IBTM Ignite Returns with Investment Focus for Event Industry Innovators

IBTM World is bringing its investment spotlight back to the show floor in 2026, with IBTM Ignite returning to Barcelona to connect emerging event businesses with investors looking for the next generation of industry innovation.

The programme, delivered in partnership with growth consultancy and M&A specialist allpoints, combines investment-readiness support, live pitching and structured introductions with access to the wider IBTM World community. Its aim is to bridge a persistent gap between promising ideas and the capital, expertise and connections needed to turn them into sustainable businesses.

That challenge is particularly acute in an industry being reshaped simultaneously by technology, changing customer expectations and continuing disruption. The statistics underline the difficulty of building longevity: according to the UK Office for National Statistics, just 38.4% of businesses started in 2019 survived for five years.

Ignite is designed to intervene at that point of transition. Since its launch, the programme has helped participating businesses secure £3.5 million in investment, providing an early indication of its potential to move ventures beyond visibility and towards commercial growth.

For 2026, more than 15 investors are expected to join the programme, bringing investment experience, industry networks and market insight to a curated group of emerging companies. At least 30 qualified start-ups are expected to be showcased, following the inaugural edition, which attracted more than 80 applications and selected 35 businesses to participate.

The programme is open to start-ups and scale-ups developing solutions and new business models across a broad range of areas, including Event Tech and AI, sustainability, attendee engagement, event operations, accessibility and finance, as well as the wider business events ecosystem.

The format is designed to take participating businesses through several stages of investor engagement. Selected founders will first receive investment-readiness training before pitching live on IBTM World’s Future Stage, where investors and the wider audience can respond in real time.
 

The Ignite Lounge will then provide a dedicated environment for conversations between investors and emerging businesses, with structured meetings scheduled within three to four weeks of the show. New for 2026, an Investors’ Choice Award will also see the participating investor cohort judge the businesses across all three days, with the winner announced on the final day.

Max Fellows, Founder and CEO of allpoints, says the first edition demonstrated a clear appetite for a programme that connects event-industry entrepreneurs with active investors.

“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.”

The partnership with allpoints also gives Ignite access to a network of founders, operators and investors as the programme expands its offer for this year’s edition. The investment element is therefore positioned alongside the mentoring, feedback and industry access available through IBTM World itself.

For Claudia Hall, Exhibition Director of IBTM World, the value of the initiative extends beyond the individual businesses taking part.

“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.”

IBTM Ignite will run across all three days of IBTM World 2026, from 17–19 November at Fira Gran Via in Barcelona. With its combination of pitching, investor access and follow-up meetings, the programme is intended to make the show not only a marketplace for established players, but also a launchpad for businesses seeking to shape what comes next in the events industry.
 

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