Keynotes
Join us to hear insights from engineers and influencers. Keynotes are open to all attendees and are located in the Elizabeth A. Hangs Theater on the 2nd floor.
DesignCon 2026 Keynotes – Free to All
#DesignCon
From Spooky Action at a Distance to the Quantum Internet
Tuesday, February 24, 2026 | 11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. PST
The nonlocal predictions of quantum entanglement present puzzling paradoxes that challenge our everyday intuition about the world. Such “spooky action at a distance” is rapidly escaping the purview of fundamental physics and entering practical applications, via quantum networks that connect and scale quantum resources for communications, sensing, and computing. This talk will overview the origins, triumphs, and opportunities of quantum networking, tracing its evolution from basic quantum theory, through the maturation of its first commercial application (quantum key distribution), to the present explosion of entanglement-based testbeds. Highlighting successes and challenges, this talk will present a vision for a “quantum information superhighway,” poised to revolutionize the ways in which we measure, transmit, and process information.
This keynote is sponsored by
Agentic AI for Chip Design
Wednesday, February 25, 2026 | 10 - 11 a.m. PST
AI is poised to transform hardware design just as it has reshaped software, though with greater difficulty due to limited training data and the depth of required domain knowledge. As AI models advance, agentic systems promise unprecedented improvements in hardware-design productivity and quality. Understanding both the challenges and the opportunities of this shift will be critical for the design community. This keynote traces the evolution from simple agents that autonomously repair RTL syntax errors to multi-agent systems capable of generating full RTL designs directly from specifications. We highlight agentic applications across four pillars—generation, optimization, debugging, and analysis—including agents that solve nearly all VerilogEval tasks, an RTL PPA-optimization agent, a formal-verification-aware debug agent, and a log-file analysis agent.
This keynote is preceded by the 2025 Best Paper Award presentations and is sponsored by
Designing for Discovery: Technology Innovations Driving NASA's Science and Exploration Goals
Thursday, February 26, 2026 | 10 - 11 a.m. PST
Electronics are fundamental to NASA’s ability to achieve its exploration and science objectives, advanced electronic design enables critical capabilities for missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond, including autonomous navigation, high-performance onboard computing, and miniaturized sensing for planetary science. We will discuss design challenges and highlight emerging trends in AI-enabled electronics, modular architectures, and photonic systems. These innovations are essential to supporting NASA’s priorities for sustainable lunar operations, Mars exploration, and scientific discovery across the solar system.
This keynote is preceded by the Engineer of the Year Award presentation and is sponsored by