IESE Founders Forum 2026 | "Scaling what Matters"

We believe that entrepreneurs, when guided by purpose and conscience, are the world’s greatest force for progress. Yet, starting and scaling a business remains difficult, often marked by struggle, personal sacrifice and waste. We created the School of Founders (SoF) to change this. It was born from a shared conviction that companies can be built for the right reasons, with humanity, and a higher chance of lasting success. 

Entrepreneurship is a collective journey. You need peers to be successful. That’s why we invite our current students, alumni, and those interested in joining us to our Annual Founder Forum – two days of insight, clarity, and belonging for scaleup founders: 

Who: +300 founders of scaleups from +50 nationalities (invitation only) 

When: June 16th and 17th, 2026 

Where: IESE Business School, Barcelona Campus 

Our goal? To dramatically increase the odds that you scale successfully and sustainably. To ensure that the people building the future don’t get lost on the way. We help you regain clarity, experience community and generate courage for the next stage of their journey. 

Who Attends: +300 international scaleup founders 

We bring together those who have made it through the “zero-to-one” phase and are now navigating the more complex terrain of scaling. These are founders running companies with $3M to $30M in revenue, leading teams of 30 to 300 people, and wrestling with the reality that more growth often brings more problems, not fewer. So if you are post-product-market fit, but pre-sanity, then this is your tribe. 

Does any of that sound familiar? 

• Bottlenecks: “I feel like the bottleneck. Everything needs my input.” 

• Eroding Margins: “We keep growing revenue, but margins are flat or declining.” 

• Immature Team: “I don’t trust the leadership team to fully own their functions.” 

• Friction: “Every new hire adds friction, not capacity.” 

• Chaos: “Our operating rhythm is chaos. Meetings suck.” 

• Quitting: “I fantasize about quitting. Or burning it all down.” 

If you are lonely, overwhelmed, stuck in the weeds, and feeling like an imposter, then this is your place. These two days will show you that your challenges are not unique but expressions of broader, repeatable patterns in the scaleup stage that everyone must go through.  

What to expect: Not a conference, but a journey 

We design the Founders Forum using the arc of Theory U (by Otto Scharmer1), a systems-based methodology for change that helps leaders uncover blind spots, align purpose with action, and shift from reactive to generative leadership. Instead of exposing you to eclectic content and disconnected keynotes, we guide you through a three-stage process that generates the creativity, clarity and commitment you need to grow your business. 

Step 1: Attention – On day 1, we invite you to pay attention to what is really happening in yourself, your business, and the world. Where is it stuck? What ineffective patterns do you keep repeating? You’ll hear from real stakeholders of scaleups about their perspective on the scaling journey. This is the “view from the balcony” that will shine light on some of your blind spots and generate curiosity and empathy.  

Step 2: Intention – At the end of day 1 and the morning of day 2, you will be ready to gain clarity about your true intentions. You’ll see what truly matters to you and your business. Through partner walks, solo reflection, and small-group conversations, you distill 2–3 key shifts that would make a disproportionate difference in your business and life. What change do you want to create in yourself or your company? What are you ready to let go of? 

Step 3: Agency – For the rest of day 2, you’ll move into “creator mode.” You will shape ideas manually—even creating small pieces of art—to illustrate the changes you want to implement. In break-out workshops, you’ll engage in in-depth discussions with peers and expert contributors. You’ll leave the Forum with several 90-day commitments to actions that will significantly move the needle. 

The Founders Forum is a highly curated gathering in the spirit of co-creation. We limit participation to scaleup founders to ensure depth, intimacy, and meaningful peer learning among a global group of high-caliber entrepreneurs who share the same challenges. 

You’ll experience the Forum as a unique blend of community gathering, workshop, and retreat – a journey if you will. Beyond strategic, real-world content, there will be space for meditation, journaling, deep conversation, moments of art, and a good dose of humor. These elements are not decorative—they’re intentional tools to help you shift perspective, reconnect with your purpose, and design what’s next.   

What you’ll take away: Insights, Clarity, Belonging 

The Founders Forum delivers more than inspiration—it gives you tangible tools, sharp focus, and a circle of peers who get it. You’ll leave with actionable insights, clear priorities, and the confidence to move forward with conviction.