Hear from Technology, Design Thinking and Business Modelling experts and find out about funded schemes to help you drive your business forward.

As part of the ERFD funded DEK Business Growth Programme, this is a free one-day conference, exhibition and evening reception will gather together inspirational speakers and a range of funding organisations who can support you and your business in developing the capacity for growth. The event will offer a forum to map out funding opportunities and the support available to equip you with the knowledge and tools to ensure consistent growth. You will also have the opportunity to explore ways to development of new products, services and markets.

It is essential in today's climate to drive your business forward with creative thinking, innovative technology, smarter logistics, and strategic collaborations. This conference will consider how you can benefit from innovations within the emerged and emerging markets, in which the UK is a world leader. Join a range of sector experts, government agencies and gain invaluable insights in an interactive environment.

This is an ideal opportunity to network with likeminded business thought leaders; a platform for businesses to come together and develop meaningful relationships and collaborations. Meet with innovators, entrepreneurs, managing directors and other key business decision-makers to share ideas and exchange practical knowledge. There will be a multi-sector focuscovering:

• Building Social Purpose into Your Business
• Digital Health Application Innovation
• Building a Thriving Innovative Culture
• Future Gazing: VR and AI in the Creative Industries
• Empowering Decisions with Big Data and Artificial Intelligence
• Food Technology Futures

Aims and Objectives

• Draw together, meet and hear from key support agencies/organisations with a role of helping businesses in the given sector to develop and grow.
• Provide a platform for these support organisations to present their latest offer to the business community.
• Provide an insight into the latest innovations trends, challenges and opportunities for each area of focus.
• Over the duration of the one-day conference, provide opportunities for businesses to network with each other and the support organisations.

Benefits for businesses

• Explore new thinking, outstanding new tech and innovations across a range of sectors
• Discover the pathway to scaling your business and the support available
• Connect with influential innovators and potential collaborators
• Be inspired by insights from thought leaders from your sector
• Meet key support agencies/organisations with a role of helping them develop and grow your business
• Identifying and gain insights to evolving with industry trends, innovations, opportunities and challenges within your sector
• Hear about staff development initiatives
• Find out about funding and services to support innovation and development

Activity

Timing

Exhibition opens

9.00

Arrival Registration

9.00 - 9.45

Intro

9.45 - 10.00

Key note

10.00 - 10.40

Session 1 - Food Technology Futures and Building a thriving Innovative Culture

10.40 - 12.10

Lunch Break

12.10 - 13.40

Session 2 - Empowering Decisions with Big Data and Artificial Intelligence and Digital Health Application Innovation

13.40 - 15.10

Break

15.10 - 15.40

Session 3 - Future Gazing: VR and AI in the Creative Industries and Building Social Purpose into Your Business

15.40 - 17.10

Evening reception and exhibition

17.10 - 19.00

By registering for this conference and exhibition you are also registering for the DEK Business Growth Programme funded by the ERDF. The time spent at the conference will be counted as part of a 12 hour ‘Enterprises supported’ award in the programme.