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12th November 2026, IBTM, Barcelona: The teams behind the Scottish Event Campus, Red Bull Technology Campus (Formula 1), the Commonwealth Games and one of the most-watched events in history, the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, will take to the Main Stage at IBTM World 2026 next week.‘Behind the Scenes at the World's Biggest Events’ runs on Day One of IBTM World and will reveal what really happens when the world is watching and failure is not an option. The session, taking place Tuesday 17 November 26, 11:30–12:10 on the Main Stage, will bring together Owen Carless, Head of Mechanical Analysis & Reliability, Red Bull Ford Powertrains, Lieutenant Colonel James Shaw LVO, Jade Gallagher of the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, and is chaired by Colin Hartley, Director of Operations at the SEC (Scottish Event Campus).The session will bring to life analogies and shared experiences that business event teams can learn from some of the most high-profile and glamorous events on the planet. The speakers will share stories and experiences that help events become more operationally effective, from shorter lead times and crisis incidents to resilience planning. Behind every amazing event, there is a team of event professionals making everything work in the background; this is their session.Owen Carless will bring the perspective of elite motorsport, where reliability is measured in thousandths of a second and a single failure ends a race weekend. Owen works within the Red Bull Technology Campus, home to MK-7, the organisation’s events space, showcasing the cars used throughout Oracle Red Bull’s Racing history.Meanwhile James Shaw, Director of JS2 Global, is a former Army officer and Head of National Military Ceremonial Operations. He led the military ceremonial operations for the State Funeral and was appointed Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) by His Majesty The King in 2024 for his work supporting the Coronation of King Charles III.Jade Gallagher, Chief Operating Officer of Glasgow 2026, led the operations of this summer's Commonwealth Games, delivered in Glasgow on a condensed timeline, across four venues in an eight-mile corridor, with more than 3,000 athletes from 74 nations and territories. Few event professionals have more recent experience of rebuilding a global event at speed.Chaired by Colin Hartley, Director of Operations at Glasgow's SEC campus, a venue business that itself delivers conferences, exhibitions and live entertainment at scale, in the city that has just hosted those Commonwealth Games, the discussion will translate those experiences into practical lessons any event organiser can use.Event professionals can register for IBTM World and plan their Day One around the session at ibtmworld.com. Early arrival at the Main Stage is recommended, sessions with this line-up fill fast

10th November 26, IBTM World: A growing pool of $4m in potential investment, ambitious entrepreneurs and an experienced investor community will come together at IBTM World next week, as Ignite brings months of preparation onto the show floor and into the spotlight.Delivered by IBTM World in partnership with specialist growth consultancy allpoints, the programme has built momentum through investor recruitment, mentoring and workshops. Now, founders will arrive in Barcelona ready to share their businesses, meet potential backers and customers, and put that preparation to work.At the heart of the action will be Ignite’s Future Stage sessions, where participating start-ups will pitch to investors in front of a live industry audience. Investors will give immediate feedback, question founders and explore the commercial potential behind their ideas, while audience participation brings the room into the conversation.The ideas coming through from the start-ups span the event experience: from AI interpretation services such as Voicefrom AI to event operations technology including KNO Events. Businesses such as Bridged Media are finding new ways to turn audience interest into commercial opportunities, while Always Friday is rethinking corporate event planning and delivery. Content management platforms such as Sessionboard demonstrate how technology is helping organisers build and coordinate their programmes.Claudia Hall, Exhibition Director, IBTM World, commented, “There’s something special about seeing the industry get behind its next generation of entrepreneurs. These businesses have put so much into preparing for Ignite, and next week we get to welcome them to Barcelona and help them make connections that could shape their future.“From the live pitches and investor feedback to meetings with buyers across the show, we want to give them every opportunity to be seen, heard and supported. I’m really looking forward to seeing what happens when all that ambition meets the experience and enthusiasm of our global community.”Behind those propositions sits the work already undertaken with allpoints, helping founders sharpen their investment stories, develop pitch decks and prepare for questions about growth. They will meet an investor community whose experience spans more than 25 successful exits, acquisitions and investments, with potential investment capacity continuing to grow as further investors join.IBTM World’s support extends that opportunity across the event. Alongside investor introductions and Future Stage appearances, start-ups have exhibition space, access to the buyer diary and the Ignite Lounge, connecting them with the international buyers, suppliers and industry leaders gathering in Barcelona.Investors also have a programme that reaches beyond the pitches. An opening panel, AI demonstrations and time to explore the Event Technology & Services Zone will offer different perspectives on the businesses and ideas shaping the sector. Meetings and networking throughout the show will give both founders and investors space to follow up on what catches their attention.Max Fellows, Founder and CEO of allpoints, said: “We’ve spent the past few weeks getting to know these businesses, challenging their thinking and helping them prepare. The excitement now is seeing that work come together in Barcelona. There are brilliant founders with ideas that deserve attention, and investors bringing capital, experience and a real appetite to engage. With IBTM putting its platform and community behind them, we have the ingredients for some very productive conversations.IBTM World takes place at Fira Barcelona Gran Via from 17–19 November 2026. For the Ignite community, next week is the moment to turn preparation into opportunity, as the people building the next generation of event businesses meet the people who can help them grow.

Lime Venue Portfolio (LVP) is proud to introduce the Living System Fund, a not-for-profit initiative created by our parent company, Levy, to support ecological projects that give back to nature, engage communities and create positive social impact.LVP’s parent company, Levy, is a leading global hospitality partner and proud founding partner of the Living System Fund, developed with not-for-profit RegenFutureCo CIC, a pioneering consultancy dedicated to advancing circular and regenerative practices.During 2026, Levy will contribute £500,000 to the fund to support six projects, alongside the double award-winning Biohub in North Yorkshire, which inspired the fund’s creation.The projects were selected for their commitment to nature restoration and social impact, the diversity of landscapes they represent, and their relevance to the supply chain supporting Levy’s family of hospitality businesses, including Lime Venue Portfolio.Levy, RegenFutureCo and the 2026 projects will track and report progress, while Lime Venue Portfolio will help share the stories and learning that can inspire, educate and engage our customers, venue partners and wider community.Giving Back to Nature. Engaging Communities. Bringing Social ImpactSpanning coastal, moorland, highland and urban environments, the projects for 2026 (below in alphabetical order) are:1. Allotment Soup, Isle of Walney, Barrow In Furness: Establishment of a new community orchard at ‘Allotment Soup’: 1.6 acres of former scrubland in one of Britain’s most economically and culturally challenged areas and which has been transformed by volunteers, artists and ecologists into a community growing and nature restoration space.2. GrubsUp! North York Moors, National Parks Partnership: Creation of connected habitats for pollinators and other invertebrates across the North York Moors, expanding the current, highly successful network.3. London Regenerative Farm Hub, Greenwich, London: Supporting the next phase of ecological regeneration at one of Europe’s largest city farms, in Greenwich. The project will help transform this unique 89-acre site into a leading showcase for agro-ecological farming in London.4. Project Seagrass, Laugharne, Wales: Development of a nursery for seagrass, one of nature’s ‘superheroes’. Seagrass plays a crucial role in carbon sequestration and storage, and Project Seagrass, led by three internationally recognised marine scientists, shares a vision of a world where seagrass meadows thrive, are abundant, and are well managed for people and planet.5. Restoring Highland Rivers, Kyle of Sutherland, Scottish Highlands: Ecological work supporting the health of two rivers in the Scottish Highlands. Riverwoods: Catchment Restoration is a partnership project aiming to restore river ecosystems across two catchments: the Cromarty Firth and the Kyle of Sutherland, spanning 3,600km2. Funding will contribute to the planting and protection of over 70,000 native trees and an environmental education programme for secondary school children at Alladale Wilderness Reserve, helping drive community engagement, understanding and action.6. River Friendly Farming, Fordhall Farm Community Land Initiative, Shropshire: Bespoke hydrology and ecosystems projects at this community-owned farm to support ‘river-friendly farming’. The works, including restoration of the farm’s oldest spring-fed pond, transplanting native marsh plants and planting apple trees along water courses, will attract native species and provide places for wildlife and people to enjoy the benefits of a healthy water ecosystem and the wildlife it hosts.Inspired by the Award-Winning BiohubThe Living System Fund’s projects join the Biohub ‘Living Lab’ in North Yorkshire, a ‘testbed’ project for agricultural regeneration which inspired the fund’s development.The Biohub was founded by leading ecosystems expert, Dr Vincent Walsh, and the ongoing transformation of a traditional upland’s sheep farm into a complex, thriving ecosystem saw it win two ecological awards in 2025.Levy will continue to co-sponsor the Biohub, as it has done since 2022, alongside Yorkshire Water and Quorn Pro.More than 500 colleagues and partners from across Levy’s businesses attended practical on-farm workshops in 2024 and 2025. These sessions explored the power of regenerative landscape design, its role in the hospitality supply chain and how that learning can help businesses such as Lime Venue Portfolio deliver experiences that support both people and planet.“At Lime Venue Portfolio, we believe venues and events can be a positive force for change. Through our parent company, Levy, we have already seen the difference that long-term partnership and practical action can make at the award-winning Biohub. The Living System Fund is an important next step, supporting a diverse group of nature-based projects that will deliver real benefits for landscapes and communities.For us, this is about turning ambition into action. By working together, investing with purpose and sharing what we learn, we can help create lasting value for people, places and the planet.”Jo Austin, Sales Director for Lime Venue Portfolio and C&E Sustainability Lead for Levy