Stefan Gullgren became the Ambassador of Sweden to the UK in August 2023 having most recently served in Warsaw as Sweden’s Ambassador to Poland. Previously, Stefan has served as Sweden’s Ambassador in Kyiv, held various positions at Sweden’s embassy in Moscow as well as different roles within the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs in Stockholm.

David is a seasoned entrepreneur, investor, and advisor, with deep expertise in building and scaling advanced AI and deep tech ventures from the earliest stages of R&D to fully realized, market-leading businesses. As a Partner at Deeptech Labs, David’s focus spans fundraising, portfolio management, strategic development, and driving industry partnerships.

Drawing on an extensive background that includes founding and leading multiple ventures, David has worked hand-in-hand with global corporates, top-tier venture funds, and high-performing scale-up teams, bringing novel technologies to market and leveraging deep strategic insight to refine business models, accelerate commercial traction, and deliver meaningful enterprise value.

Sarah has over 10 years experience across the innovation ecosystem, as an investor, founder, and finance professional.

She is currently a Director at HSBC Innovation Banking, leading the ‘Next Generation VC’ vertical, working with the highest potential Principal level investors across the UK to support the growth of both their portfolio and their careers. She runs an exclusive development program for these individuals, and is passionate about supporting the best and brightest founders and funders in their journeys with financing and strategic resource.

Sarah has a first-class degree in Economics and Econometrics from Bristol University and an MBA from London Business School. Unusually for a Brit, she speaks 3 languages (and is plotting the 4th) and believes there is no better learning experience than travel, having visited over 60 countries, and has now passed this on to her daughter, who at just 2 years old has a passport full of stamps!

Kai is a senior reporter at Sifted — the Financial Times-backed publication covering startups and tech in Europe.

Chris is a Technology Specialist at the Department for Business & Trade (Science & Technology Directorate). He has assisted companies to establish a presence in the UK, and UK tech companies to export. Chris covers AI, data analytics, cloud, IoT, data centres and cyber security. He has supported technology companies to access opportunities in many sectors including retail, financial services, energy, transport, infrastructure, manufacturing, defence & security. He has also supported the development of policy in AI, Data Centres and Cyber security.

Chris has previously worked for an Open Innovation consultancy, supporting Corporates to work with early-stage companies and universities. Prior to that he worked in Corporate Venture Capital assessing investment opportunities across the European region.

He has over 25 years tech industry experience in research, technology development, manufacturing and marketing in the USA and Europe, with experience of knowledge transfer, innovation, IP assessment, early-stage companies, and developing routes to market.

Matt is Director, ClimateTech & Sustainability within the Venture & Growth team at HSBC Innovation Banking. Matt leads the Bank’s engagement with ClimateTech & Sustainability focused growth-stage companies, providing support with banking and lending solutions.

Matt has over 25 years of banking experience in client coverage, debt finance, team leadership and sustainability roles in the UK and Australia. Prior to joining HSBC in 2023, Matt was Head of ESG Origination at Barclays, leading sustainable finance origination, green and sustainable product development and ClimateTech ecosystem engagement.

Matt is the CEO and Co-Founder of Scalerr. Scalerr is a global growth advisory firm and recruitment consultancy which helps scaling tech companies grow both locally and internationally. Scalerr has helped over 550 Tech companies grow and in doing so helped to create 48 unicorns ($1 Billion Valuation while privately owned) and has a truly global reach. Matt is also on the board of London’s Entrepreneur’s Organisation Chapter which supports founders grow and scale their businesses and is the Co-Chair of TechUK’s Scale Up Committee, helping scaling tech companies across the UK. In addition to Scalerr’s upcoming investment fund, he is an LP across a number of investment firms and supports a number of accelerators and growth hubs globally.

Drawing on almost 30 years of experience in the Infrastructure & InfraTech markets, Edward has worked with owner operators, investors, tech & advisory businesses and major contractors.

He is a co-founder of Alchera Technologies acting as a market development leader across the sector, connecting organisations and individuals to create opportunities. He currently works leading market engagement and development for a deep tech scale up GScan.

Elisabet Vinberg Hearn is an international expert on leadership impact, teams and people-first digital transformations, operating as leadership strategist, speaker and executive coach. She is co-founder of Think Solutions and CEO of Katapult Partners. Elisabet has an MBA in Leadership & Sustainability and has recently studied Sustainability Management at Cambridge University and AI strategy at MIT CSAIL.

Hailey Eustace is the Founder of Commplicated, the first strategic communications and branding firm built specifically for early stage deeptechs, to help startups and VCs articulate their vision more clearly and in ways that actually move the needle.

Hailey started her career at the Texas Emerging Technology Fund, a $485 million fund specialising in biotechnology, clean energy, and deeptech, managing the due diligence and follow-on funding from Seed to Series B as well as communications.Subsequently, she moved to London and became head of global communications at the largest accelerator network in the world, worked on global campaigns for brands such as Microsoft and HSBC, and led communications and brand at a deeptech startup out of Cambridge. She is now a first cheque angel investor in deeptech and health tech startups and a scout for VCs, and mentors at organisations such as Founders@Cambridge, Deeptech Labs, the Royal Academy of Engineering, Ada Ventures, Maze Impact, and Zinc VC.

Jonathan manages the Innovate UK Business Growth service at UCL Innovation & Enterprise. Innovate UK Business Growth empowers innovation-driven small and medium-sized enterprises to grow and achieve their industry- and society-transforming ambitions.

Jonathan has previously been working as an Innovation adviser and Innovation & Growth Specialist working with innovative London-based SMEs from all sectors to access strategic funding & finance, to commercialise disruptive innovation and to internationalise. He also has experience in advising and supporting university startups and spinouts to enable them to scale up internationally.