IBTM World has celebrated the success of its inaugural IBTM Ignite programme, which brought some of the industry’s exciting early-stage companies to Barcelona for three days of idea-sharing, investor engagement and future-focused inspiration.
Across the show,
startups from diverse sectors, including event technology, sustainability,
workforce development, AI-powered tools, and new agency models, took centre
stage on the Startup Pavilion.
Each day introduced a
new line-up of founders whose originality, ambition and problem-solving energy captured
the attention of buyers, visitors, and investors alike.
A major highlight was
the Future Stage pitch series, where every participating startup delivered a
lightning talk followed by live investor feedback.
The packed sessions
underscored the quality of this year’s cohort, many of whom were presenting
their concepts publicly for the first time.
In parallel, the
Ignite Lounge facilitated informal meetings between founders and investors,
with several participants reporting follow-up interest and requests for deeper
conversations after the show.
The Ignite programme
was shaped and curated with the guidance of its dedicated Advisory Board:
- Max Fellows, allpoints
- Eva Lopez Alvarez, PUNTO MICE
- Lori Pugh, MPI (Meeting Professionals
International)
- Sonia Serracarbassa, Catalunya / BEFuture
- Julius Solaris, BoldPush
- Richard Morris, Active Media Events
- Alex Martinez
- Nick Marks, Pie Factory
Speaking about the
programme’s success, Max Fellows of allpoints said: “It has been a pleasure not
only to see the inaugural Ignite programme come to life, but also the
aspirational entrepreneurialism coming through via such exciting and innovative
startups covering a diverse and eclectic mix of sector focuses and from early
stage to round A funding opportunities. I have really enjoyed helping advise
and curate the programme, whilst also introducing leading industry investors to
a new, European pool of possibilities.”
IBTM Ignite was
delivered in partnership with BEFuture, whose support, expertise, and
commitment to accelerating innovation in the business events sector played a
vital role in this year’s launch.
Claudia Hall, IBTM
World Event Director, commented: “What we witnessed through Ignite was
remarkable. The quality and ambition of the startups, the expertise of our
Advisory Board, and the appetite from investors showed just how ready the
business events industry is to embrace the next generation of ideas. We are
especially grateful to BEFuture for their collaboration and to the many
investors who took time to engage so meaningfully with our cohort.
“Ignite reflects IBTM’s ongoing commitment to creating platforms where innovation can thrive, and we are proud to support the founders and ecosystems shaping the future of our industry.” -TradeArabia News Service