2026 Recap

Frontiers 2026: What Happened in the Room

Frontiers 2026 convened February 19–20, 2026 in Nashville. 170+ attendees. 51+ cities. $27B+ in AUM in the room. Two days of programming on where biotech, AI, and life science capital are actually heading, built around one premise: real conversations between people who are building and funding the future.

By the Numbers

Frontiers 2026 at a glance

170+

Attendees

51+

Cities represented

$27B+

AUM in the room

Facilitated roundtables

Astronauts on stage

Pitch showcase blocks — 15 startups from across the US

Conference Themes

What we talked about

The conversations that defined two days in Nashville.

Where capital is actually going in 2026

The opening investor panel gave attendees a candid read on what is being funded, which modalities are breaking through, and how the financing environment is reshaping company formation. Led by Xontogeny and RA Capital.

Space meets biotech

One of the most distinctive sessions in Frontiers history. A NASA Mission Commander and a physician-astronaut joined Rhodium Scientific on stage to examine how microgravity environments are opening new biological research pathways and commercial opportunities. These were practitioners who have worked in space.

AI in biology: past the hype

Form Bio, March Health, Brown Advisory, and Vanderbilt unpacked where AI is delivering real biological insight today, how teams decide what to build versus partner, and what the next generation of tools actually looks like.

Health systems as partners

Memorial Sloan Kettering, MD Anderson, Sarah Cannon, Mayo Clinic, and Rush Medical Center shared what it actually takes for a startup to get a yes from a major institution. Institutional leaders were direct about where most companies fail and what changes the outcome.

Day in the Room

The full agenda

Two days of keynotes, panels, roundtables, and connection.

7:30 AM
Registration and Networking Breakfast
9:00 AM
Opening Keynote — “Mapping the Frontiers Ahead”
Chris Garabedian, Xontogeny / Perceptive Advisors
9:20 AM
Investor Panel — “The Investor Landscape: A 2026 Prospectus”
RA Capital, Emmeline Ventures, Tech Coast Angels, EverGlade Consulting
10:20 AM
Featured Session — “Space x Biotech: Microgravity, Orbital R&D and Commercial Biology”
NASA Mission Commander Michael “Bakes” Baker and Rhodium Scientific
11:20 AM
Panel — “Beyond the Hype Cycle: Practical Applications of AI”
Form Bio, March Health, Brown Advisory, Vanderbilt
1:00 PM
24 Facilitated Market Mapping Roundtables
2:00 PM
Afternoon Keynote — “From Policy to Impact”
Stephen Konya, Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy, HHS
2:20 PM
Panel — “Partnering with Cancer Centers and Health Systems”
Memorial Sloan Kettering, MD Anderson, Sarah Cannon, Mayo Clinic, Rush
3:40 PM
Masterclass — “Pharma M&A: Strategy, Collaboration and Market Timing”
Moderna, Eli Lilly, Oracle NetSuite, Vanderbilt
5:00 PM
Celebratory Reception and Small Group Dinners
Day 2
Networking Breakfast, Pitch Showcase (three blocks)
Evening
Afterparty at Acme Feed & Seed on Broadway in downtown Nashville

“I loved this conference. It really created an intimate setting, and we met some valuable people we have been talking to ever since! Also, THE BEST food I've ever had at a conference.”

Frontiers 2026 Attendee

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