A huge thank you to everyone who joined us in Orlando, FL for Itron Inspire 2025! Every year, our conference is full of inspiration, innovation and insights—but this year raised the bar. Here are some of our favorite moments from day two.  

Emerging Technology. Endless Opportunities.  

The Tuesday general session opened with a compelling keynote from futurist and author Tom Koulopolous, who explored the digital ecosystems reshaping our world. “I’ve never seen anything move as quickly as the world is moving right now,” Tom remarked.  

He began by reframing expectations for the future, emphasizing that the most difficult aspect of the AI revolution isn’t grasping the technology itself, but understanding the rapid pace of change and behavior shifts it drives. Tom then turned to another transformative force taking the utility industry by storm: data. With unprecedented volumes of data now available, he highlighted how its value is exponentially amplified at the edge. This edge intelligence lays the foundation for real-time grid modernization, creates more resilient and customer-centric systems and accelerates innovation across the industry. 

Tom noted that the complexity of today’s energy and water systems have outgrown what human brainpower alone can manage as demand continues to rise. To keep the pace with demand while building a more sustainable future, we must embrace technologies like AI to help us focus on what matters most and unlock new value streams.  

He left the audience with a hopeful and inspiring message as we brace for the challenges and opportunities ahead: “This is not a continuation of the past—it’s the single biggest break from the past we will see in our lifetime. It allows us to amplify who we are and what makes us human.” 

Recognizing Innovation. Celebrating impact.  

Following the keynote, Ben Huggins, senior vice president of customer & market experience, took the stage to present this year’s Itron Innovator Award. Presented annually at Itron Inspire, the award recognizes a utility or city customer that has leveraged Itron’s partner enablement programs to deliver a breakthrough solution to enhance efficiency in energy, water or smart communities. The winning solution exemplifies how an Itron customer has effectively used Itron’s ecosystem of tools and services and successfully integrated with Itron’s networks, back-office software or distributed intelligence platform. Congratulations to this year’s winner!  

Uplifting Women. Empowering Generations. 

The annual Women Who Inspire session is always a highlight, but this year it reached new heights with the debut of a dedicated luncheon designed to foster connection, empowerment and conversations that drive meaningful change. Maria Bocanegra, president of Peoples Gas and Northshore Gas, headlined the session and shared powerful insights from her unconventional career journey—starting as a lawyer, serving as a commissioner and now leading a natural gas utility. She spoke candidly about overcoming imposter syndrome, leading with authenticity and prioritizing impact over titles. Stay tuned for a full recap blog of the Women Who Inspire luncheon, coming soon!  

Former Regulators. Fresh Perspectives. 

The Day Two Big Picture session delivered valuable takeaways, personal anecdotes and lessons learned from leaders who’ve worked on both sides of the regulatory table and now hold executive roles within utilities. Nick Wagner, vice president, regulatory, Black Hills Energy, moderated a conversation between Maria Bocanegra and Kevin Gunn, vice president of state and federal regulatory policy for Evergy.  

While Maria and Kevin faced distinct challenges during their tenures as commissioners, they shared a common insight: the most effective way for utilities to engage with commissioners is to remember their humanity. It’s easy to view commissioners as faceless entities, but in reality, they’re individuals with perspectives, experiences and biases. The panelists emphasized that success lies in building relationships rooted in trust, not transactions. They also touched on the importance of articulating the need for investments in a way that is structured, layered and prioritizes the well-being of the communities they serve. That, they agreed, is the gold standard.   

That’s a wrap on Itron Inspire 2025! Relive the excitement from Day One here, follow us on LinkedIn to stay connected and use the hashtag #ItronInspire25 to join the conversation. Stay tuned for more recap blogs from one of our best events yet.

See you next year in Houston, TX!