Organisations backing the United Kingdom’s most ambitious growth-stage companies are set to convene at the SCALE EXPO & SUMMIT 2026, taking place on April 22–23 at the Business Design Centre.
Positioned as one of the most influential gatherings for founders and SME leaders, the event will bring together a powerful network of partners actively driving scaleup success across capital, talent, innovation, operations, and media.
Among the leading organisations participating are Sky Media, City AM, Grant Thornton, Corporate Traveller, DPD, Innovate UK Business Connect, HiBob, and Mercer.
The free-to-attend Expo and the more focused Summit are designed to facilitate meaningful engagement between scaleup founders and ecosystem enablers. Through panels, workshops, and roundtable sessions, participants will gain access to practical tools, strategic insights, and valuable connections to accelerate their growth journeys.
A standout feature of the event is the speed networking sessions hosted by Innovate UK Business Connect. These structured, high-impact interactions allow founders and business leaders to engage in rapid, one-on-one conversations with potential investors, partners, and clients, maximising opportunities within limited time.
Summit pass holders will also benefit from exclusive “Meet the Investor” sessions, offering direct access to members of the EIS Association and private capital investors.
SCALE’s founding team, Sam North and William Fowler, have built on the legacy of SME XPO, formerly owned by the Evening Standard, to create a more expansive and impact-driven platform.
Following a successful management buyout in 2024, the event was rebranded as SCALE, with support from Chairman and investor Andrew B Morris. Since then, the platform has expanded beyond a two-day conference into a year-round ecosystem that includes monthly SCALE Sessions, an investment arm (SCALE Ventures), and a female founders initiative (Women Who Scale).
Speaking ahead of the event, Sam North emphasised the broader economic importance of scaleups, noting that they are not just engines of productivity but multipliers for the wider economy. He added that as a scaleup itself, the organisation understands the pressure, pace, and critical decisions that shape business growth, and that its partners share the belief that when scaleups thrive, the UK benefits.
This perspective is echoed by industry stakeholders. Rupert Hargreaves, COO of City AM, highlighted the increasing complexity of building and scaling businesses, noting that collaboration across sectors is now more critical than ever.
While the London event remains the flagship, SCALE is expanding its reach. The upcoming SCALE Manchester Summit, scheduled for November 25, 2026, will extend the platform’s impact to the North of England, connecting emerging founders with experienced entrepreneurs who have successfully scaled and exited businesses.
At its core, SCALE EXPO & SUMMIT 2026 reflects a growing recognition that sustainable business growth requires alignment between entrepreneurs, investors, corporates, and policymakers. From unlocking capital to enabling talent and expanding market reach, each partner contributes to a shared mission of building a stronger and more resilient scaleup ecosystem.
As the UK continues to navigate an increasingly complex business landscape, events like SCALE are not just networking opportunities but catalysts for real, measurable impact.
