Event agenda

Registration & Badge Pick Up

Check in at the registration desk to receive your badge. Badge pickup is also available during the Welcome Reception.

Welcome Reception

Kick off the GBF at the historic Reading Terminal Market for an informal evening of networking, conversation, and culinary discovery as you sample bites from a diverse mix of vendors and reconnect with colleagues from across the WTCA network.

Opening Ceremony

Keynote Address

They keynote remarks will set the tone for the Forum, highlighting Pennsylvania's role as a gateway for global business, innovation, and investment.

Global Outlook: Navigating Trade and Investment Trends in 2026

This session offers a forward-looking perspective on what lies ahead for international trade and investment in 2026.

Networking Break

Candid Conversations

From Research to Global Markets: How "Eds & Meds" Ecosystems Drive International Growth

From breakthrough discoveries to cross-border collaboration, this session highlights the moments, decisions, and connections that enable regions to compete, and collaborate on a global stage.

Activating Growth: How Partnerships Turn Regional Potential into Global Business

This session features partnerships that made a measurable difference, offering practical insight into what worked, who was involved, and what came next.

UNIDO-WTCA Blue Economy Call 2026

Learn about the UNIDO-WTCA Blue Economy Global Call 2026, which aims to identify and promote readily deployable and scalable solutions and innovative technologies that contribute to the Blue Economy.

Networking Lunch

Innovation in Action: Powering the Future of Supply Chain and Product Leadership

This session will explore practical approaches to strengthening operations, navigating global disruptions, and supporting product development and growth.

WTCA General Assembly (WTCA Members Only)

The WTCA General Assembly is a closed-door meeting reserved exclusively for WTCA Members.

Where Local Flavor Meets Global Demand

Exploring how Agriculture, food, and beverage unlock trade, attract investment, and connect local producers to global opportunities.

Regional Receptions

Global Café: Navigating Trade & Tariffs

Tap into the collective expertise of the WTCA network. The Global Café fosters peer learning, practical takeaways, and a deeper understanding of how organizations can adapt amid ongoing change.

Business Matchmaking

Engage in strategic business matchmaking to connect directly with potential partners. Schedule meetings through the platform. Please note that some meeting time slots may overlap during the Real Estate Summit & Workshops.

Networking Lunch

Real Estate Summit: Welcome Remarks

Attendees will gain a clear understanding of how the afternoon connects global real estate trends with the World Trade Center® network’s role as a catalyst for trade-driven development.

Real Estate Summit: Global Macro Trends, The State of Global Capital & Space

This session examines capital flows, nearshoring, logistics demand, sustainability premiums, and the evolving role of global cities.

Real Estate Summit: From BuildTech to GreenTech

Through short showcases, attendees will explore digital tools, energy-efficient solutions, and smart infrastructure that improve performance, resilience, and long-term asset value.

Real Estate Summit: Investor Workshop, Part I -Attracting Global Capital

Real Estate Summit: Investor Workshop, Part II - Pitch Lab

Real Estate Summit: WTC Projects in Focus: Measuring ROI & Local Impact

This integrated session highlights select World Trade Center projects alongside clear, data-driven measures of return on investment and local economic impact.

Real Estate Summit: Inside Successful Public-Private Partnerships

Connections Showcase

Whether you’ve discussed potential partnerships, investment ideas, or collaborative projects, this ceremony highlights the power of the connections made at the GBF without requiring a formal agreement, though MOU signing are also welcome.

Gala Dinner