Member Article

Innovation event Venturefest heads to Tees Valley

Venturefest, an innovation conference designed to create new business opportunities and make exciting things happen, is expanding to Tees Valley.

Already a popular listing on the North East’s annual business calendar, the event comes to Teesside following the Innovate Tees Valley Festival, which attracted 260 delegates to the Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough, last year.

Now Venturefest Tees Valley will build on this success, with an enhanced event on September 13 at Wynyard Hall aiming attract 400 businesses, entrepreneurs and innovators from across Darlington, Stockton, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland to share ideas, explore opportunities, grow new networks and raise investment.

Organisers are now putting together an event programme that will include speakers, workshops, a showcase of innovative companies and investor meetings where businesses can raise funding.

The event receives funding from the £6.5m Innovate Tees Valley programme, led by Teesside University with partners NEPIC, the Materials Processing Institute and Digital City and part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

Paula Rogers-Brown, Venturefest Network Manager at the Knowledge Transfer Network, said: “We are really excited to welcome Tees Valley into the national Venturefest Network and look forward to an autumn event that builds on the very positive feedback from last year’s popular conference.

“Venturefest exists because, despite all the advances in digital technology, innovators, investors and entrepreneurs still struggle to find each other – especially when they are operating in different business sectors. Networking is still a ‘contact sport’ and the role of Venturefest in bringing the innovation ecosystem together to do business is crucially important.”

Professor Jane Turner, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Enterprise and Business Engagement at Teesside University, added: “Innovation has always been at the heart of business in the Tees Valley and those embracing new opportunities will continue to remain relevant, competitive and profitable in this fast-changing global marketplace.

“Venturefest events are all about giving businesses access to practical tools, ideas and expertise that can accelerate the transfer of innovation, leading to growth and employment opportunities.

“The inclusion of Tees Valley in the national Venturefest network is testament to our success as a region of innovators and our continuing appetite for innovation.”

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