October 20–21, 2026 · New York City

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
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
Corey Preugschat, Baker Tilly
Chris Kunstadter, Triton Space (fmr. Global Head of Space, AXA XL)
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.
Katherine Monson, Hale
Jon Lusczakoski, AE Industrial Partners
2:30
Fireside
From Bootstrapping to Bell Ringing
· Sponsored by Space Grove Ventures
Dr. Melissa Patton, Founder & CEO, Space Grove Ventures
Carol Craig, Founder, CEO & Chairman, Sidus Space
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
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
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
1:15
Panel
Who's Buying SpaceTech Now?
Moderator to be announced
Molly Sullivan, Space Tango
Luke Fischer, SkyFi
Byron Kelly, NextEra Energy Investments
2:00
Panel
Made in Space: The Case for Low-Gravity Manufacturing
Moderator: Sam Gunderson, Strategic Advisor, Space Profit (fmr. NASA, Blue Origin, Boeing)
John Vellinger, EVP, Redwire Space & CEO, SpaceMD
Shishir Bankapur, CEO & Founder, Helogen
2:45
1:1 Meetings
60 minutes. Pre-matched, pre-booked.
3:45
Panel
Compute in Orbit: Data Centers, Quantum, and the Power Problem
Moderator: Dennis Gatens, Founder, LEOcloud — Voyager Technologies
Aaron Kemp, KPMG
Fred Kennedy, Dark Fission
Jon Kirchner, Perfero Advisory
Rob DeMillo, CEO & Co-Founder, Sophia Space
4:30
Closing Spotlight
Feeding the World from Orbit
Robyn Gatens, Retired Director, ISS & Commercial Space Flight Divisions, NASA
5:00
Reception
Closing Reception

The full guide goes deeper.

This page is the shape of the two days. The Event Guide is how you plan whom to meet before you ever walk in.

  • Full session descriptions for every session, both days
  • The complete speaker lineup with titles and companies
  • VIP Kick-Off Reception details (October 19)
  • How the matchmade 1:1 appointments actually work
Get the Event Guide Register to Attend

Program subject to change · Attendance is limited to 200 vetted participants.