10:00 – 10:30 a.m. | Forum Registration & Networking Opportunity

10:30 a.m. | Forum Welcome

• John Gulliver, President, NECBC

10:35 – 10:50 p.m. | Consul General Remarks

• Hon. Bernadette Jordan, Consul General of Canada in Boston

10:50 a.m. – 11:50 p.m. | Panel Session #1: From Experimentation to Execution: Unlocking Cross-Border AI Opportunity Through Talent and Research

As AI evolves from pilot initiatives into core business infrastructure, cross-border considerations quickly become unavoidable, but so do meaningful opportunities for growth, collaboration, and competitive advantage. For companies and institutions across the New England–Canada corridor, AI presents a unique opportunity to align business strategy with shared talent pipelines and world-class research ecosystems. Reflecting the New England–Canada Business Consortium’s mission to strengthen cross-border economic ties, this session brings together business leaders, founders, and researchers to explore how collaboration can unlock shared AI-driven opportunity.

Building on last year’s Practical Guide to AI, the discussion examines the real-world challenges that arise when AI systems, teams, and data operate across jurisdictions, including cross-border data and privacy, regulatory convergence and divergence between the U.S. and Canada, IP ownership, and model risk management. Panelists will share practical insights on how middle-market companies can structure AI strategies that scale responsibly while leveraging academic partnerships and cross-border talent mobility.

 Moderator: Portia Keady, Partner, Day Pitney

Panelists:

• Luisa Herrmann, Founder and CEO, AINovva
• Hossein Rahnama, Founder and CEO, Flybits and Visiting Professor, MIT
• Emily Capodilupo, Senior Vice President of Research, Algorithms, and Data, WHOOP

11:50 – 12:50 p.m. | Lunch & Structured Networking

12:50 – 1:50 p.m. | Panel Session #2 – The New Era of U.S.-Canada Business Relations: Obstacles or Opportunities

The business relationship between the U.S. and Canada has undergone substantial strain over the past year. This panel will examine the current friction and the effect on the future business collaboration between close friends.  The panel will cover the following topics among others:

• Impact of cross-border tension  on business transactions
• Quest by Canada for new trade partners to lessen U.S. dominance
• U.S.-Canada Investment Climate
• Update on USMCA trade talks and tariff

Moderator: Taylor Caswell, Managing Director, Bernstein Shur Strategic Economic Solutions

Panelists:

• Martha Harrison, Partner and Co-Head of International Trade & Investment Law, McCarthy Tetrault

1:50 – 2:50 p.m. | Fireside Chat

This moderated chat will feature a wide-ranging discussion on topics including the economic outlook for the U.S., Canada, and New England, key marketing drivers impacting the region, and current challenges faced by both the U.S. and Canada.

• Fireside Chat Introduction – Sheryl McQuade, New England Regional President, TD Bank

• Moderator: Shirley Leung, Business Columnist and Associate Editor, The Boston Globe
• Keynote: Derek Burleton, Vice President and Deputy Chief Economist, TD Bank Group

2:50 p.m. | Forum Wrap Up, Afternoon Refreshments and Networking Opportunity

Individual Registration Fees ($ U.S.)

Members – $129
Non-Members – $179
Government/Academia – $79