Techonomy Impact: Power in Progress Agenda
Techonomy Impact, formerly known as Techonomy Climate, returned on September 24, 2025, with a powerful new theme: “Power in Progress.” This event convened leading voices in technology, business, and environmental advocacy to explore the critical role of innovation in tackling climate change and advancing sustainable development. The conference emphasized bold action, collaboration, and the need to overcome obstacles to create lasting progress.
Agenda
Registration, Breakfast, and Networking
Doors open at 8:00am at City Winery. Arrive early to enjoy breakfast and networking.
Opening Remarks
Dan Costa
Chief Content Officer and Editor-in-Chief, Worth Media Group
How Art Ignites Climate Action
Art can move hearts faster than data. Miranda Massie, Director of the Climate Museum, joins cultural leaders to show how creative expression transforms climate anxiety into action. Learn how installations, performances, and storytelling inspire hope, build community, and mobilize the concerned majority into meaningful climate engagement.
Miranda Massie
Director, Climate Museum
Dan Costa
Chief Content Officer and Editor-in-Chief, Worth Media Group
From Moonshots to Movements: Master the Algorithm of Progress
A scientist, a storyteller, an educator and a policymaker walk into a room to take on the $38 trillion climate problem and redefine humans’ relationship with our world. How does an audacious idea turn into inspiration, influence, and impact that changes policy, markets, and human behavior?
This session will unpack the algorithm of progress: scientific or tech breakthrough x storytelling → smart adaptation in policy and commerce → outcome measurement x storytelling → spark new ideas — with real strategies, innovative partnerships, and practical lessons on how to scale good intentions into real-world results.
David Gruber
President & Founder, Project CETI
Meredith McDermott
Chief Sustainability and Decarbonization Officer, NYC Public Schools
Jennifer Williams
Executive Director, Take Action Global
Junmian Sun
Managing Director, Shorty Awards
Alexander Lazarou
Communications Lead, North America, Getty Images
The City as a Climate Lab
Cities are at the forefront of the climate crisis—and the solutions. Stephen Hammer, CEO of the New York Climate Exchange, shares how Governors Island will serve as a living laboratory for innovation, equity, and resilience, connecting policymakers, researchers, and communities to accelerate scalable climate solutions worldwide.
Stephen Hammer
Founding CEO, New York Climate Exchange
Dan Costa
Chief Content Officer and Editor-in-Chief, Worth Media Group
The Future of the Food System: Climate Action, Innovation and Collaboration
PepsiCo CSO Jim Andrew joins Jim McCann, Chairman of 1800Flowers and Worth Media Group to explore how regenerative agricultural practices, bold cross-sector action, and technology can be climate solutions. This conversation looks ahead to a food system transformed by innovation and collaboration, and with farmers as the foundation to creating system change.
Jim Andrew
EVP, Chief Sustainability Officer, PepsiCo
Jim McCann
Founder & Chairman of 1-800Flowers.com, Chairman of Worth Media Group
Flying Boats, Rooted in Purpose
Navier founder and CEO Sampriti Bhattacharyya shares the story behind building the world’s first all-electric hydrofoil boat designed for efficiency, sustainability, and autonomy. From aerospace engineering to marine innovation, discover how cutting-edge design can transform waterways into zero-emission highways and why purpose matters as much as performance in technology.
Sampriti Bhattacharyya
Founder and CEO, Navier
Break
A Compass for a Planet in Peril
How do we direct talent and capital to the climate solutions that matter most? This session convenes leaders from across the climate ecosystem to explore the known frontiers of knowledge in decarbonization. Dive into the critical "Innovation Imperatives" we must scale today and the bold "Moonshots" that could redefine tomorrow.
Ryan Panchadsaram
Co-Author, Speed & Scale
Sonia Aggarwal
CEO, Energy Innovation
Mark Patel
Senior Partner, McKinsey
Dan Costa
Chief Content Officer and Editor-in-Chief, Worth Media Group
AI-Driven Decarbonization at Scale
John Mennel and Lyndsay Harris-Kyei explore how AI can power sustainable transformation without compromise. Drawing upon real-world use cases—from agriculture to utilities—they’ll reveal how businesses can move beyond forecasts into operations. Learn how to navigate strategic trade-offs, integrate AI into decarbonization programs, and deliver measurable environmental and financial returns.
John Mennel
Managing Director, Data and Assets Leader – Sustainability, Deloitte
Lyndsay Harris-Kyei
VP, Global Impact and Sustainability, ServiceNow
AI for Equity in Healthcare
Kabir Daya explores how artificial intelligence can reduce disparities in healthcare by expanding access, improving personalization, and closing digital divides. He will share insights on how technology can be designed and deployed to empower patients, support providers, and build a more inclusive health system for all.
Kabir Daya
Chief Digital Officer and Chief Marketing Officer, Thriveworks
Reimagining A Healthier Future: A Conversation with Colgate-Palmolive's Ann Tracy
As a caring, innovative growth company that is reimagining a healthier future for all people, their pets and our planet, Colgate-Palmolive understands that sustainability and social impact are a driver of business value. In this fireside chat, Ann Tracy, Chief Sustainability Officer, Colgate-Palmolive, will discuss how the company is committed to its purpose and what’s next for its sustainability and social impact work. Ann brings decades of experience inside one of the world’s most trusted consumer goods companies.
Ann Tracy
Chief Sustainability Officer, Colgate Palmolive Company
Josh Kampel
CEO, Worth Media Group
Lunch
Welcome Back/Housekeeping
Partnering with Local Providers to Build Sustainable Programs
Buddy Guindon shares how Katie's Seafood Market works with local suppliers to create resilient, sustainable programs that benefit communities, the environment, and business. Amanda Leland moderates a discussion on strategies for forming partnerships that strike a balance between growth, impact, and long-term sustainability.
Amanda Leland
Executive Director, Environmental Defense Fund
Buddy Guindon
Commercial Fisherman & Sustainable Seafood Advocate, Katie's Seafood Market
From Ocean Advocate to Ocean Investor: The VELAMAR Vision
Drawing on her decade of work leading Sustainable Ocean Alliance, Daniela Fernandez will share how VELAMAR seeks to shift the leverage in ocean conservation by catalyzing investment. This conversation will dive into the structure, strategy, and impact of ocean-investment vehicles, and how to align financial returns with ocean health.
Daniela Fernandez
Founder & CEO, VELAMAR
Jim McCann
Founder & Chairman of 1-800Flowers.com, Chairman of Worth Media Group
Rethinking Food Systems for the Planet
This panel explores how agriculture, water, and food systems must evolve to combat climate change. Michael Grunwald draws on his book, "We Are Eating the Earth," while Britt Groosman and Amy Middleton highlight innovations, policy strategies, and communication approaches that drive sustainable, climate-smart practices.
Britt Groosman
Senior Vice President, Agriculture, Water and Food, Environmental Defense Fund
Michael Grunwald
Best-Selling Author, Contributing Writer, New York Times
Amy Todd Middleton
SVP, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer, Environmental Defense Fund
Funding Resilience in a Warming World
Caitlin MacLean and Francis Bouchard explore how innovative finance and insurance strategies are vital for managing climate risk. They’ll examine how integrating ESG data, rethinking risk models, and mobilizing capital can strengthen resilience for communities and businesses facing both physical and transition threats.
Caitlin MacLean
Managing Director, Innovative Finance, Milken Institute
Francis Bouchard
Managing Director, Climate, Marsh McLennan
Take Back the Power: Innovation in Energy Efficiency
As Washington rolls back energy efficiency standards, what comes next? Join this session to learn what Americans expect of industry now, and how consumer demand for less expensive utility bills may shape the future of efficiency.
Sara Enright
Senior Director, Safety & Sustainability, Consumer Reports
Emily Forlini
Senior Reporter, PCMag
Built for Life: How Stanley 1913 is Investing in Sustainability
You may know their products but not the story behind them. For more than a century, Stanley 1913 has been creating products that are Built for Life—designed to last, reduce waste, and inspire reuse. Join Emily Cichy, VP of Sustainability and Social Impact at PMI WW Brands, LLC (Stanley 1913), for an inside look at the brand’s sustainability commitments—and learn more about their latest program that will be introduced at the session.
Emily Cichy
VP, Sustainability and Social Impact, PMI WW Brands [Stanley 1913]
Break
Racing Against Climate Change with F1 Tech
Formula 1 has always been a proving ground for speed and performance—now it’s accelerating sustainability breakthroughs. McLaren Accelerator leaders Kim Wilson and James Passmeard share how F1 innovations in circular design, advanced materials, and data science can fuel climate solutions far beyond the racetrack.
Kim Wilson
Director of Sustainability, McLaren Racing
Anna Marsden
Managing Director, Great Barrier Reef Foundation
Josh Kampel
CEO, Worth Media Group
Sustainability Beyond the Vehicle
For Ford, sustainability doesn’t stop at the factory gate. It includes ethical sourcing, community equity, circular materials, and safety in every dimension. In this candid conversation, Bob Holycross explains how Ford is expanding its definition of impact and reshaping mobility systems for a more just and sustainable future.
Bob Holycross
VP, Chief Sustainability, Environment and Safety Officer, Ford Motor Co.
Dan Costa
Chief Content Officer and Editor-in-Chief, Worth Media Group
Climate Science That Speaks to the Heart
Facts alone don’t change minds—stories do. Katharine Hayhoe, Chief Scientist at The Nature Conservancy, shares how connecting climate science to people’s values creates hope and action. In conversation with Dan Costa, she reveals how to bridge belief and data to inspire collective solutions to the climate crisis.
Katharine Hayhoe
Author, "Saving Us"; Chief Scientist, The Nature Conservancy
Dan Costa
Chief Content Officer and Editor-in-Chief, Worth Media Group
From AI to Access: A Vision for the Future
Dr. Gaurav Deshpande explores how artificial intelligence, data-driven protocols, and global collaboration are transforming surgical safety and expanding access to essential care. He will share a forward-looking vision for scaling access to high-quality care worldwide—tackling disparities and equipping under-resourced communities with the tools to deliver care independently.
Dr. Gaurav Deshpande
Associate Vice President of Medical Oversight and Safety, Operation Smile
Communities as Catalysts for Change
Alicia White shares how grassroots innovation can transform underserved neighborhoods into models of sustainability. Drawing from her work at Project Petals, she demonstrates how empowering BIPOC communities drives climate resilience, equity, and long-term progress.
Alicia White
President and Founder, Project Petals
Eva Shae Crouse
Senior Editor, Worth Media