FOUNDERS OF THE FUTURE | TECH NATION

Founders of the Future Share this page Where the next generation of transatlantic founders win up to £1.7 million in investment, alongside the connections and momentum that define their next chapter. Apply now What is Founders of the Future? Founders of the Future is Tech Nation’s flagship international competition for founders aged 25-and-under, built to discover and champion the best young builders from both sides of the Atlantic. It culminates in a live finale at London Tech Week. At a glance AI has collapsed the cost and time to build a real company. A founder in their early 20s with the right instincts can now ship what used to take a 50-person team and five years of runway. We’re seeing an entirely new generation of AI-native founders coming through, building category-defining products straight out of university, or instead of it. Founders of the Future is a brand-new competition from London Tech Week built to find them. There’s no shortage of pitch competitions, but almost none are designed specifically for this generation: under-26 founders, with a global stage, real VC investment on the table, and a transatlantic cohort. We curate a cohort of exceptional founders aged 25-and-under across the UK, Ireland and the US. An independent judging panel will select 6 finalists to pitch live at London Tech Week, Europe’s premier technology festival bringing together 45,000+ attendees from 128 countries and 600+ speakers (recent headline names include Sir Keir Starmer and Jensen Huang). Backed by a network of world-class VCs and angels, finalists will compete for the chance to win up to £1,700,000 in investment. Investment is backed by Octopus Ventures, Antler, Speedinvest, Araya Ventures, Anamcara Capital and Felix Capital. Investors have the option to withdraw from the competition if the candidate pool doesn’t meet their investment criteria. On the day, investors will select which candidates they would like to invest in “Dragons Den” style. This could mean £1.7M for the right candidate, or multiple smaller investments if the judges’ decision-making is split. Apply now How it works Founders, here’s the journey in four steps: Step 1: Get Nominated / Apply Enter the competition via our application form. Step 2: Evaluation Our expert judging panel reviews the cohort against five criteria: value proposition, competitive advantage, traction, team experience, and potential to scale. Step 3: Get Selected Be chosen as one of 6 finalists for the London Tech Week live finale. Step 4: Win Big Be crowned one of the Founders of the Future winners, taking home up to £1.7m in investment and thousands in perks. Apply now Why apply for Founders of the Future? 💷 £1.7 million investment opportunity Pitch for investment from some world-class VCs (investment terms below in FAQs) 🌍 Transatlantic reach (UK/IE–US) A rare opportunity to be part of a curated cohort spanning the UK/Ireland and the US, built for founders with global ambition from day one. 🎤 London Tech Week finale Pitch live at Europe’s premier tech festival. Six finalists. One stage. 45,000+ attendees from 128 countries watching. Apply now Who can apply? Founder eligibility: Aged 25-and-under on 9th June 2026 Geography: Based in the UK, Ireland or US Stage: Bootstrap to Series A Sector: Sector-agnostic About London Tech Week London Tech Week (8-12 June) is Europe’s premier technology festival, bringing together more than 45,000 attendees from global startups, talent, corporates, investors, and policymakers. With attendees from 128 countries and over 600 speakers – last year including Sir Keir Starmer and Jensen Huang – it’s the foremost event to connect, collaborate, and shape the future of technology. Tech Nation and Founders Forum have a strong track record of discovering and championing the unicorn founders of tomorrow. Our flagship Rising Stars competition ha