9:00 a.m. (10 mins)
9:10 a.m. (20 mins)
A clear, executive level perspective on why quantum belongs in the boardroom—not just the lab—cutting through complexity to focus on what matters for business leaders. Presented by Janet Rehberg, CEO of EPB—an energy and fiber optics provider and national leader in advanced infrastructure—this session highlights EPB’s role in advancing real world quantum capabilities, including the nation’s first commercially available quantum network and the EPB Quantum Center℠, designed to provide access to both quantum computing and hybrid classical high performance computing—creating a unique environment to accelerate practical, real world applications.
Explore why many executives are hearing too much science and too little clarity, why quantum matters now, and how Chattanooga and Tennessee are emerging as a credible, neutral convening ground for meaningful progress—not hype.
9:30 a.m. (15 mins)
Hear from government leaders—including Chattanooga Mayor Tim Kelly and Hamilton County Mayor Zach Wamp—representing city, state, and federal leadership as they outline why Tennessee’s moment is now. This session will explore the state’s push to compete in advanced technologies, the importance of industry-led adoption, and the critical role of workforce development in building a strong quantum ecosystem and driving long-term economic opportunity.
9:45 a.m. (30 mins)
Business leaders don’t need to understand how quantum technology works, but they do need to know how it can benefit their companies in the near term and how it could reshape markets in coming years. Hear why quantum is such a big opportunity, how industries can benefit and which industries have the most to gain from early adoption and why.
10:15 a.m. (15 mins)
10:30 a.m. (30 mins)
Building public-private partnerships, identifying use cases, and developing business models to accelerate market adoption and make quantum technologies more “bankable” in real-world applications.
11:00 a.m. (30 mins)
A practical, no nonsense look at what quantum is—and isn’t—helping leaders cut through hype to understand where it fits today. Presented by Shawn Gleason, Director of Partnerships at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)—a leading U.S. Department of Energy lab at the forefront of advanced computing and quantum research—this session will help you identify the right use cases, avoid common mistakes, and evaluate when quantum offers an advantage over classical and AI approaches.
11:30 a.m. (30 min)
12:00 p.m. (30 mins)
Why quantum matters now for economic competitiveness and national security—and how Tennessee is leveraging public private partnerships to accelerate real world applications, enable early industry adoption, and position the state as a national model for quantum commercialization.
12:30 p.m. (15 mins)
A look at why business engagement with quantum is no longer a question of if, but how and when—featuring Niccolò de Masi, CEO of IonQ, a leading quantum computing company advancing commercially available systems and applications. Gain insight into what early adopters are doing today, the types of problems being explored, and what leaders are learning as they begin putting quantum into practice.
12:45 p.m. (45 mins)
Led by IonQ, this session brings together business leaders to share real-world use case examples that move beyond theory and into application. Presented in clear, accessible terms, you’ll hear how organizations identified problems suited for quantum, partnered to explore solutions, and what outcomes they’ve achieved so far.
Focused on the business—not the technical detail—this discussion will highlight why these problems were chosen, what challenges emerged, the value gained (even in early stages), and the practical insights that are already shaping executive decision-making and future roadmaps.
1:30 p.m. (15 mins)
1:45 (45 min)
This panel brings together leaders from Vanderbilt University, The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), and Tennessee Tech to explore how quantum innovation transitions from academic research into real business application.
Led by Charlie Brock of the Chattanooga Quantum Collaborative (CQC), with participation from Rick Mukherjee, PhD, Director of the Quantum Center at UTC and Associate Professor of Physics, the discussion will focus on how universities partner with industry to provide access to research, technical expertise, and emerging talent. Learn how these collaborations help companies engage earlier, apply quantum in practical ways, and build the workforce needed to support long-term innovation.
2:30 p.m. (15 mins)
Closing the day, Janet Rehberg, CEO of EPB, outlines three practical decisions leaders should act on now to prepare their organizations for a quantum-enabled future. This session will focus on why security readiness is unavoidable, the importance of understanding your organization’s data, ownership, and timelines, and how to identify a single, high value problem worth learning from—not necessarily the biggest, but the most instructive. Leaders will leave with a clearer view of how to engage resources and take meaningful next steps with confidence.
