They say nothing happens in Slough. They say innovation belongs to London, to glass
towers in Cambridge and Oxford, but they didn’t see what I say last week.
At Launchpad 2026 the Startup Festival, I saw something unfold that does not fit their narrative. Not quietly. But with ambition and belief.
Over 80 startups. Eighty ideas. Eighty risks. Eighty stories taking shape here. Slough is not waiting for opportunity anymore. It is creating it. In one room, creativity sat beside community. Different sectors, different journeys – but a shared purpose: to build something that matters. And the future? It wasn’t distant. It was already here. AI, automation, digital platforms, not concepts, but tools being shaped and
applied in real time. I met a young mother, Noorqoosh Henna, building her startup, while supporting her family, balancing business with quiet determination. Not just creating something for herself, but opening doors for others along the way. I saw innovation that felt ahead of the curve. One platform, GrowWithGhost, is tackling a challenge many founders know too well, the gap between visibility and real growth. It connects LinkedIn content directly to outreach, using AI to build full campaigns in seconds. Not just another tool, but a rethink of how startups turn attention into action. And behind every idea, there were people. A food entrepreneur spoke about how the right support helped her take the leap with her startup, Noor Cooking and how she is now helping others do the same.
What stood out most, though, was how this momentum carries forward. A business enabler Tyndale Tech Authority, returned after a year, not just to attend, but to
reflect on connections made, and how simply being in the room translated into real opportunities.
Another founder, Organicco,, shared how a single introduction at last year’s festival led to new networks, further conversations, and ultimately, significant funding. A reminder that one conversation can change everything. They say Slough is catching up.They’re wrong. Slough is building forward. What made me proud wasn’t just what people were building, it was how they were building it. not competing but connecting. sharing ideas and contacts exchanged. The conversations were real about growth, resilience, funding, and what it truly takes to scale. Around them stood the ecosystem making it possible, from local leaders to business enablers – actively backing the people in the room. And the people felt it. “Busy.” “Vibrant.” “Full of meaningful conversations.” Some founders left with awards. Others left with something just as powerful, belief. This wasn’t just an event. It was a shift.
A reminder that the talent was always here. The ideas were always here.
What we are building now is the platform to accelerate them.
They may still underestimate Slough. Let them. Because what I witnessed was not a town trying to catch up – but a town shaping its future through innovation, ambition, and collective belief. Slough isn’t waiting for the future, it’s creating it.
Shoba Resalayyan is the Programme Manager for Viva Slough’s DRIVE programme
focused on creating meaningful work opportunities for people in Slough.
