Merge 2026
Schedule
Mon May 11 2026 at 08:00 am to 05:00 pm
Location
Daniel and Pamella DeVos Center for Interprofessional Health | Grand Rapids, MI
About this Event
Merge is the conference where technology, business and design come together seamlessly. Based in West Michigan, our focus is on promoting local tech growth through clear, insightful discussions. With a strong commitment to cross-discipline knowledge exchange, Merge brings together craftsmen from West MI including developers, designers and leaders for a day of learning, cross-industry collaboration, and connection from various sectors, Merge amplifies our shared goal to position West Michigan as a hub for high-tech advancements. Here, entrepreneurial spirit meets practical tech insights. No fluff, just forward-thinking conversations that truly matter.
Our theme for 2026, "AI at Work: Practical Intelligence for Software Teams," focuses on the real-world integration of AI into how we build software—not the hype, but what actually works.
Through engaging talks and networking, the Merge Conference empowers teams to work seamlessly, strengthening the connections between product, design, and development to craft better software—and better outcomes—together.
Agenda
?: 07:30 AM - 08:45 AM
Registration / Check-in Opens
?: 08:00 AM - 09:00 AM
Breakfast
?: 08:45 AM - 09:00 AM
Introduction and Welcome with SoftwareGR
?: 09:00 AM - 09:45 AM
Keynote Speaker - Josh Penzell
Info: AI at the Speed of Live: How to Lead Your Digital Ensemble
?: 09:45 AM - 10:00 AM
Break
?: 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM
Drew Colthorp
Info: Stop the Slop: Vibe Coding to Agentic Engineering
?: 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM
JR Innes
Info: The AI Polygot: When Design, Dev, and Product Speak the Same Language
?: 10:45 AM - 10:55 AM
Break
?: 10:55 AM - 11:40 AM
Sandhya Subramani
Info: My AI Just Upgraded Itself
?: 10:55 AM - 11:40 AM
Coe Lacy
Info: Corporate Greed Made Me a Generalist. AI Made It Worth It.
?: 11:40 AM - 11:50 AM
Break
?: 11:50 AM - 12:35 PM
Jon Fazzaro
Info: TDD is Dead! Quality Code in the Age of AI
?: 11:45 AM - 12:30 PM
David Crawford
Info: From Jargon to Value: How to Win Your Next AI Pitch
?: 12:35 PM - 01:30 PM
Lunch
?: 01:30 PM - 02:15 PM
Scott Carroll
Info: Debugging the Woods: Edge AI Wildlife Station with Agents & Jetson
?: 01:30 PM - 02:15 PM
Rex Rainey
Info: Knights, Castles, and Clouds: Rapid Illustration Concepting with AI
?: 02:15 PM - 02:25 PM
Break
?: 02:25 PM - 03:10 PM
Rachael McQuater
Info: Using the Tools Without Losing Your Soul: Agentic Coding for the Reluctant
?: 02:25 PM - 03:10 PM
Hannah Bronkema
Info: Data-Driven Design in the Age of AI
?: 03:10 PM - 03:30 PM
ICE CREAM from Love's
?: 03:30 PM - 04:15 PM
Chris "Woody" Woodruff
Info: AI-Assisted Architecture the Simplicity-First Way
?: 03:30 PM - 04:15 PM
Mary Brown
Info: Shipping with Sensemaking: A Human-Centered AI Maturity Model for Software Teams
?: 04:15 PM - 04:30 PM
Closing Remarks with SoftwareGR
?: 04:30 PM - 06:00 PM
Rooftop Deck Reception
Where is it happening?
Daniel and Pamella DeVos Center for Interprofessional Health, 333 Michigan Street Northeast, Grand Rapids, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 35.00 to USD 250.00
