is a climate-tech festival celebrating the best of climate science and start-ups, organised by the not-for-profit VOYAGERS community. 

** Early-Bird ticket rates available until 20th February 2025 **

THE HEAT is a hands-on, practical, mind-expanding, friendship-building, exploratory, curiosity-led, science-based, creative, artistic, participatory, decentralised, experimental, edgy, live, risky, urgent and unpredictable gathering of 600+ talented people working on climate technologies. THE HEAT is not a conference. Don’t expect dull panels or crappy coffee. Climate change is too urgent a problem to waste time. Instead, come to make new friends, experience science in action, learn and share your knowledge, inspire and be inspired. Bring your most engaged and curious festival mindset.

At THE HEAT 2024, festival-goers met nuclear-fusion start-ups, tasted future foods, witnesses carbon capture, experienced climate-robotics demonstrations… and enjoyed a climate-film festival, music performances and a start-up pitch contest. If you’re working in climate-tech, this is the place to be.

It’ll be a packed day, from 10am to 10pm, featuring activities such as expert workshops, product demonstrations, alt-food tastings, musical performances, art, tours of the Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, a start-up pitch competition, speed networking, and an evening party – easily the hottest event on campus!

Agenda outline: (still to be confirmed)

• 09:00 – VIP Breakfast (by invitation)
• 10:00 – Official Opening
• 10:10 – Keynote presentations – A lively, informed, engaging and tightly curated session of 10-minute keynote talks from key figures in climate-tech.
• 12:30 – Networking picnic lunch – Your ticket will include a lunch voucher for a nutritious and tasty vegetarian picnic lunch.
• 13:30 – Unconference sessions [and] Six-Minute Ideas
• 15:00 – Startup pitch battle [and] Ask Me Anything – meet the decision-makers
• 16:00 – Conversation Circles – Join a moderated discussion led by an expert. Topics include ‘How to successfully partner with corporate VCs’, ‘Fundraising strategies for scaling your climate-tech’, ‘Designing climate products for profit and planet’ and many more.
• 17:00 – Workshops & speed networking – You’ll have a choice of 40-minute workshops to participate in led by VOYAGERS with specialise skills to share.
• 18:30 – Networking party, music performances & food trucks – Participate in a Senegalese drumming circle then enjoy a music set while you network. Want to perform? Tell us here.
• 22:00 – Official close; shuttles to Didcot Parkway train station

More details and speakers are being announced daily. Take a look at the creative minds working on, and delivering, the amazing content here. From keynote speakers and workshop leaders, to our conversation circle hosts and festival curators, the agenda is packed with the key people leading the battle to decarbonise our planet.

About THE HEAT

THE HEAT is a project of David Rowan, founding UK editor-in-chief of WIRED, and the organiser of 25+ WIRED conferences. David runs the VOYAGERS community, as well as a climate-tech fund built on the community.