Heatmap | Energy Entrepreneurship 2026

At our second annual Energy Entrepreneurship event, Heatmap News will convene founders, investors, manufacturers, and bipartisan policymakers to examine the technologies poised to define the next chapter of American energy: batteries, next-generation geothermal, nuclear fusion, and more.

Beyond deployment, we’ll spotlight the industrial backbone of the transition: clean energy manufacturing and the jobs that come with it.

Whether you’re scaling a company, allocating capital, shaping industrial policy, or building the workforce of the future, join us for a candid, forward-looking discussion about what’s next for American clean energy.

9:00–9:15AM: Building America’s Energy Supply Chain

A firsthand look at what it takes to build domestic clean energy manufacturing at scale, and why the AI electricity surge is making that bet more urgent than ever.

Scott Moskowitz,Vice President of Market Strategy and Public Affairs, Qcells
Moderated by Nico Lauricella, CEO and Editor-In-Chief, Heatmap News

9:15–9:30 AM: The Thermal Bet

What it takes to build a storage technology from scratch and bring it to market at scale.

Justin Briggs, Co-founder and COO, Antora Energy
Moderated by Jillian Goodman, Deputy Editor, Heatmap News

9:30–9:45am: Energy From Above

Overview Energy is beaming solar power from satellites in geosynchronous orbit directly to the grid. With a landmark agreement with Meta already in place, this conversation explores what space-based energy means for how hyperscalers secure clean power at scale.

Marc Berte, Founder and CEO, Overview Energy
Moderated by Jillian Goodman, Deputy Editor, Heatmap News

9:45–10:00AM: Fusion Meets Washington

How federal policy, permitting frameworks, and public investment strategies are shaping the commercialization pathway for fusion energy.

Don Beyer, U.S. Representative (D-VA)
Moderated by Robinson Meyer, Founding Executive Editor, Heatmap News

10:00–10:15 AM: Fusion at Scale

What the road from fusion demonstration to commercial deployment actually looks like, and where federal policy fits into that timeline.

Trent Bauserman, Head of Federal Affairs, Commonwealth Fusion Systems
Jackie Siebens, Vice President, Public Affairs, Helion Energy
Moderated by Jillian Goodman, Deputy Editor, Heatmap News

10:15–10:30 AM: Unlocking Baseload Geothermal

What it looks like to build next-generation geothermal from the ground up, and what's driving costs down fast enough to make it competitive.

Carl Hoiland, CEO and Co-founder, Zanskar,
Moderated by Jael Holzman, Senior Reporter, Heatmap News

10:30–10:45 AM: From Pilot to Commercial Reality

What it actually took to bring a next-generation geothermal project from concept to commercial operation.

Neil Ethier, Vice President, Commercial and Business Development, Eavor Technologies

Moderated by Jael Holzman, Senior Reporter, Heatmap News

10:45–11:00 AM: Coffee Break

A short pause for attendees to grab coffee and refreshments.

11:00–11:15 AM: Drilling Into Policy

How federal permitting, incentives, and regulatory frameworks are evolving to support next-generation geothermal development.

Jake Auchincloss, U.S. Representative (D-MA)
Moderated by Jillian Goodman, Deputy Editor, Heatmap News

11:15–11:30 AM: Nuclear's New Policy Environment

This conversation examines what the new regulatory environment means for advanced nuclear deployment and what it will actually take to build at the speed the moment demands.

Matthew J. Marzano, Commissioner, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Moderated by Robinson Meyer, Founding Executive Editor, Heatmap News

11:30–11:45 AM: Building Advanced Nuclear

How next-generation nuclear companies are moving from design and demonstration into early deployment, and what it will take to scale across regulatory, financial, and supply chain hurdles.

Andrew Richards, VP of Government Affairs, TerraPower
Moderated by Jael Holzman, Senior Reporter, Heatmap News

11:45 AM–12:00 PM: Modernizing the Grid

The clean energy build is driving unprecedented demand for transmission, storage, and smarter market design. This session covers how policymakers are rising to meet it.

Allison Clements, Principal, 804 Advisory, and Former Commissioner, FERC
Moderated by Robinson Meyer, Founding Executive Editor, Heatmap News

12:00–12:15 PM: Rewiring Power Systems

Grid operators, developers, and infrastructure companies are under pressure to move faster than the system was designed to allow. A conversation on how they're doing it.

Travis Kavulla, Head of Policy, Base Power Company
Moderated by Jillian Goodman, Deputy Editor, Heatmap News

12:15–12:30 PM: A CRITICAL (MINERALS ) MOMENT

What it takes to bring a critical minerals technology from breakthrough to commercial scale, and what the current market is demanding from the people trying to do it.

Raef Sully, CEO, Lilac Solutions
Moderated by Jael Holzman, Senior Reporter, Heatmap News

12:30–12:45 PM: Closing Keynote: Where Energy Policy Meets the Market

Heather Zichal, Global Head of Sustainability, JPMorgan Chase
Moderated by Robinson Meyer, Founding Executive Editor, Heatmap News

12:45–1:00 PM: Closing Remarks

Gabe Kleinman, Operating Partner, Venture Investing, Emerson Collective

1:00–2:00 PM: Networking Lunch

Close out the program with lunch and conversation with fellow attendees.

ENERGY ENTREPRENEURSHIP 2026

Energy Entrepreneurship 2026

PRESENTED BY

SPEAKERS

Don Beyer

Jake Auchincloss

Heather Zichal

Matthew J. Marzano

Marc Berte

Allison Clements

Scott Moskowitz

Travis Kavulla

Robinson Meyer

Raef Sully

Jael Holzman

Michael Bruce

Trent Bauserman

Jackie Siebens

Justin Briggs

Gabe Kleinman

Nico Lauricella

Carl Hoiland

Andrew Richards

Jillian Goodman

Neil Ethier

Anna Siefken

AGENDA

OPENING: THE SYSTEM SHIFT

POWERING THE AI BOOM

FUSION: FROM BREAKTHROUGH TO BUILDOUT

GEOTHERMAL: FIRM, CLEAN, 24/7 POWER

THE NUCLEAR BUILD IS ON

THE GRID’S NEW ERA

CLOSING

EVENT DETAILS

REGISTER

VENUE

The Square (Conference Center)

1850 K Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20006

CONTACT