Where ambitious founders meet the partners who help them scale.
3-4 November 2026 | 200 speakers | 4 stages | 150 exhibitors
Built for founders who run growing businesses.
The Festival of Entrepreneurs brings together decision-makers building real companies. Founders with revenue, teams and plans.
They attend to learn from proven operators — and to meet the partners who can help them move faster.
83% of attendees are founders or senior leaders.
Nearly half are actively exploring funding, technology or specialist services.
The conversation is commercial from the outset.
In 2026 the agenda focuses on the decisions founders are making right now — raising capital, applying AI inside the business, strengthening leadership teams, improving marketing performance and preparing for scale.
Across four stages, the speakers include founders who have built nationally recognised companies, senior leaders from major institutions, and specialists working directly with high-growth businesses.
The sessions are practical, direct and shaped around real operating experience.
Exhibit in front of 5,000 growth-focused decision-makers.
The Festival brings together founders running revenue-generating businesses from across the UK.
The visitors attend with clear priorities:
66% come to meet partners
47% are looking for technology or specialist services
48% are exploring funding
Across two days at the NEC, exhibitors meet founders who are actively reviewing suppliers, advisers and capital options.
The exhibition floor sits alongside four content stages and curated meet-ups, creating multiple opportunities for meaningful conversations throughout the event.
Sir Richard Harpin (Founder - HomeServe)
Rowena Bird (Co-founder - LUSH Cosmetics)
Piers Linney MBE (Co-founder - Implement AI)
Juliet Barratt (Co-founder - Grenade)
Ray Kelvin CBE (Founder - Ted Baker)
Maxine & Darcy Laceby (Co-founders - Absolute Collagen)
Mark Rushmore (Co-founder - SURI Toothbrush)
Sir Liam Fox (Chair - Festival of Entrepreneurs)
Louis Taylor CBE (CEO - British Business Bank), Irene Graham OBE (CEO - Scale Up Institute), Ian O'Donnell MBE (Deputy Director of Policy - FSB), Anthony Impey (CEO - Be the Business)
Melissa Snover (Founder - Get Nourish3d), Laura Fuller (Founder - Monk), Claire Warner (Founder - Æcorn Drinks)
Boris Diankov (Co-founder ANNA Money), Sam Pearton (CMO - Polyhedra), Jo Dalton (Founder JD&Co)
Dom McGregor (Co-Founder - Social Chain), Sabrina Stocker (Founder - Two Comma PR)
Catalina Valentino (Co-founder ELIXR)
Tre Lowe (Founder SOBO)
Giovanna Forte (Founder - Forte Medical)
Heba Bevan OBE (Founder - Utterberry), Raj Thiruchelvarajah (Founder - Hytro), Rebecca Drew (CEO - Vistage)
Darren O'Reilly (Co-Founder - WholeSupp)
Daniel Elahi (Founder - Revival Shots)
Testimonials from the 2025 event
“I had a fantastic experience at the Festival of Entrepreneurs. I left feeling inspired with valuable new connections.”
“Overall, the event was a brilliant platform for us”
“We exhibited and picked up many leads for our fractional c-suite services, so this is a highly recommended event.”
“The scale and energy in Festival of Entrepreneurs was fantastic.”
“Festival of Entrepreneurs was a fantastic event for Strategus Consulting. We’ll be back in 2026 with a much bigger stand.”
“The Festival of Entrepreneurs stood out for its clarity of purpose.”
“The Festival of Entrepreneurs was a great event, there was real interest in applied AI with established founders.”
“So many ideas under one roof! ”