The future rarely arrives in plain sight. It begins as undercurrents—signals that appear disconnected at first but eventually reveal how the larger system is changing. At PTC Colab in 2024, I explored the 80- to 100-year secular cycles that repeat throughout history, where we are in the current cycle, and what may come next. In 2025, I outlined the major paradigms likely to define the next cycle—what I call emergent—and contrasted them with the legacy paradigms that shaped the past 80 years. Now, deep into 2026, telling undercurrents are revealing how that transition may unfold. I will connect these signals to what they mean for the United States and the paddling industry: the opportunities they may create, the landmines they may expose, and how the industry can position for these undercurrents.

Session is facilitated by Jason Eccles, President Branches LLC