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Thursday Gathering
Building for Belonging: Unlocking the Power of Neurodiversity
Jul 16, 2026, 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM GMT+1

📍 1 Triton Square, London NW1 3BF

 

What if the way we've designed work, technology, and organisations is leaving some of our greatest talent untapped?

Join Venture Café and Humble AI for an evening exploring neurodiversity as a driver of innovation, creativity, and business success.Through founder stories, research insights, and our innovation showcase, we'll discuss how organisations can build truly neuroinclusive cultures, how technology can better serve neurodivergent communities, and why different ways of thinking may be one of our greatest assets in the age of AI.

Meet innovators, researchers, employers, and startups working to create a future where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, not despite their differences, but because of them.

 

Powered by Advanced Research + Invention Agency                                  

             

 

In partnership with Humble AI

 

Community Partners

Neuro Voices

 

Neuro News

 

oraNurse

 

Diversily

 

Amplify

 

Global Inclusive Founders Funds

 

Tech London Advocates - Tech for Disability

Event Program
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6:00 PM - 9:00 PM GMT+1
Connect: Pizza & Networking
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6:00 PM - 9:00 PM GMT+1
Innovation Showcase
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6:15 PM - 6:45 PM GMT+1
Workshop: Miniature Collage Portraits - What Makes You You?
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7:00 PM - 7:10 PM GMT+1
Welcome Remarks: VCL & Partners
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7:10 PM - 7:40 PM GMT+1
Panel: Different Minds, Better Innovation
Featuring
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Amdalat Jinadu
Co-Founder & CEO, La Latch
Amdalat Jinadu is a disabled HealthTech/FemTech founder and Co-Founder & CEO of La Latch, developing patented bio-simulating infant-feeding hardware and an AI-enabled family-health platform. She is also Co-Founder of the Purple Entrepreneurial Alliance, supporting disability and neurodivergence-focused entrepreneurship. Her work brings together lived experience of postnatal spinal injury, disabled parenting, accessibility, neuroinclusion, responsible AI and inclusive technology, alongside UK health policy, NHS operations, Healthwatch service improvement and public-sector accessibility panellist experience. She is an Accelerate Cambridge and Oxbridge AIx founder.
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Jaime Johnston
Founder & CEO, Mattr

Jamie is the Founder and CEO of Mattr, the UK's first neurodivergent-friendly dating app. Built on the belief that connection should feel safe, authentic and pressure-free, Mattr replaces endless swiping with intentional matching, featuring verified profiles, a daily match cap, and tools designed around emotional well-being. Live across the UK, and backed by operators from Bumble, Depop and Google, Mattr is redefining what modern dating can look like for the neurodivergent community and beyond.

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Tania Martin
Founder, PegSquared

Tania Martin is a neurodiversity expert, coach, and speaker with more than 20 years of corporate experience leading people, change, and inclusion initiatives. She pioneered the UK's first Neuro-Diverse Centre of Excellence at EY, creating award-winning recruitment and workplace support programmes that improve opportunities for neurodivergent talent. Drawing on both professional expertise and her lived experience with ADHD, Tania advises organisations on building more inclusive workplaces and regularly speaks at conferences, leadership events, and educational programmes on neurodiversity and workplace innovation.

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Mahdi Shariff
Co-Founder
Mahdi Shariff is the Co-founder of Humble AI, a platform that empowers non-technical teams to build, manage, and launch their own AI-enabled tools — without code or complexity. At Humble, Mahdi is driven by a belief that AI should augment human collaboration, not replace it. His mission is to make technology more accessible, inclusive, and human-centred — ensuring the future of work is built not just for people, but by them. Prior to founding Humble, Mahdi was a VP at a Soros & PE-backed venture, helping leading global companies and fast-growth startups to build, manage and scale their tech teams and fully leverage the power of data and automation. He was formerly Chief Strategy Officer at Sunteng, a big data startup that became a leader in programmatic advertising in China, and previously worked in investment banking in London, specialising in AI, CRM, and ad tech M&A. A Forbes Asia “30 Under 30” awardee, Mahdi is also an angel investor and advisor to Slush, and has spoken at leading global events including Slush, Innovfest, and the London Business School China Forum.
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Liam Ward
Director, Venture Café London
Venture Café London
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