VentureDay 2026 microsite
Visit our VentureDay 2026 microsite to see our full agenda and list of speakers.
View micrositeLocation: Vincent Building (52a), 裸聊直播, Cranfield, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL
Join us for VentureDay 2026, our 18th annual entrepreneurial conference at 裸聊直播. This year’s theme, Making Growth Happen: From Vision to Execution, brings together entrepreneurs, SME owners, investors and academics to address the key challenges facing SMEs in the current economic climate.
Hear from leading practitioners and keynote speakers on developing a growth mindset, building operational engines, attracting talent in an AI-enabled world, exploring alternative funding routes, and making employee ownership schemes work. The day includes two keynote sessions, panel discussions, practical workshops and multiple networking breaks to connect with peers and potential partners.
As part of the programme, delegates will also have the opportunity to join a campus tour – Where Innovation Takes Flight, exploring Cranfield’s expansive 600-acre postgraduate campus and experiencing first-hand its unique ecosystem of research, education, and industry collaboration.
Connect with like-minded founders and advisors, learn practical strategies, and leave ready to turn vision into action. Connect. Inspire. Grow.
Agenda
| Times |
|
Sessions |
| 09:00 |
|
Registration |
| 09:30 |
|
Welcome and opening remarks |
| 10:00 | Opening panel |
Making growth happen: From vision to execution |
| 10:50 |
|
Mid-morning networking (coffee and tea) |
| 11:10 | Parallel Sessions | Workshop - Driving Sales in the Age of AI: Strategic for growth with key customers |
|
Resilience at work: Mental fitness for founders and teams |
||
| Only at Cranfield Tour: Agrifood innovation in action |
||
| 12:10 |
|
Keynote speaker: Edward Phillips, CEO, Luton Hoo Estate |
| 13:00 |
|
Lunch and networking |
| 13:45 | Parallel Sessions |
Building operational engines: Systems and processes for rapid growth |
|
Talent for tomorrow: Building leadership and AI-enabled teams |
||
|
Only at Cranfield: Powering the hydrogen future |
||
| 14:45 | Parallel Sessions | Fuelling your growth: Alternative funding routes |
|
Employee Ownership Schemes (EOTS): What makes EOTs work? |
||
|
Only at Cranfield: Where Innovation meets opportunity |
||
| 15:35 |
|
Afternoon networking (coffee and tea) |
| 16:00 |
|
Keynote speaker: Cranfield Entrepreneur of the Year Award Winner 2026 Antony Jenkins CBE, Founder, Chair and CEO, 10X |
| 16:50 |
|
Formal close |
VentureDay Gallery
Location & travel details
Vincent Building (52a), 裸聊直播, Cranfield, Bedfordshire MK43 0AL.
Download a visitor guide including map, directions and health and safety information.
Accommodation
Please contact Cranfield Management Development Centre directly on +44 1234 751122 for accommodation bookings.
Who should attend?
VentureDay is for ambitious SME owners who want to understand the bigger picture and expand their network of like-minded individuals.
All SME owners, investors and business leaders are welcome to attend. If you are unsure if VentureDay is for you, please contact ventureday@cranfield.ac.uk for more information.
Cost & Register
Early bird price (until 14 May 2026): 拢95
Full price (from 15 May 2026): 拢130
