SCALE Manchester launches with major North West growth summit and female founders pitch competition - Prolific North

Name: SCALE Manchester launches with major North West growth summit and female founders pitch competition - Prolific North
Start: 2026-11-25
Location: TBA

2026-11-25

SCALE Manchester brings growth-stage founders, investors, and ecosystem partners to Freight Island on November 25, 2026, for roundtables, networking, and a live female founders pitch competition.

SCALE Manchester is a growth-stage business summit bringing together founders, investors, and business leaders for a day of panels, roundtables, networking, and a live female founders pitch competition. Taking place at Freight Island on November 25, 2026, the event aims to connect ambitious North West businesses with growth capital and ecosystem partners.

Founder brief

Who should attend

North West business leaders steering growth-stage companies will get the most value from this summit. Female founders looking for capital and exposure through the live pitch competition should also prioritize being there, alongside any ambitious entrepreneurs seeking connections with regional capital providers.

What happens

The full-day agenda combines panel discussions, fireside chats, and roundtables with speed networking sessions. Attendees will also watch a live female founders pitch competition and take part in wider networking intervals designed to link companies with capital and regional partners.

Who's in the room

Around 300 entrepreneurs, investors, and ecosystem allies will gather in Manchester. Speakers include Bod Buckby from the London Stock Exchange, Xavier Ballester of Angel Investment Network, and Amy Knight from Women Who Scale, alongside pitch judge Andy Gray from KnownOrigin.io.

How to prepare

Draft a concise, high-impact elevator pitch tailored to speed networking formats where you have mere minutes to explain your business model. If you plan to connect with institutional leaders and angel networks, arrive with clear metrics on your traction, team, and current funding requirements.

Organizer: SCALE

At a glance

Format: Panels, roundtables, networking, fireside chats, speed networking, and a live pitch event.
Attendance: 300 entrepreneurs, investors and ecosystem allies
Stage: Growth
Sectors: Agnostic

Speakers, judges and hosts

Andy Gray — Founder, KnownOrigin.io (Judge)
Amy Knight — Co-founder, Women Who Scale (Speaker)
Andrew B Morris — Chairman, SCALE (Speaker)
Bod Buckby — Head of UK Primary Markets, North, London Stock Exchange (Speaker)
Emma Thackray — Co-founder, Hip Pop (Speaker)
James Crawford — Managing Director, PR Agency One (Speaker)
Martyn Dawes — Founder and former CEO, Coffee Nation (Speaker)
Sam Cooper-Gray — Chair of The Gender Index and co-founder, XX Invest (Speaker)
Sam North — Co-founder and CEO, SCALE (Speaker)
Xavier Ballester — Director AIN Brokerage Division, Angel Investment Network (Speaker)
Yvonne Sampson — Director of enterprise, GM Business Growth Hub (Speaker)