Our First Tech Founders Forum

At the start of June, we hosted the first Tech Founders Forum dinner at the Institute of Directors in London. It was a great evening bringing together founders, operators and AI practitioners for open discussion around where technology is heading and how to maximise business value in this context.

The evening began with a champagne reception, which gave everyone a chance to connect informally before moving into the main sessions.

The initial idea behind the Forum is simple: create a space where tech founders and business owners can step away from the day-to-day chaos and talk openly about the bigger shifts happening in technology, AI and M&A. It was an opportunity to explore how they can enhance their use of AI, future-proof their businesses and consider their position currently in an ever changing market.

Maximising Value in an AI-disrupted market

The first talk we had was from James Wilkins, Director of Symmetry Corporate Finance, who spoke about what’s happening in M&A as AI adoption accelerates across almost every sector.

A key theme was how quickly expectations are changing. AI is no longer a “future initiative”, it’s already influencing how businesses are being assessed by buyers and investors today.

James explored how this is starting to show up in valuations and diligence conversations, particularly around:

-        Why AI matters in the context of M&A

-        What acquirers are telling us

-        How to build a robust AI strategy

-        The 6-18 month window businesses have

The overarching message was straightforward: businesses that treat AI as a strategic focus, not a side project, are going to be better positioned in the years ahead.

From Data to AI

We then heard from Ali Khan, Head of AI, who shared his journey from a data background into AI consulting and what he’s seeing across organisations trying to adopt these tools.

Ali’s perspective was very practical. Rather than focusing on hype, he spoke about what actually works when companies try to introduce AI into real workflows.

A lot of the discussion focused on avoiding “tick-box AI” where tools are implemented without a clear purpose or real integration into how a business operates.

Instead, he emphasised:

• Using AI to help with real operational challenges

• Building use cases around existing teams and processes

• Not getting caught up in how competitors use AI

• Ensuring AI actually supports people, rather than sitting alongside them

It was a useful reminder that the most effective AI strategies tend to be the simplest ones.

After the talks, we moved into a delicious three-course dinner and the conversation and buzz around AI continued. That’s really what the Symmetry Tech Founders Forum is about: creating a small, informal forum where those conversations can happen naturally, between people dealing with similar challenges.

Looking ahead

This was the first of what will be an ongoing series of Tech Founders Forum events.

As AI continues to move quickly from experimentation into core business infrastructure, we think there’s real value in having a regular space where founders can share what they’re seeing, what’s working, and what’s changing.

We’re looking forward to continuing the conversation at the next one.