Built to Last Panel: Deep Tech, Scale, and Europe's Ambition

An evening for deep tech founders, leaders, and investors building the companies that will define Europe's future. Deep tech is Europe's biggest opportunity and its biggest unfinished story. The science is world-class. The talent is here. The ideas are exceptional. But too often, the companies that should be transforming industries end up scaling elsewhere, ceding ground to the US and China while Europe watches from the sidelines.This evening is about changing that conversation. We're bringing together founders, investors, and operators from London's deep tech ecosystem, with strong roots in the Nordics, for a focused, high-signal panel on what it actually takes to build, grow, and scale a deep tech company that lasts. What to expect: → What it actually takes to scale from early innovation to real business growth → IP as a commercial tool, not just legal protection → The funding landscape - grants, VC, strategic capital - and how to use it wisely → European tech sovereignty and what it will take to compete globally Schedule: 18:00 Doors open. Grab a drink and meet the people in the room. 18:30 Panel discussion begins followed by Q&A (bring your questions!) 19:30 Food is served. Keep networking! 20:30 Event closes. The Panel: Ola Wassvik (Moderator)Co-founder and CCO of Lightbringer, and formerly co-founder and CTO of FlatFrog, where he helped pioneer large-scale interactive display technology. Ola has spent over 20 years building deep tech companies at the frontier of what is considered possible, working at the intersection of AI, patents, and invention intelligence. Scott James O'BrienChief Investment Officer at Innovate UK. Scott sits at the centre of how the UK government deploys innovation funding, overseeing investment strategy and grant decisions for some of the country's most ambitious deep tech ventures. He brings a rare perspective on how founders can best position themselves for non-dilutive capital and government-backed support. Hafiz ShariffFounder of Aryal and Owl + Lark, and a former barrister. Hafiz brings a distinctive combination of legal depth and hands-on founder experience to questions of IP strategy and commercial growth. He is also a Lightbringer client, and will speak from direct experience on how IP tooling translates into real business decisions. Miles KirbyCEO of Deeptech Labs, and a seasoned leader across venture, corporate innovation, and startup building. Miles has held senior roles including Director of Venture Capital and Managing Director of Qualcomm Europe, giving him a front-row seat to how breakthrough technologies scale from lab to market. He is widely recognised as a key figure in the UK early-stage deep tech ecosystem, with deep insight into how founders can navigate funding, partnerships, and commercialisation at the cutting edge. Devika ThaparCo-Founder and COO of Wilbe, and a seasoned operator across AI, strategy, and science commercialisation. Before founding Wilbe, Devika held senior roles at IBM Watson — including Business Development Lead for Europe and Chief of Staff for IBM Watson Financial Services — commercialising AI solutions for large enterprises across the US and Europe. She holds an MBA from Yale, where she worked closely with the university's tech transfer office evaluating patents for commercialisation. She brings a rare combination of commercial depth and scientific fluency to the challenge of turning research into scalable companies. Katrin WilkingInvestor at Cloudberry Ventures, with a Master of Law from King's College London focused on innovation, venture capital, and the energy transition. She brings M&A and venture capital experience from Taylor Wessing, and a sharp focus on backing early-stage deep tech companies tackling big, durable problems. If you're a deep tech founder figuring out how to grow, an operator trying to navigate the landscape, or an investor backing the next wave of European innovation, this is the room to be in ⚡️ About Lightbringer Lightbringer is reimagining how tech companies protect their innovations. By combining agentic AI with expert patent attorneys, Lightbringer makes patent filing faster, more affordable, and more strategic. No surprise invoices, no slow processes. Trusted by 100+ founders across 20+ countries, Lightbringer helps startups and scaleups go from idea to protected innovation in days, not months. Learn more at lightbringer.com.​​​About Encode ​​​​​A global developer community empowering builders through hackathons, accelerators, and educational programmes. They also offer a vibrant coworking space in the heart of Shoreditch - perfect if you're looking for a place to work and connect!