Future Forward: a curated London event series on AI innovation and investment, created by Blott and Walmer Group
Past hosts 
The series
Generic AI events happen most nights of the week in London. Future Forward works because each edition is tightly scoped to a subject the right people actually care about. That focus is what fills the room with a senior, relevant audience, rather than a crowd.
The organisers
Two firms. One room.
The premise
Blott brings the technology side, Walmer Group the funding side. The same two teams run every edition end to end: theme, programme, speakers, guest list and follow-up.
Track record
Previous events.
Digital Catapult, London
The future of funding and innovation in AI
The inaugural edition.
Speakers
- Daniel Hulme Chief AI Officer, WPP Fireside
- Mathias Strasser Founder & CEO, WSD / Scissero
- Dr Wareed Alenaini Founder, Twinn Health
- Peter Barnard Director, Dynamic Yield by Mastercard
Dawn Capital, London
The impact of agentic AI in financial services and insurance
A fireside keynote and twin panels across financial services and insurance.
Speakers
- Simon Rowell SVP, Nscale Fireside
- Ari Cohen Chief Data & AI Officer, Macquarie Bank
- Steven Mendel Founder & NED, ManyPets
- Nrithya Saravanabhavan Principal Data Scientist, Gen AI, Aviva
Innovation Centre, Colchester
Funding and innovation in AI and deeptech
Taking the series to the East of England as part of Business Finance Week.
Speakers
- Luke Brown Co-Founder, &Element / Merlin Cloud Fireside
- Duncan Bird Director of Innovation, Oxford Innovation
- Amrit Sami Investor, Mercia Ventures
- Marcus Lewis Director of IT, Wilkin & Sons / Tiptree
The 14% Club
Invitation-only round tables for M&A leaders
Held throughout the year.
In the room
- Principals and advisors
- Integration practitioners
- People specialists
- Technology operators
Strong attendance and consistently positive feedback from a senior audience, every edition.
Watch highlightsSpeakers from
The format
A proven run of show.
Doors open
Arrivals, registration, welcome drinks.
Welcome
Introductions from the co-hosts.
Fireside discussion
30 to 40 min
With a leading practitioner.
Panel session
45 min
Builders, investors and adopters.
Audience Q&A
15 min
Questions from the room.
Networking reception
The room opens up.
Close
Informal continuation expected.
Roughly two and a half hours before the reception. Always a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.
Then the room opens up
The programme ends.
The conversations don't.
Who is in the room
Quality over quantity.
The events work because the audience is right, not because it is large. Guest lists are curated with targeted direct invitations only.
Founders & operating teams
Startups and scaleups across technology, fintech, insurtech and payments.
VCs & investors
Active in technology, deeptech and financial services.
Corporate innovation & technology leaders
From banks, insurers and asset managers.
Infrastructure & tooling companies
Entering new markets.
Client & partner networks
Of all co-hosting organisations.
Aim: 70 to 80 confirmed · The rest stays empty · No open promotion