Enjoy breakfast and visit with the companies featured in our Innovation Hall before the program begins!

Welcome Remarks

To kick off the morning, Renee Wynn, former Chief Information Officer of NASA, will open the summit with a TED-style, 10-minute keynote exploring, “Space to Cyberspace: Securing Infrastructure that Connects the World.”

Following her presentation Renee will sit down for an intimate fireside chat moderated by Aaron Bulter, Senior Director of Intelligent Operations for Slalom. 

In this conversation we’ll explore how technology and technology leaders are advancing accessibility through the workforce, healthcare, and community services. 

Moderated by Denver City Councilmember Chris Hinds, this panel will explore how technology-driven solutions are being developed, implemented, and scaled to reduce barriers, support workforce participation, strengthen healthcare delivery, and improve access to community-based services. Panelists will share practical examples, leadership perspectives, and lessons learned from applying accessibility-focused approaches across sectors.

• Speakers:
  • Moderator: Councilman Chris Hinds, Denver City Council
  • Mike Hess, CEO, Blind Institute of Technology (BIT)
  • Owen Kent, Co-Founder and Chief Marketing Officer, ATDev
  • Candy Tefertiller, Executive Director of Research and Evaluation Helen Phillips Levin Endowed Chair of Research, Craig Hospital
  • Holly Bise, Enterprise Administrator/Relay Colorado Administrator, Colorado Division for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind

Public safety relies on systems that function reliably, communicate clearly, and adapt as needs evolve. Technology plays a critical role in the infrastructure that supports these efforts, particularly when coordination and responsiveness matter most.

This panel brings together leaders from local government, the justice system, and technology to discuss how modern tools and platforms are strengthening public safety infrastructure. The conversation will explore topics such as emergency communications, system modernization, and cross-agency coordination, with an emphasis on building solutions that are secure, resilient, and grounded in public trust.

This session offers an opportunity to hear from leaders working at the intersection of technology and public safety infrastructure, and to better understand how Colorado is approaching the future of these critical systems.

Panelists:

• Moderator: Stephanie O’Malley, Associate Vice Chancellor of Government Relations and Community Affairs, University of Denver, and former Denver Safety Director
• Denver District Attorney John Walsh
• Al Gardner, Executive Director, Denver Department of Safety
• Andre McGregor, Founder and CEO, ForceMetrics
• Chandy Gosh, Chief Operating Officer and General Manager, Sinch Emergency Services

Bob Newman, Founder of Colorado Technology Association, along with Governor Jared Polis, will join us in presenting this year’s award.

David Cohen, Founder & CEO of Techstars, and Seth Levine, Founder and Partner at Foundry Group, will sit down with Tami Door, Co-Founder of Colorado Startup Week and Interim CEO for the Downtown Boulder Partnership, to discuss Colorado’s startup and tech ecosystem: where it’s been, where it’s going, and the lessons learned from building one of the nation’s most vibrant tech communities.

David and Seth are also this year’s Bob Newman Lifetime Achievement Award recipients. The award recognizes individuals who have made outstanding achievements and commitments to furthering innovative technology in Colorado and is selected by previous honorees. We’re so excited to celebrate both David’s and Seth’s accomplishments at this year’s event. 

Explore the Innovation Hallway and get to know the companies driving Colorado tech forward! Don’t forget to complete your Innovation Hallways passports for the chance to win a roundtrip, first-class ticket with United Airlines.

Don’t miss it-We will be giving away 100 copies of Seth Levine’s new book, The Capital Revolution. Books will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, and Seth will be signing copies during the scheduled break.

Announcement of this year’s –

• Advocate of the Year
• Access & Talent Champion of the Year
• Emerging Tech Leader of the Year
• Emerging Tech Company of the Year
• Project of the Year
• CISO of the Year
• CIO/Technology Leader of the Year
• CEO of the Year
• Company of the Year
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Celebrate our 2026 APEX Award winners in our Innovation Hallway!