The SPAC Conference 2026 Agenda
Now in its 9th year, The SPAC Conference has been shaped by continuous feedback from the community. Each year, we refine the event agenda to reflect the most relevant topics and evolving dynamics of the SPAC market. The result is a program designed to deliver the information and perspective our audience values most. Below are some of the topics we’re working on for the 2026 event.
• Smaller, higher-quality deals with stronger alignment
• Shift from growth-at-all-costs to profitability and durable cash flow
• Increased sponsor “skin in the game” (at-risk capital, earnouts, vesting promotes)
• More realistic valuations and structured PIPEs
• AI infrastructure, crypto, industrial tech, healthcare IT, and energy transition industries are generating interest
• SPACs remain viable where traditional IPO timing or storytelling is complex.
• Requires strong sponsor credibility and sector expertise.
• Clear capital use plan (not just balance sheet strength).
• Institutional PIPE support.
• Financial controls, governance, FP&A, and audit readiness must be in place before signing business combination
• Earnout-based vesting
• Performance triggers (price/ EBITDA/revenue)
• Backstop agreements
• Forward purchase agreements
• Understanding the SPAC cash lifecycle: From IPO trust accounts to de-SPAC deployment
• Trust account mechanics & compliance
• Interest income strategy
• Redemption dynamics & liquidity planning
• PIPE proceeds integration
• Redemptions planning begins at IPO, not at merger announcement
• Backstop capital and non-traditional PIPE investors increasingly critical
• Retail investor communication strategy is essential
• Earnouts bridge valuation gaps without destroying alignment
• Operational readiness for public markets must start 6–12 months pre-close
• Evolving SEC enforcement priorities
• Disclosure liability trends
• Sponsor and director exposure
• De-SPAC transaction lawsuits
• Best practices to mitigate risk
• Why international targets are showing renewed interest in SPAC listings
• Valuation gaps between U.S. and non-U.S. markets create opportunity
• U.S.-listed SPACs remain attractive gateways to deep liquidity pools
• Dual-track optionality (SPAC + local IPO)
• PIPE participation from global investors
• Establishing a compelling IR narrative
• Identifying and engaging the right long-term shareholders
• Securing analyst coverage and leveraging it to broaden visibility and credibility
• Understanding volatility, lock-up expirations, and market-making activity
• Positioning for follow-on offerings, uplistings, and sustained market support
• Does the sponsor add strategic value beyond capital?
• Access to PIPE and institutional relationships
• Experience taking companies public
• Alignment structure and promote terms
• Realistic valuation expectations
• SEC scrutiny on projections and disclosures remains elevated
• Clearer guardrails around financial forecasts
• Increased focus on board independence and governance standards
• Alignment of sponsor promote with long-term performance
• Litigation risk management now standard in deal planning
• The 2020–2021 SPAC boom vs. today’s rationalized market
• Valuations anchored to realistic, achievable and risk-adjusted projections
• Multiple valuation approaches are used as appropriate and available
• Earnout structures are more common – and tied to the projections.
• The earnout is fair valued to account for probability that projections are not achieved, which lowers the consideration on Day 1
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