London Tech Week 2026 has announced its highly anticipated Founders Stage, a dedicated programme bringing together leading entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers and operators to discuss the future of technology businesses in an era shaped by artificial intelligence, changing investment trends and evolving startup ecosystems.
The event, scheduled for June 8–10 at Olympia London, will host Startup World as part of London Tech Week 2026. Organisers said the Founders Stage is designed to reflect the realities of building and scaling companies in 2026, where founders face tighter capital markets, increasing policy scrutiny and rapid advances in AI technologies.
The programme will feature 20 unicorn founders on the Founders Stage and a total of 50 unicorn founders across all six stages of the event. Notable participants include Alan Chang, Co-Founder and CEO of Fuse Energy; Alex Kendall, Founder and CEO of Wayve; and Anne Boden, former CEO and founder of Starling Bank.
Sessions will cover a wide range of topics including AI infrastructure, fintech, health tech, founder resilience, growth capital and long-term business leadership. Organisers said the discussions aim to provide entrepreneurs with practical insights at every stage of company growth.
The programme opens with Tom Adeyoola, Executive Chair of Innovate UK, followed by discussions exploring the UK’s startup ecosystem in a global context. One of the featured sessions, “The Next Wave of AI: Building, Scaling and Winning from the UK,” will examine opportunities emerging from the rapid evolution of AI platforms.
Other sessions will focus on the emotional and operational challenges of entrepreneurship. In “Riding The Entrepreneurial Rodeo,” speakers including Emmie Faust of Female Founders Rise, Sofia Nunes of Mambu and Timo Boldt of Gousto will discuss the personal and professional realities of scaling businesses.
The Founders Stage will also spotlight investment and startup financing through discussions such as “The New Reality of Startup Value,” “Do I Really Need To Raise?” and “Is The Value of Venture Capital Changing?” Industry leaders from venture capital firms, public finance institutions and technology companies are expected to participate.
Organisers said the programme also aims to address diversity and inclusion in the startup ecosystem. Sessions like “The Untapped Talent Wave Powering Global Growth” will examine barriers facing underrepresented founders and explore ways to expand access to opportunities and capital.
Carolyn Dawson OBE, CEO of Founders Forum Group and lead for London Tech Week, said the programme reflects the major challenges and opportunities facing European technology founders today.
“As Europe enters a decisive decade for technology, the challenge for founders is not just to start, it is to scale with clarity, resilience and real competitive edge,” she said.
London Tech Week 2026 is expected to attract thousands of entrepreneurs, investors, technology leaders and policymakers from around the world.
