Innovation and funding conference VentureFest is set to make a return to the North East in May, with a two-day event planned.
This year's programme, in VentureFest's 10th year, will take place at Newcastle Boilershop on May 10-11 and will feature expert speakers under the title 'our future, now'. The lineup includes Martin Hunt from Forum for the Future, who will talk about circular economies and sustainable construction; Newcastle University's professor Nick Wright on hydrogen, and "education futurist" professor Craig Gaskell from Teesside University.
Estelle Blanks, CEO at Innovation SuperNetwork, which delivers the festival, said: “Each year with VentureFest we try to ensure our programme is touching on critical themes where innovation can make a real impact. In our 10 th anniversary year, we want to reflect on the journey our flagship event has been on and the impact regional innovation is having globally.
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"At the same time, we can’t forget that we’re facing huge challenges in reaching our net zero ambitions with the impact not just affecting our environment but the health & wellbeing of communities across the globe. Innovation is key to making future progress, but we need to collaborate to ensure the technology that is available now can affect the change we so desperately need to see.
"As well as celebrating the innovative ideas being born right here in the North East, VentureFest 2023 includes an exciting line-up of speakers who are experts in tackling the critical issues we face. I can’t wait to see the two-day programme come together. There really is no event quite like it!"
Judith McMinn, founder of brain protection headband firm Rezon, will also speak at the conference. She said: "I’m really thrilled to be asked to share my story with fellow innovators at VentureFest North East. As an entrepreneur, innovating can be a lonely experience, so events like VentureFest really help us to build connections, find support and identify opportunities. I hope hearing about my own journey will inspire others on the same path and I am really looking forward to seeing which businesses will succeed at the North East Innovation Awards.”
Andrew Jenkins, Founder of Kinewell Energy, said: “Last year we took part in the first live Innovation Showcase since Covid and the experience was fantastic. We met so many great new contacts and were able to demonstrate our technology to some key stakeholders. Since then, we have accessed support from the Innovation SuperNetwork through their range of programmes, and we’re really looking forward to attending VentureFest again this year to explore the other ways in which we can drive our business forward.”
VentureFest North East is delivered as part of the Catalysing Innovation in North East Clusters Project 2021-2023, delivered by the Innovation SuperNetwork and is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
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