​Read the Signal.

​The rules are being written now. Who holds the pen?

​I hope you'll join us for the Convergence Policy Summit in Chicago on May 27th.

​Date & Time: Wednesday, May 27, 2026 | 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM CT (4 hours)

​Location: Hyde Park Labs, 5207 S Harper Ave, Chicago, IL 60615

​**Prices go up again on May 23rd, get your ticket today!

​The rules of the next decade are being written today. Are you in the room?

​The convergence of AI, blockchain, and quantum computing is accelerating faster than policy can respond. This exclusive 1871 Convergence Policy Day brings together top minds to read the signal — the urgent geopolitical, economic, and societal stakes — and begin shaping coherent, human-centered frameworks before trillions in infrastructure and innovation are at risk.

​Who Should Attend: Policymakers & staff, corporate C-suite, investors, academics, and technologists shaping the future of technology governance.

​Agenda

• ​1:00 – 1:30 pm | Why Now (30 min) Opening remarks on the three most critical stakes by 2030 if Chicago and Illinois do nothing. What irreversible decisions are being made right now? Speakers: Betsy Ziegler

• ​1:30 – 2:30 pm | The Signal Is Global (60 min) A sharp geopolitical analysis of where technology power is consolidating — compute, AI regulation, digital infrastructure, and the nations/companies racing to own the stack. Speaker: Alex Lightman

• ​2:30 – 3:00 pm | Reading the Signals: What Chicago Must See & Do (30 min) How do we interpret the converging signals from around the world, and what systems should Chicago embrace to lead? A focused dialogue on turning global intelligence into local action and competitive advantage. Speakers: Arry Yu & Nirav Desai

• ​3:00 – 4:00 pm | Collisions or Convergence: Dispatches from the Frontier (60 min) Three frontline vignettes on real policy collisions at the edge of technology and governance:

  • ​AI Legal Standing & Regulatory Evolution

  • ​AI-Human Dyad in Economic Development

  • ​Privacy Tools: Carrots vs Sticks for Innovation Speakers: Arry Yu & Nirav Desai

• ​4:00 – 4:45 pm | Chicago Sends the Signal: Chicago Accord Preview (45 min) Local reactions and forward-looking dialogue on how Chicago and Illinois can lead on data centers, energy policy, and responsible convergence. Moderated by: Nirav Desai Featuring local leaders & early thought leaders

• ​4:45 – 5:00 pm | Closing Charge & Next Steps (15 min) What must happen tomorrow? A direct call to action for continued momentum.

​This is a rare, high-signal gathering for those actively shaping technology’s future. Limited seating.

​**Prices go up again on May 23rd, get your ticket today!

​Full Bios

​Alexander Lightman

​Alexander Lightman is an internationally recognized executive, technology pioneer, author, and advisor to governments, corporations, and institutions worldwide. A graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology with graduate study at MIT Sloan and Harvard Kennedy School, he has spent more than four decades commercializing frontier technologies including artificial intelligence, IPv6, 4G wireless broadband, augmented reality, blockchain, and sovereign digital infrastructure.

​He was the first commercial seller of AI systems to the U.S. military, helped drive federal IPv6 adoption, and has advised NATO, the European Parliament, the European Commission, and more than forty national governments on technology strategy, regulation, and civilizational resilience. He currently serves as a Research Fellow at Convergence: Tech Policy Institute (C:TPI).

​Nirav Desai

​Nirav Desai is Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer at Convergence: Tech Policy Institute (C:TPI). He serves as Head of Innovation at HP and chairs PNWER’s Innovation Committee. Nirav co-authored the 2024 Washington State AI and Quantum Landscape Reports and is a recognized voice on the future of AI-driven enterprise transformation and the creative economy.

​As CEO and Co-Founder of Moonbeam Exchange, he helps companies source, prototype, and scale emerging technologies using AI-powered platforms and data science. He also serves as Affiliate Assistant Professor in the University of Washington’s Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering.

​Arry Yu

​Arry Yu is a technology strategist, serial entrepreneur, and Chair of the Washington Technology Industry Association (WTIA)’s WA Advanced Technology Cluster. A Cornell University graduate with a degree in Asian Studies, she brings more than 25 years of experience serving high-growth technology companies at Microsoft, Expedia, and Google, and co-founding StormX and GiftStarter. Se previously served as Founding Chair of the Cascadia Blockchain Council and Director of External Affairs & Board Director at Northwest Quantum Nexus (NQN).

​As convener of the Seattle AI Leadership Council and foreword author of the “Seattle: A City of Flywheels” white paper series, Arry is leading a coordinated regional effort to deliberately couple the Pacific Northwest’s strengths in clean energy, hyperscale compute, recursive AI, and quantum technologies into self-reinforcing systems of civilizational intelligence.