The International Mass Timber Conference will introduce a new capital‑focused keynote session in 2026, unveiling “The Boardroom: From Pitch to Capital,” a live dealmaking forum designed to connect mass timber developers with investors. The session will run on Tuesday, March 31, from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM at the Oregon Convention Centre in Portland.
Mass timber is coming to the boardroom, with the International Mass Timber Conference unveiling “The Boardroom: From Pitch to Capital,” a live dealmaking forum designed to connect mass timber developers with investors.
Wood Central understands that the Boardroom will showcase a curated group of mass timber projects, with developers presenting on stage before a panel of institutional and private‑sector investors. Each pitch will be followed by questions and constructive feedback from industry veterans, and the session will be open to all registered conference attendees.
Craig Rawlings, Chairman of the International Mass Timber Conference, said the new format reflects the industry’s growing need for capital alignment. “Mass timber is reaching a pivotal moment, and capital engagement is critical to scaling,” he said. “This forum brings the right stakeholders together on stage and in the room to move promising projects from concept to closing.”
The investor panel will draw from institutional capital, private equity, family offices, and specialist investment firms. Confirmed participants include Troy Harris of Jamestown, Jonathan Pearce of Hines, and Justin Preftakes of Barings. The session will be moderated by Erica Spiritos, a well‑known advocate for mass timber development, with support from industry veteran Jeff Spiritos, who is serving as Investment Forum Advisor.
According to Spiritos, the forum aims to demystify how capital evaluates mass timber proposals. “How investors evaluate mass timber is evolving quickly,” he said. “By creating a transparent, constructive environment for live pitches and feedback, we’re helping developers sharpen their proposals and helping investors access a high‑quality pipeline.”
Developers are now invited to submit projects for consideration: “Due to numerous requests to extend the deadline to submit your proposals, we have moved the submission deadline to ASAP (the sooner the better),” Rawlings said, adding that submissions for commercial, multifamily, mixed-use, large-scale single-family, industrial, and innovative concepts are all eligible. “Selected developers will be notified by the end of February and will have opportunities to meet with investors throughout the conference,” Rawlings added.
Registration is now open for the 2026 International Mass Timber Conference, with full‑conference passes priced at US $1,200 through the final early‑bird deadline of January 28, and includes access to The Boardroom, all programming, most meals, and on‑demand recordings of educational sessions.
