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.

After years of rate shock, valuation standoffs, and a sluggish exit environment, the middle market is showing signs of life, though sponsors and buyers continue to navigate real friction around price discovery, unpredictable financing windows, and the tension between deploying capital and maintaining underwriting discipline. This panel will examine what's actually moving deals forward, what's still derailing them at the finish line, and what that means in practice for building conviction heading into 2027.

Join us for a fireside chat with Kaitlyn Desai of Pritzker Private Capital (PPC), whose team focuses on manufactured products across packaging, food, and specialty industrials. Kaitlyn will share PPC's approach to sourcing and structuring deals in these sectors, along with the value creation strategies that help portfolio companies grow post-close. Expect a high-level conversation on what's driving deal activity and where the opportunities lie.

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!

Capital is chasing the next wave of healthcare innovation - from value-based care and specialty providers to digital health, biopharma, and tech-enabled services. This session brings together top investors and industry leaders to share where they see opportunity, how they’re positioning for growth, and what trends, risks, and regulatory shifts could shape dealmaking in the years ahead.

Private credit has expanded well beyond senior direct lending into junior capital, mezzanine, hybrid debt-equity, and asset-backed finance - giving sponsors a broader toolkit than ever before. As we look toward 2027, this panel explores how sponsors are structuring the capital stack creatively across the deal lifecycle, from initial structuring through add-ons and exit, and what emerging trends in tool selection will mean for middle-market transactions in the year ahead.

The Table Talk Lunch brings structure to connection. With thoughtfully themed tables and guided conversation, attendees can network with purpose, explore timely topics, and walk away with new insights and real relationships. Table topics coming soon!