Chattanooga Connect 2026
About this Event
From Pilot to Scale: Chattanooga to the Nation
Join leaders from government, industry, and academia at Chattanooga Connect 2026 to explore what it takes to move innovation from pilot projects to real-world deployment at regional and national scale.
Hosted by the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Research Institute (UTCRI), this year's conference will examine how collaboration across research, industry, and government is accelerating the deployment of next-generation transportation, digital infrastructure, and connected mobility systems.
Using Chattanooga's nationally recognized living laboratory as a starting point, the conversation expands to statewide, regional, and national strategies for scaling innovation. Through keynote presentations, expert panels, and breakout sessions, attendees will explore how research, technology, policy, and cross-sector partnerships can turn promising ideas into operational solutions with lasting impact.
Whether you're advancing research, developing technology, shaping policy, or implementing solutions in your community, Chattanooga Connect offers an opportunity to exchange ideas, build meaningful partnerships, and help define what's next.
Additional speakers, sessions, and events will be announced soon.
Monday 09.14
🕑: 05:00 PM - 07:00 PM
Welcome Reception
Info: Join us at the Hunter Museum of American Art to kick off Chattanooga Connect 2026. This reception also serves as conference check-in, so you can pick up your badge while enjoying light bites, drinks, and river views with fellow attendees and local leaders.
Tuesday 09.15
🕑: 08:00 AM - 05:00 PM
Chattanooga Connect 2026 Conference Sessions
Info: Chattanooga Connect 2026 conference sessions will take place from 8:00am to 5:00pm at the Chattanooga Convention Center. Explore the full schedule of keynotes, panels, breakout sessions, and other conference programming below.
🕑: 08:00 AM - 08:30 AM
Breakfast, Check In, & Networking
🕑: 08:30 AM - 08:55 AM
CC2026 Opening Plenary
🕑: 09:00 AM - 09:30 AM
General Session
🕑: 09:30 AM - 10:15 AM
Autonomous Mobility: From Pilot to Public Service (Panel)
Info: Leaders from Jacksonville, Atlanta, and Chattanooga will compare different stages of autonomous transit deployment -- from years of operation to launch and preparation. The discussion will focus on lessons learned, public acceptance, implementation challenges, and scaling pilots into reliable public service.
🕑: 10:35 AM - 11:20 AM
Quantum for Transportation: What Leaders Need to Know (Panel)
Info: An accessible introduction to quantum technology and its potential transportation applications. Speakers will explore where quantum may create value, what capabilities exist today, and how transportation leaders can begin preparing for future opportunities.
🕑: 11:25 AM - 12:10 PM
From Ideas to Impact in Tennessee: AI, Quantum, & Mobility
Info: A conversation on building Tennessee’s innovation ecosystem and turning advances in AI, quantum, and mobility into real-world impact through entrepreneurship, research, and cross-sector collaboration.
🕑: 12:10 PM - 01:10 PM
Lunch & Keynote Session
🕑: 01:20 PM - 01:55 PM
Connected Safety: V2X Deployment & Real-World Impacts (Breakout)
Info: A practical look at deploying vehicle-to-everything technology to improve roadway safety. Topics will include infrastructure readiness, implementation challenges, safety measurement, real-world results, and the role of federal programs.
🕑: 01:20 PM - 01:55 PM
Next Generation Traffic Optimization: AI, Quantum, & Digital Twins (Breakout)
Info: How AI, quantum optimization, and digital twins can help agencies anticipate congestion and improve traffic operations. Speakers will discuss predictive management, smarter signal systems, simulation, and pathways from experimentation to deployment.
🕑: 02:20 PM - 03:00 PM
Connected Freight Corridors: Where Commerce Meets Connectivity (Panel)
Info: A regional conversation on creating more connected freight corridors across the Southeast. The panel will examine data sharing, port-to-inland visibility, connected and automated trucking, digital infrastructure, and supply-chain resilience.
🕑: 03:05 PM - 03:50 PM
Transportation 2035: Perspectives from Industry (Panel)
Info: Industry leaders will share their perspectives on the technologies, business models, and partnerships likely to shape transportation over the next decade. The conversation will highlight emerging opportunities, barriers to adoption, and what public and private-sector leaders should prioritize now.
🕑: 03:50 PM - 04:35 PM
SMART: Moving from Pilot to Deployment (Panel)
Info: A practical discussion on moving SMART-funded initiatives from demonstration projects to sustainable operations. Topics will include data governance, public-private partnerships, organizational readiness, scalable implementation, and long-term funding.
🕑: 04:35 PM - 05:00 PM
CC2026 Closing Plenary
🕑: 05:00 PM - 07:00 PM
Networking Happy Hour
Info: Join us after the conference sessions for the Chattanooga Connect Networking Happy Hour at Table South in the Chattanooga Marriott Downtown, conveniently connected to the Convention Center and just a short walk from the day’s programming. Connect with fellow attendees, speakers, and partners over drinks and conversation.
Wednesday 09.16
🕑: 08:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Interactive Workshops & Demos
Info: Start Wednesday morning at the Edney Innovation Center from 8:00am to 9:00am. for breakfast, coffee, networking, and tours of UTC Research Institute’s space in the building. Then, from 9:00am to 12:00pm, programming will move to a second location for hands-on workshops and continuous technology demonstrations featuring UTC Research Institute and industry partners.
🕑: 08:00 AM - 09:00 AM
Breakfast, Networking, & UTCRI Tours
Info: Spend the first hour of Wednesday at the Edney Innovation Center, where attendees can grab breakfast and coffee, network with fellow attendees, and explore the UTC Research Institute’s downtown research space at their own pace. Throughout the hour, attendees can get a firsthand look at the driving simulator, Traffic Lab, Traffic Management Center, and 1/10th-scale connected and autonomous vehicle platform.
🕑: 09:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Workshops & Demos
Info: After breakfast, Chattanooga Connect shifts into a more hands-on format with interactive workshops and continuous technology demonstrations. Attendees can move between scheduled sessions and live demos featuring UTC Research Institute and industry partners, with opportunities to see emerging technologies in action, ask questions, and connect directly with the teams behind the work.
🕑: 09:15 AM - 09:45 AM
Workshop 1: Commsignia
🕑: 10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Workshop 2: Miovision
🕑: 10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
Workshop 3: ITS America
🕑: 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Workshop 4: Industry Workshop
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 177.91 to USD 199.26
