Newark will once again take center stage in the regional conversation about urban investment and forward-thinking development when more than 1,250 leaders gather for the 3rd Annual Newark Summit for Real Estate, Economic Development & Placemaking on February 9, 2026. Now recognized as one of the most important annual forums in the tri-state region, the summit brings together decision-makers shaping Newark’s economic trajectory and underscores the city’s growing reputation as a national model for modern urban revitalization.
Newark will convene a cross-section of the region’s civic and commercial leadership on February 9, 2026, when the 3rd Annual Newark Summit for Real Estate, Economic Development & Placemaking returns to the heart of the city. The full-day forum, expected to draw more than 1,250 investors, developers, institutional leaders, civic planners and nonprofit executives, promises to knit together practical deal-making with policy debate and cultural strategy as Newark advances into a new chapter of inclusive urban growth.
The summit takes place on the 16th and 17th floors of 550 Broad Street, a vantage point that mirrors the program’s skyline-level ambitions. Presented with major institutional support — including Venue Partner The Fidelco Group and co-chairs Newark Alliance and Prudential, with Invest Newark serving as Presenting Partner — the event will examine how partnerships among government, philanthropy, anchor institutions and private capital are shaping a resilient and equitable Newark.
Speakers and leadership voices
The roster of confirmed speakers reflects the public-private mix that has animated Newark’s recent momentum. Delegates will hear from senior executives who shape capital flows, project pipelines and civic strategy:
Lata Reddy, Chair of Prudential & Newark Alliance and Senior Vice President, Inclusive Solutions at Prudential, will frame how corporate anchor institutions can align investment to neighborhood-level outcomes. Evan Weiss, President & CEO of Newark Alliance, is set to present strategic updates on workforce and neighborhood initiatives. Kerri Levine, Managing Principal of The Fidelco Group, brings development experience and the vantage of an active local landlord and investor. Aisha Glover, Global Head of Urban Innovation at Audible, and John Schreiber, President & CEO of NJPAC, will discuss cultural infrastructure as an economic engine.
Arts and cultural leaders on the program include Lauren LeBaux Craig of Newark Arts, Rebecca P. Jampol of Project for Empty Space, Talia Young of Newark Symphony Hall, and Adenah Bayoh, whose work crosses hospitality, culinary entrepreneurship and community activism. Their participation underscores the summit’s emphasis on creative placemaking as a core redevelopment strategy.
Development and capital markets expertise will be represented by Samer Hanini (Hanini Group), Wasseem Boraie (Boraie Development), Jose Cruz (JLL Capital Markets), Alex Cocoziello (Advance Realty Investors), John Saraceno (Onyx Equities), Brian Murray (SHIFT Capital), and practical operators such as Aaron Stauber of Rugby Realty. Investment and growth-from-innovation perspectives appear via Duncan Turner of SOSV – HAX, Aaron Price (techunited / propelify / BetterFutureLabs) and Andrew Cavaluzzi of Hudson Valley Property Group. Marcus Randolph of Invest Newark and Jorge Santos of Newark Alliance will offer localized market intelligence.
The speaker list also includes Siree Morris (MCI Collective), Melanie Walter (New Jersey Housing & Mortgage Finance Agency), Murat Mutlu (INOA Architecture) and Jose Cruz (Senior Managing Director, JLL Capital Markets), each bringing specialized knowledge in design, affordable housing finance, and capital strategy. Additional names slated for the program will broaden sector representation and geographic perspective.
Agenda scope and issue areas
The summit’s agenda is structured around practical themes that capture the operating realities of urban investment and the policy levers that accelerate—or stall—change. Key areas include:
ARTS – SPACES, CULTURE & CATALYST: Panels will explore the catalytic role of arts venues and cultural programming in neighborhood revitalization, measuring impact beyond attendance figures to employment outcomes, creative economy spinoffs and small-business activation.
MIXED-USE, INNOVATIVE RETAIL & PLACEMAKING: Sessions will examine contemporary mixed-use models and experiential retail, with designers and operators sharing best practices for ground-floor activation that supports both neighborhood needs and investor returns.
OFFICE & INNOVATION – GROWTH | CAPITAL | TALENT | PLACEMAKING: A substantive conversation about Newark’s push to capture tech and innovation tenants—how to retrofit and repurpose office stock, structure incentives, and build the workforce pipelines that talent-driven firms demand.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING: Practitioners and funders will illuminate successful formulas for incentivizing affordable units, including layered finance strategies, community-led development, and regulatory frameworks that accelerate production without displacing residents.
EMERGING MARKETS & REGION: Focused discussion on the assets driving new demand—industrial corridors, film and production facilities, cold storage logistics, and next-generation vertical farming—highlighting site selection dynamics and infrastructure needs across North Jersey.
CAPITAL MARKETS, FINANCE, TAX & INCENTIVES: Sessions will dig into the mechanics of tax credits, creative public financing, and inclusive investment strategies intended to de-risk projects and attract patient capital for mission-aligned real estate.
LEADERSHIP IN NONPROFIT, PHILANTHROPY & PUBLIC–PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS: A review of evolving collaboration models, showcasing nonprofit-led projects, anchor-institution commitments and philanthropic capital strategies that bridge feasibility gaps.
MULTI-FAMILY: Developers, lenders and municipal planners will present pipeline forecasts, the lifecycle of major multifamily projects from entitlement to lease-up, and a regional supply-demand analysis for Northern New Jersey and the NYC-adjacent market.
Why Newark now: economic positioning and practical implications
Newark’s value proposition combines physical assets—port access, rail and highway connectivity, proximate airport capacity and walkable downtown density—with an expanding ecosystem of institutions and investors focused on intentional growth. The summit will consider how those advantages translate into investable opportunities while balancing community outcomes and long-term resilience.
Attendees can expect practical takeaways: site-selection priorities for different asset classes; capital structures that work in mission-driven development; workforce and talent strategies to retain and attract firms; and measurable indicators for cultural and placemaking returns. For those watching statewide economic patterns and corporate location trends, extended business coverage and analysis are available in Explore New Jersey’s business section.
Networking, deals and the long view
Beyond panels, the Newark Summit functions as a marketplace for introductions, partnership formation and early-stage deal conversations. With representation from capital markets, institutional investors, regional developers, anchor employers and public officials, the event provides an accelerated forum for moving projects from concept to commitment. For municipal officials and nonprofit leaders, the summit offers an occasion to benchmark policy tools and attract capital partners committed to inclusive outcomes.
Logistics and registration
The full speaker roster, session schedule and registration details are published on The Newark Summit’s official platform. Industry professionals, civic leaders and stakeholders interested in project-level engagement should register early, as capacity is limited and the event historically sells out.
The 2026 summit serves as both a practical convening and a strategic compass for Newark’s near-term development trajectory. With a lineup that spans the cultural, financial, development and civic arenas, the forum is positioned to shape project pipelines, financing approaches and partnership models for the coming years. For readers seeking ongoing coverage of investment, business trends and development across the state, Explore New Jersey’s business section provides regular reporting and analysis.
2026 confirmed speakers for this year include:
Lata Reddy, Chair, Prudential & Newark Alliance; SVP, Inclusive Solutions, Prudential
Evan Weiss, President & CEO, Newark Alliance
Kerri Levine, Managing Principal, The Fidelco Group
Aisha Glover, Global Head of Urban Innovation, Audible
John Schreiber, President & CEO, NJPAC
Lauren LeBaux Craig, Executive Director, Newark Arts
Rebecca P. Jampol, Co-Director, Project for Empty Space (PES)
Talia Young, President & CEO, Newark Symphony Hall
Kerri Levine, Managing Principal, The Fidelco Group
Adenah Bayoh, President & CEO, Adenah Bayoh & Companies / Cornbread / Brick City Vegan
Samer Hanini, Managing Principal, Hanini Group
Wasseem Boraie, Managing Principal, Boraie Development
Murat Mutlu, Founder & Principal, INOA Architecture
Marcus Randolph, President & CEO, Invest Newark
Siree Morris, Managing Partner, MCI Collective
Melanie Walter, Executive Director, New Jersey Housing & Mortgage Finance Agency
Andrew Cavaluzzi, Partner & Co-Founder, Hudson Valley Property Group
John Saraceno, Co-Founder & Managing Principal, Onyx Equities
Duncan Turner, General Partner & Global Managing Director, SOSV – HAX
Aaron Price, Founder & CEO, techunited, propelify, BetterFutureLabs
Aaron Stauber, President, Rugby Realty Co., Inc.
Sheila Rostiac, SVP and Chief Human Resources Officer, PSEG
Brian Murray, Founder & CEO, SHIFT Capital
Jorge Santos, Chief Real Estate and Investment Officer, Newark Alliance
Jose Cruz, Senior Managing Director, JLL Capital Markets
Alex Cocoziello, Principal & CIO, Advance Realty Investors
and more to be announced.
