Discussion Panels
Keynote
10:00am to 10:50am
Kick off the PE/VC Symposium with a keynote fireside chat featuring Syaru Shirley Lin, founder and chair of the Center for Asia-Pacific Resilience and Innovation (CAPRI). A trailblazer in global finance and policy, Shirley was the youngest woman and one of the first Asian partners at Goldman Sachs, where she led pioneering private equity and venture investments in Asia—including early bets on Alibaba, SMIC, and Sina that helped shape the region’s technology landscape.
Drawing on her experience spanning venture capital, academia, and public policy, Shirley will share insights on how innovation, governance, and cross-sector collaboration can drive sustainable growth and resilience in a rapidly changing world. Her conversation will set the stage for a day of dialogue at the intersection of capital, innovation, and impact.
Syaru Shirley Lin
Founder and Chair, the Center for Asia-Pacific Resilience and Innovation (CAPRI)
— Keynote Speaker
Middle Market Private Equity
11:10am to 12:00pm
Join seasoned middle-market investors as they explore how the private equity model is evolving to meet shifting market dynamics, the critical role of active value creation, and strategies for navigating an increasingly complex and competitive global landscape
Bob Davis
Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Nebrodi Partners
James Soldano
Managing Partner, Sterling Investment Partners
Ogden Phipps
Co-Managing Partner, TruArc
Emerging Markets
11:10am to 12:00pm
Join global investors as they examine the opportunities and challenges shaping private capital deployment across emerging markets. This conversation will explore regional macro trends, evolving regulatory environments, and the strategies investors are using to unlock growth, manage risk, and build resilient portfolios in some of the world’s most dynamic economies
Bob Davis
Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Nebrodi Partners
James Soldano
Managing Partner, Sterling Investment Partners
Ogden Phipps
Co-Managing Partner, TruArc
Real Estate Investments
1:00pm to 1:50pm
Explore the evolving world of real estate investments as industry experts discuss emerging trends, innovative strategies, and how the sector is adapting to economic shifts and changing market demands in a post-pandemic era
Zachary Sheinberg
Managing Partner, Wind Raven
Former MD & COO, HB Capital Group
Dan Magder
Managing Director, Center Creek Capital Group
CEO, Center Creek Homes
Cole Weston
Director, Yale Investments Office (Real Estate)
Kevin Gray
Lecturer, Yale University
Principal, Kevin D Gray Consulting — Moderator
Incubators & Accelerators
Discover how incubators and accelerators are redefining their models to drive innovation, foster entrepreneurial ecosystems, and adapt to the shifting needs of startups, investors, and consumers in an ever-changing market landscape
1:00pm to 1:50pm
Grant Silow
Founder and General Partner, 25M Core
Jeff Becker
General Partner, Antler
Justine Lee
President & CEO, ClimateHaven
Gary Stewart
Former TechStars MD, Venture Partner at Hearst Ventures
Victoria Franco
Executive Director, Morgan Stanley Inclusive Ventures — Moderator
Healthcare & MedTech
Redefining the boundaries of care and innovation: a deep dive into the transformative potential of healthcare and medical technologies to shape the future of human resilience — and how investment strategies are adapting to a rapidly-changing, highly-regulated environment
2:10pm to 3:00pm
Julie Wolf
Partner, 2048 Ventures
Kwasi Kyei
Founder, Handspring Health
William (Bill) Slattery
Partner, Deerfield Management — Therapeutics
Chris McLeod
Managing Partner, Elm Street Ventures — Moderator
Climate Innovation
2:10pm to 3:00pm
Join leading investors as they discuss the future of climate innovation, exploring breakthrough technologies, effective investment strategies, and the critical role of private capital in driving sustainable solutions to global challenges
Aly Bryan
Principal, Closed Loop Partners
Aashna Desai
Vice President, Nuveen
Kavita Patel
Principal, MUUS Climate Partners
Caroline Lempres
Director, Morgan Stanley Institute for Sustainable Investing — Moderator
Ari Frankel
ESG Principal – Climate, KKR (Capstone)
AI & Tech Services
3:20pm to 4:10pm
Leading investors in AI, fintech, and tech-enabled services discuss trends, opportunities, and the rapidly shifting landscape of disruptive technologies
James Walker
Principal, Draper Associates
Jason Morris
Director, AI & Ecosystem Readiness at Microsoft
Managing Partner, The Batchery
Victoria Pettibone
Chief Investment Officer & Managing Partner, Astia Fund
Timi Dayo-Kayode
Co-Lead Investor, BK XL
Sports Investing
Join investors and operators at the forefront of the sports ecosystem as they explore emerging opportunities across teams, leagues, media, and technology. This discussion will unpack how capital is reshaping fan engagement, franchise value, and the broader sports economy — and where the next wave of investment and innovation is headed
3:20pm to 4:10pm
Alex Pischalnikov
Director, Strategy & Investments, MN8 Energy
Kamil Kopec
Investment Principal (Associate), J.P. Morgan Asset Management
Taylor Parkinson
President, West Biofuels
Yev Gelfand
Partner, Alumni Ventures — Moderator
Fundraising and Allocating
4:30pm to 5:20pm
Join leading LPs and GPs as they unpack the evolving fundraising landscape, shifting allocator priorities, and the capital-deployment strategies shaping today’s private markets. This conversation will explore how institutional investors assess opportunities, build resilient portfolios, and navigate a slower, more disciplined fundraising cycle amid changing macro conditions
Drew Schardt
Vice Chairman, Global Head of Investment Strategy & Head of Direct Equity, Hamilton Lane
Aaron Witte
Senior Portfolio Manager, Private Equity at AustralianSuper
Elizabeth Banes
Associate, Leveraged Buyouts at Yale Investments Office
Amanda Pullinger
Founder & Principal, Global Female Investors Management & Former CEO of 100 Women in Finance — Moderator