The Florida Innovation Conference, powered by BioFlorida, will take place at the JW Marriott Orlando, Grande Lakes, Wednesday October 14 – Friday, October 16, 2026. The conference will begin at 1pm on Wednesday and close out at 2pm on Friday. This year’s Conference will bring together the life sciences community in the state and showcase current scientific advancements, business achievements and public policy affecting the industry. Please check back for program and speaker updates as they occur.

*Agenda subject to change

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2026

11:30 AM – 5:30 PMRegistration Open - Palazzo Foyer

1:05 pm – 1:15 pm

Chairman’s Address 
Dr. Charles Bruce, Mayo Clinic 

Palazzo Ballroom

1:15 pm – 1:45 pm

Conference Welcome  
Mark A. Glickman, President & CEO, BioFlorida  

Palazzo Ballroom

1:45 pm – 2:15 pm

Keynote
Charles Bruce, MD, Mayo Clinic
Joseph Iannotti, MD, Cleveland Clinic
Robert Finizio, MintPharma Capital

Palazzo Ballroom

2:15 pm – 3:00 pm

Executive Panel: Innovation to Impact – Building Companies That Change Lives 
Maurice Ferré, MD, Insightec                      
Chuck Mattera, PhD, Avalanche Thinking 
Greg Frost, PhD, Exuma Biotech
Moderator: Ben Patz, DeepWork Capital 

Palazzo Ballroom

3:00 pm - 3:45 pm

Beyond the Title: Leadership, Risk & Reinvention
Careers aren't defined by titles. They're shaped by the decisions we make, the risks we take and the moments that challenge us to reinvent what's next.

Karen Moore, APR, CPRC, Moore, Inc. 
Gail Page, Turret Capital Management, L.P.
Stella Vnook, PhD, Kaida BioPharma
Moderator: Lorrie Albinson, BioFlorida  

Palazzo Ballroom

4:30 pm - 5:15 pm

VIP Reception (Invite Only)

Mediterranean Salon 8

5:00 pm - 6:30 pm

Welcome Reception - Innovation Hall

Coquina South

6:30 pm - ?Dinner on your own

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2026

8:00 AM – 6:30 PMRegistration Open - Mediterranean Pre Function Hallway
8:00 am – 9:00 am

Breakfast with Exhibitors

Coquina South

8:00 am – 5:00 pm

Innovation Hall Open, One-on-One Partnering Available, and VIP Lounge Open

Coquina South

8:00 am - 9:00 am

VIP Breakfast

Mediterranean Salon 8

9:00 am – 9:50 am

General Session

Keynote 
Florida's Opportunity: What Global Life Sciences Companies Need and Where Innovation Happens Next
Moderator: Elizabeth A Shenkman, PhD, University of Florida
Peter Paine, Bristol Myers Squibb
Shaan C. Gandhi, MD, PAVE at Pfizer

Coquina North

9:50 am - 10:00 amTransition Break  
*Coffee near breakouts*

Breakout Sessions (1)

10:00 am - 10:45 am

The Florida Advantage
How Florida's economic development leaders are
accelerating investment, talent, infrastructure, and
innovation across the state's life sciences ecosystem 

Moderator: Matt Swanson, SelectFlorida
Warren Baucom, Lee County EDO
Todd Holt, Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance
Bill Cronin, Pasco EDC
Tim Giuliani, Orlando Economic Partnership

Mediterranean Salon 6

The Path to Future Cures: Innovation, Access and Policy
A discussion around the importance of continued biopharmaceutical innovation
and what it means for patients, researchers and Florida’s future 

Moderator: Sharon Lamberton, PhRMA
Senate President Pro Tempore Jason Brodeur, Florida Senate (R-Lake Mary)
Dr. Robert W. Levin, Florida Society of Rheumatology, Coalition of State Rheumatology Organizations, Alliance for Transparent and Affordable Prescriptions
Mark Hobraczk, AiArhritis

Mediterranean Salon 7

10:45 am - 11:00 amTransition Break
11:00 am - 12:00 pm

General Session 

From Legislation to Life Saving Innovation: The Sunshine Genetics Act 
How government, academia, healthcare, and industry are working
together to strengthen Florida's life sciences ecosystem. 

Moderator: Gaurav Malik, Quest Diagnostics
David H. Ledbetter, PhD, FACMG, Florida Institute for Pediatric Rare Diseases
Representative Adam Anderson, Florida House of Representatives

Coquina North

12:00 pm - 12:15 pmLunch Begins
12:15 pm - 1:00 pm

General Session 

NeuroAI: Crossing the Bridge between Artificial and Biological Intelligence 
Moderator: Chuck Mattera, PhD, Avalanche Thinking, Inc.  
Paul Evans, PhD, Max Planck Florida Institute for Neuroscience                
Martin Maier, PhD, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique 
Jackson Streeter, MD, DeepWork Capital

Coquina North

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

Innovation Hall Networking/Partnering Meetings

Coquina South

Breakout Sessions (2)

2:00 pm - 2:45 pm

Health Systems 
Innovative Solutions to Patient Care
Moderator: Charles Bruce, MD, Mayo Clinic
Joseph P. Iannotti, MD, Cleveland Clinic
Jay Lebsack, Moffitt Cancer Center
Alyssa Tanaka, PhD, AdventHealth

Mediterranean Salon 6

Preparing to Raise Capital: What Investors Expect and How Companies Should Prepare Internally 
Moderator: Rob Mino, Helus Pharma 
Doug Calder, Vycellix
Jenna Mons Anderson, KiHealth
Quang Pham, Cadrenal Therapeutics

Mediterranean Salon 7

2:45 pm - 3:00 pmTransition Break

Breakout Sessions (3)

3:00 pm - 3:45 pm

Innovation Spotlight 
Moderator: Erik Ilyayev, MD, MedBetterHealth
Dan Salain, Recall Therapeutics
Jackie von Salm, PhD, Psilera Inc.
Tom Christensen, KIFFIK Biomedical

Mediterranean Salon 6

Networking for Introverts, Extraverts and In-Between Verts 
Abby Kohut, Staffing Symphony
Heidi Rosen, Clinical Dynamix

Mediterranean Salon 7

3:45 pm - 5:00 pm

Innovation Hall/Partnering Meetings

Coquina South 

6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

BioFlorida Awards Celebration (open to all attendees/registrants)

Coquina North

 

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2026

7:30 AM – 1:00 PMRegistration Open - Mediterranean Pre Function Hallway
7:00 am – 8:00 am

Government Affairs Committee Members Breakfast

Mediterranean Salon 8

8:00 am – 9:00 am

Breakfast with Exhibitors

Coquina South

8:00 am - 12:00 pm

One-on-One Partnering Available

Coquina South 

8:30 am - 11:00 am

BIOPITCH (open to all attendees)
*Please note entering & exiting will only be permitted during transition
times when teams are not presenting to minimize distractions*

Florida Premier - Mediterranean Salon 6
8:30am-8:48am  Ocubio
8:53am- 9:11am Ribonaut Therapeutics
9:16am-9:34 am AllerGene AI Therapeutics
9:39am-9:57am Tunez Footwear
10:02am- 10:20am Oral Biolife
10:25am- 10:43am Endurance Bio

Emerging Florida - Mediterranean Salon 7                                          
8:30am - 8:48am Mitochondrial Medicines Corporation
8:53am - 9:11am Synvitta Diagnostics
9:16am - 9:34am Evergait LLC
9:39am - 9:57am ClearPath Cardio
10:02am - 10:20am Azome Therapeutics

Future Florida - Mediterranean Salon 8
8:53am- 9:11am Aurie-Cathbuddy, Inc.
9:16am-9:34am TremeBio
9:39am-9:57am LisenID
10:02am- 10:20am Sensor Therapeutics- MyoGuard
10:25am- 10:43am BioStream

9:00 am 

Exhibits Close/Exhibitor Breakdown 

9:00 am - 9:05 am 

General Session 
Intro, Mark Glickman, BioFlorida

Coquina North

9:05 am - 9:50 am

General Session 

Dealmaking in 2026: What’s Driving Winners in Life Sciences – and How Leaders Prepare
A look at where Life Sciences M&A has happened year-to-date, key market signals, what buyers/sellers are
prioritizing, and how “deal readiness” is being defined. Audience members will hear actionable guidance on
running a value-maximizing process while founders and executives simultaneously prepare for liquidity
planning considerations.

Moderator: Tim Plett, J.P. Morgan, Commercial Bank
Charles Caldwell, J.P. Morgan, Commercial & Investment Bank
Marc Seaverson, J.P. Morgan, Private Bank
Bill Druehl, J.P. Morgan, Commercial Bank
John Engels, Corvivo Cardiovascular
Michael J. Torres, PhD, Artan Bio

Coquina North

9:50 am - 10:20 am 

General Session 
Capital Connections - From Tallahassee to Washington DC
Jim Daughton, Metz, Husband & Daughton, P.A.
Jim Wiltraut, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney

Coquina North

10:20 am - 10:30 amBreak 
10:30 am - 11:15 am

General Session 
Driving the Future of MedTech

Robert Cohen, Stryker
Kirsten Tullia, AdvaMed
Leonard Pinchuk, PhD, Innovia LLC

Coquina North

11:15 am - 12:00 pm 

General Session 
Made in Florida: Innovation at Scale
Moderator: Amruta Mhashilkar, MD PhD. MBA, Catalent
Omer Zeevi, Ossio
Andrew Majdoch, GBI Bio
Todd Lewis, Transpire Bio

Coquina North

12:00 pm - 12:30 pm 

General Session 
BIOPITCH Winners Announced
Closing Remarks

Coquina North

12:30 pm

Grab and Go Lunch 

Coquina Foyer

*Agenda subject to change