About

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Why NEXPLORE?

Complex challenges demand more than one discipline, one sector, or one way of thinking.

‍xFoundry created NEXPLORE to bring leaders from industry, government, and higher education together to challenge assumptions, share perspectives, and develop novel approaches.

Across six focus areas, we’ll explore the questions shaping what comes next and the opportunities that emerge when different perspectives come together.

POWERED BY XFOUNDRY & OUR PARTNERS

meet the summit hosts

visit xFoundry →
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xFoundry redefines experiential learning by bringing the rigor, intensity, and stakes of real-world work into the university experience. Societal need and market demand set the target, and multidisciplinary student teams spanning technology, arts and athletics, marketing, and science build real products, services, and companies to investment-readiness standards. The result is graduates with employer-legible skills for the AI age and full ownership of what they build, a pipeline of proven talent for employers, and promising ventures that attract investment and tackle society’s grand challenges.

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A man in a navy blazer and brown turtleneck speaks on stage holding a microphone, standing next to a woman in a white top and red pants, against a large screen backdrop showing a forest fire image with text about the 2024 Xplore Summit and Xpanding Crossfire competition at xFoundry@UMD.

Who is in the room

Trailblazing leaders and visionaries from every industry discussing how we make the most impact, together.

Just announced • more to come
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speaker

Jeanette Epps, Ph.D.

Former Astronaut, SpaceX Crew-8 Mission, NASA

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SPEAKER

Betsabeh Madani-Hermann

Global Head of Research, Philips

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SPEAKER

Christyl Johnson, Ph.D.

Co-Founder and General Partner of Andromeda Ventures

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SPEAKER

Ted Koppel

Veteran Broadcast Journalist

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SPEAKER

Greg Stover

Director, Advanced Research and Technology Division, RTMD, NASA

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SPEAKER

Amir Ansari

Executive Director & Co-Founder, xFoundry

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SPEAKER

Stacey Shulman

Former VP of Health, Intel Corporation

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SPEAKER

Rafael Lorente

Dean, Philip Merrill College of Journalism, University of Maryland

SEE the current lineup  →

Built for the whole ecosystem

NEXPLORE brings three worlds into one room. Here's what each takes home.

01

Industry & investors
  • Early access to validated deal flow
  • Direct influence on future innovation targets
  • A curated, multidisciplinary talent pipeline
  • A high-signal network across sectors
  • De-risked sponsorship with measurable ROI

02

Universities & colleges
  • Stronger university–industry collaboration pathways
  • Enhanced career development and placement
  • Innovation and commercialization credited to the university
  • Access to funding pipelines
  • Student exposure to real-world problem framing

03

Public sector
  • Access to validated technology
  • Workforce development aligned with national priorities
  • Broad, cost-efficient problem exploration
  • Cross-sector partnerships with industry
  • Pathways to national hubs of academic research

Partners & collaborators

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Nasa

Through a historic five-year Space Act Agreement, NASA HQ is collaborating with the University System of Maryland on convening the next generation of innovators to explore solutions for future deep space exploration through innovation and entrepreneurship.

nasa.gov
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university of maryland, college park

A national leader in research and innovation, the University of Maryland is ranked among the top 5 public universities for entrepreneurship. xFoundry was proudly launched at the University of Maryland.

umd.edu
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amazon

Amazon is hosting the summit at its state-of-the-art HQ2 campus in Arlington, Virginia. Amazon’s commitment to innovation, sustainability, and cutting-edge technology aligns with the summit’s mission to shape the future of space and humanity.

aws.amazon.com
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Xponential provides seed funding as the main capital partner supporting xFoundry’s multifaceted innovation ecosystem, investing pre-seed through Series A in in-network startups that have already been built, tested, and validated. Xponential generates strong, risk-reduced returns for investors while creating economic and social value for every stakeholder.

xpv.fund
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a. james clark school of engineering

One of the top-ranked engineering schools in the nation, the A. James Clark School of Engineering fosters groundbreaking research across aerospace, robotics, energy, and beyond. The Clark School brings technical leadership and student innovation to the NEXPLORE experience.

eng.umd.edu
University of Maryland emblem with globe featuring Maryland flag patterns and the text Philip Merrill College of Journalism.

The Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland consistently ranks among the world's top journalism schools. The Merrill College brings veteran broadcasters, journalists, and thought leaders to the stage and topic area councils to discuss media literacy, digital news, and the future of information sharing.

merrill.umd.edu
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Faculty and students in the College of Arts and Humanities (ARHU) at the University of Maryland contribute the crucial teaching and research in human experience, thought, expression and creativity that complete our multidisciplinary student teams and expert panels.

arhu.umd.edu

Ready to  NEXPLORE?

400+ industry leaders, 40+ speakers, and you. Step in to connect, collaborate, and accelerate solutions for Earth today and space tomorrow.

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