Climb26 Business Festival, Leeds

About

Climb26, the flagship business festival created by ClimbUK, will return to the Royal Armouries Museum and Leeds Dock on 1 and 2 July, bringing together thousands of entrepreneurs, investors, operators and business leaders for two days focused on business growth and collaboration.

Now in its fourth year, the festival has developed a reputation for delivering practical and accessible business insights. Rather than focusing on celebrity keynote speakers, Climb26 places experienced founders, operators and investors on stage to share honest experiences and actionable lessons from building and scaling businesses.

Many of the speakers are only a few stages ahead of the audience members themselves, helping to create discussions that are relatable, relevant and grounded in real-world business challenges.

Supporting Entrepreneurs Across the UK

Climb26 was established to help address some of the ongoing challenges facing entrepreneurs across the UK, including unequal access to investment opportunities and professional networks.

Industry data continues to show that all-female founding teams receive only a small percentage of UK venture capital funding, while London and the South East attract the majority of investment activity. ClimbUK aims to challenge those disparities by connecting founders from across the country with investors, mentors, partners and peers.

What to Expect at Climb26

Over the two-day festival, attendees will have access to more than 40 workshops, masterclasses, open-mic pitch sessions, meet-the-buyer opportunities and curated networking events.

Topics covered throughout the programme will include:

• Raising investment
• Scaling operations
• Building high-performing teams
• Adopting emerging technologies
• Expanding into new markets

The festival will also feature evening networking events, including a female founders reception, investor speed networking and sector-specific meetups designed to encourage meaningful connections.

Founder Commentary

Gordon Bateman, founder of ClimbUK, said:

“We created ClimbUK because we believed ambitious businesses outside London deserved better access to investment, expertise and opportunity.

“Too many business events feel predictable and inaccessible, with the same speakers and the same audiences year after year.

“ClimbUK was designed to be different and our goal is simple: for every attendee to leave with new ideas, valuable connections and greater confidence to take the next step in their business journey.”

Technology and Networking Opportunities

Previous ClimbUK events and regional tours have helped attendees secure investment, partnerships, customers and long-term mentoring relationships. In several cases, business deals have originated from open-mic pitch sessions, roundtable discussions and informal networking conversations.

To support delegates throughout the festival, Climb26 will also feature an AI-powered event app that recommends sessions, facilitates introductions and helps attendees build personalised schedules aligned with their business goals.

Tickets and further information are available through the ClimbUK website.