• AGENDA

    7:45 AM – Registration, Networking, Breakfast

    8:50 AM – Welcome & Event Overview – State of Shoe Sustainability: New Results from The Industry Benchmark Survey – where companies are leaning in, where they are struggling
    • Andy Polk, Senior Vice President, FDRA; Executive Director, Footwear Innovation Foundation
    9:15 AM – Critical Regulatory Updates: U.S. State Laws to Prepping for EU Compliance (Audience Q&A)
    10:00 AM – Responding to Regulations: Sustainable Solutions (Materials, Packaging, and EU Ops)
    • BLOOM
    • Trillora
    • Peter Erren, General Manager, Solutions4Good, Soles4Souls
    • Moderator: Andy Polk, Senior Vice President, FDRA; Executive Director, Footwear Innovation Foundation

    10:30 AM – Networking Break

    11:00 AM – The Traceability Thread: Connecting Data Across the Supply Chain
    • Allie Pettitt, Senior Director of Materials Management, OIA Global
    11:10 AM – Circularity That Pays: Turning Sustainability Goals into Business Results
    11:20 AM – A Thorough Investigation of the Footwear Lifecycle
    • Chelan West, PhD Researcher, DTU – Technical University of Denmark

    11:45 AM – Have Your Say: Open Audience Discussion on Circularity, Durability Standards, and more (Where can we Align)

    • Moderator: Andy Polk, Senior Vice President, FDRA; Executive Director, Footwear Innovation Foundation

    12:45 PM – Lunch

    1:30 PM – Sustainability Built for Tomorrow: New Trends in Performance, Materials, and Construction Innovation
    • INSITE
    • Katie O'Hara, Director of Account Management, Dynamic Foam
    • Gustavo Lombardi, Director for Business Development – Biopolymers, Braskem
    • Tom Iredale, SVP, Sales & Marketing, Jones & Vining
    • Moderator: Alan Lugo, Founder, alanandres; Core Team, Footwear Innovation Foundation's LaunchPad
    2:15 PM – Innovation Spotlight: Smarter, Sustainable Returns, and Post-Purchase Solutions
    • Anthony Martore, Founder, Skiply; 2025 Footwear Innovation Foundation LaunchPad Finalist

    2:30 PM – Networking Break

    3:00 PM – Accelerating Footwear Innovations
    • Andy Gilbert, Former President, Genesco Brands Group; Chairman, Footwear Innovation Foundation
    • Mayor Keith Wilson, Mayor of Portland (Invited)
    • Andy Polk, Senior Vice President, FDRA; Executive Director, Footwear Innovation Foundation
    • Michael Seeley, Founder & Managing Director, Liminal Group; Core Team, Footwear Innovation Foundation's LaunchPad
  • 3:15 PM – Footwear Innovation LaunchPad Elevation Event: 8 New Ideas and Concepts to Transform Footwear
    An exclusive first look at 8 fresh footwear ideas pitched to judges who will choose the Top 3 Winners before the end of the day – lean in and share our excitement for what we can build together for footwear.
    The FIF LaunchPad Core Team identified a selection of 8 finalists from a competitive field of 150 applicants this year, guiding this Elite 8 through the FIF LaunchPad Elevation Lab to develop and refine their novel concepts. Watch the 2025 FIF LaunchPad Event highlights to get a feel for the dynamic energy of this event. The Elite 8 presenters will be announced soon!

    5:00 PM – Closing Remarks

    • Andy Polk, Senior Vice President, FDRA; Executive Director, Footwear Innovation Foundation

    5:15 PM – Brews & Shoes Networking and Charity Event

    Thank you to our 2026 Brews & Shoes Sponsors:

    6:00 PM – LaunchPad Winners Announced

  • Thank you to our Summit Sponsors

  • Read FDRA’s No B.S. Pledge to Summit Attendees

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