RAPID + TCT 2026 Reveal Panelists for Executive Keynote Series

RAPID + TCT 2026 will bring its Executive Perspectives Keynote Series to the SME Main Stage during its Boston debut, April 13-16, 2026 at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.

Now in its third year, the Executive Perspective Series will kick off Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of RAPID + TCT 2026 with an 8:30 a.m. panel discussion on the SME Main Stage.

“SME has always been about bringing the additive manufacturing community together to learn from the people driving the industry forward,” says Steve Prahalis, chief operating officer at SME. “The Executive Perspectives Series at RAPID + TCT gives attendees a front-row seat to candid conversations with leaders who are scaling these technologies, navigating real challenges and shaping what the next era of manufacturing looks like.”

This year’s Executive Perspective Series includes:

Scaling AM for Aerospace and Defense — Tuesday, April 14 at 8:30 a.m. Leaders will examine qualification, certification, materials development and supply chain resilience, along with the role of government and industry collaboration in accelerating deployment.

Panelists include:

• Foster Ferguson, Senior Director, Aerospace & Defense, Stratasys
• Arun Jeldi, DPT, Chief Executive Officer, Velo3D
• Karsten Heuser, PhD, Vice President, Additive Manufacturing, Siemens
• BG Beth A. Behn, Commanding General, U.S. Army TACOM AMC
• Moderator: Brett Conner, PhD, Chief Manufacturing Officer, SME

Life-Saver: How AM Is Transforming Point-of-Care — Wednesday, April 15 at 8:30 a.m. This executive-level healthcare panel explores regulatory pathways, reliability and the growing integration of AM at the point of care.

Panelists include:

• Jeffrey Graves, PhD, President and Chief Executive Officer, 3D Systems
• Brigitte de Vet-Veithen, Chief Executive Officer, Materialise
• Alex Moñino, Senior Vice President & General Manager, HP
• Jason Rolland, Chief Technology Officer, Carbon

• Moderator: Laura Griffiths, Head of Content, TCT Group

From MIT to Mainstream: The Next Era of Manufacturing — Thursday, April 16 at 8:30 a.m. At the closing Executive Perspectives session, leaders from academia and industry will discuss scaling technologies, workforce development and the broader implications of distributed and digital manufacturing models.

Panelists include:

• Prof. Neil Gershenfeld, Director, Center for Bits and Atoms, MIT
• Maxim Lobovsky, Co-Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Formlabs

RAPID + TCT 2026 will feature 450+ exhibitors, 160 conference sessions and 200+ speakers worldwide. In addition to the Executive Perspectives Series, attendees can explore curated showcases spotlighting aerospace and defense innovation, healthcare applications and startups.

To learn more or register, visit rapid3devent.com.

Sources: Press materials received from the company and additional information gleaned from the company’s website.