When we evolved SME XPO into SCALE EXPO & SUMMIT, we didn’t just change the name. We redesigned the entire experience, starting with where.
For four years, SME XPO was held at Excel London. But as our vision for SCALE came into sharper focus, it became clear that a different kind of space was needed for a different kind of event.
On 22-23 April 2026, SCALE EXPO & SUMMIT will open its doors at the Business Design Centre (BDC) in Islington.
Why the move to the Business Design Centre?
- Location
Scaleup leaders don’t have spare time. I know. When you’re juggling new hires, customers, investors and suppliers, being central and accessible matters. The Business Design Centre sits at the centre of London’s scaleup ecosystem. It’s where ambitious companies actually operate, not somewhere you have to trek to.
- Experience
Excel is a big, established venue. But visitors often find themselves attending one event among many others happening on the same day.
SCALE EXPO & SUMMIT isn’t designed to be vast and overwhelming. It’s designed to be focused and productive, with curated conversations, targeted connections and practical insight. Explore the agenda.
- Energy
Sunlight has a powerful effect on our mood and mindset. It changes how a room feels and how people show up within it. Instead of shutting light out, the BDC’s high ceiling lets daylight flood in, illuminating the moments when founders make meaningful connections.
SCALE EXPO & SUMMIT is the natural evolution of SME XPO, but it is also intentionally and meaningfully different. It carries forward the community, the relationships and the commitment to supporting ambitious companies that defined its predecessor, while stripping away everything that stood in the way of genuine value.
Less noise. More outcomes.
Secure your place at SCALE EXPO & SUMMIT on 22–23 April at the Business Design Centre, Islington. Tickets are available now.
REGISTER FOR SCALE EXPO & SUMMIT 2026
General admission to SCALE EXPO is free, with an upgrade option available for SCALE SUMMIT — which includes access to the full speaker programme and a curated summit experience for senior founders and investors.