London Tech Week 2026 opened today at the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park with a record 45,000 attendees — a 25% increase over last year — as artificial intelligence and climate technology took centre stage at Europe’s largest technology conference.
The five-day event brings together founders, investors, policymakers, and technologists from over 80 countries for a programme spanning keynotes, workshops, networking sessions, and an exhibition hall featuring more than 600 startups.
“London has always been a tech city, but this year feels different,” said Russ Shaw, founder of Tech London Advocates. “The convergence of AI, climate tech, and life sciences is creating opportunities we couldn’t have imagined a decade ago.”
AI dominates this year’s agenda, with sessions covering foundation model development, AI safety, and practical applications in healthcare, education, and financial services. The UK government used the conference to announce a £150 million AI Skills Fund aimed at training 100,000 workers in AI-related competencies over the next three years.
Climate technology has emerged as the second major theme. Notable launches included a London-based startup’s AI-powered energy management system that claims to reduce commercial building energy consumption by up to 35%, and an Imperial College London spinout demonstrating novel lithium-ion battery recycling technology.
The conference also saw the launch of a new £500 million venture fund focused exclusively on European deep tech, headquartered in London’s King’s Cross. The fund’s partners cited London’s research university ecosystem and favourable visa regime as key factors.
“The depth of technical talent coming out of Imperial, UCL, and Cambridge is unmatched in Europe,” said the fund’s managing partner.
Startup village sold out three months in advance, with companies from 47 countries represented. London Tech Week continues through Friday with dedicated days for fintech, health tech, and the creative industries.