Baltimore’s Inner Harbor will be blazing bright with the inaugural Light City innovation festival this March 28 to April 3. This first-of-its-kind event will combine thought-provoking learning during the day with world-class music and art at night. Light City U’s 1.5 mile BGE Light Art Walk is sure to be a magical experience unlike no other in Baltimore.
Light City U will host four innovation conferences – Sustainability, Health, Social and Creative. Each conference features experts highlighting solutions to help answer the question: How do we become a more responsible and equitable society?
The two-day Sustainability Innovation conference brings an extensive and diverse lineup of thought leaders to Baltimore. The conference sessions are listed below. Even better, save 50 percent off the conference cost with our Baltimore Fishbowl coupon.
Branded as ‘Moving Smart Energy Forward,’ the Sustainability Innovation conference will take place at UMBC’s Columbus Center on Wednesday, March 30th and Thursday, March 31st. The speaker line-up reflects the many areas that will be impacted as sustainability moves front and center and our world adapts and transforms to a less carbon-intensive world.
Each day’s session begins at 9 a.m. with ample opportunity for networking. Conference tickets include lunch, musical performances, and a social event on Tuesday in the BGE Smart Ideas Lounge. Sustainability Innovation is sponsored by BGE.
During Thursday’s session, Ray Lewis and Power 52’s CEO Dan Wallace will share the non-profit’s vision for launching community solar and solar training in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Ray Lewis will be signing books at the session’s close on Thursday. Also during Thursday’s session, five local health care and five local green businesses will pitch their business plans to the audience and a panel of judges in the Light the Future Startup Pitch Competition. The winning pitch takes home $5,000.
Sustainability Innovation costs $99 if you sign up by Friday, March 25th (regularly priced at $200). Register here and enter the promotion code BFB2016 to access the $99 rate.
Day 1: Wednesday, March 30th Sustainability Innovation Sessions
How Behavioral Science Can Lower Your Energy ~ Alex Laskey, Founder of OPower
Powernomics: Empowering Lives, One Kilowatt At A Time ~ Robert Wallace, CEO Bithgroup
Powering the Future Moderator: Calvin Butler, CEO BGE
Featured Panelists:
Gene Rodrigues, Vice President, ICF
Chris Gould, Chief Sustainability Officer, Exelon
Val Jensen, ComEd, Director of Smart Pole
Alternative Energy, Job Creation & the New Economy ~ Nicole Steele, Ex. Dir., Grid Alternatives
New Green Technologies Perspectives On Green Investing and Start-up Community in Baltimore.
Moderator: Mike Smith, Director of Constellation Technology Ventures
Featured Panelists:
Jen Meyer, President, Betamore
Josh Goldberg, Co-Founder Astrum Solar
Ashton Newhall, Co-Founder of Greenspring Associates
Leveraging Entrepreneurship & Trees to Make a Difference ~ Jared Carlson, Director of Innovation & Business Development, Arbor Day Foundation
Taking Initiative for Our Future ~ Adam Lindquist, Director Healthy Harbor Initiative & John Kellett, President of Clearwater Mills LLC & Baltimore Trash Wheel
48 Days of Blue Campaign: Messaging Sustainability, powered by the National Aquarium Moderator: Heather Doggett, Director of Guest Services
National Aquarium Featured Panelists:
Bryan Barnes, Director of Digital Marketing Strategy
Nabila Chami, Social Media Manager
Greening the World One Customer at a Time. Entrepreneurs Building Businesses with Sustainability as the Central Mission. Moderated by: Karina Funk, Portfolio Manager and Head of Sustainable Investing Strategies, Brown Advisory
Featured Panelists:
Vinnie Bevivino, Chesapeake Compost Works
Aric Wanveer, Co-Founder of ZGC / Tapologie
Susan Aplin, Co-Founder & CEO of Bambeco
Maryland Green Prisons Initiative ~ Chris Swan, Maryland Transition Center
Putting Consumers in Control of Energy Choices ~ Phil Croskey, CEO Maryland Energy Advisors & Founder of PointClickSwitch.com
Day 2: Thursday, March 31sh Sustainability Innovation Sessions
Blue Zones: Secrets of a Long Life ~ Nick Buettner, Blue Zones
Three Little Words ~ William C. Baker, Chesapeake Bay Foundation
Our Planet, Our Health, & Taking Care of Tomorrow: Sustainability in Healthy Food Choices Moderator: TJ Tate, Dir. of Sustainable Seafood for the National Aquarium
Featured Panelists:
Mike McDevitt, Terra’s Kitchen CEO
Michael Stebner, Executive Chef, Sweetgreen
Yoni Zohar, Chair, Department of Marine Biology, UMBC
Chrissy Goldberg, Food & Farm Director at Civic Works’
Daniel Plimpton, Mid-Atlantic Seafood Associate Coordinator
Investing in Next Wave of Health & Sustainability
Moderator: Deric Emry, Venture Partner, Greenspring Associates
Featured Panelists:
Kelly Keenan Trumpbour, See Jane Invest
Rodney Foxworth, Founder, Invested Impact
Justin Label, Inner Loop Capital
Ashton Newhall, Greenspring Associates
A Livable City: The Adaptive Challenge of the Urban Century ~Lindsay Thompson, Founder, CityLab; Professor, Carey Business School
Light the Future Startup Pitch Competition
Clean energy + clean jobs for Low Income Communities ~ Dan Wallace, President and CEO, Power52. Ray Lewis, Former Baltimore Raven, Vice President Power52
Followed by Ray Lewis book signing event.
Laurel Peltier
