Key facts
- Prince William will attend London Tech Week to discuss technology's role in preventing homelessness.
- His initiative, Homewards, is an official partner of the event.
- Homewards aims to demonstrate how business tools can identify at-risk individuals for earlier intervention.
- Prince William will chair a panel with senior executives from Salesforce, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and NatWest Group.
- The discussion will focus on leveraging data and technology for earlier risk identification and support.
Prince William is set to make his first appearance at London Tech Week, an event focused on data, technology, and innovation. His initiative, Homewards, has secured official partner status with the week-long event, marking the first time homelessness prevention has been featured on its agenda.
Homewards operates on the premise that homelessness is predictable and preventable, often leaving warning signs in data systems long before a crisis occurs. The programme aims to demonstrate how existing private sector technologies, such as predictive analytics and CRM platforms, can be applied to identify individuals at risk of losing their homes and facilitate earlier intervention.
During the week, Prince William will chair a panel discussion with senior leaders from Salesforce, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and NatWest Group. The conversation will explore how digital tools and data analysis can help spot vulnerability, enhance frontline service support, and underscore the responsibility of tech leaders in prevention efforts.
Alongside the panel, Homewards will host a stand featuring demonstrations of pilot projects and a pitch session for entrepreneurs showcasing tech solutions developed in Homewards locations. These efforts build on the initiative's evidence-led approach, seeking to foster cross-sector collaboration to reduce homelessness.
The partnership comes amid rising homelessness figures in England, with rough sleeping increasing and temporary accommodation caseloads more than doubling. The UK spends a significant amount on crisis response, and Homewards seeks to shift focus towards prevention by leveraging the capabilities of the tech industry.