Dear Council on Competitiveness Community,
As we move deeper into 2026 — a milestone 40th year for the Council and as our nation approaches its 250th anniversary — the intensity of our agenda and activity is accelerating.
In the weeks ahead, the Council will convene two major editions of the Competitiveness Conversations Across America series — first in Maryland and then in Nebraska — each spotlighting the best and “next” practices of how places and people are building distinctive ecosystems to drive innovation, scale technology, and strengthen U.S. competitiveness.
- Maryland (March 23-24): With a focus on AI and quantum, this Conversation will explore how academic institutions, federal R&D labs, and national security initiatives intersect with a rapidly growing commercialization ecosystem. Over two days, nearly 60 speakers — including my cohosts President of the University of Maryland, College Park Darryll J. Pines and President of Morgan State University David K. Wilson, as well as Governor Wes Moore, U.S. Department of Energy Under Secretary for Science and Innovation and Director of the Genesis Mission Darío Gil, and many other leaders from industry, academia, and government — will share insights on how discoveries and talent are translated into new technologies, companies, and jobs across Maryland — offering a fascinating view of the U.S. innovation engine in action. Attendance is complimentary. Register for the Maryland Conversation here.
- Nebraska (April 29-30): Spotlighting the bioeconomy, this Conversation marks a key milestone in the Council’s future of bioeconomy initiative (see the new report from our recent Future of the Bioeconomy dialogue here). In close collaboration with my cohost Dr. Jeffrey Gold, President of the University of Nebraska System, this Conversation will explore how research universities, industry, and policymakers are collaborating to scale biomanufacturing, strengthen supply chains, drive economic growth, and bolster national security. In Omaha, we will hear from Governor Jim Pillen, Omaha Mayor John Ewing, Congressman Mike Flood, U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary Scott Hutchins, Gen. (Ret.) Anthony J. Cotton — former Commander of the United States Strategic Command, Gen. (Ret.) Paul A. Friedrichs — former Command Surgeon of the Joint Staff and Air Combat Command, Deputy Assistant to the President and Former Director of the White House Office of Pandemic Preparedness, and more across industry and academia as we work to develop the roadmap for advancing the U.S. bioeconomy. Like the Maryland edition, the Nebraska Conversation is free to attend. Register for the Nebraska Conversation here.
Our team is also preparing for a San Diego edition of the Competitiveness Conversations, July 20–21. My co-host, the University of California San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla, will lead a powerful event focusing on the “San Diego stack” of innovation, spanning transformative computing, the future of fusion, agile aero, the future of bio, and more. In addition, the Technology Leadership and Strategy Initiative’s first 2026 Dialogue will take place in June at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth, Texas production facilities – with our follow-on Dialogue slated for November, just weeks before our 40th anniversary celebrations and 2026 National Competitiveness Forum (please save the dates December 16–17 in Washington, DC to join us).
And Council Chair, Erik Fyrwald, and I — along with other Board Members, the Executive Committee, and the National Commissioners — will be meeting in March and May to build out a series of compelling ideas, concepts, and actionable recommendations to support our 40th anniversary platform – much more to come on that.
Please reach out to me or Council Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Chad Evans should you have any questions about upcoming opportunities to engage with the Council. And speaking of Chad, I want to congratulate him on being invited to join the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s (NASEM) Executive Committee to support the future of the U.S. research enterprise.
I am also excited to welcome several new Members to the Council. Below, we highlight these additions, along with just a small sample of the extraordinary impact our Members have delivered over the past month.
I look forward to seeing many of you in Maryland and Nebraska — and to continuing this work together to ensure the United States does not simply participate in the next wave of innovation, but shapes and captures it.
Sincerely,
Deborah L. Wince-Smith
President & CEO
Council on Competitiveness
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Read the full edition of the February 2026, Compete Connect newsletter, including much more about the Council's upcoming engagement opportunities and initiatives led by Council Members, below:
