By Business & Finance 
Dublin Tech Summit 2026 has announced the launch of The Accelerate Hub, a new initiative designed to support founders, startups and scaling businesses attending this year’s event at the RDS Dublin on 27–28 May.
Powered by the Irish BICs network, The Accelerate Hub will provide entrepreneurs with access to advisors, mentors, investors and industry experts through a dedicated on-site space focused on funding, validation, scaling and commercial growth.
The initiative is backed by Ireland’s national network of Business Innovation Centres – AxisBIC, Furthr, Propelor, and WestBIC – organisations that have collectively spent more than 30 years supporting startups to grow, raise investment, and scale internationally.
Alongside the hub, the Accelerate Stage will host a founder-focused programme exploring some of the key challenges and opportunities facing startups in 2026. Sessions will cover topics including fundraising, scaling sustainably, investment readiness, storytelling for founders and the evolving relationship between AI and human-led business growth.
Featured sessions include:
- Deal Killers: Why Investors Say No
- Pitch-Ready: What Actually Gets You in the Room
- From Startup to Exit: Building, Scaling, Selling
- Crafting Your Core Story for Investors
- Beyond AI: Why Human Networks Still Build Great Companies
The announcement comes as Dublin Tech Summit continues to expand its 2026 speaker lineup, with global leaders from technology, media, AI, finance and innovation confirmed to attend.
Speakers announced to date include:
- Sarah Wynn-Williams, tech and policy expert and author of Careless People
- Eric Mosley, Founder & CEO, Workhuman
- Andrew Melchior, a creative technologist known for his work with David Bowie and Björk
- Almar Latour, CEO of Dow Jones and Publisher of The Wall Street Journal
- Nadja D’Arcy, Ireland Country Leader, Salesforce
Clare Kilmartin, COO of Dublin Tech Summit, said the new initiative is designed to give startups direct access to practical expertise and growth opportunities.
“The Accelerate Hub is about creating meaningful connections between founders, investors and industry leaders. By partnering with Irish BICs, we’re building a space where startups can gain real insights, support and opportunities to help them scale,” she said.
Martin Murray, CEO of Furthr and Chair of Irish BICs, added that the partnership reflects the importance of practical founder support within Ireland’s wider innovation ecosystem.
“The Accelerate Hub and Stage will provide founders with direct access to expertise, mentorship and guidance at a critical stage in their growth journey. Through the Irish BIC network, we’ve supported thousands of startups over the past three decades, and this partnership allows us to bring that experience directly to Dublin Tech Summit,” he said.
Attend the event
More than 8,000 attendees are expected at Dublin Tech Summit 2026, including founders, investors, policymakers and technology leaders from around the world.
Dublin Tech Summit has also introduced a dedicated startup ticket offering priced at €145 ex. VAT for eligible early-stage companies. Startups can apply for the offer here.
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