IGNITE 2026 Finals | Reading Entrepreneurs

Impact. Inspire. Innovate. It starts with you.
After five weeks of building MVPs, creating pitch decks and practising pitches, the top 8 IGNITE finalists take the stage to pitch live to judges and industry professionals. Only one will be crowned the IGNITE 2026 winner 🏆
Then the night keeps going, with food, drinks and an open room full of founders, industry professionals and students. It's networking, minus the stiff, boring part.
The Evening
Top secret for now 🤫 All will be revealed closer to the night.
Why Come?
🔥 Watch 8 student founders pitch live, and see who takes the IGNITE 2026 title
🧠 Hear what judges and industry professionals look for in a pitch
🤝 Meet people who could become your co-founder, mentor or next employer
💼 Talk to industry professionals in a relaxed setting, without a careers-fair queue
💡 Leave with ideas, contacts and a clear picture of what it takes to build a startup at Reading
🚀 Find your way into Catalyst and hear what's next from Reading Entrepreneurs

No idea or experience needed. Come to support the finalists, or just for the atmosphere, and bring a friend.
📍 University of Reading (exact room TBC)
Who are Reading Entrepreneurs?
We're the University of Reading's largest non-sport society, with a community of more than 1,900 members, bridging the gap between students and the unconventional possibilities outside university. Whether you want to start a business, sharpen your skills or just meet ambitious people, we run workshops, investor panels, pitching competitions and socials throughout the year. IGNITE, run in partnership with Catalyst, is our biggest event of the year.

The finalists are ready. Are you?