April 23 – 24, 2026

Conference activities – April 22 

Below is the schedule for Pre- conference activities.
*Pre- Conference activities are first come, first served and tickets must be purchased separately*

1:30PM: Innovation Tour Check-In at the Westin Hotel

2:00PM: Bus departs Westin Hotel

2:30PM: Stop 1: Chemours Discovery Hub

3:25PM: Stop 2: Venture Development Center & D Studio

4:10PM: Stop 3: W.L. Gore Capabilities Center

5:30PM: Bus Arrives at the Westin Hotel

6:00PM: Welcome to Delaware Reception & Dinner

8:00PM: Welcome to Delaware Reception Ends

Schedule for Day 1, April 23 

Thursday, April 23

Welcome Breakfast & keynote

• Keynote: Wil Reynolds – Wilmington Hall

Pathways Preview

• Diamond Challenge – Wilmington Hall
• Emerging Innovators and Ambassadors – Christina Ballroom

Diamond Challenge Pitch Round 1

• Pusey & Jones A
• Pusey & Jones B
• Lobdell
• Dravo Auditorium
• Harlan & Hollingsworth A
• Harlan & Hollingsworth B

Leading with YES, AND…

Christina Ballroom

How do we play our roles as leaders, entrepreneurs, and collaborators? Are there lessons from the creative arts that can supercharge our businesses? This fun, highly interactive workshop explores the HOW of leadership – the daily choices and behaviors that shape perception of our personal brand and our organizational cultures. Using principles from improvisation, participants engage in hands‑on group and individual activities within a supportive learning environment. Attendees leave energized and equipped with practical strategies to strengthen culture, creativity, and teamwork in their ventures and communities.

Networking Break

Governor’s Hall

Diamond Challenge Pitch Round 2

• Pusey & Jones A
• Dravo Auditorium
• Harlan & Hollingsworth A
• Harlan & Hollingsworth B

Your Values, Your Edge: Making Better Choices as a Young Leader

Christina Ballroom

Capturing the Entrepreneurial Journey

Pusey & Jones B

Perfecting your Pitch

Lobdell

What happens when entrepreneurial experience meets academic insight? In this session, our experienced facilitators will explore how strong narratives shape successful ventures. Participants will learn how to craft a compelling entrepreneurial story and transform their pitch into an engaging and memorable experience.

Lunch & Keynote

• Keynote: Emily Hamel – Wilmington Hall

Diamond Challenge Pitch Round 3

• Dravo Auditorium – Gore Innovation Excellence Award
• Harlan & Hollingsworth B – Capital One Pathways to Prosperity Award

Eco-Innovation Challenge

Christina Ballroom

A design challenge bringing entrepreneurs together in collaborative teams to tackle pressing environmental issues. Over the course of our challenge, participants will brainstorm innovative solutions, prototype ideas, and present their concepts with the goal of creating impactful, sustainable solutions. This hands-on experience will empower students to think creatively and act as catalysts for change in environmental sustainability.

From Performance To Presence

Pusey & Jones A

Andrea & Brian will lead us through a series of mindfulness exercises where we’ll slow down, settle our nerves, and tune into what got us to this moment. You’ll leave feeling more calm, grounded, and present for the rest of the day ahead.

From Idea to Shark Tank to Market: An Entrepreneur’s Journey

Lobdell

InDE Fellowship Futures Mentoring

Atrium

Future researchers, scientists, and engineers, come learn about what lies ahead of you from those currently doing it. Sign up for time with innovators in Engineering, Biological Science, Mathematical Science, and Computer Science.

• Aditya Raikwar, PhD
  Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Computer and Information Sciences
• Matt Short, PhD
  Postdoctoral Researcher, Biomedical Engineering
• Dinesh Singh, PhD
  Chief Science Officer, MomIgs, Inc
• Rishabh Singh, MSc
  Graduate Research Assistant, Biomedical Engineering
• Jacob Wyngaard, MSc
  Graduate Teaching Assistant, Mathematical Sciences

Networking Break

Governor’s Hall

Diamond Challenge Pitch Round 4

• Pusey & Jones A
• Pusey & Jones B
• Lobdell
• Dravo Auditorium – DSWA Waste & Recycling Innovation Award
• Harlan & Hollingsworth A
• Harlan & Hollingsworth B – Soundboard Human Flourishing Award

Eco-Innovation Challenge Presentations

Boardroom

From Awkward Networking to Authentic Connecting

Christina Ballroom

Andrea & Brian will help us shift from surface-level interaction to genuine relationship-building. We’ll explore how presence, active listening, and authenticity create stronger, more lasting connections and communities. Walk out feeling confident in your values and clearer on how to connect on a deeper level.

InDE Fellowship Innovation Showcase

Atrium

Come learn about how our current cohort of InDE Fellows is working to solve some of society’s biggest challenges. From healthcare, to advanced materials, to advanced mathematical modeling, our innovators demonstrate what the best of Innovation in Delaware can be.

Glow Up Break

Take a moment to pause and recharge before the evening’s celebration begins. This break is the perfect opportunity to refresh, reset, and prepare for an unforgettable night ahead. We look forward to welcoming you back, ready to celebrate and connect at the Glow Gala.

Glow Gala & Dinner

Riverfront Ballroom

Schedule for Day 2, April 24 

Friday, April 24

Spotlight Breakfast

• Keynote: Nicholai Williamson – Wilmington Hall

Emerging Innovator Lightning Talks

Pusey & Jones A

Recycled Materials Innovation Sprint sponsored by DSWA

Harlan & Hollingsworth B

A fast‑paced competition where teams race against the clock to find bold, resource-savvy solutions to the most urgent challenges behind the rise of lithium‑ion battery fires in the waste stream. Get ready for a dynamic, high‑energy challenge that will push your creativity, collaboration, and problem‑solving skills to the limit!

Sarah Culler

Senior Manager of Education & Outreach, DSWA

Ask a Fellow: Leadership Through the Lens of a College Student

Lobdell

Join the Siegfried Fellows from the University of Delaware as they share the culmination of their year-long leadership projects—personal journeys rooted in growth, challenge, and impact. After their presentations, stay for an interactive panel-style Q&A designed to offer an honest, student-centered perspective on leadership in action.

This is your chance to ask a college student anything: navigating academics, building confidence, leading peers, balancing ambition, or discovering purpose along the way. Whether you’re seeking mentorship, inspiration, or real talk about the leadership journey, this session offers a unique opportunity to learn directly from students living it in real time.

Investor Insights Panel

Christina Ballroom

Here’s your opportunity to hear directly from experienced Venture Capitalists and Angel Investors about: how they engage with early-stage companies, what leads them to invest, and what they expect from portfolio companies.

• Ben duPont, Managing Partner, Chartline Capital
• Dave Liss, Global Vice President of Business Development, W.L. Gore and Associates & Angel Investor
• Mark Crawford, Head of Caterpillar Ventures, Caterpillar Inc.
• Mellie Chow, Venture Partner, Archangel Axion and Techstars Toronto
• Veronica Fey, Principal, The Soundboard Venture Fund
• Moderated by Alexa Marino

Expo

Governor’s Hall

The Expo is your chance to explore vendors, programs, and organizations from the local community and beyond. Meet startups, discover new opportunities, and make connections that can open doors for what’s next.

Megatrends Innovation Sprint sponsored by W.L. Gore & Associates

Harlan & Hollingsworth A

A competition where teams will race against the clock to uncover critical challenges in relevant areas and develop ingenious solutions that make the most of available resources – get ready for a dynamic, high-energy exercise that will put your problem-solving skills to the test!

Social Impact Panel

Christina Ballroom

A dynamic group of social innovators, founders, and changemakers comes together to explore how purpose and profit can work hand in hand to address real-world challenges. This conversation highlights what it takes to build impactful, scalable solutions and create meaningful, lasting change in communities around the world.

• Lauren McCann, Co-Founder and CEO, Procure Impact 
• Jason Aviles, Social Entrepreneur 
• Fabiana Otero, Director of Sustainability, Goodwill of Delaware
• Moderated by Tomé Salguiero, PhD, Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship, University of Delaware

Lunch: Insights for Tomorrow

Wilmington Hall

Join us for a guided conversation that turns today’s experiences into tomorrow’s possibilities. During this lunch session, you’ll reflect on the moments, insights, and shifts that have shaped your time here and share how they might guide the future you’re building.

Creative Pastabilities

Lobdell

From Pixels to Platforms: Unleashing Your Creative Potential with AI

Christina Ballroom

Award Ceremony

• Keynote: Dana W. White – Wilmington Hall

Turn Vision Into Impact

Join visionary youth leaders, bold innovators, and driven entrepreneurs in Wilmington, Delaware for a transformative experience that goes beyond inspiration.

Through dynamic panels, interactive workshops, and collaborative networking sessions, you’ll gain the tools, insights, and connections to turn your vision into real-world impact.

Discover the energy, creativity, and bold ideas that power the Mid-Atlantic’s innovation ecosystem. The pre-conference Innovation Tour is an immersive journey through groundbreaking spaces, visionary teams, and the real-world impact of entrepreneurial thinking. 

Innovation Sprints are energetic, fast-paced challenges where teams dive into real-world problems and generate creative, resourceful solutions. Participants collaborate, think on their feet, and push their problem-solving skills to new heights. Each Innovation Sprint offers a dynamic hands-on experience designed to spark fresh ideas, unlock new perspectives, and fuel meaningful innovation.

“I’m committed to service. The Limitless World Summit stood out to me because we have teams from across the world. It’s great to see the flow of ideas isn’t just local, it’s happening around the world.”

Ariyan Patel, Diamond Challenge Finalist and Top 100 Emerging Innovator

“The people at the Limitless World Summit are incredible, and it’s exciting to connect with so many of them. Meeting participants from different countries has been especially inspiring. Learning about other cultures, ideas, and the impact everyone is making is truly eye-opening.”

Mikey Mita, diamond challenge finalist