Miami, Denver, Richmond, and Maui: Inside Dent’s Recent 2025 Gatherings
Denters attend a private event to celebrate the formal Miami unveiling of “Vanguard,” the first new crewed subsea human habitat of its kind to be constructed since 1986.
Dent is best known for our annual conference in Santa Fe, but much of what defines this community happens throughout the year in smaller, invitation-only gatherings that combine ideas, creative work, and lived experience in ways that are hard to find elsewhere. In recent weeks these gatherings have included:
Dent:Blend in Richmond VA — where 100 people converged for a three-hour, high-signal program of short talks and perspective-shifting stories curated by Denter Dean Browell
The formal unveiling of "Vanguard," a new subsea human habitat in Miami, followed by a dinner with astronaut Cady Coleman
A Dent + XRoads Reception in Denver organized by Sumanth Channabasappa
Our Maui Collaboration Weekend that mixed formal sessions with socializing plus time in the ocean with renowned marine biologist Sonia Rowley
Everyone registered for our next Santa Fe conference was invited to the above events, and many more gatherings are planned for 2026. If you'd like to be part of what's ahead, please click here to apply to attend.
More about these special events
Vanguard Unveiling in Miami (Oct. 29)
In Miami, several Denters attended DEEP's formal unveiling of "Vanguard," the first new crewed subsea habitat prototype in four decades. We not only attended the formal reception, we were also invited to visit the day prior for a private tour inside the habitat. The event highlighted the engineering ambitions behind the project and its potential applications for scientific research, coral restoration, and astronaut training. The evening continued with a small dinner with NASA astronaut Cady Coleman, offering a rare opportunity to discuss frontier environments directly with those working in them.
Denver: XRoads Gathering (Nov. 20)
In Denver, Dent sponsored an XRoads reception, an invite-only gathering created and led by Sumanth Channabasappa. Attendees include a mix of current and emerging leaders from Colorado and beyond. XRoads has been running since 2016 and draws a community of creatives, technologists, founders, authors, scientists, and investors who tend to engage across sectors rather than stay in narrow professional lanes. Dent participated in both an intimate lunch and a salon-style evening where the discussions were candid and wide-ranging. Topics included technology, policy, and entrepreneurship. It was a lively, end-of-year meetup that reflected the spirit of the XRoads community and members overlapped significantly with the Dent community.
Sumanth Channabasappa brought Denters together in Denver, Colorado.
Dent:Blend Richmond (Dec. 4)
This annual gathering held in Richmond, VA again brought together a cross-section of leaders, creators, and community builders for a focused afternoon on the theme Who You Are × Where You Are. Under Dean Browell's curation, speakers examined how place, history, and personal trajectory shape meaningful work. The result was a concentrated program that felt both timely and grounded. Attendees described the experience as unusually impactful—an example of how a regional Dent:Blend can surface local insight while strengthening ties across the broader community. As one attendee noted, “Dent:Blend is, by far, the most inspirational, generous and authentic gathering I’ve attended! I’m so grateful to be a part of the Dent community!”
Another record-breaking year for Dent:Blend with over 110 people registered.
Maui Collaboration Weekend (Dec. 5–9)
Our Maui collaboration weekend combined structured sessions with time outdoors, including an ocean outing with evolutionary marine biologist Dr. Sonia Rowley. Her work in the mesophotic “twilight zone” and her decades of diving experience provided a scientific throughline for the weekend, complemented by sessions on collaborative AI and facilitation practices drawn from organizational research. The result was a productive few days that blended inquiry, practical tools, and shared experience.
Among the professional collaborations we facilitated on Maui, marine biologist Dr. Sonia Rowley was on hand to educate us about the undersea inhabitants in the area and beyond.
What's Next on the Calendar?
We have several trips planned for 2026. In February, we'll be in Las Vegas for an insider tour of Interstellar Arc at AREA15 followed by a Dent dinner. In April, we'll host a Dinner and Library Talk in Sun Valley, Idaho, bringing the community together in one of the most thoughtful small-town settings in the country. And in May, we return to the Magic Castle in Hollywood, paired with a special behind-the-scenes tour of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Let's not forget San Diego Comic-Con in July where we will again be featuring panels on the main stages and a Denter VIP reception.
More details on each of these gatherings will be propagated soon, and—as always—our invitations will go first to those who are registered for Dent 2026 in Santa Fe, along with our Passport members. Apply to attend Dent 2026 here. We look forward to seeing many of you in the months ahead!