Leicester Innovation Festival 2025 Launch Event: Breaking the Spell - AI + Innovation for SMEs

Leicestershire Innovation Festival returns for 2025!

Now in its seventh year, our week-long programme of funded events will harness the ideas, energy and potential of people to drive productivity in their businesses.

Led by the Business Gateway Growth Hub, the 2025 festival will launch at the National Space Centre.

There will be a special focus on the emerging opportunity of AI for small businesses.

Experts will be introducing businesses to simple technologies that can radically transform your organisational efficiency.

There'll also be the chance for breakfast, networking and a short summary from guest speakers on innovation support for local SMEs.
Limited places are available. Registration is open now.

Who should attend?

Businesses owners from Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland looking to improve profitability by introducing new ways of increasing productivity.

Who'll be there

Guests will include representatives of the Growth Hub and other local innovation support agencies.

Guest speaker Steve Baradell, who leads the hugely popular AI+ course for Leicestershire small businesses, will present on Breaking The Spell: AI+ Innovation for SMEs.
AI+ is the exclusive 12-week course, funded by Innovate UK via Loughborough College, which has introduced dozens of local small businesses to the potential of emerging digital technology.

Further guest speakers will be announced in the run-up to the launch event.

What to expect

* The AI+ programme shows small businesses how to better understand generative and assistive AI technologies
*Learning how to effectively collect and process relevant data
*Understanding the different ways AI and other digital tools can benefit your business
*Developing your own solutions to unique business problems and opportunities

Agenda

* 8:30am-9:30am: Breakfast and networking
*9:30am-10am: Welcome and opening presentations
*10am-12pm: Breaking the Spell: AI+ Innovation for SMEs
*12pm-12:30pm: Networking