THE SPAC CONFERENCE 2025
The SPAC Conference is the largest forum for networking and discussion of special purpose acquisition companies and alternative IPO techniques.
DealFlow Events is pleased to offer the complete set of audio/video recordings from this event along with the official Event Book & Resource Guide.
If you missed the conference, you can still benefit from all the education of attending the event. Purchase the archive event kit today or call us at (516) 876-8006 or email team@dealflowevents.com with questions.
June 17, 2025
Registration Opens
Kickoff
Phill LoFaso, Managing Director, DealFlow Events
Overview of the Current SPAC Market: Recent Developments and Trends of IPOs and deSPACs
• Regulatory updates
• Forecast of SPAC activity for the remainder of the year
• A prediction of deal action into 2026
Mitch Nussbaum
Co-Chair
Loeb & Loeb
Speaker
Renewed Focus on Quality Deals
- SPACs shifting toward higher-quality targets as traditional go-public routes remain shut to most issuers
- Shift to prioritizing SPAC targets in desirable industries with solid revenue, profitability, and/or long-term growth potential
- “SPAC Best Practices” for improving investment
Gary Quin
Vice Chairman
Cohen & Company Capital Markets
The Future of SPACs, PIPEs and Their Role in Capital Markets
- Smaller and more targeted SPACs – why sponsors are launching smaller deals focused on niche sectors to attract specialized investors and increase deal certainty
- Tighter deal structuring – how to reduce dilution, lower promote structures and earnout provisions to make SPAC deals more attractive to investors and targets
- Sponsor alignment and reputation – sophisticated investors focusing more on SPACs with experienced sponsors, proven track records and significant personal capital at risk
- Market timing and strategic flexibility – how sponsors are adapting to changing market conditions by extending timelines, adjusting valuations, securing PIPEs and developing alternative exit strategies
Ele Klein
Partner
Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP
Kristi Marvin
Founder
SPACInsider
Speaker
Gaurav Verma
Co-Head of Investment Banking
D. Boral Capital
Guy Barudin
Managing Director, Investment Banking
Chardan
Joe Tonnos
Managing Director
Roth Capital Partners
Dinner
Party on the Patio
June 18, 2025
Breakfast
Introduction
Phill LoFaso, Managing Director, DealFlow Events
State of the Market
- Overview of notable deal activity including a recap of 2024 year-end performance
- Recent SPAC deals reveal successes and failures
- Market forecast through 2025 and beyond
- Why SPACs will continue to be an attractive vehicle for raising capital
Doug Ellenoff
Partner
EGS
Addressing Today’s SPAC Market Challenges
- Evolving SPAC structures that better suit today’s market
- Optimizing post-close trading performance and liquidity
- Expediting SPAC deals by addressing key process and timing complexities
- PIPE and trust redemption strategies to address capital-raising concerns
- Navigating the “new” SEC
James Graf
CEO
Graf Global
Panelist
Joel Rubinstein
Partner
White & Case
Mark Schwartz
IPO/SPAC/Privates Advisory Leader
Ernst & Young
Speaker
Tina Pappas
Managing Director
Jefferies
Speaker
Karim Anani
Global and Americas Transactions Leader
Ernst & Young
Networking Break
Legal Issues & Risk Mitigation
- Understanding the full range of SPAC legal risks
- Avoiding overly optimistic forecasts to reduce the risk of litigation and investor backlash post-merger
- SPAC-related shareholder lawsuit examples and risk management insights
- Understanding D&O insurance: A safety net for back-office SPAC operations
Yelena Dunaevsky
Partner/SVP, Transactional Insurance
Woodruff Sawyer
Perrie Weiner
Partner in Charge, Los Angeles • Chair, North America Securities Litigation Group
Baker McKenzie
Mike Heinz
Capital Markets Partner
Sidley Austin LLP
Renewed Focus on Quality Deals & Due Diligence
- SPACs shifting toward higher-quality targets as investors become more selective
- Investors shifting to prioritizing SPAC targets with solid revenue, profitability, long-term growth potential
- Sponsors trending toward deeper financial, operational, and legal evaluations before finalizing a deal
- What constitutes a successful SPAC merger today?
- “SPAC Best Practices” for improving investment outcome
Jenn Calabrese
Founder & CEO
Calabrese Consulting
Joseph Fede
Partner, CPA
Withum
Paul Wood
Managing Director & Co-Head of SPAC Investment Banking
BTIG
Jocelyn Arel
Partner
Goodwin Procter LLP
Caitlyn Van Valin
Executive Vice President, Corporate Development
Odyssey Trust
New Investor Engagement Strategies
- Greater focus on institutional investors
- Funding alternatives if PIPE financing becomes difficult to secure
- Selective investor targeting – SPACs pursuing investors with specific expertise or strategic alignment with a target company
- Regulatory compliance as a selling point – demonstrating credibility and attracting cautious investors
- More realistic valuation and deal structuring – demand for fairer valuations and better-aligned incentives leads to more disciplined deal-making
Matt McCloskey
Head of Equity Capital Markets
I-Bankers Securities
Speaker
Christine McNerney
Associate Portfolio Manager
Periscope Capital
Marc Van Tricht
Managing Director, Head of Capital Markets
EarlyBirdCapital
Vik Mittal
CFA, Managing Member
Meteora Capital
Lunch
SPACs by the Numbers
- IPO Activity
- Outcomes and Market Dynamics
- Deal and Financing Trends
- DeSPAC Performance
Ben Kwasnick
Founder
SPAC Research
Speaker
International SPAC Trends & Cross-Border Opportunities
- International SPAC deals are gaining traction, particularly in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East
- Why foreign companies looking to access U.S. markets via SPACs face increased regulatory challenges but continue to explore deals
- Understanding legal, tax, and accounting complexities, as well as geopolitical risks demand thorough due diligence
- Dealing with currency and market risks – accounting for exchange rate fluctuations and differing economic conditions
Cynthia Anandajayasekeram
Partner
Ogier
Avraham Ben-Tzvi
Founder
ABZ Law Office
Drew Bernstein
Co-chairman
Marcum Asia CPAs LLP
Katrina Nacci
Founder & CEO
KN CPA Cross-Border Accounting Advisor
Natalie Verbanac
Managing Partner
CBIZ
SPAC Structures: Getting Ready for Prime Time
- SPAC IPO Structures (rights vs warrants as well as other creative solutions)
- SPAC component volatility (effects of price volatility in rights and warrants and the effects on your IPO)
- SPAC IPO structure effects on de-SPAC transactions
- Handling Redemptions
Ed Kovary
Managing Director, Head of SPAC Capital Markets
BTIG
Speaker
Networking Break
Legal Issues with Extensions and the De-SPAC Process
- How the de-SPAC process works
- Prepping S-4 and F-4 regulatory filings at merger close
- Satisfying public company governance standards, including board composition and reporting structures
- Liquidations and potential creditor claims
- How long can it take to list?
- Legal issues surrounding failed extension payments and potential remedies
Carla Amaning
Partner, Capital Markets
CFGI
Alexandra Low
Counsel
Appleby (Cayman) Ltd.
Steven Nelson
President & Chairman
Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company
Moderator
Finn O'Hegarty
Partner
Maples Group
Marc Indeglia
Partner & Co-Chair
Glaser Weil
Desiree Carlo
Senior Vice President of Client Services
Laurel Hill Advisory Group
The SPAC Advantage as an “Alternative IPO” Technique
- Faster to public market than traditional underwritten IPOs
- Ability to share forecasts with investors (with resulting potential for higher valuation)
- Satisfying public company governance standards, including board composition and reporting structures
- Reduced market volatility risks – SPAC mergers have a fixed valuation, offering more stability in unpredictable markets
- Flexibility in deal structures – custom deal terms such as earnouts and PIPE financing, to attract high-potential private companies into going public
- Lower barrier to IPO – SPACs help bypass a lengthy and costly traditional IPO process
- Attractive to institutional investors that may not typically invest in smaller, underserved market segments
- Less dependence on underwriting – how companies in overlooked sectors can bypass the challenges of securing traditional IPO underwriters
Asim Grabowski-Shaikh
Partner
BakerHostetler
Destiny Hance
Vice President Equity Research
Ladenburg Thalmann
Jay Heller
VP Head of Capital Markets & IPO Execution
Nasdaq
Elliott Smith
Partner
Perkins Coie
Panelist
Cocktail Reception
