INTERNATIONAL Innovation summit 2026

​Summit Agenda

​10:00 – 10:10 AM | Opening Remarks

​Dr. John Meletiadis
Assistant Dean, Center for Global Business Programs, Lubin School of Business, Pace University
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-meletiadis-mba-ed-d-a89957a4/

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​10:25 – 11:00 AM | Keynote Speaker

​Ian Sandler
Managing Director & Chief Operating Officer, Insight Partners
Co-Founder, Riley’s Way Foundation
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/ian-sandler-61339331/

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​11:00 – 11:10 AM | Partner Presentation

​Antonio Di Meglio
Co-Founder & CEO, Coeus Collective Ventures
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonio-di-meglio-j-d-422862121/

​Anuj M. Saxena
Advisor, Salubrum | Global Head of Marketing & Customer Analytics, MoneyGram International
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/anujmsaxena/

​Andrew Matthews

​Health IT Development, Life Sciences & Product Strategy

​🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-matthews/

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​11:15 AM – 12:00 PM | Panel

​Women in Innovation: Leadership and Global Impact

​Moderator:
Birgit Elchoueri
Professor, Pace University, Executive Coach & Strategy Advisor
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/birgitelchoueri

​Speakers:
Yang Cheung
Co-Founder & CEO, Pixyit
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/yanghou

​Hélène Alonso
Founder, WonderWay.ai
🔗 (LinkedIn not provided)

​Kiran Panjwani
Co-Founder & CEO, FounderWay
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiranpanjwani

​12:05 – 12:15 PM | Partner Presentation

​Antonio Di Meglio
Co-Founder & CEO, Coeus Collective Ventures
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonio-di-meglio-j-d-422862121/

​Hasitha De Alwis

​CEO of Materia Bioworks 

​🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/hasitha-de-alwis/

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​12:15 – 1:00 PM | Fireside Chat

​Redefining Advantage: The Global Founder Perspective

​Tijana Buric
Founder & CEO, Career Alchemist
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/tijana-careeralchemist

​Ioanna Mantzouridou Onasi
Founder & CEO, Dextego
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/joannemantzouridou

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​1:00 – 1:25 PM | Break

​1:25 – 1:45 PM

​/The Front Yard Startups Presentations

​AVERENT
A student-led social commerce platform helping indie digital creators build communities, network, and sell—featuring zero mandatory commission.

​TEŌTL
Elevated skincare and fragrance crafted from ancestral tallow, blending tradition with modern wellness in collaboration with NYC perfumers.

​Qobo
The simplest way to build an app—just chat on WhatsApp and generate a professional website in minutes.

​1:45 – 2:30 PM | Panel

​Governments and Innovation

​Moderator:
Marie-France Han
Technical Storytelling Consultant | Former Journalist (Reuters, Bloomberg) | Former Technical Content Strategist, MongoDB
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariefr/

​Speakers:
Stephanie Liot
Senior Project Manager, Maison de l'Occitanie (New York)
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanieliotnyc/

​Robert J. McCubbing
Senior Trade Commissioner & Director of Trade and Investment
Consulate General of Canada in New York
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/rmccubbing/

​Leonore Morgenstern
Founder & Editor, EU’re Up Next Newsletter
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonore-morgenstern/

​Daiki Nakajima
Director of Business Development, JETRO USA
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/daikinakajima/

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​2:35 – 3:00 PM | Closing Remarks

​Tim Phillips
Director of Global & Government Affairs, NestPoint
🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-phillips-2855811a9/