LAS VEGAS –Indoor Ag-Con, the biggest commerce present and convention for the managed setting agriculture (CEA) sector, has introduced the Day Two keynote for its February 11-12, 2026 occasion in Las Vegas. Titled “The State of CEA Finance: Capital Flows, Self-discipline, and Classes Discovered,” the keynote will happen on Thursday, February 12 from 8:00–8:50 AM PST and can function a hearth chat with two of essentially the most influential voices shaping CEA and agri-food finance: Dave Chen, Co-Founder & CEO of Equilibrium, and David Verbitsky, President & Managing Director of Verbitsky Capital.
Because the {industry} continues to mature following a decade marked by fast growth, shifting capital dynamics, and heightened scrutiny on operational efficiency, this keynote will supply attendees a candid have a look at the monetary panorama influencing CEA right now. The dialog will discover:
- How and the place capital is transferring throughout the CEA worth chain
- How financing self-discipline has advanced for the reason that sector’s early growth years
- The dangers related to scaling too rapidly
- The teachings buyers, operators, and suppliers should carry ahead to construct resilient, worthwhile companies
“Finance continues to be one of the crucial necessary and carefully watched elements of managed setting agriculture,” stated Brian Sullivan, CEO, Indoor Ag-Con. “Dave and David deliver priceless perspective formed by years of working throughout the broader meals and agriculture funding panorama. We’re happy to supply attendees a grounded, sensible dialog that may assist operators and companions navigate the altering monetary setting.”
This keynote is a part of Indoor Ag-Con’s most complete instructional program but, that includes 11 specialised instructional tracks masking vine crops, mushrooms, berries, lettuce & herbs, typical agriculture, meals security, hashish, distinctive approaches, basic purposes, and extra. Attendees may even expertise an expo corridor showcasing a whole bunch of CEA applied sciences and options, together with quite a few networking alternatives designed to foster significant connections and industry-wide collaboration.
Speaker Profiles
Dave Chen, Co-Founder & CEO, Equilibrium
Dave is co-founder and CEO of Equilibrium Capital Group which was based practically 18 years in the past with the mission to construct an institutional asset supervisor targeted on sustainable infrastructure funding methods that might make a constructive impression on our local weather challenges. Equilibrium invests in sustainable meals & agriculture and carbon transition infrastructure. With workplaces in San Francisco, Portland, and London, the agency serves a worldwide group of institutional buyers.
Dave began his profession at Solectron and at McKinsey. He served as Chairman of the Portland Oregon Department of the San Francisco Federal Reserve Financial institution 2005-2012. He was a basic accomplice of OVP Enterprise Companions and a co-founder of GeoTrust (acquired by VeriSign). He was a board member of HNCS (NASDAQ) 1999-2002, the pioneer in making use of neural internet expertise to ship utility software program for actual time bank card fraud detection for the banking sector and in healthcare insurance coverage fraud detection, later merged with FICO (NASDAQ:HNCS, now NYSE:FIC). For the previous 15 years, he has additionally been an Adjunct Professor of Finance on the Kellogg Faculty Administration at Northwestern College and Director of the Kellogg Influence Investing Program.
David Verbitsky, President & Managing Director, Verbitsky Capital
With greater than 15 years of funding banking and entrepreneurial expertise, David Verbitsky has suggested on over $200B in M&A and financing transactions throughout the Agriculture & Meals {industry}. His background consists of serving as World Head of Agriculture & Vitamin Funding Banking at Goldman Sachs; World Head of AgTech & Sustainable Meals Funding Banking at Nomura Greentech; and prior roles inside Barclays’ Chemical compounds & Agriculture funding banking workforce.
David Verbitsky’s expertise spans early-stage innovators, family-owned operators, personal fairness, and huge multinationals throughout the whole Agri-Meals worth chain. His profession additionally consists of enterprise capital roles, strategic advisory work in agri-food innovation, and operational management as CFO of Invaio, an AgTech start-up. He holds an MBA from Rice College and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Columbia College.
Indoor Ag-Con will announce particulars of its Opening Morning Keynote—The State of the CEA Trade from the CEA Alliance—within the coming weeks.
ABOUT INDOOR AG-CON
Based in 2013, Indoor Ag-Con has emerged as the biggest commerce present and convention for vertical farming | greenhouse | managed setting agriculture (CEA). The occasion brings collectively {industry} professionals from throughout the globe to discover the newest developments, applied sciences, and improvements within the CEA sector. Its occasions are crop-agnostic and contact all sectors of the enterprise, masking produce, authorized hashish | hemp, alternate protein and non-food crops. Extra info, go to www.indoor.ag
