Tech founders, investors, and industry leaders have descended on Manchester today for GRAFT 2025 — a major new conference designed to accelerate growth across the North’s fast-expanding tech ecosystem.
Hosted by Prolific North, the event promises a packed agenda of keynote talks, investor insights, startup stories and hands-on workshops aimed at tackling the real-world challenges facing scale-ups in the region.
Held at UA92 in Salford, GRAFT – which is sponsored by Gateley, Bruntwood SciTech, Beyond Echo PR and Colony – aims to be a catalyst for connection and a platform for action, tailored to help the North’s tech ecosystem tackle its toughest challenges – and seize its biggest opportunities. Over the course of the day, attendees will hear from high-growth founders, industry backers, and regional changemakers through a series of keynote talks, lightning sessions and practical workshops designed to spark momentum.
With discussions ranging from bootstrapping and fundraising to product-market fit and customer growth, today’s event promises expert insight and tangible takeaways for those shaping the future of Northern tech.
Prolific North’s Managing Director Alexandra Balazs said: “This isn’t just a showcase – it’s a statement. The North is building something remarkable, and GRAFT is here to help accelerate that journey.”
Stay tuned as we bring you highlights from the morning sessions, including fireside chats with the founders of MusicForPets, WAC, POWDR and Ryft, as well as in-depth panels on founder growth and investor insights.
WHAT’S ON THE AGENDA?
09:30 – The GRAFT Ethos & Welcome to GRAFT 2025!
We’re kicking things off with a high-energy opening session that sets the tone for the day. Expect bold insights into the Northern tech ecosystem, comparisons with global tech hubs, and a powerful rallying cry for growth and collaboration.
Speakers:
- Alexandra Balazs, Managing Director, Prolific North
- Matt Robinson, Head of Nations and Regions, techUK
09:45 – Keynote Fireside Chat: Amman Ahmed, Founder of MusicforPets
From bootstrapping to acquisition by a Hollywood label, Amman shares how he built “Petflix” and scaled a business to 50 million users — all without VC backing.
10:15 – Northern Founder Growth Panel: Fuelling Innovation and Scale
Three ambitious Northern founders share their scaling journeys, team-building strategies, lessons learned, and what it’s really like growing a tech business in the region.
Moderator: Martin SFP Bryant, Tech Journalist
Panellists:
- Sean Brown, Versori
- Kate Longworth, Gaia Learning
- Sam Burgess, Partful
- Paul Jefferson, Gateley Plc
10:45 – Funding the Future: Investor Insights Panel
What are investors looking for in 2025? Hear directly from leading VCs and investment experts on navigating the funding landscape.
Moderator: Neil Vose, EHE Venture Studio
Panellists:
- Jonathan Keeling, HAATCH
- Jess Jackson, Praetura Ventures
- Ranvir Singh, GC Angels
- Kweku Ackom-Mensah, GrantTree
11:15 – Speed Networking Break
Founders and investors meet for facilitated, no-pitch conversations.
11:45 – Lightning Talk: George Fairhall, Founder of WAC
George shares her journey from hospitality worker to £1m-backed founder building a fairer world for hourly-paid staff.
12:05 – Lightning Talk: Joe van Gelder, CEO & Founder of POWDR
Fresh from a £1m pre-seed raise, Joe shares how POWDR is tackling small business finance and what he’s learned along the way.
12:25 – Fireside Chat: Scaling Ryft with Alex Mackenzie
From Manchester to the world: How Ryft secured £5.7m Series A, achieved profitability in 2.5 years, and is taking on the global payments market.
Speaker: Alex Mackenzie, Co-Founder & Managing Director, Ryft
13:00 – Lunch & Networking
Grab a bite, make connections, and chat with fellow attendees.
14:00 – Workshop 1: Mastering Product-Market Fit & Measuring Traction
Learn what product-market fit really means, how to measure it, and why it’s the key to building a valuable business.
Facilitator: Andy Barrow, Tech Partner, Praetura Ventures
15:00 – Workshop 2: Unlock Your Ideal Customer – A Practical ICP Framework for Scale-Ups
Build a sharper go-to-market strategy with a hands-on Ideal Customer Profile framework tailored to tech scale-ups.
Facilitators:
- Stephen Kenwright, Consultant
- Mike Jeffs, Chief Commercial Officer, Hark
15:45 – Closing Remarks & Networking Wind-Down
Final reflections, last chance for chats, and a toast to the North’s next chapter.
