Loughborough University’s Innovation Festival celebrates Leicestershire’s vibrant business community
Now in its fifth year, the two-week Festival is taking place 6-17 February with more than 20 free events across the county, including on the University campus.
The Festival’s spotlight this year falls on small business with a focus on enhancing productivity and innovation – not just via pioneering technologies or inventions, but the simple creative changes that small organisations can realistically and affordably make.
As well as the Launch Ceremony on 6 February, the University is hosting two events on campus, including:
Seven Essential Software Tools for Startups
Practical ways for Leicestershire founders to grow their startups – without breaking the bank
Wednesday 15 February, 10.00am-1.00pm
Members of the University’s business incubator, LUinc., will talk about the simple steps they take that make life – as a startup founder – easier and more productive. There’s also chance to learn about the benefits of signing up for LUinc.’s Business Accelerator Programme.
Driving conditions: Productivity on the road
Innovative solutions to improve the health, safety and wellbeing of commercial drivers
Thursday 16 February, 2.00-4.00pm
Professor Stacy Clemes and Dr Iuliana Hartescu will showcase SHIFT and Sleepful Drive – a driver sleep management app. Both are designed to provide long-term improvements in driver health as well as wider economic and societal benefits.
In addition, speakers from the University are appearing at an event alongside colleagues from University of Leicester and hosted by De Montfort University:
Working with the Universities Partnership to grow your business
Attract talent and create new capabilities to drive your business growth and innovation
Wednesday 8 February, 1.00-3.00pm
An opportunity to find out how businesses can benefit from working with the county’s three universities via placements, graduate employment and funded projects.
To explore the full range of Festival events, please visit Eventbrite.
LeicestershireLive Innovation Awards 2023
The highlight of the Festival for many is the LeicestershireLive Innovation Awards evening, taking place on 16 February at the National Space Centre.
Twelve of this year’s shortlisted finalists are either University research collaborations or companies based on its Science and Enterprise Park (LUSEP).
Read more about our 12 finalists.
This year, the keynote speaker at the Awards is Indro Mukerjee, the Chief Executive of Innovate UK.
Dr Nik Kotecha OBE DL, Chair of the LLEP Innovation Board, said: “The fact that Indro Mukerjee is making the time to visit the region during the Innovation Festival is testament to all the work done by partners over the last five years to move this agenda forward.
“Our objective now is to develop and execute a delivery plan that will support regional growth by showing how all businesses can benefit from making changes to improve their productivity.”