Graft

Pick up your badge (pink for founders, blue for investors) and begin networking. Light refreshments provided.

Pick up your badge (pink for founders, blue for investors) and begin networking. Light refreshments provided.

Pick up your badge (pink for founders, blue for investors) and begin networking. Light refreshments provided.

A look at where the Northern tech sector stands today, how it compares to global leaders, and what the next stage of growth could look like.

Get ready because GRAFT 2026 is kicking off strong. This first session isn't just a warm-up; it's a reality check and a reset. We'll be looking at where the Northern tech sector stands today, how it compares to global leaders, and what the next stage of growth could look like. Expect honest insights, clear data and a focused look at what needs to happen next.

An open conversation with Somayeh Taheri, Co-Founder & CEO of UrbanChain, exploring her journey, the shift required to lead a high-growth team, and why unwavering belief in your mission underpins a 1% success story.

An open conversation with Somayeh Taheri, Co-Founder & CEO of UrbanChain, unpicking her journey, the shift required to lead a high-growth team, and scaling a high-velocity Deep Tech firm in the North.

In the high-stakes world of Deep Tech, the statistics are brutal: only 1% of businesses ever truly make it. UrbanChain is a fascinating Northern success story that has now moved well past the start-up phase (secured £5.25m in series A) into disrupting the UK energy market and beyond.

Scale-up founders. 30 minutes. Zero fluff. We're talking IPOs with IntelliAM, cross-border expansion with Buymedia, and high-velocity growth with UrbanChain. If you want to know how the North's top 1% build, pivot, and exit, this is the only seat you need to be in.

Scale-up founders discuss IPOs with IntelliAM, cross-border expansion with Buymedia, and high-velocity growth with UrbanChain — how the North's top 1% build, pivot, and exit.

Facilitated conversations between founders & investors – no pitching, just real talk.

Facilitated conversations between founders & investors – no pitching, just real talk.

Rojin Yarahmadi, Co-Founder of Newcastle-based Polybox, shares the unfiltered reality of taking on investment, lessons learned from pivoting under pressure, and what it takes to scale a data-driven startup in the North.

Building a startup is rarely a straight line. Newcastle-based Polybox began with a vision for smarter analytics, but the real story lies in the pivots required to find true product-market fit. In this 10-minute lightning session, Rojin shares the unfiltered reality of taking on investment, the lessons learned from shifting direction under pressure, and what it actually takes to scale a data-driven startup in the North.

A rapid-fire view from the investor side of the table on valuations, term sheets, and what makes a Northern founder a "yes".

What does "deployable capital" actually look like in 2026? A rapid-fire view from the other side of the table on valuations, term sheets, and what makes a Northern founder a "yes."

Five focused groups of no more than 15 people each, run under Chatham House Rules. Topics: Access to capital; Scaling leadership; The rollercoaster of achieving product-market fit; Moving the sales process beyond the Founder.

Splitting into 5 focused groups of no more than 15 people. No slides, no pitches, just a moderated, off-the-record conversation where you can trade scars and strategies with peers at your level. Chatham House Rules. Tables: Access to capital, Scaling leadership, The rollercoaster of achieving product-market fit, Moving the sales process beyond the Founder.

Networking lunch where founders and investors can connect and chat.

Join us for a networking lunch, where founders and investors can connect and chat.

A second round of focused roundtable discussions with new peers. Same topics as Round 1: Access to capital; Scaling leadership; Product-market fit; Moving the sales process beyond the Founder.