Registration + Breakfast
Presented by the Arizona Commerce Authority.
Freeway presents
Tech Talent Summit 6.0
Fri, Nov 6, 2026, 9:00 AM – 8:00 PMPlayer 15 Group0 going
Setting the Stage
Opening Remarks
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego, Sandra Watson (Arizona Commerce Authority), and Dan Costello (Phoenix Suns & Mercury) open the day.
Speakers
Kate Gallego
Mayor · City of Phoenix
Sandra Watson
President & CEO · Arizona Commerce Authority
Dan Costello
EVP & Chief Business Officer · Phoenix Suns & Mercury
Keynote: The Performance Economy, From the Ground Up
AI doesn’t start in the cloud. It starts with land, power, and people. Anita Verma-Lallian (Arizona Land Consulting), who has closed $1.5B+ in land deals behind the AI data center boom, joins Chris Richardson, Freeway founding advisor and Governor appointee to Arizona’s AI Steering Committee, on why Arizona is where AI gets built.
Speakers
Anita Verma-Lallian
Founder & CEO · Arizona Land Consulting
Chris Richardson
SVP Enterprise Architecture & AI Hub · CSAA Insurance Group
Talent, Teams & AI
Built to Perform: Talent, AI Agents & the New Org Chart
How to hire for talent density, what to hand to AI agents, and how to keep your best people growing. With Kate King (TerramTech), Edward Wu (Side), and Chris Ronzio (Trainual). Moderated by Michele Floriani (PeopleLoop).
Speakers
Kate King
Co-Founder, President & COO · TerramTech
Edward Wu
Co-Founder & CEO · Side
Chris Ronzio
Founder & CEO · Trainual
Moderator
Michele Floriani
PeopleLoop
Force Multipliers: Inside the AI-Native Revenue Team
Meet the GTM engineers, AI-fluent sellers, and operators turning small teams into big numbers. With Jess Berger (Bundle x Joy), Heidi Jannenga (WebPT), and Rob Nicoletti (create human / HALO). Moderated by Dayna Ciarfalia (The Intersect Group).
Speakers
Jess Berger
Founder & CEO · Bundle x Joy
Heidi Jannenga
Co-Founder & Board Member · WebPT
Rob Nicoletti
Founder & CEO · create human / HALO
Moderator
Dayna Ciarfalia
The Intersect Group
Hot Seat: Did AI Just Kill the Entry-Level Job?
The end of the career ladder, or the fastest on-ramp ever built? Two sides, no fence-sitting, and you vote. Hosted by Katie Sieker (Arizona Commerce Authority) and Chiara Hughes (RootWorks).
Hosts
Katie Sieker
SVP, Venture Partnerships · Arizona Commerce Authority
Chiara Hughes
Co-Founder · RootWorks
Capital & Opportunity
VC Panel
What investors are backing now: lean teams, output per person, and what a fundable Arizona company looks like. With Glenn Lurie (Stormbreaker Ventures), Azin Radsan van Alebeek (Emmeline Ventures), Justin Gray (InRevenue Capital), and Autumn Collins (Strategic Advisor). Moderated by Sharon Ducati (Venture Madness/Invest Southwest).
Speakers
Glenn Lurie
General Partner · Stormbreaker Ventures
Azin Radsan van Alebeek
Founding GP · Emmeline Ventures
Justin Gray
Partner · InRevenue Capital
Autumn Collins
Strategic Advisor · Independent
Moderator
Sharon Ducati
Venture Madness/Invest Southwest
Physical AI Needs People
AI is moving into factories, energy grids, and supply chains, creating roles most people haven’t heard of yet. Cognite’s Mayur Patel and Nader Salman, Ph.D. share what industrial teams are hiring for. Moderated by Marc Chesley (Fuse Ventures), with a live AMA to close.
Speakers
Mayur Patel
Head of Engineering & Agentic AI · Cognite
Nader Salman, Ph.D.
Director of AI · Cognite
Moderator
Marc Chesley
Fuse Ventures
Talent Match: Speed Rounds With Hiring Teams
Candidates meet hiring founders and employers face to face, hosted by The Intersect Group, Liz Weber, and Porte. This is where conversations turn into offers.
Host
Liz Weber
Marketing That Cuts Through the Noise
How startups stand out when everyone has the same tools. With Tim Hargis, Wes Donahoe (Nina). Moderated by Kathy Sacks.
Speakers
Tim Hargis
Wes Donahoe
Nina
Moderator
Kathy Sacks