The Entrepreneur Festival, a new national business platform designed to connect founders, providers, investors and policymakers in one high-impact environment focused on growth and progress, has announced plans to supercharge the UK economy.

At a moment when economic headwinds and pressures seem unrelenting, the Entrepreneur Festival and surrounding ecosystem will provide practical support to businesses, through every stage of their lifecycle, from experienced founders, investors, operators and advisors.

Taking place over three days from 15-17 June 2027, at the Royal Armouries in Leeds, the Festival itself aims to bring together over 4,000 decision makers, 300+ speakers, all of whom have been there and done that in business, 100+ exhibitors, and a full programme of curated discussions, roundtables, and pre-arranged 1-2-1 networking opportunities.

Unlike traditional conferences, The Entrepreneur Festival is built around how businesses are created, scaled and exited. Every element is designed to remove friction, reduce reliance on chance networking and accelerate meaningful commercial outcomes. It will be a unique melting pot of practical advice, problem solving and relevant connections geared to catalyse entrepreneurial growth. The festival will be the flagship highlight of a year-round membership ecosystem, including an online platform and club, AI toolkit and tailored support for entrepreneurs from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The platform has been created by Keith Griffiths, who previously founded and exited the UK’s hugely successful Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF). Within three years, he grew UKREiiF to a 13,000+ attendee annual fixture, also hosted at the Royal Armouries in Leeds, that realised £2+ billion in projects and investment and generated £60+ million in local economic benefit.

With this latest venture, Keith has identified an opportunity to close the gap between starting a business and scaling successfully. The ecosystem is active, with 317,000 businesses established and trading in 2024, yet a quarter of aspiring founders admit they lack the business or financial know-how to get started, and half aren't confident in fundamentals such as cash-flow management.

As part of the ecosystem, Keith has assembled an Advisory Group of renowned entrepreneurs and public sector influencers, including Sara Davies, formerly of Dragons’ Den, who will become an ambassador, with Keith and Sara investing in each other’s businesses, and former Conservative Party Chairman Lord Dominic Johnson, who will become Advisory Group Chair from July 2026; the group will provide support, based on lived experience, to entrepreneurs and business leaders. They will be available throughout the festival and at other group events during the course of the year.

Keith Griffiths, Founder and CEO of The Entrepreneur Festival, comments: “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, comments: “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, comments: “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.”

The festival, taking place from 15-17 June 2027, will include:

Five key themes, across 35+ stages, covering Start Up, Build & Scale, Innovation, Leadership and Exit
300+ speakers with direct experience of building and scaling businesses
100+ exhibitors plus providers and investors supporting growth across capital, capability and operations
Hundreds of fringe events and curated networking opportunities
Dedicated environments for deal-making, roundtables and private meetings
Alongside, there will be a year-round support ecosystem helping to take founders from early ambition to investor readiness

The programme reflects the full entrepreneurial journey, from early-stage ventures to companies preparing for exit, with content led by founders, operators and active investors who have direct experience of the decisions being discussed.

For more information, partnership opportunities or to purchase early bird event tickets, visit The Entrepreneur Festival homepage.