Highlights Of The Program

2 days business program:

Learn from real-world case studies by industry leaders.

SHOWCASING INNOVATION:

Discover the latest technology and techniques from across the industry.

leaders talk:

Hear from top-level experts about how to stay ahead in a fast-changing industry.

MULTIPLE STREAMS:

A business program that is multi-disciplinary, giving you a broad view of the industry.

SMART TECHNOLOGIES:

Explore the latest smart and AI-driven solutions, and see how they can be used in your business.

roundtable discussion:

Join talks with industry peers. Share ideas, make connections, and find new partners.

Program 2026

DAY 1 :

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2026

08:00 - 08:50

REGISTRATION AND MORNING REFRESHMENTS

08:50 - 09:00

OPENING ADDRESS

09:00 - 09:25

GIGAFACTORY PLANNING & OPERATIONS A DUE DILIGENCE PERSPECTIVE

Prasanna Mantravadi

FEV Consulting

Exploring how permitting, pilot operations, and commissioning shape successful gigafactory launches
Examining equipment sourcing, ramp-up readiness, and quality control to improve production efficiency
Highlighting strategies for reducing scrap while strengthening operational resilience and commercial success

09:25 - 09:30

Q&A SESSION ON GIGAFACTORY OPERATIONS AND LAUNCH PREPAREDNESS

09:30 - 09:55

REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS AND COMMON COMPLIANCE RISKS FOR GIGAFACTORY COMMISSIONING

Josh Shepard

CSA Group

Understanding key regulatory frameworks across the USA, Canada, the EU, and East Asia that affect gigafactory design
Learning from real-world examples of compliance pitfalls during cell and module manufacturing
Exploring strategies for early engagement with regulators to reduce commissioning delays

09:55 - 10:00

Q&A SESSION ON GLOBAL COMPLIANCE RISKS IN GIGAFACTORY COMMISSIONING

10:00 - 10:30

SPEED NETWORKING SESSION

Exchange business cards and get connected in short one-to-one meetings
Start the conversation to arrange a more formal meeting later on in the conference
Share your professional background and discuss your biggest business issues – don't forget your business cards!

10:30 - 11:00

MORNING COFFEE BREAK IN THE EXHIBIT AREA

11:00 - 11:30

PANEL DISCUSSION ON GIGAFACTORY SUMMIT

11:30 - 11:55

SCALING U.S. GIGAFACTORIES FOR ADVANCED BATTERY COMMERCIALIZATION

John Wenfu Zhang

Exyte

Evaluating costs and risks across U.S. gigafactory development from planning to execution
Assessing supply chain shifts driven by regionalization and deglobalization trends
Examining CATL case-study insights for navigating complex global regulations

11:55 - 12:00

Q&A SESSION ON NAVIGATING U.S. GIGAFACTORY SCALE-UP RISKS

12:00 - 12:25

HOW MODULAR DESIGN INCREASES YIELD AND REDUCES RISK IN BATTERY MANUFACTURING

Austin Hanohano

Digatron Power Electronics

Accelerate scale-up from pilot to production using proven, repeatable system architectures
Improve yield and consistency through standardized hardware, controls, and data traceability
Adapt to evolving chemistries and applications (lithium, Na, BESS) without full system redesign

12:25 - 12:30

Q&A SESSION ON MODULAR DESIGN FOR YIELD INCREASE AND RISK REDUCTION

12:30 - 13:30

NETWORKING LUNCH AND VISITING THE GIGAFACTORY EXHIBITION

13:30 - 14:00

PANEL DISCUSSION ON GIGAFACTORY

14:00 - 14:25

SCALING WET AND DRY ELECTRODE PRODUCTION

Jimmy Estrada

IKA

Exploring IKA’s company evolution and battery solutions expertise while outlining key industry drivers
Examining wet slurry electrode production technologies and demonstrating scalable manufacturing benefits
Comparing dry electrode production methods and highlighting efficiencies supporting next-generation batteries

14:25 - 14:30

Q&A SESSION ON SCALING WET AND DRY ELECTRODE METHODS

14:30 - 14:55

GIGAFACTORIES AT THE EPICENTER OF ENERGY TRANSITION AND ENERGY SECURITY

Will Plunkett

Project Blue

Examining gigafactories as central to energy transition and global energy security
Analyzing upstream battery supply chains feeding gigafactories to understand market dynamics
Projecting future battery demand to guide production planning amid market uncertainty

14:55 - 15:00

Q&A SESSION ON BATTERY DEMAND AND ENERGY SECURITY TRADE-OFFS

15:00 - 15:20

AFTERNOON COFFEE BREAK IN THE EXHIBIT AREA

15:20 - 15:45

AI VISUAL INSPECTION FOR GIGAFACTORY MASS PRODUCTION

Rajesh Iyengar

Lincode

Examining quality escape risks at gigafactory scale and reducing defects, scrap, and rework with AI
Exploring AI inspection deployment across production lines, from integration to operator adoption
Demonstrating how inspection data enables predictive quality, root-cause analysis, and improvement

15:45 - 15:50

Q&A SESSION ON AI VISUAL INSPECTION FOR GIGAFACTORY PRODUCTION

15:50 - 16:15

SIZE MATTERS – BIGGER FACILITIES BRING NEW OPERATIONAL CHALLENGES

Alex Jackson

Gresham Smith

Exploring how to plan large facilities to manage complex flows of people, materials, products, and logistics efficiently
Gaining clarity on life safety considerations and evolving code requirements when scaling to giga-scale operations
Learning practical approaches to utility planning, including power, water, distribution systems, and utility provider collaboration

16:15 - 16:20

Q&A SESSION ON PLANNING AND OPERATING GIGA-SCALE FACILITIES

16:20 - 16:45

FROM CHEMISTRY TO GIGAFACTORY - BLUEPRINT FOR NEXT-GEN BATTERIES

Veeral Hardev

Blue Current

Designing silicon-first architectures enabling high-density and scalable performance gains
Leveraging inherent safety to reduce manufacturing complexity and regulatory burden
Scaling lab innovations to gigafactory scale using existing lithium-ion equipment

16:45 - 16:50

Q&A SESSION ON SCALING NEXT-GENERATION SILICON BATTERIES

16:50 - 17:15

FIRE SAFETY BEYOND FIRE CODE

Kathleen McCaffery

McCaffery Consulting and Training

Understanding why fire codes lag battery technology and where additional safeguards are needed
Building stronger partnerships with local fire services while improving preparedness and response
Evaluating fire suppression claims critically and selecting solutions based on proven performance

17:15 - 17:20

Q&A SESSION ON FIRE SAFETY STRATEGIES BEYOND CODE COMPLIANCE

17:20 - 18:20

NETWORKING DRINKS RECEPTION

DAY 2 :

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2026

08:00 - 08:30

MORNING REFRESHMENTS

08:30 - 08:40

OPENING ADDRESS

08:40 - 09:10

PANEL DISCUSSION ON GIGAFACTORY

09:10 - 09:40

RESERVED PRESENTATION

09:40 - 10:05

BATTERY RECYCLING TECHNOLOGIES FOR GIGAFACTORIES AND COMMERCIALIZATION

Yu-Tack Kim

ABR

Advancing recycling technologies to achieve higher material recovery and lower costs
Integrating direct recycling within gigafactory lines to enhance efficiency and circularity
Exploring future environmentally-friendly recycling solutions for sustainable ecosystems

10:05 - 10:10

Q&A SESSION ON SCALING DIRECT BATTERY RECYCLING SOLUTIONS

10:10 - 10:30

MORNING COFFEE BREAK IN THE EXHIBIT AREA

10:30 - 10:55

HOW 3D CURRENT COLLECTORS UNLOCK THE NEXT LEAP IN BATTERY MANUFACTURING

Boaz Mamo

Addionics

Discovering how Smart 3D Current Collectors improve battery performance and reduce material use
Learning how this drop-in solution enables dry electrode coating without additional infrastructure
Understanding how this technology increases gigafactory efficiency while lowering production costs

10:55 - 11:00

Q&A SESSION ON 3D CURRENT COLLECTORS INNOVATION FOR BATTERY PRODUCTION

11:00 - 11:25

LASER WELDING OF PRISMATIC CELLS FOR LI-ION BATTERY PACKS

Najah George

Photon Automation Inc.

Understanding the role of weld integrity in reducing EV battery pack failure rates
Exploring how optimized laser welding can reduce heat and improve busbar strength
Gaining insights from experimental results aimed at enhancing lithium-ion battery durability

11:25 - 11:30

Q&A SESSION ON LASER WELDING FOR LI-ION BATTERY RELIABILITY

11:30 - 11:55

ACCELERATING GIGAFACTORY COMMISSIONING WITH PHYSICS-INFORMED AI

Zheng Liu

University of Michigan-Dearborn

Integrating physical laws into ML to predict MTTF with limited data and pack thermal behavior
Scaling multi-fidelity neural networks to sustain precision from pilot to gigafactory lines
Implementing AI co-designed thermal controls to cut energy waste and extend cell life

11:55 - 12:00

Q&A SESSION ON ADVANCING AI-DRIVEN GIGAFACTORY COMMISSIONING

12:00 - 12:25

LITHIUM-ION BATTERY MANUFACTURING – FACILITY DESIGN USING PERFORMANCE-BASED DESIGN

Joelle DeJoseph

SenezCo

Exploring evolving fire codes and why battery factories require performance-based design
Examining key fire risks from flammable materials, combustible powders, testing, and cell storage areas
Understanding how large-scale facilities can improve safety through tailored risk mitigation

12:25 - 12:30

Q&A SESSION ON PERFORMANCE-BASED DESIGN FOR BATTERY FACTORIES

12:30 - 13:30

NETWORKING LUNCH AND VISITING THE GIGAFACTORY EXHIBITION

13:30 - 13:55

NEW APPROACHES TO IMPROVING QUALITY FOR HIGH-SPEED EV BATTERY PRODUCTION

David Wick

ZEISS Industrial Quality Solutions

Discovering advanced AI-powered inspection systems that enhance battery defect detection
Exploring nondestructive testing tools such as CT and 3D X-ray for deeper internal analysis
Understanding how integrated analytics and imaging improve reliability in battery QC

13:55 - 14:00

Q&A SESSION ON IMPROVING QUALITY IN EV BATTERY PRODUCTION

14:00 - 14:30

RESERVED PRESENTATION

14:30 - 14:55

BUILDING AN ASSURANCE-GRADE CRITICAL MINERALS SUPPLY CHAIN FOR AMERICA

Andy Sloop

Chilean Cobalt Corp.

Exploring how early-stage mine design can improve ESG outcomes while reducing long-term risks
Outlining traceability systems that enable transparent sourcing and verifiable custody
Examining how regional supply chains support compliance and future battery sourcing needs

14:55 - 15:00

Q&A SESSION ON BUILDING ASSURANCE-GRADE MINERALS SUPPLY CHAINS

15:00 - 15:15

FEEDBACK AND RAFFLE DRAW

15:15 - 15:30

CLOSING REMARKS

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