Edison Growth Conference 2025

Edison’s second Growth Conference delivered another exceptional day of insights and connections, building on the tremendous success of our inaugural event. This year’s conference brought together over 120 forward-thinking clients, investors, industry leaders and media representatives for deep-dive discussions across three transformative themes: the robotics megatrend reshaping tomorrow’s workforce, the four-trillion-dollar climate opportunity driving industrial revolution, and the AI automation cycle that’s still in its infancy despite massive potential. The day sparked meaningful dialogue about where capital is moving, which sectors are primed for disruption and how emerging technologies will redefine competitive advantage across industries. We’ve captured the essence of these dynamic conversations in three comprehensive panel videos below.

🤖 Panel 1: Robotics megatrend

The robot revolution isn’t coming; it’s here and it has a name, Dave.

At Edison Growth Conference 2025, our robotics panel didn’t just talk about the future of automation – we brought it to life with BOW’s scene-stealing robotic dog, which proved that the most advanced robots are already walking among us.

Watch as our expert panel explores:

• why today’s humanoids are ‘the most expensive and least capable they will ever be’;
• how the marginal cost of adding robots to your workforce is heading toward zero;
• real-world deployment insights from GXO Logistics’ warehouse automation; and
• why there’s no ‘silver bullet’ in automation (and what that means for investors).

 Featured panellists

• Alex Gunz, Heptagon Capital
• Max Alexander, GXO Logistics
• Eleanor Tang-Smith, BOW
• Moderated by Neil Shah, executive director of content & strategy, Edison Group

 With over 50 million worker shortages looming by 2030, this isn’t just about efficiency, it’s about survival. See why robots are shifting from cost savers to business enablers.

🌍 Panel 2: The four-trillion-dollar climate opportunity 

Forget everything you think you know about climate investing. This isn’t about ticking ESG boxes or greenwashing; it’s about a four-trillion-dollar market transformation that one panellist called ‘the industrial revolution of our time.’

Our climate finance panel cut through the rhetoric to reveal where the real money is moving, why 2030 climate goals demand urgent capital deployment and which sectors are ripe for disruption beyond the ‘easy’ renewable energy plays.

Watch as industry leaders discuss:

• why we’re still in the very early stages of decarbonisation;
• the massive investment gap that needs filling by 2030;
• beyond wind and solar: geothermal, carbon markets and infrastructure plays; and
• which ‘hard to decarbonise’ sectors (steel, cement, agriculture) present the biggest opportunities.

Featured panellists

• Tom Williams, Downing Renewables and Infrastructure Trust
• Ben Murphy, IP Group
• Jason Miles, Quadrise
• Matthew Clayton, Thrive Renewables
• Chaired by Lord Ashbourne, director of content, mining, Edison Group

 The transition isn’t mitigating a risk – it’s seizing the opportunity of a generation.

✨ Panel 3: AI and automation

Think AI investment is overheated? Think again.

One stunning statistic from our AI panel puts current AI spending in perspective: hyperscalers are investing less than 1% of US GDP in AI infrastructure. At its peak, railroad investment hit more than 3%. Translation? We’re not in a bubble; we’re at the starting line of a massive investment cycle.

But here’s the twist: the technology isn’t the bottleneck anymore. The real challenge is cultural, getting corporations to adopt AI and deliver tangible gains.

Watch as top investors and technologists explore:

• why AI will become the next ‘general purpose technology’;
• who wins? Infrastructure players versus software innovators;
• the deployment challenge: from hype to strategic implementation; and
• platforms with proprietary data, defensible models and enterprise fit.

Featured panellists

• Vinoth Jayakumar, Molten Ventures
• Patrick Stuff, Polar Capital
• Luke Finch, HgT
• Moderated by Dan Ridsdale, head of content, technology, Edison Group

 The near-term AI challenge isn’t hype – it’s strategic deployment. See where the smart money is placing its bets.

The second Edison Growth Conference’s success was a testament to the exceptional panellists, the active engagement of attendees and the flawless execution by the entire Edison team. This year’s event has firmly established the Growth Conference as an indispensable annual experience for companies, investors and thought leaders to unite and explore the transformative opportunities shaping our future.

As we look ahead, we’re already planning an even more dynamic third edition that will continue to push boundaries and challenge conventional thinking. Stay tuned for more.