Groundswell Startups and New World Angels Examine What’s Next for Early-Stage Tech at Product Futures Summit

By Space Coast Daily // February 9, 2026

Product Futures Summit 2026 Brings Founders, Investors Together to Shape the Next Generation of Innovation

The future of product development took center stage on the Space Coast last week as Groundswell Startups hosted the SCI Product Futures Summit 2026, the first flagship event of the year under the Space Coast Initiative (SCI) in partnership with New World Angels. (SCI images)

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – The future of product development took center stage on the Space Coast last week as Groundswell Startups hosted the SCI Product Futures Summit 2026, the first flagship event of the year under the Space Coast Initiative (SCI) in partnership with New World Angels.

The half-day summit drew a packed room of founders, investors, product leaders, and ecosystem partners from across the Space Coast and throughout Florida, all focused on how artificial intelligence, advanced hardware, and next-generation product strategies are transforming the way new ventures are built, scaled, and funded.

Serving as emcee for the event was Stephen Sopko, a mentor with Groundswell Startups and the UCF Business Incubator, who guided the program with energy, clarity, and thoughtful insight, helping frame complex conversations around innovation and commercialization.

**PANEL 1**, left to right, included Derek Tishler, Meghan Wolfgram, and Eric Becnel discussing Early-Stage Commercialization & Founder Readiness.

A Practical Look at Building the Future

The summit featured four focused panel discussions, each offering candid, experience-driven perspectives from leaders actively shaping the startup and investment landscape. Panelists shared practical guidance on gaining early traction, avoiding common startup pitfalls, and preparing founders for the realities of taking products to market. The discussion emphasized execution, customer validation, and the importance of readiness long before scaling begins.

The conversation also explored Alternative Paths to Market: Licensing & IP Strategy, highlighting non-traditional commercialization models, including licensing and IP-first approaches. Panelists discussed how founders can unlock value beyond direct-to-market strategies and better position their intellectual property for long-term success.

**PANEL 2**, left to right, included Ray Catania, Bud Deffebach, Stephen Thomas, and Mark Ingram.

**PANEL 3** included Ryan Bailey, Mike Maniscalco, Sailesh Kadam, Thomas Larkin, and Kwadwo O. Mensah.

AI and the Future of Hardware Design & Manufacturing
This panel examined how AI is rapidly accelerating design cycles, reducing iteration costs, and reshaping the path from concept to production. Speakers highlighted how emerging tools are enabling faster prototyping and smarter manufacturing decisions, particularly for hardware-focused startups.

What Investors Look for in Early-Stage Tech & Hardware Ventures
Investors offered a candid look at capital readiness, risk evaluation, and what separates truly investable teams from the rest. Beyond pitch decks, panelists emphasized execution capability, market understanding, and founder resilience as key differentiators.

**PANEL 4** included Ron Tarro, John Vecchio, Richard Greco, Bud Deffebach, and Dennis Pape.

Where Real Connections Were Made

While the panels delivered deep insights, many of the most impactful moments occurred between sessions—through informal conversations, founder-investor introductions, and spontaneous discussions that sparked new relationships and follow-up meetings.

This kind of organic collaboration lies at the core of the mission shared by Groundswell Startups and the Space Coast Initiative: creating environments where ideas, expertise, and opportunity naturally intersect.

Early-stage founders were seen engaging directly with Groundswell Startups co-founders Bud Deffebach and John Vecchio, continuing conversations that began on stage and carried into the broader community.

Serving as emcee for the event was Stephen Sopko, a mentor with Groundswell Startups and the UCF Business Incubator, who guided the program with energy, clarity, and thoughtful insight, helping frame complex conversations around innovation and commercialization.

The half-day SCI Product Futures Summit 2026 drew a packed room of founders, investors, product leaders, and ecosystem partners from across the Space Coast and throughout Florida, all focused on how artificial intelligence, advanced hardware, and next-generation product strategies are transforming the way new ventures are built, scaled, and funded.

Partners, Sponsors, and Community Support

The summit was hosted in collaboration with New World Angels, whose participation brought thoughtful investor perspectives and meaningful dialogue to the event.

Organizers also expressed appreciation to sponsors Rossby Financial, Menlo Park Patents, UF EII IGNITE, and Protodromics, as well as to media partners Publify Press and Red Hat Studio, for their support in making the Summit possible.

Equally vital were the moderators, panelists, founders, investors, product leaders, and ecosystem partners in attendance, whose openness and engagement made the discussions candid, constructive, and future-focused.

he Product Futures Summit set the tone for a year of innovation under the Space Coast Initiative. Next on the calendar is the SCI Hackathon 2026, scheduled for April 11–12, with a focus on HealthTech, SpaceTech, and DefenseTech. Registration is now live here.

What’s Next for the Space Coast Initiative

The Product Futures Summit set the tone for a year of innovation under the Space Coast Initiative. Next on the calendar is the SCI Hackathon 2026, scheduled for April 11–12, with a focus on HealthTech, SpaceTech, and DefenseTech. Registration is now live here.

Organizers say the momentum from the summit underscores a growing appetite across the region for collaboration, innovation, and bold thinking—and they’re just getting started.

Event highlights and a full photo gallery are available HERE.