IBTM Ignite, a unique programme connecting investors with the next generation of businesses shaping the future of the events industry, will return to IBTM World for 2026.
Delivered in partnership with growth consultancy and M&A specialist allpoints, Ignite combines investment-ready support, live pitching and structured introductions with access to the global IBTM World community – creating a route from early potential to real commercial opportunity.
Running across all three days of IBTM World 2026, IBTM Ignite will take place on the show floor at Fira Gran Via in Barcelona from 17-19 November 2026.
More than 15 investors are expected to attend IBTM Ignite, bringing experience, networks and investment insight to a curated cohort of emerging businesses, including Alex Martinez, Investor, Altb2b.
The challenge is clear. Business events are being reshaped by technology, changing customer expectations and relentless disruption, yet turning a promising idea into a sustainable business remains notoriously challenging. Just 38.4% of UK businesses started in 2019 survived five years.*
Since its launch, Ignite has already helped participating businesses secure £3.5 million in investment, demonstrating the role the programme can play in turning promising ideas into sustainable growth.
Ignite is IBTM World’s response: bringing promising businesses into an ecosystem where the right visibility, expertise, connections and investment can help good ideas gain traction.
This year IBTM Ignite expects to showcase at least 30 qualified start-ups, building on a debut year that saw more than 80 startups apply, with 35 chosen to take part in the programme.
The place to discover the event industry’s next generation innovators, IBTM Ignite is welcoming applications from ambitious startups and scale-ups developing new solutions and business models spanning Event Tech and AI, sustainability, attendee engagement, event operations, accessibility, finance and the wider business events ecosystem.
Selected Ignite founders will receive investment-readiness training before taking to IBTM World’s Future Stage to pitch live, with investors and audiences responding in real time. The Ignite Lounge will create a dedicated space for investors and emerging businesses to continue those conversations, followed by structured meetings within three to four weeks of the show. New for 2026, the Investors’ Choice Award will be judged across the three days by the investor cohort, with the winner announced on day three.
Delivered in partnership with allpoints, Ignite will draw on its network of founders, operators and investors as the programme experience expands for 2026. Max Fellows, Founder and CEO of allpoints said: “Ignite’s first year proved there’s real appetite for this. It has never been harder to launch and scale a business within the events industry, but through Ignite, we are creating a unique opportunity for start-ups and scale-ups to not only get incubated and developed, but receive expert feedback, build relationships with active investors and, where there is the right fit, access investment of between £50-£250k from established individuals who want first sight of what’s coming next and to back the next big thing. We’re proud to be leading the programme into 2026 and can’t wait to open the doors to a new cohort of startups and the investors who’ll be in the room to meet them.”
Claudia Hall, Exhibition Director, IBTM World, said: “IBTM Ignite is a truly special programme for us because it brings the people and ideas that will shape the future of our industry into one place. In partnership with allpoints, we’re building on the foundations of last year with a more ambitious programme, bringing together an exceptional cohort of event start-ups and scale-ups with investors, buyers and industry leaders.
“We want to give the next generation of event businesses the opportunity to be seen, heard and backed. Ignite creates the conversations and connections that can turn great ideas into real opportunities – helping promising businesses grow and our industry move forward.”
Register to attend the event here.
*Source: Office for National Statistics, Business Demography, latest five-year survival data.
Author: Kizzy Allott
Kizzy Allott is Publisher at Event Industry News, where she has been a driving force behind the brand for over a decade. With a deep understanding of the events sector and a passion for storytelling, Kizzy leads the platform’s commercial and content strategy, connecting the industry through news, insights, and meaningful conversations. She is dedicated to championing innovation, amplifying industry voices, and ensuring event professionals stay informed, inspired, and future-focused.
