PPD founder Fred Eshelman and former Gov. Jim Hunt will talk about the connection between a good educational system and business investment at this year’s BizTech Conference & Expo on January 26 at the Wilmington Convention Center.

The event, which is sponsored by the Greater Wilmington Business Journal, drew more than 2,500 business people last year. BizTech, the Wilmington region’s largest business event, features an expo with more than 100 exhibitors, a keynote lunch, business strategy seminars and a BizTech AfterHours networking social.

The event starts at noon on January 26 with the keynote lunch, where Eshelman and Hunt will speak on “Education in NC: An Essential Business Investment.”

Immediately following the lunch, the BizTech Expo Hall will open. The expo includes vendors in four main areas — Business, Technology, Hospitality and Health and Wellness. The expo hall will be open from 2 to 7 p.m.

Participants can sign up for business strategy seminar tracks on “Boosting Your Company’s Value,” “Controlling Health Care Costs,” or “Social Media Strategies.”

BizTech AfterHours will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. inside the Expo Hall.

An all-access pass is $75 and the keynote luncheon is $40. A seminar track, which includes two to three workshops, is $35 total. Admission to the expo hall is $5.

BizTech participants who register by Thursday, January 12 are eligible for a 10-percent early bird discount.

Groups of 10 can reserve an entire table at the keynote lunch.

To register and for more information, visit www.wilmingtonbiz.com/biztech.

The deadline for vendors to reserve a booth and to be included in the special BizTech issue is Wednesday. For more information and to reserve a booth, visit www.wilmingtonbiz.com/biztech.