Day 1 KEYNOTE STAGE Wednesday 8th October
Time: 09:30–09:45
Theme: INTRODUCTION
Angle: Chairman remarks
Session title: Welcome to the Festival of Entrepreneurs
Speakers:
Sir Liam Fox, Chair, Festival of Entrepreneurs
Time: 09:50–10:10
Theme: SCALING UP
Angle: Overview
Session title: The state of scale-up: why this moment matters
Speakers:
Irene Graham, CEO, ScaleUp Institute
Time: 10:15–10:35
Theme: UK FUNDING SUPPORT
Angle: Government support
Session title: Where growth begins: unlocking funding through UK government-backed finance
Speakers:
Louis Taylor CBE, CEO, British Business Bank
Time: 10:40–11:20
Theme: ECONOMY
Angle: Productivity
Session title: Can Britain compete? What growing businesses need to thrive in 2025 and beyond
Speakers:
Martin McTague OBE, Chair, FSB
Anthony Impey, CEO, Be the Business
Louis Taylor CBE, CEO, British Business Bank
Janine Birt, CEO, Innovate Finance
Moderator: Sir Liam Fox, Chair, Festival of Entrepreneurs
Time: 11:30–12:10
Theme: FIRESIDE CHAT
Angle: The story of HomeServe
Session title: From start-up to £4.1 billion: building one of Britain’s biggest success stories
Speakers:
Richard Harpin, Founder, HomeServe
Host: Alex Chisnall, Co-Founder, Festival of Entrepreneurs
Time: 12:20–13:00
Theme: AI
Angle: Productivity
Session title: AI with impact: how founders are using it to scale smarter
Speakers:
Piers Linney, Co-Founder, Implement AI
James Smith, Founder, Critical Cloud
Dominic Kos, Founder, Clever Fox AI
Sabrina Stocker, Founder, 2 Comma PR
Moderator: Andrew Walker
Time: 13:10–13:50
Theme: [TBC]
Time: 14:00–14:40
Theme: TALENT
Angle: Building teams
Session title: Talent that scales: how top founders build teams that drive growth
Speakers:
Jo Dalton, Founder, JD&Co
Nikki Avram, Founder, Nikki Avraam
Roei Samuel, Founder, Connectd
Simon Gardiner, Co-Founder, Carrington West
Moderator: Rob Hanna
Time: 14:50–15:30
Theme: INVESTMENT
Angle: Venture capital
Session title: Venture-backed: what today’s investors are really looking for
Speakers:
Dom McGregor, Founder, Fearless Adventures
Sarah Finegan, Investor, Antler
Rupert Lyle, Fund Principal, West Midlands Co-Investment Fund
Moderator: Andrew Walker
Time: 15:40–16:20
Theme: GROWTH
Angle: Consumer brand growth
Session title: From startup shelf to national brand: how consumer founders scale fast
Speakers:
Claire Warner, Founder, Æcorn Aperitifs
Laura Fullerton, Founder, Monk
Melissa Snover, Founder, Remedy Health
Mark Rushmore, Co-Founder, SURI Toothbrush
Moderator: Alex Chisnall, Co-Founder, Festival of Entrepreneurs
Time: 16:25–17:15
Theme: FIRESIDE CHAT
Angle: Building an AI-only business
Session title: The AI shift: why every business is about to change — and how founders can lead it
Speakers:
Piers Linney, Co-Founder, Implement AI
Host: Alex Chisnall, Co-Founder, Festival of Entrepreneurs
Time: 17:20–18:00
Theme: FIRESIDE CHAT
Angle: The story of LUSH Cosmetics
Session title: The story of LUSH: building a global brand with values at its heart
Speakers:
Rowena Bird, Co-Founder, LUSH
Host: Alex Chisnall, Co-Founder, Festival of Entrepreneurs
Day 2 KEYNOTE STAGE Thursday 9th October
Time: 09:30–09:45
Theme: INTRODUCTION
Angle: Chairman’s remarks
Session title: Welcome to Day Two: driving scale-up success across the UK
Speakers:
Sir Liam Fox, Chair, Festival of Entrepreneurs
Time: 09:50–10:35
Theme: FEMALE FOUNDERS
Angle: Raising capital
Session title: When women lead: the founders and funders fuelling smarter growth
Speakers:
Nell Daly, Founder, Revenge Capital
Katie Partridge, CEO, Saphira Group
Heba Bevan OBE, Founder, Utterberry
Moderator: Jeannette Linfoot, Host, Brave Bold Brilliant podcast
Time: 10:40–11:10
Theme: MINDSET
Angle: High performance
Session title: The founder’s edge: mindset strategies from the world of elite sport
Speakers:
Pete Cohen, Coach
Host: James Burtt, Co-Host, Business Broadcast Podcast
Time: 11:20–11:55
Theme: LEADERSHIP
Angle: Mentoring and support
Session title: Who supports the CEO? Why great founders don’t lead alone
Speakers:
Time: 12:05–12:40
Theme: GROWTH
Angle: Scaling up
Session title: Family, focus and fast growth: how Absolute Collagen became a UK success story
Speakers:
Maxine Laceby, Co-Founder, Absolute Collagen
Darcy Laceby, Co-Founder, Absolute Collagen
Moderator: Alex Chisnall
Time: 12:50–13:35
Theme: FIRESIDE CHAT
Angle: The story of Grenade
Session title: From protein bar to powerhouse: scaling the Grenade brand
Speakers:
Juliet Barratt, Co-Founder, Grenade
Host: Jeannette Linfoot, Host, Brave Bold Brilliant podcast
Time: 13:45–14:30
Theme: FIRESIDE CHAT
Angle: The story of Ted Baker
Session title: The story of Ted Baker: creativity, culture and global brand building
Speakers:
Ray Kelvin CBE, Founder, Ted Baker
Host: Alex Chisnall, Co-Founder, Festival of Entrepreneurs
Time: 14:40–15:25
Theme: GROWTH
Angle: Scaling up
Session title: Scaling smart: what fast-growth founders do differently
Speakers:
Raj Thiruchelvarajah, Founder, Hytro
Darren O’Reilly, Co-Founder, WholeSupp
Simon Leslie, Founder, INK Media
Moderator: Alex Chisnall
Time: 15:35–16:20
Theme: YOUTH
Angle: Under 30
Session title: Under 30, overachieving: young founders building serious businesses
Speakers:
Catalina Valentino, Co-Founder, Elixr
Darcy Laceby, Co-Founder, Absolute Collagen
Sabrina Stocker, Founder, Two Comma PR
Day 1 FUNDING STAGE Wednesday 8th October
Time: 10:25–11:00
Theme: START UP LOANS
Angle: How to get a Start Up Loan
Session title: How to get a Start Up Loan: what founders need to know
Speakers:
Chloe Fenn, Startup Lead, Virgin Startups
Moderator: Lesley Thomas, Host, Let’s Talk Money & More Podcast
Time: 11:10–11:45
Theme: ANGEL INVESTMENT
Angle: Understanding angels
Session title: Getting angel investment: how early-stage founders earn investor backing
Speakers:
Ben Cooper, CEO, Bristol Angels
Idranil Ghosh, Investor, Tiger Hill Capital
Moderator: Lesley Thomas, Host, Let’s Talk Money & More Podcast
Time: 11:55–12:30
Theme: INVESTMENT READY
Angle: How loan lenders think
Session title: How lenders think: how to prepare your business for £250k–£500k debt finance
Speakers:
Time: 12:40–13:15
Theme: PRIVATE EQUITY / VC / FAMILY OFFICE
Angle: Myth-busting the PE model
Session title: Private equity explained: what founders need to know before raising
Speakers:
Time: 13:30–14:05
Theme: DEBT FINANCE
Angle: Debt types 101
Session title: Understanding debt finance: what type of loan is right for your business?
Speakers:
Time: 14:15–15:35
Theme: ACQUISITION FINANCE
Angle: Deal structure deep-dive
Session title: Scale through acquisition: how to fund and structure your first business buy
Speakers:
Gary Lennon, Co-Founder, BizBritain
Time: 15:45–16:20
Theme: INVESTMENT READY
Angle: Equity mechanics 101
Session title: Equity-ready: how to prepare your business for outside investment
Speakers:
Time: 16:30–17:05
Theme: R&D TAX
Angle: R&D as a funding source
Session title: Unlocking R&D tax relief: using pure maths to maximise your claim
Speakers:
Sheena Ramchurn, Advisor, RDA
Adeline Bragg, Advisor, RDA
Time: 17:10–17:35
Theme: GRANTS
Angle: What’s available and for whom
Session title: Grant funding unlocked: where to find it and how to win it
Day 2 FUNDING STAGE Thursday 9th October
Time: 10:25–11:00
Theme: START UP LOANS
Angle: Next-stage readiness
Session title: Start strong: how to use a Start Up Loan to launch and grow
Speakers:
Matt Gubba, CEO, BizBritain
Time: 11:10–11:45
Theme: ALTERNATIVE FINANCE
Angle: Speed & flexibility
Session title: Beyond the bank: new ways for SMEs to access growth funding
Speakers:
Time: 11:55–12:30
Theme: INVESTMENT READY
Angle: Decode the No
Session title: Rejected? What to do next if investors say no
Speakers:
Time: 12:40–13:15
Theme: DEBT vs EQUITY
Angle: Understanding funding stages
Session title: Debt or equity? How to choose the right funding for your growth
Speakers:
Time: 13:30–14:05
Theme: REVENUE BASED FINANCING
Angle: Recurring revenue
Session title: Funded by growth: how revenue-based finance works (and when to use it)
Speakers:
Time: 14:15–14:50
Theme: FEMALE FOUNDERS
Angle: Female founder raises
Session title: Get funded: practical strategies for female founders raising capital
Speakers:
Time: 15:00–15:35
Theme: INVESTMENT READY
Angle: CFO perspective
Session title: Think like a CFO: how to structure and run your raise the right way
Time: 15:45–16:20
Theme: PITCHING
Angle: Art of the pitch
Session title: Nail the pitch: how to tell your story, win trust, and raise capital
Speakers:
Kostas Mavroulakis, Founder, Empact Ventures
Day 1 TECH, AI & MARKETING Wednesday 8th October
Stage sponsored by Constant Contact
Time: 10:25–11:00
Theme: CYBER SECURITY
Angle: Protection
Session title: From ransomware to phishing: securing your SME in 2025
Speakers:
Time: 11:10–11:45
Theme: MARKETING
Angle: CMO point of view
Session title: Inside the CMO playbook: what drives real growth in 2025
Speakers:
Gemma Adair, Founder, Riada Consultancy
Julia Payne, Founder, Fractional CMO Services
Time: 11:55–12:30
Theme: MARKETING
Angle: Personal branding
Session title: Google yourself: how to control what people see when they search you
Speakers:
Ben Cantin-Kranz, Founder, ARMD
Time: 12:40–13:15
Theme: MARKETING
Angle: Brand building story
Session title: Telling the story that builds your brand
Speakers:
Sonya Whittham, Founder, Story22
Time: 13:30–14:05
Theme: EMAIL MARKETING
Angle: Constant Contact
Session title: Do more with less: how to stay top-of-mind
Speakers:
Constant Contact
Time: 14:15–14:50
Theme: AUTOMATION
Angle: Tech stack
Session title: Build once, run forever: how smart systems let you grow without hiring
Speakers:
Time: 15:00–15:35
Theme: MARKETING
Angle: Video content
Session title: From content to community: how founders are building loyal followings
Speakers:
Anthony Smith, Director of Trailers, Diary of a CEO
Charles Black, Founder, SEN Tech
Rich Beedle, Head of Community, South West
Time: 15:45–16:20
Theme: AI & FINANCE
Angle: AI meets CFO
Session title: Unlocking smarter financial strategy for founders
Speakers:
David Adderstone, Co-Founder, Yotopia
Time: 16:30–17:05
Theme: AI & CREATIVE CONTENT
Angle: Content engine
Session title: Humans + machines: building a content engine with AI
Speakers:
Time: 17:10–17:35
Theme: MARKETING
Angle: Advertising
Session title: Smarter ads, better outcomes: how AI is reshaping digital advertising
Speakers:
Day 2 TECH, AI & MARKETING Thursday 9th October
Stage sponsored by Constant Contact
Time: 10:25–11:00
Theme: CLOUD
Angle: Privacy
Session title: Owning your AI: scaling smart without handing over your data
Speakers:
James Smith, Founder, Critical Cloud
Time: 11:10–11:45
Theme: AI
Angle: Implementing AI
Session title: Implementing AI when you're not a tech company
Speakers:
Dr Alook Shukla, Co-Founder, Implement AI
Time: 11:55–12:30
Theme: MARKETING
Angle: Storytelling
Session title: Build a brand they’ll remember: how story drives growth
Speakers:
Sonya Whittham, Founder, Story22
Time: 12:40–13:15
Theme: MARKETING
Angle: Email marketing
Session title: Retention is the new growth: email that brings customers back
Speakers:
Constant Contact
Time: 13:30–14:05
Theme: AI
Angle: Sales
Session title: How AI is reshaping the way entrepreneurs sell and scale
Speakers:
Dominic Kos, Founder, Clever Fox AI
Time: 14:15–14:50
Theme: AI
Angle: Sales psychology
Session title: The science of persuasion: how AI and behavioural data are changing the way people buy
Speakers:
Time: 15:00–15:35
Theme: MARKETING
Angle: Personal branding
Session title: Built to stand out: personal branding in the age of AI
Speakers:
Tru Powell, CEO, Black Business Magazine
Hayley Appleby-Burt, Founder, Orange Lamb
Time: 15:45–16:20
Theme: MARKETING
Angle: Social media
Session title: The new content engine: how entrepreneurs are using AI to win on social
Speakers:
Christina Robinson, Founder, Green Umbrella
Day 1 SCALE UP STAGE Wednesday 8th October
Time: 10:25–11:00
Theme: INNOVATION
Angle: Unlocking growth
Session title: From ideas to impact: embedding innovation in your business DNA
Time: 11:10–11:45
Theme: MINDSET
Angle: Decision making
Session title: The mindset for scale: thinking bigger, acting bolder
Speakers:
Jeanette Linfoot, Mentor, Jeanette Linfoot Associates
Time: 11:55–12:30
Theme: TALENT & TEAM
Angle: Developing people
Session title: Scaling people: building teams that drive performance
Speakers:
Susan Brewer, Founder, Insight Development
Time: 12:40–13:15
Theme: LEADERSHIP
Angle: Unlocking strategic support
Session title: From founder to CEO: making the leadership leap
Speakers:
Mike Harris, Founder, Strategus Consulting
David Stubberfield, Founder, Carter Consultancy
Time: 13:30–14:05
Theme: CONSULTING
Angle: Operational scaling
Session title: Unlocking operational maturity: how great businesses transition beyond the founder
Speakers:
Chris Charlton, Founder, Namaste
Robert Peopall, Director, Namaste
Time: 14:15–14:50
Theme: BUSINESS SUPPORT
Angle: Finance support
Session title: Smart finance for fast growth: what every founder needs beyond the basics
Speakers:
Paul Barnes, Founder, Cloud Account (CASS)
Time: 15:00–15:35
Theme: BUSINESS SUPPORT
Angle: Regional support
Session title: Think bigger, grow local: how to tap into the regional support on your doorstep
Speakers:
University of Wolverhampton
Time: 15:45–16:20
Theme: TALENT & TEAMS
Angle: Culture & wellbeing
Session title: Scaling culture: designing a workplace that drives performance and wellbeing
Time: 16:30–17:05
Theme: SALES
Angle: LinkedIn
Session title: Social selling for scale-ups: turning content into customers
Speakers:
Miles Croft, Founder, Crft Productions
Time: 17:10–17:45
Theme: LEADERSHIP
Angle: Culture
Session title: Performance culture: leading with clarity, energy and expectation
Speakers:
Melissa Curran, Performance Director, Modern Mind Group
Day 2 SCALE UP STAGE Thursday 9th October
Time: 10:25–11:00
Theme: TALENT & TEAMS
Angle: Neurodiversity
Session title: Talent in plain sight: the untapped value of neurodiverse hiring
Speakers:
Phillipa Nicholson, Founder, Recruit Inclusively
Time: 11:10–11:45
Theme: MINDSET
Angle: Decision making
Session title: The mental model of a scale-up CEO: from reactive to deliberate
Time: 11:55–12:30
Theme: TALENT & TEAMS
Angle: Recruiting
Session title: Winning the talent race: how scale-ups attract and retain top performers
Time: 12:40–13:15
Theme: MINDSET
Angle: Leadership
Session title: Leading with EQ: how emotionally intelligent founders scale stronger teams
Speakers:
Megan Stachini, Founder, Intrinsic
Peter Clark-Lewis, Founder, MA Reimagine Learning
Time: 13:30–14:05
Theme: INNOVATION
Angle: IP
Session title: Turn your IP into equity: how innovation becomes a balance sheet asset
Speakers:
Jeremy Tear, Director, RDA
Time: 14:15–14:50
Theme: SCALE-UP
Angle: Lessons learned
Session title: Scaling at the right pace – here’s what I learned from Allplants
Speakers:
Jonathan Petrides, Founder, Allplants