Events

Event details:

When: 12.45pm–16.00pm, Monday 9th March 2026
Where: Space Park Leicester, 92 Corporation Rd, Leicester LE4 5SP

Join the British Business Bank on the first day of Leicestershire Innovation Festival this March, in partnership with Forging Ahead and Innovate UK. 

Hear about the different funding journeys of a variety of university spin-outs at one of the Midlands’ most innovative locations, Space Park Leicester.

Tickets are free and include a free lunch, an afternoon of networking and the opportunity to hear fascinating insights from those within the county’s innovation and commercialisation ecosystem.

Book your ticket here.

Speakers announced:
13:30-15:00

• Lewis Stringer, Senior Manager, East & South Midlands British Business Bank (Host)
• Sandy Reid, Fund Principle, Mercia Ventures
• Dr Dan Lane, Founder, ValidateLabs
• Dr Dahlia Salman, CEO & Co-Founder Bioxhale
• Dr Carl Edwards (University of Leicester)

14:30-15:00

• James Silverward, East Midlands Regional Manager, Innovate UK (Host)
• Paul Edwards, Head of Hub, Midlands ICURe
• Chris Young, Founder, Chromar, (De Montfort University spin-out]
• Mark Smith, Business Development Manager (De Montfort University]

15:30-16:00

• Rhianna Briars, Network Manager, Forging Ahead (Host)
• Nick Gostick, Head of IP & Commercialisation, Loughborough University
• Zhenzhen Wang, CEO, Transhumanity (Loughborough spinout)
• Adriano Randi, CEO, RV3 Tech (Loughborough spinout)
• Adam McGuinness, Programme Manager, Plug & Play UK

Note: This event has expired.