Agenda
TechCon SouthWest 2026
- February 12th, 2026 - Day 01
| Time | Title |
|---|---|
|
3.00 – 3.30 PM |
Registration Checkin & Networking
|
| Time | Room | Session | Track | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3.30 – 3.45 PM |
Texas Spirit Theatre |
Leadership Talk
|
Influencers & Enablers
|
Welcome to TechCon SouthWest – Day 1
|
| Description |
|---|
|
Kickoff TechCon SouthWest Day 1 welcoming everyone and sharing the mission and vision of TechCon Global |
Faisal Mushtaq
Founder & CEO
TechCon Global
Speaker
| Time | Room | Session | Track | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3.50 – 4.30 PM |
Texas Spirit Theatre |
Panel
|
Investments
|
Innovation, Capital & the Southwest Advantage
|
| Description |
|---|
|
The Southwest region has emerged as one of the most dynamic regions for building and scaling technology companies, fueled by capital formation, operator talent, and a uniquely collaborative ecosystem. This panel brings together investors, founders, and civic leaders with deep Texas roots to explore why the region continues to attract innovation—and how capital, policy, and culture combine to create a durable advantage. Expect a grounded discussion on what truly differentiates the Southwest from coastal tech hubs. |
Bob Blount
Founder & CEO
Town Square Partners
Moderator
Steve Adler
Operating Partner
Commonweal Ventures
Speaker
Mike Marcantonio
Partner
LiveOak Ventures
Speaker
Mitra Miller
Managing Partner
Mill River Capital
Speaker
Nikos Iatropoulos
Managing Partner
IA Global Ventures
Speaker
| Time | Room | Session | Track | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
4.35 – 5.15 PM |
Texas Spirit Theatre |
Panel
|
Digital Health and Life Sciences
|
Investing Across the Life Sciences Stack: From Scientific Risk to Scalable Impact |
| Description |
|---|
|
Life sciences investing demands fluency across science, clinical reality, regulation, and market execution. This panel brings together experienced investors and physician-operators who evaluate opportunities spanning biotech, genomics, digital health, and healthcare systems. The discussion will explore how they assess risk, identify inflection points, and support companies as they move from early discovery to clinical validation and commercial scale. |
Drew Yashar
Senior Venture Associate
Capital Factory
Moderator
Farzad Soleimani
Partner
1984 Ventures
Speaker
Kyle Hoedebecke
Managing Partner
1836 Ventures
Speaker
Stephen Ekker
Associate Dean of Innovation and Entrepreneurship
UT Austin
Speaker
| Time | Room | Session | Track | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5.20 – 6.00 PM |
Texas Spirit Theatre |
Panel
|
Investments
|
From Risk to Resilience: Investing in Secure, Scalable Technology Platforms |
| Description |
|---|
|
As companies scale, security, resilience, and operational discipline become foundational—not optional. This panel brings together investors and ecosystem leaders backing early- and growth-stage companies operating in security-sensitive, infrastructure-heavy, and enterprise environments. Panelists will discuss how they evaluate risk, build durable platforms, and support founders navigating trust, compliance, and long-term scalability. |
Eric Alfuth
General Partner
Caymont Ventures
Moderator
Ernie Bio
Managing Director
Forgepoint Capital
Speaker
Antolin Garza
Partner
Karmel Capital
Speaker
Aasim Hasan
Managing Partner
Moneta Ventures
Speaker
Aaron Perman
Partner
S3 Ventures
Speaker
| Time | Room | Title |
|---|---|---|
|
6.30 – 9.00 PM |
Indeed Tower |
VIP Social |
- February 13th, 2026 - Day 02
| Time | Room | Title |
|---|---|---|
|
7:00 – 8:00 AM |
Austin Room |
Registration Checkin, Morning Coffee & Networking |
| Time | Room | Seesion | Track | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
8:00 – 8:15 AM |
Texas Spirit Theatre |
Leadership Talk |
Influencers & Enablers |
Welcome to TechCon SouthWest – Day 2 |
| Description |
|---|
|
Kickoff TechCon SouthWest Day 2 welcoming everyone and sharing the mission and vision of TechCon Global |
Faisal Mushtaq
Founder & CEO
TechCon Global
Speaker
| Time | Room | Seesion | Track | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
8:20 – 9:00 AM |
Texas Spirit Theatre |
Panel |
Deep Tech |
Investing Beyond Earth: Capital, Compute, and the New Frontier of Deep Tech |
| Description |
|---|
|
From space infrastructure to quantum and frontier computing, deep tech is reshaping national competitiveness and long-term value creation. This panel brings together investors and operators backing technologies with long development cycles, high technical risk, and massive upside. Panelists will discuss how capital evaluates frontier innovation, where conviction forms early, and what it takes to build and finance companies operating at the edge of what’s possible. |
Derren Burrell
Founder and Managing Partner
Veteran Ventures Capital
Moderator
Sahir Ali
Founder & General Partner
Modi Ventures
Speaker
Meagan Murphy Crawford
Co-Founder and Managing Partner
SpaceFund
Speaker
Nardo Manaloto
Managing Partner
Qubits Ventures
Speaker
Trey Pappas
Chief Revenue Officer
CesiumAstro
Speaker
| Time | Room | Seesion | Track | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
9:05 – 9:45 AM |
Texas Spirit Theatre |
Panel |
Digital Health and Life Sciences |
Rewiring Medicine: Neurotech, AI, and the Future of Human–Machine Interfaces |
| Description |
|---|
|
From brain–computer interfaces to AI-driven diagnostics, a new generation of technologies is redefining how humans interact with machines in healthcare. This panel brings together founders and technologists building at the intersection of neuroscience, AI, and clinical application to discuss what it takes to move breakthrough innovation from the lab to real-world impact. Expect an honest conversation on data, safety, regulation, and the path to scalable adoption. |
Faisal Mushtaq
Founder & CEO
TechCon Global
Moderator
Matt Angle
CEO
Paradromics
Speaker
Ramses Alcaide
Cofounder & CEO
Neurable
Speaker
Connor Glass
Founder & CEO
Phantom Neuro
Speaker
David Zakariaie
Founder & CEO
Senseye
Speaker
| Time | Room | Seesion | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
|
9:50 – 10:30 AM |
Texas Spirit Theatre |
Panel |
Backing the Backbone: Investing in Enterprise, Infrastructure, and Scalable AI Platforms |
| Description |
|---|
|
As AI adoption accelerates, durable value is increasingly built into the enterprise systems and infrastructure that enable scale. This panel brings together investors and operators backing foundational platforms to discuss how they evaluate technical moats, enterprise readiness, and long-term defensibility. The conversation will focus on what it truly takes to build and fund scalable AI and infrastructure businesses that last beyond market cycles. |
Aniqa Hijazi
CFO & COO
Sales Layer
Moderator
Rajeev Madhavan
Founder & General Partner
Clear Ventures
Speaker
Susan Akbarpour
Managing Partner
Candou Ventures
Speaker
Samir Kumar
General Partner
Touring Capital
Speaker
Vince Hsieh
Managing Director
Cypress Growth Capital
Speaker
| Time | Room | Title |
|---|---|---|
|
10:30 – 10:45 AM |
Austin Room |
Coffee Break |
| Time | Room | Seesion | Track | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
10:45 – 11:25 AM |
Texas Spirit Theatre |
Keynote Panel |
Semiconductor |
Intelligence at Scale: The 2026 CEO Playbook |
| Description |
|---|
|
“We are living through the most significant technological pivot in a generation. From the foundries to the cloud, the mandate for leadership has shifted from “digital transformation” to “total intelligence.” In this session, executive search leader Michael Cunningham sits down with three luminary enterprise technology CEOs to discuss the operational realities of 2026. This candid conversation will explore the new paradigms of leadership: from shifting go-to-market strategies, to managing AI-augmented talent, and maintaining a competitive edge in a world where technology moves faster than ever.” |
Michael Cunningham
Co-Managing Partner
Lonergan Partners
Moderator
Rick Clemmer
Founding Partner
Socratic Partners
Speaker
Darin Brannan
CEO
Terminal Industries
Speaker
Dave French
President & CEO
OmniOn power
Speaker
| Time | Room | Seesion | Track | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
11:30 – 12:00 PM |
Texas Spirit Theatre |
Keynote Panel |
Data, Infrastructure and Security |
CEOs at the Core of AI: Infrastructure, Semiconductors, and the Future of Intelligent Systems |
| Description |
|---|
|
This panel features CEOs operating at the foundation of the AI stack—where compute, infrastructure, and silicon converge. We will discuss how breakthroughs in AI infrastructure and semiconductors are shaping enterprise adoption, performance, and scale. The conversation will explore the leadership decisions required to build durable companies that power the next generation of AI-driven innovation. |
Gajen Kandiah
CEO
Rackspace Technology
Speaker
Anand Chandrasekher
Founder & CEO
Aira Technologies
Speaker
Faisal Mushtaq
Founder & CEO
TechCon Global
Moderator
| Time | Room | Title |
|---|---|---|
|
12:00 – 1:00 PM |
Austin Room |
Lunch |
| Time | Room | Seesion | Track | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1:00 – 1:40 PM |
Texas Spirit Theatre |
Panel |
Data, Infrastructure and Security |
Scaling the AI Stack: Infrastructure, Data, and Security in the Real World |
| Description |
|---|
|
As AI moves from experimentation to mission-critical deployment, infrastructure, data pipelines, and security become the true bottlenecks to scale. This panel brings together leaders across AI systems, enterprise IT, and global platforms to examine what breaks first—and how to build AI architectures that are resilient, secure, and production-ready. Expect a grounded discussion on scaling AI responsibly across enterprises and critical industries. |
Aater Suleman
Cofounder
Vixul
Moderator
Mohit Tiwari
Co-Founder & CEO
Symmetry Systems
Speaker
Kavitha Imani
Chief Information Officer
Tektronix
Speaker
Sanjoy Paul
Executive Director - Nexus & AI Houston
Rice University
Speaker
Lena Skliarova-Mordvinova
Co-Founder
Perseverance
Speaker
| Time | Room | Seesion | Track | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1:45 – 2:25 PM |
Texas Spirit Theatre |
Panel |
Investments |
Day Zero to Series A: How Early-Stage Investors Really Pick Winners |
| Description |
|---|
|
Early-stage investing is less about perfect metrics and more about pattern recognition across people, timing, and execution. This panel brings together investors who back companies from idea to early scale, blending founder-first incubation, hands-on venture building, and disciplined diligence. Panelists will share how they evaluate founders, where conviction forms earliest, and what separates fundable ideas from enduring companies in today’s market. |
Neal Bloom
Managing Partner
Rising Tide Partners
Moderator
Prerna Sharma
General PartnerGeneral Partner
Antler
Speaker
Collin Groves
Partner
BDev Ventures
Speaker
Jonathan Hung
Managing Partner
Entrepreneur Ventures
Speaker
Teddy Himler
Managing Partner
Optimist Ventures
Speaker
| Time | Room | Seesion | Track | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
2:30 -3:10 PM |
Texas Spirit Theatre |
Panel |
Digital Health and Life Sciences |
Turning Intelligence into Revenue: Building Scalable AI Products in Digital Health & Life Sciences |
| Description |
|---|
|
Building successful AI companies in Digital Health anbd Life Sciences requires more than powerful technology—it demands the ability to translate insight into products that scale, sell, and endure. This panel brings together founders and operators who have taken AI-driven ideas from early innovation to real-world adoption, navigating product-market fit, go-to-market execution, and organizational scale. The discussion will explore what separates promising AI concepts from category-defining businesses. |
Jason Scharf
Early Stage Investor
Austin Next
Moderator
Tiffany Gonzalez
Limited Partner
Stage 2 Capital
Speaker
Jay Srinivasan
Executive Chairman
infinitusbio.AI
Speaker
Casey McPherson
Founder & CEO
AlphaRose Therapeutics
Speaker
Alex Frommeyer
CoFounder
Beam Benefits
Speaker
| Time | Room | Seesion | Track | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3:15 – 3:55 PM |
Texas Spirit Theatre |
Panel |
Investments |
Operator Capital: Building and Scaling Companies Where Execution Really Matters |
| Description |
|---|
|
In complex and high-trust markets, success is driven less by hype and more by disciplined execution. This panel brings together founders and operator-investors who have built and scaled businesses across SMB platforms, healthcare, and infrastructure-heavy industries. Panelists will share practical lessons on operational rigor, capital discipline, and navigating regulation and complexity to build companies that endure. |
Martin Martinez
Executive Director
Founder Institute Texas
Moderator
Ross Buhrdorf
CEO
ZenBusiness
Speaker
George Baker
Founder & Managing Partner
2 the Moon Ventures
Speaker
James Burkett
Founder & General Partner
Florin Digital Fund
Speaker
Ramsey Pryor
CEO
Rumi.ai
Speaker
| Time | Room | Seesion | Track | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
4:00 – 4:40 PM |
Texas Spirit Theatre |
Panel |
Investments |
From Skills to Scale: Investing in the Future of Work, Learning, and Human Capital |
| Description |
|---|
|
As AI reshapes how people learn, work, and stay employable, investors and operators are rethinking how skills are developed, validated, and matched to opportunity. This panel brings together leaders backing platforms at the intersection of education, workforce technology, and human capital to discuss where real value is being created. Panelists will explore how AI, data, and market demand are converging to build scalable, outcomes-driven talent ecosystems. |
Sharmin Ali
3X Entrepreneur
Keynote Speaker & Author
Moderator
Ed Sattar
Founder & Managing Director
Edtech Ventures
Speaker
Sabari Raja
Managing Partner
JFF Ventures
Speaker
Adrian Tromel
Interim Chief Innovation Officer
Rice University
Speaker
Dilawar Syed
Faculty, UT Austin
Former Deputy Administrator, SBA
Speaker
| Time | Room | Seesion | Track | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
4:45 – 5:25 PM |
Texas Spirit Theatre |
Panel |
Influencers & Enablers |
Startup Innovation Showcase |
| Description |
|---|
|
Five shortlisted startups pitch to become TechCon SouthWest winner |
Sarah Romanko
Associate
Geek Ventures
Moderator
Mike Sherbakov
General Partner
Veteran Fund
Speaker
Susan Akbarpour
Managing Partner
Candou Ventures
Speaker
Chris Garabedian
CEO
Xontogeny
Speaker
Nikos Iatropoulos
Managing Partner
IA Global Ventures
Speaker
Kyle Hoedebecke
Managing Partner
1836 Ventures
Speaker
Jonathan Hung
Managing Partner
Entrepreneur Ventures
Speaker
Ernie Bio
Managing Director
Forgepoint Capital
Speaker
Aaron Perman
Partner
S3 Ventures
Speaker
| Time | Room | Seesion | Track | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5:25 – 5:40 PM |
Texas Spirit Theatre |
Panel |
Influencers & Enablers |
Closing Statement, Awards and Wrap up |
| Description |
|---|
|
Announce the winner of TechCon SouthWest Startup Innovation Showcase and conclude the event |