Come and connect with colleagues at the annual kick off to the event on May 20th, We will begin with a walking tour of Downtown Nashville, beginning at the Hilton Downtown Nashville Hotel at 5:30 pm, finishing at the icebreaker drinks.

Please join us on the rooftop of The Twelve Thirty Club, 550 Broadway, Nashville, TN 37203 for icebreaker drinks starting at 7pm, Hosted by White & Case 

Sign up here

Networking breakfast sponsored by: Assured Guaranty

Our keynote speaker will be joined by Bill Lee, Governor of Tennessee for a quick interlude and to address the audience

Our opening panel spotlights the largest financial sponsors in the industry, discussing top trends affecting financing the full scope of infrastructure assets in North America. 

• How is inflation-based uncertainty expected to play out in 2024?

• What is the current risk tolerance level for construction delays, cost of capital considerations, and market volatility? 

• How is private credit driving value throughout the infrastructure sector?

The current interest rate environment continues to squeeze the markets' availability for new projects. This panel of top lenders evaluates risks and identifies opportunities for new infrastructure, from transportation to digital infrastructure assets. We will cover:

• Is this market crowded in liquidity in comparison to the available opportunities?
• The growing role of Private Placement versus 144A
• Growth of private credit - is private credit a threat to the Private placement market? 

Representative from State Grantor  joins us in Nashville to discuss top priorities for new build, highlight successes across the state and answer questions in regards to new opportunities upcoming. 

Two years in, we are starting to see some of the initial benefits of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act. However with an economy facing inflation, high interest rates, and a potential new political landscape within the year end, there is still some skepticism of the bill reaching full potential. 

• What have been the main successes of the bill? Have those successes changed as the opinions of the bill matured? 

• With how much inflation has increased the cost of new construction, is the IIJA robust enough to still be a benefit? 

• Accessing federal dollars takes a lot of people power and time; how should states and developers look to demystify the pathway?

Top digital infrastructure funds join together to dissect and explore the core drivers and factors that influence the investment landscape for digital infrastructure in North America and globally. 

• What main global trends are disrupting or expected to disrupt this market? Can they also provide opportunities for the sector?

• Are the best opportunities for new projects within the US, or overseas? 

• Importance of long term financial partners versus need for fast access to capital

Procurement agreements are the control center of the entire project, and not getting it right with your project partner from the outset can be catastrophic. Our panel of experts walks us through:

• What delivery models for what assets?

• What opportunities are there for blending of progressive models with more structured procurement styles?

• Best practices in transparency and accountability throughout your project lifespan

The stakes have never been higher for data center operators to be able to answer to new demand from their customers. Our panel of top operators and sponsors reveals:

• How are operators responding to the need for more energy to power increasingly higher demand for data capacity?

• What main capital sources are operators looking towards?

• How does the overall unpredictability of revenue - affordable energy accessibility,, supply chain issues, inflation, delays in construction, etc. - affect financing?

Commissioner Russell McMurry joins us in Nashville to discuss top priorities and pipeline across Georgia, and answer questions in regards to new opportunities upcoming within the state.

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration joins us to update on the progress the BEAD program has made in the last two years, as well as clear up any misconceptions around the best pathways to accessing financing via the BEAD program for your project.

Life after T1 and T6 - what lessons have we learned with the blockbuster JFK deals, and what we look forward to not only from New York’s airports, but from cities all over the country updating terminal infrastructure: 

• Lessons learned from recent terminal or airport adjacent deals, and how to apply them

• Keeping it running: opportunities with Fixed Base Operators

• Review of upcoming project pipeline across the states

Fiber has continued as one of the highest performing assets within the sector throughout 2023. With new infusions from states via the Federal BEAD program, and demand from FTTH as well as Commercial demand continuing, we take stock of:

• What areas throughout the US have the most acute need for new fiber buildout? 

• Is there a dislocation between demand for commercial vs residential projects? Why? 

• What opportunities to blend debt, grants, and non-traditional finance for fiber

Transit and toll road infrastructure continues to be in high demand across the United States; our nation’s infrastructure is underpinned by the ability for passengers and cargo to safely and reliably get from point A to point B. This discussion will dissect the best practices and hurdles in getting these projects to market: 

• Bonds, loans and TIFIA; best practices in attracting capital to the sector

• Capitalizing on sustainability-related funding sources

• Outlook for privatization, outsourcing, and new contracting models

Telecom and tower infrastructure has typically not been seen as a “core” infrastructure asset in years past - it seems this is changing as more traditional infrastructure funds take part in the space. 

Test your market (and general) knowledge against your peers and Proximo Data!. Who Wants to be a Project Financier puts our intrepid contestants to the test on their industry knowledge. They can use their lifelines - ask the audience, ask the expert, and phone a friend - to help them claim the title of Ultimate Project Financier!

Join us to celebrate the best and brightest of 2023 dealmakers in the region! 

This year we are happy to announce the Proximo North American Dealmaker for 2023 🌟

If you are interested in being nominated as a dealmaker or would like to submit a colleague for recognition, you must be registered as a dealmaker in our database. Visit our online deals database here - make sure you login or sign up if you've not already 

Then, find a deal you worked on - use the search bar to search for deals by deal name, company, region, country or industry, and tag yourself or a colleague to the deal! 

Can't find your deal or struggling to tag? Contact submissions@proximoinfra.com

Networking breakfast sponsored by Assured Guaranty

Energy as a Service has come to encompass much of all non-generation, energy- and power- related infrastructure. Transmission, Battery Storage, District Heating, and wider applications of electrification of transportation across the country. 

- What assets in this space are seeing the most activity and interest? 

- What opportunities are there for active projects to capitalize on updating to include electrification infrastructure? 

With over 2 million electric vehicles on the road in the US, the demand for charging infrastructure has grown exponentially across the country; presenting a huge opportunity for investors willing to take the risk.

• What levels of financing are developers seeking? What qualities are they looking for in lenders? Corporate vs project structures.
• At what scale do chargers generate returns for developers? 
• What are common hazards with deal structures for EV charging?

📷 LinkedIn Headshot Photobooth! 📷

When was the last time you updated your LinkedIn headshot? What better time  to get an updated one than at an event where you are already dressed to impress! Our photographer will be taking headshots in the main networking area during the break

Sponsored by ING Bank

Our panel of top operators and funds will explore key features of Digital Infrastructure assets that appeal to investors interested in getting long duration exposure and looking to capitalize on the opportunities this market presents

• Will the traditionally dominant first tier markets continue to attract the most investment or will we see more appetite for M&A activity in second and third tier markets?
• Do any digital assets/ regions pose conflicts with funds’ investment mandates or provide opportunities for insurance/pension funds?
• Have specialist digital funds enjoyed an advantage over generalist infrastructure funds in competing for assets?

Access to reliable, affordable power is the most significant block that data centers face in the business plans. Hyperscalers average around 10 kWh per sq foot, something that is likely to at least double with the addition and demand for AI infrastructure. Today's panel discusses

• Battling capacity: what markets are able to support new data center infrastructure needs? 
• Best practices in enhancing data center energy consumption efficiency
  
• Opportunities for renewable power and assuring against intermittency challenges

Lunch is served