3:00-7:00 p.m. | Outside Jr. Ballroom
5:30-7:00 p.m. | Jr. Ballroom
7:30-9:00 a.m.
8:00-9:00 a.m.
9:00 a.m. (10 mins)
9:10 a.m. (20 mins)
Gain a clear, executive-level perspective on why quantum belongs in the boardroom, not just the lab. Presented by Janet Rehberg, CEO of EPB, this session highlights how EPB is advancing real-world quantum capabilities. EPB is an energy and fiber optics provider and a national leader in advanced infrastructure.
The session will also cover EPB’s work on the nation’s first commercially available quantum network, as well as the EPB Quantum Center℠. The center provides access to both quantum computing and high-performance classical computing, creating a unique environment for accelerating practical, real-world applications.
9:30 a.m. (30 mins)
Moderated by Sheila Boyington, CEO of Thinking Media and co-developer of TN QuantumWorks, this fireside chat with Sen. Bo Watson and Commissioner Deniece Thomas, Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce, will explore how Tennessee is building the talent, infrastructure and investment needed to compete in the quantum economy. From the launch of TN QuantumWorks in Hamilton County Schools to the state’s $43 million investment in the Tennessee Quantum Initiative, hear how Tennessee is preparing its workforce, supporting industry and creating new opportunities for businesses to gain a quantum advantage.
10:00 a.m. (30 mins)
Presented by Colin Soutar, Managing Director at Deloitte, the world's largest professional services organization, advising nearly 90% of the Fortune Global 500 across more than 150 countries. Quantum has reached the point where leaders don't need to understand the science behind it, but they do need to understand how it could reshape their markets and cybersecurity landscape. Drawing on Deloitte's global quantum research and its work guiding executives through what the next five years may hold, this session cuts past the technical complexity to focus on the business case: why quantum represents a genuine economic opportunity, how it is expected to transform cybersecurity and data protection, which industries stand to gain the most, and why the advantage is likely to favor early movers rather than those who wait.
10:30 a.m. (30 mins)
A practical, no nonsense look at what quantum is and where it is helping leaders cut through hype to understand where it fits today. Presented by Dr. Shaun 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.
11:00 a.m. (30 mins)
Presented by Tim Liston, US Civic Strategist & Engagement Leader at EY, a global advisory firm helping the world's largest organizations prepare for quantum. Two things are true at once: quantum is opening real opportunities for optimizing portfolios, supply chains, logistics, and even energy grid reliability, while also creating an urgent security risk, as today's encryption is expected to be vulnerable by 2030. Yet EY's latest research shows nearly 9 in 10 leaders expect quantum to disrupt their industry, and only 4% have a funded plan in motion. This session gives leaders a clear, business-level view of where quantum pays off, and what first steps --- on data, talent, and partners --- can close the gap between interest and readiness.
11:30 a.m. (30 min)
12:00 p.m. (1 hr)
12:00 p.m. (30 mins)
This fireside chat with Mayor Tim Kelly, moderated by Deloitte's Mike Connors, will discuss Chattanooga's emerging role in quantum, the opportunity to attract investment and high-quality jobs, and how the city can prepare its workforce and community to benefit.
12:30 p.m. (30 mins)
A look at why business engagement with quantum is no longer a question of if, but how and when, featuring Niccolo de Masi, Chairman & 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.
1:00 p.m. (15 min)
1:15 p.m. (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, CEO of the Chattanooga Quantum Collaborative (CQC), with participation from Rick Mukherjee, PhD, Director of the Quantum Center at UTC and Associate Professor of Physics, Krishnendu (Krish) Roy, PhD, Bruce and Bridgitt Evans Dean of Engineering and University Distinguished Professor at Vanderbilt University, Muhammad Ismail, PhD, Director CEROC and Professor of Computer Science at Tennessee Tech University, and and Hanna Terletska, PhD, Director of QRISE Center (Quantum Research Interdisciplinary Science and education Center) and Professor of Physics, Middle Tennessee State University. 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.
2:00 p.m. (45 mins)
Led by Chad Sakac, Field Engineering Time-To-Solution with IonQ, this session brings together business leaders to share real-world use case examples that move beyond theory and into application. Sakac will talk about IonQ work with the finance industry and then engage Philippe Barraud, Director of the KIRQ Test Bed for Numana shares information about how his team is building and validating quantum-safe networks for companies that are preparing for the next generation of quantum cybersecurity. Dr. Prithviraj (“Prith”) Banerjee, Senior Vice President, Synopsys Innovation Group will talk about how his company is working with the automotive industry and other advanced manufacturing companies to utilize quantum hybrid methodologies for simulations that dramatically reduce the cost of flow design and crash testing. Robert Long, President Strategic Initiatives for EPB will discuss how EPB is using quantum computing to further optimize the local power grid to reduce costs and enhance resilience for the benefit of EPB’s customers.
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 details, 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.
2:45 p.m. (30 mins)
Quantum computing has the potential to solve problems that are beyond the reach of today’s most powerful classical computers. But realizing that potential will require more than advances in quantum hardware alone. It will depend on the thoughtful integration of AI, high-performance computing, industry expertise and practical use-case development.
Led by Shreyas Ramesh, Global Quantum Lead and Managing Director at Accenture, this session will explore how business leaders can evaluate where AI, classical computing and quantum computing each create value—and how these technologies can work together to address complex challenges. Participants will gain a practical framework for identifying promising quantum use cases, understanding what must be true for quantum advantage to emerge, and preparing their organizations to move from curiosity to disciplined experimentation.
3:15 p.m. (30 mins)
Quantum can feel like something to watch from a distance, especially when organizations aren’t sure how to begin. Moderated by J.Ed. Marston, EPB Vice President Strategic Communications, this session looks at some of the practical pieces that help move quantum from interest to action: finding funding and resources to support early exploration; determining where quantum should live within an organization and who needs to own it; building internal knowledge and capability; and understanding what investors are looking for as emerging quantum companies move toward commercialization. Hear from Daniel Crawley, Manager of Strategic Research at EPB on navigating the funding landscape, John Licata, Futures Director and Quantum Lead with ServiceNow (NYSE: NOW), on organizational integration, Matt Cimaglia, Founding & Managing Partner at Quantum Coast Capital on the investment perspective, and Ganesh Sivakumar, SVP, Chief Data, Applied AI & Technology Innovation Officer Digital Transformation Organization, Unum, on building literacy from within.
3:45 p.m. (10 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.
