Sponsors

Carlsquare

Carlsquare is a leading M&A investment bank in Europe and North America. With 13 offices in 8 countries, we enable entrepreneurs, innovators and investors around the globe to achieve their strategic objectives. Our core services include M&A, debt capital, growth equity and IPO advisory. We have successfully closed more than 600 transactions. As entrepreneurs ourselves – our partner-led firm has greatly expanded in recent years – we understand how to support fellow entrepreneurs. Today Carlsquare has 180 employees, with bases in key tech hubs including San Francisco, Vancouver, London, Paris, Hamburg, Munich, Berlin, Frankfurt, Warsaw, Copenhagen, Boston, Houston and Stockholm.

McKinsey & Company

McKinsey is a global management consulting firm committed to helping organizations accelerate sustainable and inclusive growth. We work with clients across the private, public, and social sectors to solve complex problems and create positive change for all their stakeholders. We combine bold strategies and transformative technologies to help organizations innovate more sustainably, achieve lasting gains in performance, and build workforces that will thrive for this generation and the next.

DF Capital

Hello, we’re DF Capital, and we support the marine industry with award-winning finance. From global manufacturers to local dealers, our funding solutions are designed to help businesses grow.

We work with dealers to provide inventory finance that enables them to buy more units and improve cash flow. We also support manufacturers with floorplan finance to help their dealers to stock and sell their products. We even provide funding for rental and hire fleets.

For businesses needing to unlock funding for broader ambitions, our structured finance team delivers tailored solutions. These are helping businesses access funding for initiatives such as new premises, acquisitions, and expansion.

Headquartered in Manchester and now employing over 150 colleagues, we’ve built an experienced team who are experts in the marine industry, meaning our customers benefit from our insight, support and understanding of what’s going on in the sector. We’re very proud to have achieved an NPS of +59 from our commercial lending customers in 2025, demonstrating excellent service and satisfaction levels.

Sleipner

Sleipner is a world-renowned technology company known for its products that improve safety and comfort in boats up to 160 feet. Our solutions have long been a benchmark for the boating industry, both in the professional and leisure segments.

Today, we can confidently say that your voyage at sea will always be better with a Sleipner solution onboard.