Climb UK has always been about backing regional ecosystems: the founders, investors, operators, universities, local authorities, corporates and support organisations that make ambitious businesses possible - everywhere, not just in a handful of postcodes.
That’s why Climb UK isn’t simply an annual festival. The festival is where we bring the ecosystem together at scale - but the real work happens year-round: partnering with regional organisations, supporting their programmes, turning up at their events, and creating the connections that help companies start, scale and raise investment.
Over January and February 2026, you’ll find us out across the UK (and Europe), supporting brilliant partners and showcasing the strength of regional innovation. We’re also about to embark on a national tour through February and March - more details to follow.
Where you’ll find Climb UK in early 2026, and why we’re there
15 January | Leeds
The Entrepreneurs Club Lunch
We’re joining a room of established business owners and growth-minded leaders to strengthen cross-sector connections in the region - the sort that often lead to introductions, partnerships and new customers.
20 January | (Programme-wide)
Mills & Reeve “Top Tech” mentoring
Mentoring is one of the highest-leverage things we can do: helping founders and leaders sharpen decisions, avoid predictable pitfalls, and access trusted networks faster.
22 January | Liverpool
Baltic Ventures Demo Day
A strong ecosystem needs visible pathways from accelerator to investor to growth. Demo days help founders earn attention on merit - and help investors find regional deal flow.
22 January | Leeds
PROPEL Scaleup & Funding Dinner
Some of the most valuable conversations happen off-stage: honest peer learning, warm investor introductions, and practical advice from people who’ve done it before. (If you’d like to attend, contact the Propel team or Climb UK for details.)
23rd January | Manchester
MMU INNOFLUX
This enterprise event is in Future Me Week (the University Wide employability week) and is designed to give students a window on an entrepreneurial career path.
28 January | South Yorkshire
TECH SY Showcase Dinner (Sponsor/Partner)
Ecosystems grow when people back them visibly. We’re supporting an evening that puts South Yorkshire’s tech community in the spotlight and creates the conditions for new collaborations.
29 January | Barnsley
South Yorkshire Tech Summit (Sponsor/Partner)
This is a key moment for the region’s tech economy - bringing together founders, scaleups, investors and ecosystem leaders to focus on what it takes to start and scale in South Yorkshire.
29 January | Greater Manchester
Early-stage investment-focused event
Greater Manchester is one of the UK’s most important growth ecosystems. We’re attending to build more founder–investor connectivity and stronger inter-regional ties.
29 January | Vienna
Storm Days: HealthTech Forum
Regional ecosystems don’t thrive in isolation. International links bring fresh capital, partnerships and routes to market - and help UK founders think bigger, earlier.
5 February | Lancaster
NW CyberCom showcase (Partner)
Cyber innovation is a major regional strength - and NW CyberCom is focused on turning university-led innovation into real-world products, services and outcomes.
12 February
Flutter – The Future of Racing (Sponsor)
The British Horseracing Authority (BHA) and Flutter UKI are teaming up to launch a ‘Dragon’s Den’-style horse racing summit, with the ambition to unearth solutions that attracts a new generation of racegoers.
17 February | Creative UK
The Big Creative UK Investment Summit London
Creative industries are a serious investment opportunity — and the summit is designed to connect investors with the businesses and leaders shaping the sector.
24 February | Leeds
Propel Scaleup Programme: Talent workshop
Talent is the growth constraint most scaleups underestimate. We’re contributing practical thinking on hiring, retention, performance and building teams that can scale.
25 February York
Bionow York and North Yorkshire Life Sciences Forum
This conference aims to elevate the profile of the diverse Life Sciences cluster in York and North Yorkshire, which includes advanced therapy spin-outs, leading Contract Research Organisations (CROs), healthcare companies and pharmaceutical manufacturers.
Gordon will be joining a panel exploring the challenges around scaling up, regulatory pathways and commercialisation advice
If you’re building in a region, we want to hear from you
If you’re running a programme, building a community, supporting founders, or investing in regional growth - let’s connect. And if you’re coming to any of the events above, come and say hello.
Climb26 will bring the ecosystem together again, but everything we do between now and then is about proving the same point: the UK’s best companies can come from anywhere, and regions win when we back them properly.