Founders & Future – Day 2

Chairpersons welcome and opening remarks.

Some of the biggest opportunities for startups lie in problems that established technologies still struggle to solve. Founders and enterprise leaders explore where new approaches are needed across software, infrastructure, cybersecurity and industrial technology. The discussion examines how to distinguish a compelling technical idea from a meaningful market opportunity, and where emerging companies can make the greatest impact. 

• Identifying unmet needs within enterprise operations. 

• Understanding where existing tools and approaches fall short. 

• Balancing technical ambition with customer readiness. 

• Turning industry expertise into new products and businesses. 

A promising invention is only the beginning. In this conversation, a technology founder reflects on the journey from an early technical breakthrough to a product customers can use reliably. The discussion explores how engineering constraints, customer feedback and commercial realities shape development, including the difficult decisions about what to build, what to change and what to leave behind. 

A successful pilot proves that technology can work. Making it part of everyday operations requires much more. Startup founders and enterprise leaders discuss the practical steps between proof of concept and sustained adoption, from integration and internal ownership to user engagement and ongoing support. The panel explores why promising collaborations stall and what both sides can do to move forward. 

• Agreeing a route to deployment before the pilot begins. 

• Integrating new technology into existing systems and workflows. 

• Establishing ownership, resources and support. 

• Measuring adoption and results beyond the initial demonstration. 

As powerful models and development tools become widely available, technical capability alone may be insufficient to sustain a competitive advantage. Founders, investors and enterprise technology leaders explore what makes a business difficult to replicate: proprietary data, domain expertise, integration, distribution and trusted customer relationships. The discussion examines how startups can build lasting differentiation while responding to rapid changes in the platforms they depend on.

A founder and an enterprise customer share the story behind a real technology deployment, from the problem that brought them together to the changes needed to make the solution work. This conversation examines the partnership from both perspectives: navigating technical constraints, aligning expectations, responding to setbacks and evaluating results. Delegates will hear what each organisation learned and what they would approach differently next time. 

Closing reflections and final remarks.