The Exchange at Onward FX

​Onward FX Fall 2026 brings the country's top venture firms to the Heartland to meet the founders building what's next.

​And to kick off the summit, we’re starting with The Exchange. Over two hours, small groups will gather at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts for a series of focused conversations around the topics shaping the physical economy. Each 45-minute session centers on one moderated question, with just 20 people in each group. There’s no audience or speaker, just a conversation leader, and everyone's in the conversation. Think dinner table, not panel.

​Chatham House Rule applies: take the ideas, leave the names. Your conversation leader will speak candidly, so we hope you will too.

​You'll be in good company: the firm behind a $1.3B physical AI fund, In-Q-Tel, the venture arms of Chevron, ExxonMobil, Equinor, and Booz Allen, the founders of the country's top hard tech companies, and the LPs and family offices funding it all.

​HOW IT WORKS

​Fifteen sessions run across four themes: The Power Problem, The New Arsenal, The Machine Economy, and The Capital Map. After you register here on Luma, you'll receive a short survey to pick one session that matters most to your company right now. Every session is capped at 20 seats, and your group card will be waiting for you at registration on the day.

​Whether you have 1:1 investor meetings earlier in the day or are joining for The Exchange alone, this is your chance to be in the conversation rather than watching one.

​DRESS CODE

​Come as you are. Business casual is fine.

​Onward FX is produced by the Northwest Arkansas Council in partnership with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission.