Aekta Patel is the Founder of City O'Clock, a curated discovery platform helping individuals and families find exceptional luxury experiences across England. Through thoughtful editorial curation, City O'Clock connects families with enriching experiences that inspire meaningful time together.

Prior to founding City O'Clock, Aekta spent almost 12 years leading the UK Government's Venture Capital Unit at the Department for Business and Trade. She led a team responsible for attracting international venture capital, corporate venture capital and sovereign wealth fund investment into British high-growth companies and UK venture funds. During her tenure, the team secured over £1 billion of investment into the UK and supported international investors establishing operations in Britain. She also campaigned for more investment into female-founded businesses in the UK and continues to do so.

Earlier in her career, Aekta worked in the Cabinet Office, working closely with ministers and Number 10 on initiatives focused on social investment and public sector reform. Before joining government, she was a Management Consultant at Accenture and subsequently joined Deutsche Bank's Global Strategy team, reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer.

Aekta was named one of 'Management Today's 35 Women Under 35' and was later recognised in the 'Timewise Power List' for successfully combining a high-profile leadership role with flexible working. She is a Fellow of King's College London and is passionate about innovation, entrepreneurship and creating opportunities for people and communities to thrive.