Events revealed for Leicestershire Innovation Festival 2026

The schedule of events has been released for Leicestershire Innovation Festival 2026.

The eighth annual festival, led by the Business Gateway Growth Hub, takes place 9–13 March 2026 at venues across Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland. The week-long event brings together entrepreneurs, innovators, educators, and business leaders to celebrate local R&D, innovation, productivity, and growth.

Leicestershire Innovation Festival launched in 2018, going on to establish as a key regional showcase for sharing knowledge between industry, academic, nonprofit, and public sectors.

Vice Chancellor Professor Katie Normington, of De Montfort University Leicester (DMU), said: "The Leicester Innovation Festival reflects the ambition we see every day across Leicester and Leicestershire. Innovation is not just about technology — it’s about people, skills and collaboration.

"Through our work with businesses, De Montfort University is focused on turning knowledge into practical impact, and we’re delighted to play a leading role in a festival that champions growth, creativity and opportunity for the region."

Here’s what attendees can expect from March’s five-day programme:

Monday 9 March

• Business Gateway Growth Hub Launch Event. Delving into the question - What Does Innovation Mean to You and Your Business?
• The Money Map: Funding Journeys that Power Innovation. Hosted by the British Business Bank, Forging Ahead, and Innovate UK to help businesses navigate funding and access capital.

Tuesday 10 March

• Building Resilient, High-Growth, Globally Competitive Life Sciences Cluster Part 2: Finance & Investment. Brought to you by Charnwood Campus.
• Interactive Workshop: Boosting SME Resource Efficiency with Digital Manufacturing. Hosted by Loughborough University.

Wednesday 11 March

• Rutland Business Summit 2026. A day of networking, learning and bringing together innovative ideas hosted by Rutland County Council.
• East Midlands Cyber Security Cluster's engaging session on AI and Cyber Security Strategies for SMEs.
• Growth Forum: Shaping Tomorrow Through Innovation. Hosted by the University of Leicester focusing on innovation, productivity & skills with actionable takeaways for businesses to fuel and drive growth.

Thursday 12 March

• Skills Unlocked: Shaping Tomorrow's Talent Through Apprenticeships, Inclusion and AI. An engaging conference brought to you by Stephenson College.
• Loughborough Business School and Interact co-deliver a Digital Transformation Toolkit for Manufacturing SMEs.

Friday 13 March

• University of Leicester provide a Knowledge Transfer Partnership Workshop, highlighting academic-business collaboration pathways.
• Leicestershire Cares explore the idea of Corporate Volunteering as a Driver of Economic Growth.

Reasons to attend Leicestershire Innovation Festival

The festival offers SME owners and business leaders the chance to:

• Access expert guidance on funding and business growth
• Discover new tools and technologies to enhance productivity
• Network with peers, investors, and academic experts
• Learn about innovation support services
• Explore university and specialist partnerships
• Stay informed on AI, cyber security, and other digital manufacturing trends.

You can find times, venues and more details about each event as well as being able to REGISTER HERE

Leicestershire Innovation Festival builds a collaborative regional innovation ecosystem that accelerates business growth and competitiveness.

By bringing public, private, and academic partners together, the event creates opportunities for SMEs to discover practical solutions, access funding, and build valuable networks.