The 18th annual Maastricht Institute of Entrepreneurship at Missouri Valley College will take place April 20-21 in the Charles Bacon Conference Room at the Malcolm Center for Student Life. The 2026 Institute is sponsored by Wood & Huston Bank.

The welcome and introductions each day begin at 8:45 a.m.

This year’s speakers include: V. Gina Tocco, senior partner at the Law Offices of Tocco, Connelly & Associates; Israel Natividad, Consulting Operations Analyst with John Dee Warwick Pty, Ltd; Jarrod Sanderson ‘04, CEO of The Way Home; Simon Siebert and Dr. Sean Siebert, Director of AI and Founder of 50 By Friday AI; Darci Ward ‘01, Founder and CEO of DK Dance Productions LLC, Ward Enterprises, Inc., Allstar Fieldhouse LLC, Dancer’s Closet, and Spotlight by DK Dance Productions; and Phil Kassel ‘00, Founder/CEO of 365 Grit.

The Maastricht Institute is named after the city of Maastricht, The Netherlands, and is an outgrowth of experiences and friendships among residents of Maastricht and several cities in the United States.

The goal of the Maastricht Institute is to foster an atmosphere of receptiveness and creativity toward comparative entrepreneurial processes. The Institute compares and contrasts the entrepreneurial business environment within the United States with that of other countries, highlighting domestic and international philosophies.

The Institute’s format includes lectures, seminars, and roundtable discussions.

For additional information on the 18th annual Maastricht Institute of Entrepreneurship, please contact Institute Director and Dean of the School of Business and Technology Milena Simic at simicm@moval.edu.