A two-day conference held every autumn in London that convenes defence and security startups, venture investors, and government and military customers to accelerate the adoption of technology that supports democratic resilience. Launched in 2024 by Resilience Media, it is a focused, curated gathering rather than a mass trade show, designed to create high-density intersections between the startup ecosystem and national security decision-makers.
The Resilience Conference is an annual two-day event in London that brings together international startups, investors, and government and military customers to advance innovation in security, defence and resilience. It is organised by Resilience Media, an independent publication and events company co-founded by Tobias Stone and Leslie Hitchcock. The 2026 London edition, scheduled for 5-6 October, is the third instalment of the flagship event; Resilience Media also produces satellite editions in Warsaw and Copenhagen as part of its 2026 schedule. The conference is pitched as a forum for the tech sector to engage directly with the national security community.
The Resilience Conference was first held in September 2024, created to address a gap in the UK conference market: a venue where early-stage defence and security startups could meet the government customers and investors they need to scale. Resilience Media was co-founded by Tobias Stone, a journalist and analyst, and Leslie Hitchcock, formerly Director of Events at TechCrunch. That editorial and events lineage shapes the format: stage content is kept tight, and structured breakout and networking time is prioritised over broadcast panels.
The 2024 inaugural edition established an attendance profile of roughly one-third military and government, one-third venture capital, and one-third startups. The 2025 edition was held at Shoreditch Grind, London, on 29-30 September. For 2026, the organiser has announced a deliberate scaling back of stage content in favour of more breakout sessions and peer-to-peer meetings.
The 2026 flagship in London runs on 5-6 October. Alongside it, Resilience Media is running a broader series under the Resilience Conference umbrella: a Warsaw edition and a Copenhagen edition earlier in the year. Topics confirmed for 2026 include quantum computing, artificial intelligence, nuclear energy, and robotics, and their applications in securing information, natural resources, borders, and geopolitical strategy.
A dedicated startup showcase called Launch is part of the programme: early-stage defence and security startups apply to debut their technologies on stage. Applications for Launch 2026 were announced as opening in Q2 2026.
The conference occupies an early-October slot that is relatively clear of competing major defence events. It is smaller and more curated than mass gatherings such as DSEI (September, London) or the Farnborough Airshow (July), and directly comparable to other venture-oriented gatherings such as NATO's DIANA events or the European Defense Tech Hackathons. Its distinguishing feature is the emphasis on the investor-to-government-customer conversation: both sides are present in roughly equal measure.
Attendance is structured across three communities. Government and military attendees include senior officials from NATO and Allied national security departments. Investors include venture capital partners focused on defence and dual-use technology. Startups are typically early to growth-stage companies working on technology with clear national security applications: cybersecurity, border security, AI-enabled ISR, energy resilience, and related fields. Speakers for past editions have included partners from IQ Capital and Shield Capital, co-founders of companies such as Darkstar, and senior NATO and allied government representatives.
The conference runs across two days and combines a main stage with keynotes and moderated discussions, structured breakout sessions, a startup showcase (Launch), and open networking. The organiser has signalled that the 2026 format will reduce main-stage content relative to earlier editions and increase the proportion of time allocated to small-group and one-to-one meetings. A newsletter subscription to Resilience Media is the primary channel for attendee updates and registration announcements.
Core thematic pillars:
| Edition | 3rd (flagship London) |
| Duration | 2 days |
| Attendee profile (2024) | ~1/3 government/military, ~1/3 VC, ~1/3 startups |
| Satellite editions in 2026 | 2 (Warsaw, Copenhagen) |
| Figures for 2026 | not disclosed at time of verification |
No. It is a curated professional event. Attendance is by ticket purchase, and the Launch startup showcase requires a separate application process. The organiser positions the event as intentionally selective to maintain a high density of relevant connections.
Resilience Media, co-founded by Tobias Stone (journalist and analyst) and Leslie Hitchcock (formerly Director of Events at TechCrunch). The organisation runs both a news publication and the conference series.
The Resilience Conference has no exhibition hall and no hardware on display. It is a conversation-format event focused on the commercial and policy interface between startups, investors, and government buyers. DSEI is a large trade exhibition; the Resilience Conference is a curated summit.
The 2025 edition was held at Shoreditch Grind, London. The venue for the 2026 London edition had not been publicly announced at time of verification (June 2026). Previous editions have used private venue spaces in the Shoreditch area. The organiser communicates venue details to registered attendees and newsletter subscribers. London is well-served by international air connections via Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, and City airports.
Resilience Media is an independent media and events company founded in the UK. It publishes a news platform covering defence, security, and resilience technology (resiliencemedia.co), with a focus on startups, venture capital, and the strategic use of emerging technologies by democratic governments. The Resilience Conference is its flagship live event, supplemented by the Warsaw and Copenhagen satellite editions. Co-founders are Tobias Stone and Leslie Hitchcock; the organisation's editorial model is similar to specialist tech media that straddles journalism and ecosystem-building.
The Resilience Conference is one of the few events in Europe where a founder can pitch a dual-use AI product and find both a NATO procurement officer and a Series A investor in the same breakout session.
Registration for the 2026 London edition is handled through the official website (resilienceconference.io) and via Resilience Media newsletter subscribers. Ticket pricing for 2026 had not been publicly listed at time of verification; the 2025 edition used a tiered early-bird model. The Launch startup showcase requires a separate application, announced as opening in Q2 2026. For updates, subscribe to the Resilience Media newsletter at resiliencemedia.co.
The organiser had not announced a specific on-sale date as of June 2026. Subscribe to the Resilience Media newsletter for the earliest notification.
Not publicly specified on the official website. Contact hello@resilienceconference.io for media enquiries.
Yes. The Launch showcase is a separate application process open to early-stage defence and security startups. Applications were expected to open in Q2 2026 according to organiser communications.
| Official website | https://www.resilienceconference.io/ |
| Organiser media site | https://resiliencemedia.co |
| https://www.linkedin.com/company/resilience-conference/ | |
| X | not disclosed |
| Register | https://www.resilienceconference.io/ |
| Programme | not disclosed (announced closer to event) |