The 2023 Leicestershire Innovation Festival starts on Monday, February 6, and will feature more than 20 free events across its full fortnight.
The festival starts with a launch event at Loughborough University on Monday morning and runs right through to the biggest LeicestershireLive Innovation Awards yet – held in partnership with BusinessLive – at the National Space Centre. Tickets for the night are available here.
The festival, now in its fifth year, is led by Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP), and events bring together organisations from business, industry, education, research, and non-profit sectors.
This year’s free events cover themes including the best ways to finance innovation; how prototyping works; innovation in entertainment; productivity tools for start-ups; increasing sustainability while reducing energy costs; and government support to stimulate innovation.
Dr Nik Kotecha OBE DL, who founded Morningside Pharmaceuticals in Loughborough and chairs the LLEP Innovation Board, said: “We are continuing to develop the practical approach needed to achieve our goal of increasing the growth of the local economy at 5 per cent ahead of the national average.
“In January, the Innovation Board agreed a 10-point delivery plan for moving the agenda forward - the awards and festival are a big part of supporting that.”
William Wells, deputy director of research, innovation and impact at festival headline sponsor the University of Leicester, said: “At the University of Leicester we are working to foster a culture of innovation that drives economic development in our local economy and globally.
“We recognise the importance of providing a comprehensive environment for learning, networking and creating new ideas.
"The Leicestershire Innovation Festival is an important part building, growing and supporting our community of innovators.”
The flagship LeicestershireLive Innovation Awards returns for its fifth event at the National Space Centre on the evening of Thursday, February 16.
Innovate UK chief executive Indro Mukerjee will provide the keynote speech, which will see 32 finalists introduced across 10 categories.
Adam Moss, editor of Leicestershire Live and the Leicester Mercury, said: “We had a record number of nominations for 2023 and were up by about 15 per cent year-on-year.
“We are now looking forward to hearing from Indro, our sponsors and all of the finalists at the National Space Centre on February 16.”
