Debuting on 23–24th February at Olympia London, the SME XPO invites SME business owners, entrepreneurs and business leaders to attend an action-filled two-day programme and exhibition. After facing tough challenges over the past two years, SMEs and entrepreneurs are increasingly pressured to adapt, respond, and grow in new ways, and SME XPO aims to offer a roadmap to navigate this trying and uncertain climate.

The exhibition and conference will welcome 4000+ SME professionals and owners, and showcase over 120+ speakers, including keynotes from legendary business icons like Holly Tucker MBE, Founder of notonthehighstreet and Holly & Co, Tej Lalvani, CEO of Vitabiotics and ex-“Dragon”, and Debbie Wosskow OBE, Founder of AllBright. Leaders and professionals will have access to 24+ hours of free peer-to-peer learning on investment, scaling-up, and sustainability, as well as 20 open roundtable discussions offering practical, actionable advice from industry experts.

Alongside opportunities for networking and making lasting partnerships, the conference will cover a wide range of insightful topics, including ‘Making the most of global Britain and tapping into new markets’, ‘Answering your questions on trading post-Brexit’, and ‘The perfect time to risk it all? Building a business during the pandemic’.

Keynote speaker Holly Tucker has said: “We’re seeing a shift towards SME start-ups that’s going to keep growing. Any time that we can get people together — networking, telling stories, sharing vulnerability, sharing experience — it’s just incredible how many opportunities it creates. After this bleak time where we’ve all felt very, very isolated and vulnerable, that’s more important than ever.”

Tej Lalvani has said that SMEs are the lifeblood of innovation: “SMEs are now more important than ever. The pandemic was a huge seismic shift to digital, especially direct to consumer selling. And, of course, there have also been changes in employee working practices, Brexit, new export and VAT regulations kicking in and, lately, supply chain issues. That’s all created so much confusion and raised so many questions that small business start-ups would like to have answered.” The conference “will help to provide clarity,” he says.