Leicestershire Innovation Festival 2026 Highlights SMEs and Drives Growth

The Leicestershire Innovation Festival 2026 has been officially launched, shining a spotlight on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland as they share how innovation fuels growth and competitiveness.

Opening the eighth annual festival on 9 March 2026, Professor Katie Normington — Chair of the Leicestershire Innovation Advisory Group and Vice-Chancellor of De Montfort University Leicester — welcomed delegates and framed the festival’s role in supporting local economic strategy. The launch session, titled What Does Innovation Mean to You and Your Business?, featured an open fireside discussion with four regional business leaders, each offering insights into applying research and development within their companies to manage risk, attract talent and engage customers.

Facilitated by George Oliver, Managing Director of Loughborough-based 1284 Communications, the panel included Gerry Boyce of Hive Composites, Janie Morgan-Wood of Frock Tales Ltd, Craig Roberts of Cande Group, and Angela Orton of Structural Adhesives — representing advanced manufacturing, creative industries and specialist services.

The week-long festival — running from 9–13 March 2026 at venues across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland — has been developed by the Business Gateway Growth Hub to give SMEs practical support to scale, innovate and collaborate. The programme features a series of workshops, panels and expert-led sessions aimed at helping business owners navigate innovation funding, productivity tools, emerging technologies and partnerships with universities and research institutions.

Highlights of the schedule include sessions on funding strategies (The Money Map: Funding Journeys that Power Innovation), AI and cyber-security for SMEs, digital manufacturing resource efficiency, and knowledge-transfer partnerships that connect businesses with academic expertise. Several key events will take place at major regional innovation hubs such as Space Park Leicester and the University of Leicester’s School of Business, underscoring the festival’s emphasis on bridging academic research with local commercial growth.

The Leicestershire Innovation Festival continues to grow as a focal point for entrepreneurship, productivity and regional economic collaboration — providing tangible tools and connections for businesses seeking to turn innovative ideas into sustainable growth.