October 20–21, 2026 · Executive Briefing Center, 12 West 39th St, NYC
VIP Reception Oct 19 · Hosted by Sheppard Mullin

The Program,
at a glance.

Fourteen mainstage sessions across two days, built as the arc of a deal — how capital forms around space companies, and how those companies win customers. The mainstage stays on strategy and finance, not engineering.

Up/Link is the finance layer of space: two days in New York where the companies building value through work in space meet the capital, customers, and partners who can fund, buy, and scale what they make.

The 1:1 Meetings. Every attendee is matched before arrival and arrives with a booked schedule. Two protected blocks run each day, and nothing on the mainstage competes with them — 800+ curated meetings across the two days, at least four per attendee. Founder Micro-Pitches run alongside on the Launch Pad: three minutes on stage, then a meeting booked in the next block.

Monday, October 19

VIP Kick-Off Reception

The deals start the night before the first keynote.

6:30 PM

Reception

VIP Kick-Off Reception

· Hosted and sponsored by Sheppard

Invitation only — speakers, sponsors, and VIP pass holders.

Tuesday, October 20

Capital Formation

Where the money lives — and how companies win it.

8:30

Registration, Networking & Coffee

1:1 meeting booking opens.

9:00

Welcome

Walter Charnizon & Steve Corrick, Co-Founders, Up/Link

9:15

Keynote

From Orbit to Opportunity

Michael Roberts, Ph.D., Chief Scientist, ISS National Laboratory

9:45

Fireside

State of the Space Economy

· Sponsored by Merrick

Chris Quilty, Co-CEO & President, Quilty Space
In conversation with Mark Lester, Head of Aerospace Strategy, Merrick

10:15

Panel

The Financial Infrastructure Behind the Space Economy

· Sponsored by Baker Tilly

Moderator: Kostas Poulakidas, Attorney/Shareholder, Greenberg Traurig
Ariel Ekblaw, Aurelia Institute
Chris Kunstadter, Triton Space (fmr. Global Head of Space, AXA XL)
Corey Preugschat, Baker Tilly
Aneeka Sajid, J.P. Morgan

11:00

Fireside

From Policy to Profit

Mike Gold, President, Redwire Space
In conversation with Christian Davenport, Author, The Space Barons

11:30

1:1 Meetings · Founder Micro-Pitches

75 minutes. Pre-matched, pre-booked. Launch Pad pitches run alongside.

12:45

Lunch

1:45

Panel

How SpaceTech Becomes an Institutional Asset Class

· Sponsored by AE Industrial Partners

Moderator: Crystal Shen, Regional Head of Capital Markets, NYSE
Jodi Bartin, CitiCourt & Co.
Jon Lusczakoski, AE Industrial Partners
Katherine Monson, Hale

2:30

Fireside

From Bootstrapping to Bell Ringing

· Sponsored by Space Grove Ventures

Carol Craig, Founder, CEO & Chairman, Sidus Space
Dr. Melissa Patton, Founder & CEO, Space Grove Ventures

3:00

1:1 Meetings

75 minutes. Pre-matched, pre-booked.

4:15

Closing Panel

The VC Playbook: How Capital Picks Winners in 2026

· Sponsored by Fidelity Investments

Moderator: Charlie Stephens, Fidelity Investments
John Gowan, KickStage Ventures
John Richmond, Lockheed Martin Ventures
Raphael Roettgen, E2MC

5:00

Reception

Day 1 Reception

· Sponsored by Fidelity Investments

Followed by private sponsor dinners.

Wednesday, October 21

Commercial Adoption & Growth

Who's buying, what's being built and sold — and what it's all for.

8:30

Networking & Coffee

1:1 meeting booking opens.

9:00

Fireside

Not Your Parents' Moonshot

Rob Meyerson, CEO, Interlune (fmr. President, Blue Origin)
In conversation with John Gowan, KickStage Ventures

9:30

Panel

The Defense-to-Commercial Bridge

Moderator: Christian Davenport, Author, The Space Barons
Fred Kennedy, Co-Founder & CEO, Dark Fission
John Richmond, Lockheed Martin Ventures
LTC (Ret.) Mike “Woody” Woodhouse, VP, Space, Air & Missile Defense, Leonardo DRS

10:15

Fireside

Selling Space: How Nations Buy In

· Sponsored by Nebex

Tejpaul Bhatia, CEO, Nebex

11:00

1:1 Meetings · Founder Micro-Pitches

75 minutes. Pre-matched, pre-booked. Launch Pad pitches run alongside.

12:15

Lunch