InterTradeIreland’s All-Island Venture Capital Conference returns to Belfast as SMEs face tightening funding environment
InterTradeIreland’s All-Island Venture Capital Conference will return to Belfast on Thursday 5th March, bringing together founders, investors and business leaders from across the island for one of the year’s largest venture capital and entrepreneurship events. The conference is free to attend, and a limited number of places remain available for this year’s conference in the ICC, Belfast.
The event comes at a time when access to investment is becoming more challenging for SMEs. Recent industry figures show that venture capital funding for Irish SMEs fell by 23% in 2025, marking the first decline since 2018. In this context, the conference provides a valuable opportunity for early-stage businesses and scale-ups to meet active investors from across Ireland and the UK, gain practical insight into the funding landscape and build connections that support future growth.
InterTradeIreland’s Venture Capital Conference has become a key date in the entrepreneurial calendar. The conference welcomed more than 900 delegates to Dublin last year and continues to attract early-stage businesses and scale-ups across the island, seeking to better understand the funding landscape and connect directly with investors.
The theme of this year's conference will focus on adapting to an ever-changing market. InterTradeIreland’s Venture Capital Conference 2026 will see its most ambitious programme to date, with three dedicated stages running in parallel.
The Main Stage will feature renowned Angel Investor Michael Black and Chief Revenue Officer, Victoria Millar from football club management software company TeamFeePay. The Main Stage will also see discussions on investment trends and market outlooks, while the Knowledge Stage will provide practical guidance on fundraising, scaling and product development. A dedicated Life Sciences Stage will focus on sector-specific investment opportunities and growth challenges, and in collaboration with the Pioneer Group, will also showcase 20 company investment pitches live on stage.
Throughout the one-day event, attendees will hear from venture capital firms, experienced founders and ecosystem leaders, while also benefiting from extensive networking opportunities designed to support new connections and future collaboration.
Hosting the event will be Susan Hayes Culleton, award-winning author, speaker and co-founder of The Positive Economist.
Margaret Hearty, Chief Executive, InterTradeIreland said:
“Access to investment, knowledge and strong networks is critical for businesses that want to grow and scale successfully. InterTradeIreland’s Venture Capital Conference brings these elements together in one place, providing founders with direct access to investors and practical insight from those who have already navigated the growth journey. The Venture Capital Conference sees increasing demand for places year-on-year and offers a valuable unique opportunity for businesses across the island to make those face-to-face connections with active investors.”
Victoria Millar, Chief Revenue Officer, TeamFeePay said:
“I’m thrilled to be part of InterTradeIreland’s Venture Capital Conference. I’m excited to share my insights on leading revenue growth, go-to-market strategies and organisational scaling. The conference provides a unique platform for connection and the exchange of experiences, offering new insights across the day as we look ahead to the ever-changing investment landscape.”
Michael Black, Angel Investor, added:
“Founders today are operating in a far more complex funding environment than ever before. Events like this are invaluable because they bring together investors and entrepreneurs in a practical setting, allowing founders to better understand what investors are looking for and how to position their business for long-term growth.”
The conference is free to attend and open to founders, start-ups, scale-ups, investors and to anyone interested in learning more about the equity funding ecosystem across the island. There is high demand for this event, and early registration is encouraged.
For the full programme and to register, visit: Venture Capital Conference 2026 Event Programme
