Kick off the day at Registration and enjoy a light refreshment. Check in, grab a coffee and bite to eat, and connect with fellow attendees before the program begins.

The 1:1 Meeting Hall will be an inviting area outside the conference room with small tables and lounge seating where attendees can network, recharge, and have meetings. With the Meeting Hall, there is no need to schedule a meeting at the restaurant next door or feel like you’re scrambling to find a nook that has opened up.

The traditional three-to-five year hold period has quietly become a fiction and for sponsors still waiting on the exit environment to cooperate, the pressure is mounting. But the firms separating themselves right now aren't just surviving longer holds, they're using them deliberately: accelerating organic growth initiatives, executing add-on strategies, installing new management, and building the kind of business quality that commands a premium when the market does open. This panel examines how middle-market GPs are shifting from a returns-through-leverage model to a genuine value creation imperative and what it actually looks like to build a better company under conditions nobody underwrote for. Panelists will also address the harder questions: how to communicate extended timelines to LPs, when recapitalization becomes the right answer, and whether the M&A market will ultimately reward the work being done inside these portfolios.

More details coming soon!

Located at the heart of the forum, the Connection Café will be the haven outside the content. Grab-and-go refreshments and soft seating will create a location for an intentional or spontaneous pit stop between sessions. It will be the go-to spot for attendees to refuel, gather to chat, jot notes or take a clarity break.

Attendees will have the opportunity to connect with speakers 1:1 in a conversational setting during Meet the Speakers. Panelists will remain in the room for additional questions - a prime opportunity to make an introduction!

Technology remains one of the most active and expansive sectors for middle-market private equity but not all corners of the market are created equal. From health tech and fintech to ed tech, and business services software, sponsors are sharpening their sector focus and applying greater discipline to how they source, underwrite, and build technology platforms. This panel brings together investors, lenders, and advisors to examine where the most compelling middle-market technology opportunities are emerging, how deal structures are evolving, and what a credible value creation plan looks like for a technology platform in today's environment.

Fundraising is no longer confined to the investor relations team or a dedicated fundraising cycle. Today's LPs expect greater transparency, deeper access to firm leadership, and meaningful engagement with the people responsible for investing, operations, finance, and governance. As a result, capital formation has become a firm-wide effort that extends well beyond IR.  This session explores how leading firms are breaking down silos to create a more coordinated approach to investor engagement. Hear how investor relations, investment professionals, CFOs, general counsel, and operating leaders are working together to tell a consistent story, strengthen LP relationships, navigate increasingly sophisticated due diligence, and position their firms for long-term fundraising success.

Close out your day with all the connections you’ve made and insights you’ve gained. Enjoy casual networking while sipping and savoring among thoughtfully designed food + wine pairing stations.