworthy and Secure AI in Critical Sectors M. Kumar, Guidehouse, US
	Incorporating the Assessment Process into Actions Owned by All, Not Just Safety S. Larson, H. Chapman, Inseer, US
	Integrated Digital Engineering for National Security Advantage V. Perumal, A. Stein, UHV3D, Inc. (dba CAMINNO), US

9:00	TechConnect Innovation Spotlights: Advanced Materials, AI, Biotech, and Defense	RCC 305A
	Session chair: Jonathan Jakischa, TechConnect Division, ATI
	Review Panelist E. Runge, Launch Chapel Hill, US
	Review Panelist J. Hardin, North Carolina Department of Commerce, US
	Review Panelist J. Bindra, University of Ottawa, CA
	Review Panelist S. Vohnout, OppsSpot, US
	Review Panelist O. Buchan, Lockheed Martin, US
	Review Panelist D. Brown, Boeing, US
	Durable, Non-Wetting Surface Solutions K. Nithyanandam, Impact Innovations LLC, US
	Plasmonic Cooling for Spacecraft Components Through Ultrafast Laser Surface Structuring K. Campbell, Quantum Qool, US
	The Vision-to-Motion (V2M) Engine A. Sharotry, Texas State University, US
	Fungal Sphaeropsidin A for Refractory Cancer A. Kornienko, Texas State University, US
	Rare-Earth-Free Magnets Via Field Assisted 3D Printing P. Karkhanis, Texas State University-San Marcos, US
	Smart Catheter M. Keelen, Tessefi Medical Solutions, US

10:00	TechConnect Innovation Spotlights: Advanced Materials, AI, Biotech, and Defense	RCC 305A
	Session chair: Emma Mooney, TechConnect Division, ATI
	Review Panelist D. Horn, Greenville ENC Alliance, US
	Review Panelist S. Davis, NCInnovation, US
	Review Panelist M. Fiscus, NCInnovation, US
	Review Panelist A. Monteza, North Carolina State University, US
	Review Panelist D. Putnam, Town of Chapel Hill, US
	Review Panelist J. Bowers, Lockheed Martin, US
	Safer, Extreme Temperature Tolerant, Sodium-Ion Batteries for Military Microgrid Applications T. Vosburgh, Coulomb Technology, Inc., US
	Advanced thermal technology T. Sehnem, Innovative Thermal Labs, Inc., US
	Novel, Transformative Neurosensing Materials R. Cooley, Nuream, Inc, US
	Fibrosis-preventing, vascularizing, non-degrading materials for implantable device encapsulation K. Papas, Procyon Technologies, US
	GENESIS: A Fully Distributed Self Organizing Agentic Framework J. Upchurch, Real-Time Innovations, US
	LATCHES (Large-Area Transactive Cooling & Heat Energy Storage) S. Birch, ThermoVerse, US
	AI-Powered Fiber Composition Identification R. Geppert, Refiberd, US

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Program

2026 Technical Symposia

Sessions

Tuesday March 10

Wednesday March 11

Thursday March 12

2026 Detailed Program

Tuesday March 10

Wednesday March 11

Thursday March 12

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