2026
INVITATION ONLY
Event
Agenda
ABU DHABI
AI | SPACE | ROBOTICS
LOCATION
Four Seasons Abu Dhabi at Al Maryah Island
DATE
19-20 October, 2026
Goanna is pleased to coordinate a closed door, invitation only, two-day event bringing together the leading LPs, GPs,Government representatives, researchers and founders focused on AI, Space & Robotics.
DAY 1
19 OCTOBER 2026
BUILDING THE FUTURE
Why We're Here
Setting the stage, the leaders, capital and conviction behind Abu Dhabi’s frontier moment.
Session
8:30 ~ 9:30
Registration, Coffee & Networking
Arrival and early conversations across founders, investors and institutions....
Session
9:30 ~ 9:40
Opening Remarks: Building National Advantage In Frontier Technology
How nations attract talent, capital and innovation to build lasting leadership in AI, robotics and space....
H.E. Hesham Amiri
Deputy Chief of Government Services, Prime Minister's Office, UAE
Session
9:45 ~ 9:55
Welcoming Remarks: The Purpose Of Frontier Summit
The technologies, companies and leaders shaping the next decade, and why Abu Dhabi is where they meet....
Robert Hilmer (SPEAKER)
Founder, Goanna Capital
Session
9:55 ~ 10:15
Keynote: Betting Before It Is Obvious
Where conviction capital looks when the easy bets are gone....
Jack Selby
Managing Director, Thiel Capital
The Infrastructure Layer
Compute and the foundations every frontier company is built on.
Session
10:00 ~ 10:15
Fireside Chat: Powering the Frontier: The UAE's Energy & AI Infrastructure Strategy
How the UAE is turning energy leadership into AI infrastructure advantage, and why that makes it the place to build....
H.E. Sharif Al-Olama (SPEAKER)
Undersecretary for Energy & Petroleum Affairs, Ministry of Energy & Infrastructure
Yousef Gamal El-Din (HOST)
Frontier Summit MC
Session
10:20 ~ 10:35
Fireside Chat: The Sovereign Advantage
What a fund like Mubadala can do that traditional venture cannot, and how it backs the technologies defining the next decade....
Faris Sohail Al Mazrui (SPEAKER)
Head of Growth, Mubadala
Robert Hilmer (HOST)
Founder, Goanna Capital
Session
10:40 ~ 10:50
Company Keynote: Blue Origin
Company keynote, details to follow....
TBC
Blue Origin
Session
10:40 ~ 10:55
Company spotlight: Varda Space Industries
A live call-in company spotlight....
Delian Asparouhov (SPEAKER)
President & Co-Founder of Varda Space Industries (Live-call-in)
Owen Babington (HOST)
Investor , Goanna Capital
Session
11:00 ~ 11:10
Keynote: Tokens per Watt: Building the New Architecture for Agentic Al
Charles Chebli (SPEAKER)
Managing Director UAE & Head Al Cloud MEA, Qualcomm
Session
11:15 ~ 11:40
Panel 1: Betting On The Infrastructure Layer
Where does the real value accrue in the AI stack? Investors and founders debate whether long-term returns sit in models, tooling, or compute, and what the semiconductor arms race means for venture....
Ashish Koshy (PANELIST)
CEO , Inception
Simon King (PANELIST)
Partner Lakestar
Joydeep Bhattacharyya (PANELIST)
General Partner, Canaan Partners
Michael Brunner (MODERATOR)
Managing Director, Goanna Capital
Session
11:45 ~ 11:55
Company Spotlight: Nucleus Genomics
Kian Sadeghi (SPEAKER)
Founder, Nucleus Genomics Inc.
The Durable Moat
Data, silicon and the moats that actually hold.
Session
12:00 ~ 12:25
Panel 2: Data As The Durable Moat
Proprietary datasets, synthetic data, and what actually wins. Is unique data still a defensible advantage in a world of foundation models? Founders and investors debate what moats look like in 2026 and beyond....
Elham Al Qasim (PANELIST)
Chief Data & AI Officer, Majid Al Futtaim
Alex Sharata (PANELIST)
Partner, NEA
Micheal lints (PANELIST)
Founding & Partner MENA. Golden Gate Ventures
Yousef Gamal El-Din (MODERATOR)
Frontier Summit MC
Session
12:10 ~ 12:25
Fireside Chat: FutureCorp - Fireside Chat
Fireside chat, details to follow....
John Tuttle (SPEAKER)
Board Member at FutureCorp
Brian Lee (HOST)
Global Head of Strategy, Goanna Capital
Session
12:30 ~ 12:50
DISCUSSION:The Long Road to Liquidity: Private Capital, Space, and Sovereign AI
Private capital. patient exits and AI at national scale, With companies Staying private for a decade Or more. Where does liquidity really come frt:xn, how should investors get exlnsure ta space, and what wins over conservative buyers trom sovereigns to public company boards?...
John Tuttle (SPEAKER)
Board Member at FutureCorp
Thomas Pramotedham (SPEAKER)
Chief Executive Officer Presight
Karim Michel Sabbagh (SPEAKER)
Managing Director, Space42
Brian Lee (HOST)
Global Head of Strategy, Goanna Capital
Session
12:50 ~ 13:40
Networking Lunch
Time to connect more directly with founders, investors and operators....
Follow The Capital
Where money moves, how liquidity returns, and what capital really buys.
Session
13:40 ~ 13:50
Keynote: Capital, Industry And The New Map Of Power
What it takes to turn the US-UAE partnership into capital, industry and shared advantage, from someone who has built on both sides....
TBC
Session
13:45 ~ 14:10
Panel 3: Who Backs The Frontier
How family offices, sovereigns and venture decide where to place their capital, and what earns their conviction....
Rajesh Ranjan (PANELIST)
Head of Investments, Ali & Sons
Volkan Şen (PANELIST)
Head of Zain Ventures, Zain Group
Deepak Jayaraman (PANELIST)
Managing Partner, Ibex
Hussain Al Alawi (MODERATOR)
Managing Director, Goanna Capital
Session
14:15 ~ 14:30
Fireside Chat: The Sovereign Advantage
What a fund like Mubadala can do that traditional venture cannot, and how it backs the technologies defining the next decade....
Faris Sohail Al Mazrui (SPEAKER)
Head of Growth, Mubadala
Robert Hilmer (HOST)
Founder, Goanna Capital
Session
14:15 ~ 14:25
Company Spotlight: Ulysses
Developing Low-Cost, High-Capability Maritime Systems for Persistent Situational Awareness....
Will O'Brien (SPEAKER)
Founder, Ulysses
Session
14:30 ~ 14:55
Panel 4: Liquidity In The Age Of Mega-Rounds
Secondaries, IPO windows and the path to DPI. With late-stage valuations still elevated and public markets selective, how are founders and early investors thinking about exit timing and secondary market access? Covers liquidity from the investor perspective, including tenders and GP-led and LP-led activity....
Hani El Khoury (PANELIST)
Partner, Coller Capita
Peji Kanani (PANELIST)
Regional Lead Equity Management, Carta
Matt Pellini (PANELIST)
Managing Director , Hamilton Lane
Robert Hilmer (MODERATOR)
Founder, Goanna Capital
Session
15:00 ~ 15:10
Company Spotlight: Seagliders: The Future of Maritime Mobility
The all-electric seaglider, a new class of high-speed coastal transport that floats, foils and flies....
Billy Thalheimer (SPEAKER)
Co-Founder & CEO, REGENT
Into The Real World
Session
15:15 ~ 15:30
DISCUSSION: From Pilot to Production: AI, Energy and the Capital Behind the Buildout
Where AI actualy touches production. safety and cost An operator and an investor on why most enterprise pilots stall. how tnild. buy or partner decisions get made. and why energy is now both the constraint and the t»portunity behind the AI buildout...
Nada Meqbali (SPEAKER)
Acting Senior Vice President, Technology Partnerships and Engagement, ADNOC Group
Mark Machin (SPEAKER)
Co-Founder and Managing Partner , Interpid Growth Partners
Hussain Al Alawi (HOST)
Managing Director, Goanna Capital
Session
15:55 ~ 16:20
Company Spotlight: Tbc
Company spotlight, company to be confirmed....
Hussain Al Alawi (HOST)
Managing Director, Goanna Capita
Session
15:35 ~ 15:50
Company Spotlight: CesiumAstro
Shey Sabripou (SPEAKER)
Founder CEO. CesiumAsrtro
Session
15:55 ~ 16:20
Panel 5: Building In The Grey Zone: Ai Regulation
Navigating AI regulation before the rules are written. Founders, incumbents and policymakers on operating where AI rules do not yet exist: how builders manage regulatory risk, how governments and standards bodies think about what is coming, and who wins when the rules finally land....
Janne Känkänen
Director General, National Emergency Supply Agency (Finland)
Noor Al-Nahhas (PANELIST)
CEO, Nybl
Jan Ellsberger (PANELIST)
Director-General, ETSI
H.E. Rashed Al Qubaisi (PANELIST)
Executive Director, Business Registration and Licensing Sector, Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development (ADDED)
Brian Lee (MODERATOR)
Global Head of Strategy, Goanna Capital
Session
16:25 ~ 16:40
COMPANY SPOTLIGHT: From AI Capability to AI Economics, Why the inference era is won on tokens, not chips
Husni Khuffash (SPEAKER)
Managing Director. Positron
Session
16:45 ~ 17:00
COMPANY SPOTLIGHT: The Promise of Fusion: Unlocking Global Potential with Abundant Energy
An overview of fusion. why it hasn't been done yet and Ahat is changing ruyn. HeliortS approach. lhe path to commercialization on build cost. LCOE and timing. and a world imagined with abundant fusion energy....
David Kirtley (SPEAKER)
Founder & CEO, Helion
Session
17:30 ~ 18:30
Private Drinks Reception
An evening reception with drinks, music and a few announcements we're excited to share....
Session
17:10 ~ 17:20
COMPANY SPOTLIGHT: Positron
Husni Khuffash (SPEAKER)
Managing Director. Positron
Session
17:25 ~ 17:40
FIRESIDE CHAT: Sovereign Science: From Lab to Launch
How nations turn deep science into deployable frontier capability....
Dr. Saeed A1 Jaberi (SPEAKER)
Director, A1 Workflows.Tactica AI
Michael Brunner (MODERATOR)
Managing Director, Goanna Capital
Session
All Day
ROUNDTABLE BREAKOUTS: GROUP 1
Session
All Day
ROUNDTABLE BREAKOUTS: GROUP 2
Session
17:00 ~ 18:00
PRIVATE DRINKS RECEPTION
DAY 2
20 OCTOBER 2026
DEPLOYING THE FUTURE
Beyond Earth
Session
8:00 ~ 9:30
Coffee & Networking
Session
9:30 ~ 9:40
Opening Remarks: Deploying National Advantage in Frontier Technology
How the UAE turns national strategy into real-world adoption, drawing the companies, capital and talent shaping AI, robotics and space...
H.E. Masood Rahma Al Masaood (SPEAKER)
Treasurer, Abu Dhabi Chamber
Session
9:45 ~ 9:50
Welcome Remarks: From Building to Deploying
Where day one leaves off and what today is really about: turning frontier technology into real-world impact...
Robert Hilmer (SPEAKER)
Founder, Goanna Capital
Session
9:55 ~ 10:10
Keynote: The Intelligence Age
Where AI goes once it leaves the lab, and what changes when it reaches everyone...
Nate Harbacek (SPEAKER)
vp. Global Business. Open A1
Session
9:55 ~ 10:10
Company Spotlight: Starcloud
A live call-in company spotlight...
Philip Johnston (SPEAKER)
Co-Founder & CEO, Starcloud (Live call-in)
Owen Babington (HOST)
Goanna Capital
Session
10:15 ~ 10:40
Panel 6: The New Frontier Economy
Commercializing space, defense and the domains beyond. The frontier economy from the operator, investor and policy perspectives: where real revenue exists today, government's evolving role as customer and partner, and sovereign capital's growing influence....
Hélène Huby (PANELIST)
CEO, The Exploration Company
Daniel Kleinmann (PANELIST)
General Partner, Balerion Space Ventures
Bilal Zuberi (PANELIST)
Founder and Managing Partner of Red Glass Ventures
Brian Lee (MODERATOR)
Global Head of Strategy, Goanna Capital
Session
10:45 ~ 11:00
Fireside Chat: Factory
Agentic software development, from research demo to production. What changed technically, where agents still fail, what an engineering team looks like when agents do real work, and what separates the coding agent companies that last....
Eno Reyes (SPEAKER)
CTO & Co-Founder, Factory
Owen Babington (HOST)
Invester, Goanna Capital
Session
11:05 ~ 11:35
Panel 7: The Last Frontier For Venture, Deep Tech
As software returns plateau, venture is shifting toward capital-intensive sectors like space, robotics and advanced manufacturing. Founders and investors discuss how to fund, scale and evaluate businesses where timelines are longer, risks are higher, and outcomes are driven more by major contracts than recurring revenue....
Ariyan Kabir (PANELIST)
Co-Founder & CEO, Gray Matter Robotics
Vin Sachidananda (PANELIST)
Partner, Radical Ventures
Rawiya Ali Al Tamimi (PANELIST)
Expert, Future Foresight, Tawazun
Hussain Al Alawi (MODERATOR)
Managing Director, Goanna Capital
Session
11:00 ~ 11:15
Fireside Chat: Factory
Eno Reyes (SPEAKER)
CTO & Co-Founder, Factory
Owen Babington (HOST)
Invester, Goanna Capital
Session
11:20 ~ 11:35
Discussion: Sovereign Science: From Lab to Launch
How nations turn deep science into deployable frontier capability...
Dr. Saeed Al Jaberi
Director of AI Workflows, Tactica A
Michael Brunner (MODERATOR)
Managing Director, Goanna Capital
The Hardest Problems
Deep tech, robotics and the bets that take a decade to pay off.
Session
11:40 ~ 11:50
Company Spotlight : Mach Industries
A live call-in company spotlight....
Ethan Thornton (SPEAKER)
Founder and CEO, Mach Industries (live-call-in)
Brian Lee (MODERATOR)
Global Head of Strategy, Goanna Capital
Session
11:55 ~ 12:25
Panel 8: Deep Tech And The AI Buildout
Where are the next strategic opportunities emerging? A founder and operator discussion bringing together senior leaders from technology companies, large enterprises, investors, sovereign wealth funds and government institutions....
Faris Sohail Al Mazrui (PANELIST)
Head of Growth, Mubadala
Anders Ranum (PANELIST)
Partner , Sapphire Ventures
Alex Chee (PANELIST)
Co-founding Partner, Tribe Capital
Robert Hilmer (MODERATOR)
Founder, Goanna Capital
Session
12:30 ~ 12:45
PRODUCT KEYNOT : AI as Workflow, from SMB to enterprise, how Canva is supporting design in the AI era
Ahmad Iqbal (SPEAKER)
GM. Canva MENAP
Session
12:50 ~ 13:50
NETWORKING LUNCH
Session
13:55 ~ 14:10
DISCUSSION : Sovereign Science: From Lab to Launch
How small, open nations turn deep science into deployable frontier capability, The "AE and Switzerland on sovereign AI research institutions, and it takes to from the lab to real-world impact and Shared FYOsperity....
Dr. Saeed A1 Jaberi (SPEAKER)
Director, A1 Workflows.Tactica AI
Markus Reubi (SPEAKER)
Dupty Head of Division Prosperity/Sustainability , Swiss Federal Deparment of Foregien Affairs
Michael Brunner (MODERATOR)
Managing Director, Goanna Capital
12:00 ~ 13:15
TRACK 13
COMPANY SPOTLIGHT: NUCLEUS GENOMICS
Company spotlight, details to follow....
What Comes Next
Session
13:40 ~ 13:50
Company Spotlight: Tbc
Company spotlight, company to be confirmed....
Session
13:55 ~ 14:00
Keynote: The Hardest Things To Build
What it takes to build companies where engineering, capital and real-world constraints intersect....
TBC
Session
14:15 ~ 14:25
Company Keynote: Discovery to Booking, at Scale
Mario El Feghali (SPEAKER)
Head of Business Partnerships for Travel,Tourism & Food Services | Global Business Solution,MENA , TIKTOK
Session
14:30 ~ 14:55
Panel 9: Enterprise Panel
Enterprise AI adoption and deployment, from experimentation to operational reality. Every large enterprise has run an AI pilot; far fewer have moved AI into core operations where it touches revenue, safety and millions of customers. Leaders deploying AI inside heavy industry, aviation and the region's AI champions on what it takes to get from proof of concept to production at scale....
Daragh McGrath (PANELIST)
CEO, Xanadu (Canva enterprise partner)
Hady EI Khoury (PANELIST)
Head of Global Markets Commercial Excellence & Transformation,GE Health Care
Fahim Ghaffar (PANELIST)
Vice President, EMEA Solutions Architecture, ClickHouse
Yousef Gamal El-Din (MODERATOR)
Frontier Summit MC
Session
15:00 ~ 15:10
Company Spotlight : The Agentic Enterprise: How Snowflake Is Making Al Real for Business
The competitive advantage in Al isn't the model, it's the governed data and business context behind it. Without that foundation, even the most capable agents deliver unreliable results and stall in production. Most enterprise Al never makes it past the pilot. Snowflake is here to end that....
Ahmed Hafez (SPEAKER)
Director of Solution Engineering, Middle East, Turkey & Africa, Snowflake
Session
15:15 ~ 15:40
Panel 10: The Future Of Mobility
From eVTOL to autonomous transit, building the next layer of physical infrastructure....
Dr. Talib Alhinai (PANELIST)
General Manager, Archer UAE & Board Director at UAE GCAA
Mark Seeger (PANELIST)
Founder, CO-CEO & Executive Board Member, Glydways
Hasan Al Hosani (PANELIST)
Chief Executive Officer, Smart Solutions, Space42
Hussain Al Alawi (MODERATOR)
Managing Director, Goanna Capital
Session
15:45 ~15:55
Company Spotlight : Beyond Automation: Humanoid as a Business Transformation Partner
What happens when robots move beyond automating individual tasks and shape how businesses operate and grow? This session explores how humanoid robots can become part of a broader business transformation strategy, helping companies and whole industries rethink productivity and the future of work....
Jochen Rudat (SPEAKER)
Cheif Growth & Revenue Officer , Humaniod
Session
16:00 ~16:25
Panel 11: Securing the Stack
Resilience , supply and sovereignty in critical technology infrastructure....
Janne Känkänen (PANELIST)
Ceo, National Emergency Supply Agency (Finland)
Marc Zakher (PANELIST)
Vice President & General Manager , Middle East, Turkey and Africa Cerevras Systems
Yuval Dvir (PANELIST)
Commercial Officer,SandboxAQ
Michael Brunner (MODERATOR)
Managing Director, Goanna Capital
Session
16:30 ~16:40
Company Spotlight : Foundry Robotics
Varsha Rao (SPEAKER)
VP, Business, Foundry Robotics
Session
16:45 ~16:55
Closing Remarks
Robert Hilmer (SPEAKER)
Founder, Goanna Capital
14:55 ~ 15:20
TRACK 14
FIRESIDE CHAT: FROM RESEARCH LAB TO ENTERPRISE ADOPTION
How frontier research crosses the gap into production enterprise systems....
15:35 ~ 15:55
TRACK 16
FIRESIDE CHAT: WHAT STILL BREAKS AT SCALE
The real bottlenecks in compute, data, latency, reliability and security at scale....
Moderator TBC
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Participation is limited to a highly selective group of founders, investors and operators.
