London Tech Week 2026 agenda puts sovereign AI centre stage

London Tech Week has published the agenda for its 2026 conference, adding new headline speakers from companies including Perplexity AI, Isomorphic Labs and Wayve.

The programme includes sessions on AI, deep tech, enterprise transformation and policy. Organisers frame it as a response to what they describe as a shift in Europe's priorities, from long-term ambition to near-term decisions on technology, investment and deployment.

London Tech Week will run as a three-day main conference at Olympia London in June 2026, with fringe events across the city during the same week. The main agenda spans six stages across Enterprise World and Startup World.

AI focus

Day one in the AI Arena centres on European competitiveness and what the event describes as a growing case for sovereign AI. Sessions will cover AI infrastructure, foundation models and governance frameworks that are not dependent on US or Chinese platforms, and link those topics to enterprise adoption and implementation.

The founder line-up includes Aravind Srinivas, Co-Founder and CEO of Perplexity AI; Max Jaderberg, Co-Founder and President of Isomorphic Labs; and Ioannis Antonoglou, Co-Founder, President and CTO of Reflection AI.

Other speakers include founders from sectors ranging from semiconductors and fintech to robotics and defence-related technology. Listed participants include Dr Hermann Hauser KBE, Co-Founder of ARM and Amadeus Capital Partners; Eynat Guez, Founder and CEO of Papaya Global; and Eleonore Crespo, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Pigment.

Also on the agenda are Ricardo Mendes, Co-Founder and CEO of TEKEVER; Timo Boldt, Founder and CEO of Gousto; Luke Hares, Co-Founder and CIO of CMR Surgical; and Ali Niknam, Founder and CEO of bunq. The programme also lists Michelle He, Founder of Abound; Oana Jinga, Co-Founder and CEO of Dexory; Dr Liz Dennett, Founder and CEO of Endolith; and Dr Ross Hendron, Co-Founder and CEO of Wild Bio.

Organisers also highlighted previously announced speakers, including founders from ElevenLabs, Lovable, Fuse Energy and Wayve.

Enterprise deployment

A second track focuses on how large organisations are rolling out AI, data and cloud systems. The agenda includes executives from consumer goods, banking, logistics, energy and manufacturing.

Newly confirmed speakers include Sam Kini, CIO and CISO of Unilever; Surajeet Ghosh, Chief AI Officer of Heineken; and Vipul Hingne, Chief Technology Officer of Booking.com. Also listed are Elena Strbac, Global Head of Data Science and Innovation at Standard Chartered, and Christoph Rabenseifner, Chief Strategy Officer for Technology, Data and Innovation at Deutsche Bank.

Further speakers include Pierre-Yves Calloc'h, Global Chief Digital Officer of Pernod Ricard; Marcus Hunter, Chief Technology Officer of Evri; Claire Dickson, Chief Digital and Technology Officer of Haleon; Zoe Yujnovich, CEO of National Grid; and Gabriel Straub, Chief Data Officer of LEGO Group.

Sessions cover AI and data use in supply chains, modernising bank data infrastructure, and company-wide AI strategies. The programme also points to a gap between stated ambitions and delivery in parts of the European market.

Partners and positioning

AWS and Microsoft are listed as headline partners. Both will feature in sessions on AI infrastructure, skills and enterprise transformation.

Carolyn Dawson, CEO of Founders Forum Group and Lead for London Tech Week, said the agenda reflects a more pressing political and economic environment for technology decision-making in Europe.

"Europe has entered a decisive decade for technology, one where the outcomes are not guaranteed. London Tech Week 2026 is designed to bring the people who are shaping those outcomes into the same room: founders building the future, enterprises deploying it at scale, and leaders grappling with the real-world challenges. This year's agenda is about clarity, urgency, and action," said Carolyn Dawson, CEO, Founders Forum Group and Lead for London Tech Week.

AWS Managing Director for EMEA Tanuja Randery pointed to the event's role in convening different parts of the technology ecosystem.

"London Tech Week brings together the best minds in tech from innovators, investors, enterprise leaders, and the most agile and innovative startups, some of whom are solving the world's biggest challenges. London Tech Week is coming at a pivotal time in our collective AI and tech journey," said Randery.

Microsoft UK CEO Darren Hardman also addressed the direction of AI adoption and the importance of trust and cybersecurity during remarks made at a previous London Tech Week.

Hardman described AI as 'the defining opportunity of our generation', adding that it is 'fundamentally transforming how we work, how we live, and how we dream – on an unprecedented scale'.

Further programme updates and speaker announcements are expected in the months ahead.