Super South

Tuesday, September 22, 2026 | Rivian Space, Manhattan

 on September 22 at Rivian’s New York flagship space in the Meatpacking District during Climate Week NYC 2026 for an afternoon exploring the people, companies and ideas shaping the next generation of sustainable innovation across the American South.

Programming will explore some of the most consequential opportunities shaping the region and global economy—from the future of mobility and sustainable finance to AI data center infrastructure, corporate sustainability leadership and the commercialization of emerging technologies.

A curated showcase of early-stage sustainable innovators will highlight emerging technologies from across the Southeast, while conversations with corporate and ecosystem leaders will examine how the region is building the infrastructure, capital networks and innovation platforms needed to move promising ideas from concept to commercial scale.

The afternoon will conclude with a hosted reception connecting entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, researchers, investors and ecosystem builders from across the South with the broader Climate Week NYC community.

A conversation exploring the technologies, infrastructure and partnerships transforming transportation and accelerating the transition toward a more connected, electrified and sustainable mobility future.

 — Director for Strategy and Partnerships; Editor-in-Chief, Georgia Network for Electric Mobility (GNEM)

 — Senior Vice President, eVerged and CEO, ChargeSouth

 — Director of Architecture and Sustainability, Rivian

Leadership at the Intersection of Capital and Sustainability

A conversation exploring the relationship between investment, corporate leadership and sustainability - and how different stakeholders can help accelerate solutions that prioritize long-term resilience.

 — Columbia Center on Sustainable Investment

 — Senior Director of Sustainability, Rivian

Presentations from a curated group of early-stage sustainable innovators from across the Southeast, showcasing emerging technologies, business models and solutions with the potential to scale nationally and globally.

Women Leading Sustainability in the South

A conversation among women leading sustainability across major Southern companies and institutions, exploring how they are translating ambitious goals into practical strategies, organizational change and measurable impact.

 — Sustaining Women, Founder and Vice President of Sustainability, Better Earth, Moderator

 — Head of Global Sustainability, Interface

 — Senior Director of Sustainability, Compass Group USA

A panel discussion exploring how we meet growing energy demand more effectively and efficiently. The focus will be to name the challenges and problems and present the solutions and opportunities surrounding growing demand for energy supply. Panelists will discuss distributed capacity, behind-the-meter generation, innovative technologies and sustainable infrastructure development.

 — Sr. Director of Energy & Sustainability, Iron Mountain

Building the Next Generation of Clean-Tech Companies

A conversation with leaders from some of the South’s leading innovation and accelerator organizations exploring how regional ecosystems are helping entrepreneurs commercialize technologies, secure customers and capital, and scale the next generation of clean-tech companies.

Connect with entrepreneurs, researchers, corporate leaders, investors and innovation ecosystem builders from across the South and the broader Climate Week NYC community.

Super South Climate Week NYC 2026 showcases a region increasingly defined not simply by economic growth, but by its ability to build, commercialize and scale the technologies shaping our shared future.