GreenTech North America expands conference program with leading CEA experts

The two-day Conference of GreenTech North America is taking shape as preparations for the Expo are in full swing. The event will take place on Wednesday, September 23 and Thursday, September 24 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. 

The conference focuses on innovations and developments shaping horticulture across North America and covers all major crop types, from vegetables and soft fruit crops to ornamentals and medicinal plants. The program will bring together industry leaders, growers, researchers and policymakers to share insights through high-level knowledge sessions on Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA). Key topics include energy, human capital, digital growing, artificial intelligence, and strategies to address rising operational costs. In addition, the conference will facilitate an important dialogue between industry stakeholders and government representatives.

Conference program GreenTech North America

Opening:

On Wednesday, September 23, the show kicks off with the official opening ceremony from 09:00 AM to 10:00 AM, led by Mariska Dreschler (Director Horticulture, GreenTech Global). Additional keynote speakers will be announced shortly, including representatives from political and governmental organizations. Adding a touch of history to the opening program, a renowned Benjamin Franklin impersonator will bring Philadelphia's most famous Founding Father to life. Through humor, storytelling, and audience interaction, this engaging performance will celebrate Franklin's contributions to agriculture, honor Philadelphia's rich heritage, and commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States.

A selection of the Conference knowledge sessions:

Day 1: 

• Wednesday, September 23, 11:40 AM – 12:30 PM: ‘Beyond the Leaf: Building Profitable Growth in the Hydro Leafy Greens Sector’ by Serdar Mizrakci (Element Farms), Don Courtemanche (Grodan) and moderated by Sonny Moerenhout (Cultivators)
• Wednesday, September 23, 12:40 PM – 1:30 PM: ‘Growing the CEA Greenhouse Ecosystem in North America: Advancing Technology, Scaling Operations, and Building Talent’ by Peter Ravensbergen (Wageningen University & Research), Qinglu Ying (University of Kentucky), Chieri Kubota (Ohio State University), Qingwu Meng (University of Delaware) and moderated by Chris Higgins (Hort Americas) 

Day 2:

• Thursday, September 24, 10:40 AM – 11:30 AM: ‘Vertical farming: How to stay ahead in a fast-changing industry’ by Tisha Livingston (Infinite Acres), Hiroki Koga (Oishii) and moderated by Ryan Douglas (Ryan Douglas Cultivation)
• Thursday, September 24, 10:40 AM – 11:30 AM: ‘The Cost & ROI of AI in CEA: Where Does It Actually Add Value?’ by Tomas Geurts (Source) and Henry Gordon-Smith (Agritecture)
• Thursday, September 24, 11:40 AM – 12:30 PM: ‘Aligning Policy, Capital, and Operations in CEA’ by Henry Gordon-Smith (Agritecture), Michael Roth (Commonwealth) and Bob Gunn (Seinergy) 

Plant Empowerment Workshop

On Tuesday, September 22, GreenTech North America will host a Plant Empowerment Workshop for growers and horticultural professionals. The one-day program, 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM, will offer practical insights into Plant Empowerment principles, water management, crop optimisation, and climate control strategies, led by experts Evripidis Papadopoulos (Hoogendoorn), René Beerkens (Hoogendoorn), Ruud Schulte (Van der Ende Group), Ton Habraken (Svensson), Amos Bassi (Philips Horticulture LED Solutions) and Paul van Gils (Lumiforte). More information and registration here. 

Registration

Visitor registration offers the option to attend both the Conference and the Expo, or the Expo only. More information is available via www.greentech.nl/north-america/registration. 

About GreenTech North America

GreenTech North America is part of the GreenTech portfolio with a focus on the USA and Canada. The goal is to meet the specific needs of growers, breeders and suppliers. GreenTech North America enables a greater exchange of knowledge, experiences, and success stories of the horticultural industry in this region. The show is organized by RAI Amsterdam and will take place Wednesday 23 and Thursday 24 September 2026 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. Please find more information at https://www.greentech.nl/north-america.