The Entrepreneur Festival has launched today as a new national business platform designed to connect founders, providers, investors, and policymakers to support economic growth and development.
The initiative aims to provide practical support to businesses through every stage of their lifecycle, drawing on advice from experienced founders, investors, operators, and advisors.
The flagship three-day festival will take place from 15–17 June 2027 at the Royal Armouries in Leeds. It is projected to bring together over 4,000 decision-makers, more than 300 experienced speakers, and over 100 exhibitors, alongside a structured programme of curated discussions, roundtables, and pre-arranged 1-2-1 networking opportunities.
The project is the latest venture from Keith Griffiths, founder of the UK Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF). Over three years, Griffiths grew UKREiiF into an annual fixture with over 13,000 attendees at the Royal Armouries, generating an estimated £2+ billion in project investments and £60+ million in local economic benefits.
The new platform focuses on bridging the gap between starting a business and successfully scaling it. It arrives as research indicates that while 317,000 businesses were established in 2024, a quarter of aspiring founders feel they lack essential financial or business know-how, and half report a lack of confidence in core skills such as cash flow management.
To anchor the year-round membership ecosystem – which will include an online platform, club, AI toolkit, and targeted support for disadvantaged entrepreneurs – Griffiths has assembled an Advisory Group of public sector influencers and business leaders.
TV entrepreneur Sara Davies will serve as an ambassador, with Keith and Sara investing in each other’s respective businesses. Former Conservative Party Chairman Lord Dominic Johnson will take up the role of Advisory Group Chair starting in July 2026.
The 2027 festival lineup includes:
- Five core themes across 35+ stages: Start Up, Build & Scale, Innovation, Leadership, and Exit.
- 300+ speakers with firsthand business-scaling experience.
- 100+ exhibitors, including capital providers and operational advisors.
- Dedicated environments for deal-making, private meetings, and fringe events.
Keith Griffiths, Founder and CEO of The Entrepreneur Festival, said:
“There is a huge opportunity to create momentum in the UK economy by backing entrepreneurs with the advice and support they need to grow. Right now, there is a groundswell of entrepreneurial talent and desire to start businesses, but an absence of mentorship and infrastructure geared towards scaling successfully. I have seen that first hand, and we are now closing the knowledge gap by providing practical support for the critical decision making needed to grow and succeed.”
Sara Davies, ambassador and member of the Advisory Group, said:
“The Festival and support system will be music to the ears of entrepreneurs and founders. I’ve been very vocal about the real struggles I’ve faced as a business owner – and I know this goes for so many of us across every industry. It can often feel like you’re on your own out there, fending for yourself. To truly understand the support entrepreneurs need, you have to have been there and done it yourself; that’s why I’m delighted to be involved and believe the Entrepreneur Festival will deliver real, practical benefits to the next generation of business owners, empowering them to make decisions and grow with confidence.”
Lord Dominic Johnson, incoming Chair of the Advisory Group, said:
“There is no better place to start a business than the UK, and no lack of appetite from investors and partners to support entrepreneurial talent. However, we risk losing the next Branson or Dyson, unless we close the gap between both ends; that is exactly what the Entrepreneur Festival will do and why I’m delighted to become Chair of its Advisory Group. I know from experience that founders are invariably time poor, and investors don’t have a microscope on every opportunity, so bringing the right people together in the same place, at the same time, will have real impact, with a positive ripple effect on the wider UK economy.”
