Small Business Series: Meet the Founder

Join Grow London Local for an accessible, inclusive and welcoming networking event designed for disabled entrepreneurs. This session offers a supportive space to connect, share experiences and build meaningful relationships with like-minded business owners.

Hear from organisations making a real impact within the deaf community, including Fiddlie, Dialogue Hub, and Positive Signs. Each brings a unique approach, from improving communication accessibility and delivering immersive deaf awareness experiences, to empowering businesses through inclusive training and services.

In this session, hear from the founders of these organisations, who are either deaf themselves or support the deaf community. Learn more about how they operate, the value they create, and how their work supports more inclusive business environments. It is an opportunity to learn, share and gain practical insights that can help shape more accessible and sustainable ventures.

Guest speaker: Hakan Elbir, founder and CEO of

Hakan Elbir is the founder and CEO of Dialogue Hub CIC and Dialogue Café in London. With a background in experiential learning and social impact, he has developed inclusive environments that challenge perceptions around disability, communication and human connection.

Originally inspired by the Dialogue Museum in Istanbul, Hakan has brought this model to the UK, creating Dialogue Café as a deaf-led social enterprise where deaf and hard of hearing individuals are employed as baristas and facilitators. The café goes beyond hospitality, offering immersive experiences, British Sign Language (BSL) learning, and corporate workshops that explore communication without relying on spoken language.

Hakan works closely with institutions such as the University of East London and delivers programmes for organisations seeking to improve inclusion, leadership and team dynamics through lived experience. His work has been featured in major media outlets and continues to bridge the gap between social enterprise, education, and community engagement.

Guest speaker: Sally Paull, director of

Positive Signs is a vibrant, deaf-led company with one aim to ensure there are more inclusive and accessible places for everyone. They’re all about breaking down barriers and opening opportunities for everyone.

Sally has a wealth of experience working on her own and spent many years as a one-woman band, handling everything from Access to Work applications to client management, coordinating bookings, delivering training and managing marketing and finance. She wore a lot of hats and thrived on every minute of it.

Established in 2004, Positive Signs has grown their team and their offerings. They offer a complete range of services for deaf and hard of hearing customers, including online and onsite training courses; employment and education support; translating materials to make them accessible to BSL users; and providing BSL Interpreters and Support Workers to their long-standing client base. They are also active in the deaf community.

Guest speaker: Dr Hadeel Hill, founder of

Dr. Hadeel Hill is the founder of BrightSign and Fiddlie, and a PhD-trained engineer with 15+ years of experience in AI-driven product innovation.

She has helped over 40 startups across healthcare, sports, gaming and consumer hardware. Her BrightSign Glove has received global awards for assistive technology innovation and AI-powered communication: a glove that could revolutionise communication accessibility and inclusivity by translating sign language into text and speech in real-time. It is just one example of how Fiddlie is pushing the boundaries of what's possible and creating technology that empowers and inspires.

Accessibility information

The venue has a hearing loop, adjustable and dimmed lighting and is fully wheelchair accessible. A BSL interpreter can be booked. A quiet room is also available.

Please let us know if you require any specific adjustments for the event. You can indicate these on the registration form. Light refreshments are provided.

Spaces are limited, so reserve your spot today!

If you have any questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Date: Thursday 7 May 2026

Time: 12pm to 2pm

Location: University of East London, University Way, London E16 2RD

Our events, including those focused on a specific issue or equality characteristic, are open to all.

Agenda:

11.45am-12pm arrival

12pm to 12.10pm Grow London Local presentation

12.10pm to 12.20pm Hakan Elbir, founder and CEO of Dialogue Hub CIC

12.20-12.30pm Sally Paull, director of Positive Signs

12.30pm-12.40pm Dr Hadeel Hill, founder of Fiddlie

12.40pm to 1pm Q&A

1pm to 1.45pm networking and refreshments.

1.45pm to 2pm feedback and close

Image of Hakan Elbir, founder and CEO of Dialogue Hub CIC

Image of Sally Paull, director of Positive Signs

Image of Dr Hadeel Hill, founder of Fiddlie

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher Grow London Local