​Description

​We’re organising a roundtable and networking session on the 29th of August in London. Join us to exchange ideas, connect with entrepreneurial ecosystem builders, and explore what’s next for the UK’s innovation landscape.

​Check-in (9:30 - 10 AM):

​Check-in. If you're joining the Networking Session only, you can check in at 10:30 am.

​Roundtable (10 - 11 AM):

​"Building Smarter Tech Ecosystems: What’s Working, What’s Missing, What’s Next for the UK"

​In the roundtable, keynote speakers will talk about what’s working in the tech ecosystem, what’s missing, and what ideas should be in a UK Innovation Playbook for 2025–2030.

​The discussion will draw on insights from recent ecosystem research and commentary — including work from Startup Genome, the Centre for Entrepreneurs, The Entrepreneurs Network, and the Startup Coalition — alongside the experiences and perspectives of the speakers.

​The last 15-20 minutes of the roundtable will be open to questions and discussion from the audience.

​Networking (11 AM - 12 PM):

​After the roundtable discussion, stay for coffee, croissants, and connection during an informal networking hour with peers who believe in collaboration, shared success, and building a stronger, more innovative economy.

​Notes:

​ID required on the day: If your request to attend is accepted, please bring a physical form of identification (photos will not be accepted) for the security check-in at reception.

​Please note: Roundtable attendance is capped at 40 people. To ensure a diverse mix of perspectives in the room, we ask all guests to request to join before being accepted.

​Tickets and Setup:

​The venue is divided into two areas:

• ​Roundtable room – accommodates around 40 attendees.

• ​Outer networking area – accommodates 60 attendees.

​Please select the "Roundtable+Networking" ticket if you would like a seat in the roundtable room for the 10-11 am session. These tickets are limited, so we recommend booking early.

​If you'd like to only join the networking session (11-12 pm), please select the "Networking Only" ticket.

​Attendees:

​This is an event for entrepreneurial ecosystem builders: individuals and organisations whose core mission is to drive startup and corporate innovation, support the development of the UK’s entrepreneurial landscape, and strengthen innovation communities. Whether you’re leading or sponsoring an accelerator, venture builder, corporate innovation team, policymaking body, university innovation office, innovation agency, or other venture support organisation, your work is critical in helping founders and businesses launch, grow, and succeed.

​Organisers: Connected.Ventures, The Entrepreneurs Network, Startup Genome, Centre for Entrepreneurs, London & Partners

​Keynote Speakers: 

​Matt Smith

​https://www.linkedin.com/in/matttp/

​Matt Smith is Vice President at the Global Entrepreneurship Network, where he drives much of the organization's interface with governments in 180 nations. Matt has worked at the heart of the UK’s world-leading entrepreneurial ecosystem for over 15 years, first as co-founder of student entrepreneur charity NACUE, and most recently as co-founder of the Centre for Entrepreneurs (CFE) - a UK-based entrepreneurship foundation. Under CFE, Matt published policy-focused research reports on topics as diverse as seaside town revival, ex-prisoner rehabilitation, small firm procurement and military entrepreneurship. His reports on university incubators and refugee entrepreneurs led to the creation of best-practice communities, the latter of which now connects refugee entrepreneurship organisations across 28 countries. Matt also has experience translating research into practice, working with the UK government to pilot and scale entrepreneurship programmes supporting prisoners and refugees. Matt also helped launch the European Startup Network in 2016 and from 2020 has served on the board of the National Enterprise Network - connecting enterprise support organisations across the UK. He remains a Senior Fellow at CFE.

​Dr Christopher Haley

​https://www.linkedin.com/in/cdhaley/

​Dr Christopher Haley is currently Head of Research at Startup Genome. He was formerly head of new technology and startup research at Nesta, the Innovation foundation, and before that worked in university technology transfer and enterprise strategy. Chris also consults as a Senior Entrepreneurship Strategy Specialist at The World Bank, is a Senior Fellow at the Global Entrepreneurship Network, and a non-executive director of GEN-UK. 

​Natalia Loza

​https://www.linkedin.com/in/nata-loza/

​Natalia Loza is the founder of Connected.Ventures, a curated non-profit community of over 300 entrepreneurial ecosystem builders and organisations in the UK. Connected.Ventures provides tools, networking opportunities, events, tailored support, and strategic guidance — all with the mission of amplifying connectivity, collaboration, and the impact of technology within the innovation ecosystem.

​As an exited technology founder and connector, Natalia frequently serves as an advisor, delegate, mentor, and speaker for leading innovation organisations, including Techstars, Startup Bootcamp, Foundervine, OneTech, and Barclays.

​Timothy Barnes

​https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothyplbarnes/

​Tim has managed large and small organisations in the private and public sectors ranging from universities to venture capital firms. He has led start-up companies, charities, political campaigns and public bodies.

He is the CEO of the Centre for Entrepreneurs, the UK's largest charity supporting and understanding entrepreneurs.

An entrepreneur himself, Tim established an accelerator and incubator for GovTech businesses in 2016. As Head of UCL Enterprise Operations since 2011, Tim was responsible for the University’s outward-facing business engagement activities. He led UCL's centre for entrepreneurship from its founding in 2007 and built it into one of the largest such activities in the world. He has managed stakeholders from senior academic faculty and government ministers to students and high-level business leaders and been successful in navigating their respective needs and working styles.

Prior to 2007, Tim spent six years running his own business, which helped universities and large corporations to spin-out high technology companies. Tim’s background experience includes working as an investment manager at a pan-European investment firm focussed on early-stage technology ventures and as a management consultant at one of the world’s largest professional services firms.

In 2010 Tim founded the globally successful Citrus Saturday, a non-profit enterprise driving entrepreneurial ambition in school-age children that now runs in fourteen countries. He is currently a Trustee of the National Association of College and University Entrepreneurs (NACUE) and a Non-Executive Director of Exemplas, a consultancy and programme delivery company. He graduated from UCL in 1997 and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts. In 2014 was awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion for life.

​Vinous Ali

​https://www.linkedin.com/in/vinous-ali/

​Vinous is the Deputy Executive Director at Startup Coalition. Vinous joined Startup Coalition from Public First, where she built the technology practice and then spearheaded the company's US expansion. She formerly led techUK's domestic policy work after years working at the heart of Westminster in various political roles.

​The Startup Coalition builds proactive coalitions of businesses and investors on issues that are integral to the health of the UK’s startup ecosystem. Recent successes have ranged from the design and establishment of the Future Fund to the creation of new technology-focused visas, the raising of the SEIS limits, and the bailout of SVB UK.