CANTINA: CHICAGO
A Charity Investment and Tech Conference to Benefit ALTSO
OCTOBER 20-22, 2026
Gleacher Center at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business
For any questions: events@alpineca.com
Scenes from Cantina 2025
Event Partners and Participants
Event Sponsors
LPs That Have Registered Include:
Note: Registration is complimentary for LPs, subject to the approval of the organizer.
50 South Capital Advisors
Abbott Laboratories
Accord Family Office
Advocate Health
AFP Confia
Alfred P. Sloan Foundation
ArchBridge Family Office
Axxets Management
B1 Capital Partners
Berkeley Endowment
Bessley Capital
Cherry Creek Family Offices
Children’s Health
Costa Verde
Depaul University
Doris Duke Foundation
Evanston Capital
Fiducient Advisors
Gore Creek Asset Management
Gresham Partners
GVW Group
Harris Holdings
Inlihtan Capital
Investure
Jasper Ridge Partners
Kansas State University Foundation
Logos Partners
Louisiana School Employees' Retirement System
Loyola University Chicago
MacArthur Foundation
Marquette Associates
MBB Capital Partners
Mercer
Mesirow Private Equity
MG Capital
Michaud Capital Management
Milestones Capital
North Star Investments, Inc.
Northwestern University
Oberlin College
Office Of The Illinois State Treasurer
Parkland Management Company
Phillips Academy
Pritzker Alternative Strategies
Rice Management Company
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
RockCreek
Rotary International
Sachem Hill
TIFF Investment Management
Tulane University
University of Chicago
University of Florida Investment Corporation
University of Illinois Foundation
University of Iowa Center For Advancement
University of Rochester
Ventu Partners
Wallace Foundation
Washington University In St. Louis
Willoughby Capital
Agenda
Please note: The agenda is subject to change.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
5:00pm - 9:00pm: Tech Night – LP-Only interactive demonstrations, discussions, debates, and a hackathon led by LPs on the practical use of tech and AI across investing. Bring your laptop! Dinner provided.
Wednesday, October 21, 2026
7:30am: Registration Opens (Light Breakfast Provided)
8:00am - 12:00pm: 1-on-1 meetings (30-minute windows) *
11:00am - 12:00pm: Boxed Lunch Provided
12:00pm - 5:45pm: LP-Only Panels, Breakout Sessions, and Debates - Discussions on Investments, Careers, and the Evolving Role of AI and Tech Across Institutional Investing.
5:45pm - 7:30pm: Networking Cocktails
7:30pm - 9:30pm: Drinks and Dinner
Thursday, October 22, 2026
7:30am: Registration Opens (Light Breakfast Provided)
8:00am - 6:00pm: 1-on-1 meetings (30-minute windows) *
11:30am - 1:00pm: Lunch Provided
6:00pm - 11:00pm: Rocktoberfest (to benefit ALTSO) at the House of Blues Chicago - More Info HERE (Dinner Provided)
LP-Only Panel Discussion Topics
• CIO Panel I: New CIOs Unplugged - Building your own brand of investing, leadership, and institutional culture
• Public Markets - The increasingly difficult art of identifying and backing active managers
• Private Markets - The evolving relationship with venture capital and private equity amid slower deployment and reduced distributions
• Careers - Benchmarking, compensation, headhunters, networking, and strategies for career development
• CIO Panel II: The Journey, the destination, and the reality - Lessons learned across careers, markets, and leadership
• Secondaries & Co-Investments - The good, the bad, and the ugly across today’s evolving opportunity set
• Tech & AI - What tangible productivity gains have LPs actually achieved using AI and software?
Overview
We are prioritizing registrations from GPs who have not previously attended the conference; however, all are encouraged to register. Hotel room blocks are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please email events@alpineca.com for availability and additional information.
This conference will feature two unique components:
1) LP-only programming on investments and careers, and LP collaboration and demonstrations on the use of AI and Tech.
2) LPs, GPs, and Tech providers will be able to schedule up to twenty-eight (28) one-on-one meetings with curated GPs and Tech providers who have been referred by LPs. We will target a maximum 1:1 GP/Tech-provider-to-LP ratio.
We will initially reserve at least half of the GP meeting slots for emerging managers, defined as:
1) Private markets managers raising Fund I–III, and
2) Public markets managers with firm AUM under $500 million.
LP Speakers, Breakout Leaders, and Moderators Include:
Many more speakers to be announced!
Al Hemmingsen, Chief Investment Officer – Parkland Management Company
Andre Mehta, Senior Managing Director – Michaud Capital Management
Anthony Novara, Partner, Research Director – Fiducient Advisors
Daniel Gottlieb, Chief Investment Officer – University of Iowa Center for Advancement
Daniel Sanchez, Head of Alternatives – Axxets Management
Daniel Valdez Franco, Managing Partner – MG Capital
David Li, Chief Technology Officer – Washington University in St. Louis
Faridah Usman, Associate Investment Director – Rice Management Company
Huaizhang Deng, Managing Director – RockCreek
Hunter McCrossin, Chief Investment Officer – Willoughby Capital
Jeff Banaszak, Director of Research and Investments – GVW
Jeremy Heer, Managing Director, Investment Research and Engagement – UIF
Joe Simpson, Partner – Gresham Partners
Katharine Wyatt, Chief Investment Officer – Loyola University Chicago
Leena Bhutta, Chief Investment Officer – Doris Duke Foundation
Matt Freedman, Chief Investment Officer – Louisiana School Employees' Retirement System
Nicolas Noguera, President – Costa Verde
Paul Chai, Chief Investment Officer – Kansas State University Foundation
Richard Chau, Chief Investment Officer – Tulane University
Rob Rahbari, Senior Investment Officer and Assistant Treasurer – University of Rochester
Rodrigo Louro, Co-Founder – Ventu Partners
Sami Mesrour, Partner – Jasper Ridge Partners
Scott Wilson, Chief Investment Officer – Washington University in St. Louis
Sean Casey, Chief Investment Officer – Gore Creek Asset Management
Sophia Tsai, Chief Investment Officer – Wallace Foundation
Tianhao Wu, Managing Director – Northwestern University
Valbona Schwab, Chief Investment Officer – Children’s Health
Cantina: Chicago 2025 Recap:
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$231,000 Raised for Charity - Supporting ALTSO (A Leg To Stand On) and advancing life-changing care for children worldwide.
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LP-Led Thought Leadership - Exclusive LP-only sessions fostering candid dialogue under the Chatham House Rule.
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Curated, High-Quality Attendees - Bringing together institutional investors, family offices, and leading private markets professionals.
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Actionable Insights & Networking Opportunities - Panels, roundtables, and structured meetings designed to drive real outcomes.
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A Purpose-Driven Industry Event - Combining impactful discussions, meaningful connections, and philanthropic giving.
Pricing Information for GPs
Note: Registration is complimentary for LPs, subject to the approval of the organizer. For an additional cost, a limited number of private meeting rooms are available. To inquire, please reach out to events@alpineca.com. The platform will open in early September for attendee profile creation and document submission. This profile will be used for the one-on-one meeting request process, which will become available in mid-to-late September.
Each registration is valid for one (1) individual attendee only. Registrations are non-transferable and may not be shared between multiple attendees.
GP Registration
$5,000 -- $7,500
Early Bird: $5,000 (Valid until July 1)
Regular Registration: $6,000 (Valid July 2 -- September 19)
Late Registration: $7,500 (Valid September 20 -- October 20)
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Includes one (1) ticket to Cantina: Chicago 2026
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Access for one (1) attendee to cocktails and dinner on October 21st
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One (1) ticket to Rocktoberfest on October 22nd
Tech Providers
$6,000 -- $9,000
Early Bird: $6,000 (Valid until July 1)
Regular Registration: $7,500 (Valid July 2 -- September 19)
Late Registration: $9,000 (Valid September 20 -- October 20)
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Includes one (1) ticket to Cantina: Chicago 2026
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Access for one (1) attendee to cocktails and dinner on October 21st
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One (1) ticket to Rocktoberfest on October 22nd
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Access to one (1) dedicated table for hosting meetings and product demonstrations
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Tech providers may only attend with at least one (1) product specialist or a CEO/Founder
Sponsorship
$20,000
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Includes three (3) tickets to Cantina: Chicago 2026
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Your logo featured on the Cantina: Chicago 2026 website
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Recognition as a Rocktoberfest Sponsor: logo placement on the Rocktoberfest website and additional Rocktoberfest tickets for distribution
FAQs
What is the Cantina Conference?
Cantina is a private gathering of institutional investors, fund managers, and tech providers focused on thoughtful discussion around the private markets landscape. The event combines panels, presentations, 1-on-1 meetings, and informal networking opportunities designed to facilitate candid conversations under the Chatham House Rule.
Who typically attends?
Attendees include institutional LPs (pensions, endowments, foundations, family offices), fund managers, and tech providers.
Is there a registration fee?
There is no fee for LPs. The organizer determines the criteria of what qualifies as an LP. GPs and tech providers have a registration fee.
What is the ratio of GP/tech-provider-to-LPs?
We will target a maximum 1:1 GP/tech-provider-to-LP ratio.
Will there be networking opportunities?
Yes. In addition to panel discussions, the schedule includes dedicated networking sessions and informal gatherings.
Will session recordings be available afterward?
No. To encourage candid dialogue, sessions are not recorded. Key takeaways may be shared afterward.
Where is the conference being held?
Gleacher Center at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business
Will food and beverages be provided?
Yes. Dinner and refreshments will be provided during the LP-Only Hack-A-Thon on Tuesday evening. Light breakfast, lunch, refreshments, and dinner will also be provided throughout the conference on Wednesday and Thursday.
Can I bring a guest or colleague?
Each attendee needs to register.
Do you guarantee a minimum number of meetings?
We do not guarantee a minimum number of meetings. Our goal is to facilitate high-quality, mutually beneficial conversations, so meetings are scheduled based on mutual interest.
Who should I contact with questions?
Please reach out to the Cantina team at: events@alpineca.com
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