Bio

Ken Valledy is a seasoned entrepreneur and author of The Startup Lexicon, a must-read guide for navigating the language of startups. After a successful career in senior marketing roles for some of the biggest brands, Ken founded his own business. His company specialised in forging meaningful, world-wide, partnerships between cutting edge start-ups and large corporations, including Mercedes, P&G, Kimberly-Clark and Haleon. That company was acquired by the Anthesis Group in October 2023.

Beyond his corporate-startup expertise, Ken is a dedicated mentor, providing guidance across multiple accelerator programs such as Techstars, BlockDojo, and EASI. A sought-after speaker and panellist, he frequently shares his insights at leading business and start-up conferences.

Before venturing into the world of startups, Ken had over 15 years FMCG/CPG Brand Marketing experience and was a former Brand Director / Consumer Connections Director (Western Europe) at ABInBev. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing. In 2022, Ken's first book, The Startup Lexicon became a bestseller.

Ken bridges the worlds of corporates, startups, innovation and inspiration - having worked with some of the biggest brands in the world - including AB InBev, Barclays, Amazon, Google, O2, American Express, P&G, Mercedes, GSK and many others.

Speaking Topics

The Disruptor's Edge:  How to discover and harness startup innovation from the very first meeting, without a dedicated innovation team or a big budget

Many corporates want to tap into the energy & creativity of startups but often don’t know where to start or what to expect from the partnership, making the process feel daunting. This uncertainty fuels the myth that meaningful collaboration or true innovation is only for Silicon Valley giants or companies with huge budgets.

That's why Ken brings you "The Disruptor's Edge”.A value packed talk that will guide you in harnessing the disruptive advantage that startup partnerships deliver. With 10+ years facilitating collaborations with P&G, Haleon & Mercedes, Ken shows how to break corporate inertia using agile pilots & practical techniques, even without a dedicated innovation team or huge investment.

With his trademark warmth, humour & no-nonsense approach, Ken inspires even the most complex corporations to unlock real results from startup partnerships, proving that innovation isn’t something you prepare for, it’s something you do, starting today.

The Great Escape

Many people with ideas for a great business stay stuck in an unfulfilling corporate job, waiting for retirement to arrive. They’re trapped on a gilded treadmill of salary, status, and perks. They fear that stepping off will crash their lifestyle or their credibility and will be too much of a financial risk.” That’s why Ken has launched “The Great Escape”, a bold new initiative designed to help mid-career professionals take back control of their futures and start their own businesses, either as a side hustle or a full-time venture, without putting their financial future at risk. With his infectious personality, quick wit, and real, pragmatic solutions, he makes the journey from corporate life to entrepreneurship both exciting and achievable.