Agenda
Thursday, May 14th • Columbus
8:00 am
Doors Open, Registration, + Coffee Networking
Fuel up with coffee, connect with fellow attendees, and meet vendor/expo companies across Ohio’s tech ecosystem.
9:15 am
Welcome to the Ohio Tech Summit
Get oriented for the day ahead with a warm welcome and an overview of the program. Emcee Tonjia Coverdale will set the tone for the summit.
9:25 am
Welcome Remarks: Building Ohio’s Tech Hub
Kick off the summit with a big-picture look at Ohio’s tech trajectory. From AI to the latest innovations in advanced manufacturing, Chris Berry’s welcome keynote explores the how Ohio is becoming a “full stack” tech state.
SPEAKER:
Chris Berry: President & CEO at OhioX
9:45 am
Re-Industrialization in the AI era: Building the hardware-software advantage in Ohio.
Re-shoring and re-industrialization are colliding with autonomy, AI, robotics, and new energy realities. This panel goes beyond announcements to unpack what’s actually happening: integrating AI into industrial operations, closing the hardware–software gap, and scaling talent fast enough to meet demand. Hear from leaders building the next generation of manufacturing and defense-adjacent capability in Ohio—what’s working, what’s stuck, and what it will take to win the next decade of American making.
PANELISTS:
Andrew Lonsberry: Co-Founder & CEO, Path Robotics
Beth Flippo: Founder & CEO, Dexa
Zachary Mears: SVP, Anduril Industries
10:30 am
Networking Break No. 1
10:50 am
Applied AI in the Heartland
AI advantage shows up in outcomes: lower cost-to-serve, faster decisions, fewer errors, better patient and customer experiences, and smarter operations. Leaders across Ohio’s core industries will share where AI is already deployed, how they’re measuring impact, and what had to change—data practices, governance, workflows, and talent—to move from pilots to durable operating advantage.
MODERATOR:
Aud Jucaitis: SVP, NextGen Enterprise Transformation, KeyBank
SPEAKERS:
Kip Lee: President, UH Ventures, University Hospitals
Grant Schneider: CTO, Upstart
Beena Sukumara: Dean, College of Engineering and Computing, Miami University
11:35 am
Keynote: Chetan Kandhari, Nationwide
Following Nationwide’s landmark October 2025 $1.5 billion investment announcement to accelerate technology and AI transformation, Chief Innovation and Digital Officer Chetan Kandhari joins us to discuss the future of one of Ohio’s most iconic brands. This session offers a rare look at how a Fortune 100 leader navigates the "next industrial revolution" to redefine the intersection of technology and insurance. Discover how this massive R&D push is shaping the next chapter of innovation within Ohio’s tech ecosystem.
12:00 pm
Lunch Break + Networking No. 2
12:40 pm
TBA: Special Keynote Fireside Chat
(speakers to be announced)
1:10 pm
Post Lunch Break + Shift to Breakout Tracks No. 3
The Summit shifts into our three afternoon breakout tracks: (1) Enterprise, (2) Startups, and (3) Talent.
1:30 pm
The CIO Strategy: Managing the Modern Stack // Enterprise (Breakout #1A)
The modern enterprise stack is under pressure from every direction: cloud complexity, vendor sprawl, security demands, integration debt—and now AI workloads on top of it all. CIOs and IT leaders will dig into practical strategy for simplifying architecture, governing the vendor ecosystem, managing cost and risk, and building the operational muscle to deliver faster without breaking reliability.
Speakers TBA
1:30 pm
The Human OS: Skills AI Can't Copy // Talent (Breakout #1B)
As AI reshapes work, the differentiator becomes the human capabilities that compound over time: judgment, communication, systems thinking, ethical decision-making, and creative problem-solving. This conversation focuses on how leaders identify these skills, build them inside teams, and set expectations and incentives that help people do higher-value work alongside AI.
Speakers TBA
1:30 pm
From Pilot to Purchase Order: The Startup Playbook for Enterprise Partnerships // Startups (Breakout #1C)
Enterprise buyers don’t buy “innovation”—they buy reduced risk, clear outcomes, and confidence in execution. Get a practical look at how startups earn trust, navigate security reviews and procurement, structure pilots that convert, and avoid the traps that stall deals in legal, finance, and vendor management. The focus is on what actually moves a relationship from first meeting to signed contract—and then from initial contract to expansion.
Speakers TBA
2:15 pm
Networking Break No. 3
2:30 pm
AI Reliability & Assurance: The Playbook for Scaling Enterprise AI With Confidence // Enterprise (Breakout #2A)
Scaling AI across the enterprise requires a repeatable way to measure confidence and manage risk. Leaders will share how they set acceptance thresholds, test for failure modes before launch, implement lightweight guardrails (data access, permissions, safe tool use), and monitor performance over time with clear ownership and incident response. The goal is faster rollout beyond pilot mode—without creating new security, compliance, or operational exposure.
Speakers TBA
2:30 pm
Ohio’s AI Dividend: Scaling Organizational Velocity // Talent (Breakout #2B)
The bottleneck on AI value is adoption—roles, habits, training, and change management—not access to tools. Leaders will explore how organizations build an AI-ready workforce: defining new expectations, redesigning workflows, upskilling in ways that stick, and creating a culture where teams use AI confidently and responsibly. The payoff is real reclaimed capacity—hours redirected from low-value work into higher-impact execution.
SPEAKERS TBA
3:15 pm
Networking Break No. 4
3:30 pm
Built in Ohio: The Innovation Showcase // Startups (full session)
No pitch decks—just products. The Summit closes by putting builders on stage to demonstrate market-ready technology already delivering results. Expect crisp demos that show what’s being built in Ohio, who it serves, and why it’s ready to scale.
Dan Manges: Founder & CEO, RWX
Nomiki Petrolla: Founder, Theanna
4:00 pm
Happy Hour – Celebrate Ohio’s Tech Momentum
Wrap up the day with drinks, music, and great conversation. Whether you're new to Ohio’s tech scene or a longtime contributor, celebrate what we’re building, together.
