Leeds Digital Festival

Meet Lizzie McCloy. Lizzie is a Senior Manager in the Growth Team at KPMG,  the international accounting and business advisory firm. Through her work at KPMG, Lizzie has been seconded to work at both Nexus at the University of Leeds who we featured in episode 6, and NorthInvest. NorthInvest is a not for profit company that connects businesses to mentors and investors with the aim to promote equitable investment in the North of the UK. Listen on to find out: The importance of a vibrant angel investment network to the tech ecosystem in the North. How NorthInvest filters their 20-30 inbound funding requests. How Northinvest manages to charge entrepreneurs zero fees for their services. The value add that the angel investor can bring to the company other than money. What investors are looking for in return for their investment. How Northinvest ensures that the due diligence process and the legal process is appropriate for the size of companies. Some of the steps a company can take to ensure a smooth due diligence process. How one event is pioneering early stage support in Leeds. How the festival helped to attract an early stage business into Leeds. What Lizzie sees as the changing face of the funding landscape in the north of England. You can connect with Lizzie on LinkedIn and with NorthInvest on Twitter at @NorthInvestUK and at https://northinvest.co.uk/ . You can also keep up to date with the tech scene in Leeds on Twitter at @LeedsDigiFest.

Meet Anna Sutton. Anna is the co-founder and CEO of the Data Shed. The Data Shed is a data services firm that is on a mission to demystify the world of data and level the playing field, so everyone can play and make data work for them. Listen on to find out: The frustrations in her marketing career that led her to found the datashed. Why the Data Shed works for companies of all sizes. How their new product, the Data Refinery helps companies get a single view of the customer. The success of the joint event with Amazon AWS at the Leeds Digital Festival. The importance of emphasing non-programming roles in tech. How a former lighthouse keeper became part of the team. Why Leeds is a positive place for a digital business to be based. The challenges with talent in such a vibrant sector. What it was like to win the LDF entrepreneur of the year award. Where Anna’s favourite place is in Leeds.   You can connect with Anna  on Twitter at @DataShedAnna, The Data Shed at https://www.thedatashed.co.uk/ and on Twitter at @theDataShed. You can also keep up to date with the tech scene in Leeds on twitter at @LeedsDigiFest . 

Get to find out what it’s like to start a tech business whilst still at University in Leeds and what it’s really like to live and work in one of the most supportive tech cultures in the UK. Listen on to find out:   Why James gave up a career in medicine and how the intense studying was the forge that created Synap. How medicine was the perfect starting point for rapid learning. How the business developed into corporate learning and how that split the business model. Why Synap now focuses on a B2B model. Why working with thousands of students has given Synap a competitive edge Why Synap, an early stage business, gets involved with the festival. The importance for James in giving back to the tech community. Why James organised an event in Legal Tech for the festival. Why James started his business in Leeds and not in London. The lifestyle benefits for a young entrepreneur in the Leeds city region. How the festival’s organic growth has benefited other industries. The part of Leeds that James is most excited about over the coming years.   You can connect with James on Twitter at @gupta_james, Synap at https://synap.ac/ and on Twitter at @Synap. You can also keep up to date with the tech scene in Leeds on twitter at @LeedsDigiFest.  

Listen and learn with Chelsea Hardy the engagement manager at Nexus at the University of Leeds. Nexus is £40m investment by the University designed to focus connections, community and support between early stage businesses, R&D departments of larger businesses and the world class research at Leeds University. Listen on to find out:   Why the University decided to spend £40m on Nexus. How Chelsea’s experience at a major investment bank helps her to bring innovation to Leeds. The research focus strengths where the University can really add value. The breadth of size of companies that Nexus work with. The significant additional support that companies receive from both the University and outside agencies. The unique lab setup that’s available to all members. The collaboration opportunities available with the different types of companies working at Nexus. The key advantage Nexus has for both employers, undergraduates and recent graduates in the talent market. How Nexus supports its members with tailored community events. The key events that Nexus is supporting at the festival. How the University is supporting fintech in Leeds. Chelsea’s highlights of the festival and how the festival fosters collaboration. How the Nexus building has been specifically designed to foster co-operation and community. Find out which University building has been a frequent location request for many Hollywood blockbusters movies. You can connect with Chelsea on LinkedIn, Nexus at https://nexusleeds.co.uk/ and on twitter at @nexusunileeds. To book tickets for the remaining events go to https://leedsdigitalfestival.org and follow current happenings on twitter @LeedsDigiFest.

Eve Roodhouse is the chief officer for economic development at Leeds City Council where her role covers economic policy, business support, Visit Leeds, Conference Leeds, international relations and inward investment into the city. Her stated goal is to  deliver Leeds City Council’s Inclusive Growth Strategy and to aspire to be a beacon of best practice in supporting economic growth that’s inclusive. Listen on to find out:   Why Eve switched from a successful career in the NHS to working in local government. Why Leeds has an inclusive growth strategy and what that means for the everyday Leeds resident. How the council is helping every business to be more digital. How the council addressing the digital skills gap in both infrastructure and skills. How local employers and universities work together to create an education that fits the modern workplace. How the Digital Festival fits with the council’s inclusive growth strategy. How the festival supports young girls and women in tech. The exciting event that the British Library is doing for the festival. How the festival is now expanding its reach to China and how Leeds is working with MIT in Boston, USA.   You can find out more about Eve on twitter @eveyroo and the Leeds City Council’s growth strategy at http://www.leedsgrowthstrategy.co.uk/. To book tickets for the events go to https://leedsdigitalfestival.org and follow current events on twitter @LeedsDigiFest.

Meet Dr Victoria Betton, the founder of mHabitat. Dr Betton is an expert in teenage mental health and social networks having gained a PhD in 2016 from Leeds University in social media and mental health. She is the founder and managing director of mHabitat a people-centred digital innovation company focused on health and social care.   The business has a strong social purpose and is a trading arm of Leeds and York Partnership NHS Trust. Victoria has also recently founded Co Space North a co-working space to help people passionate about digitally enabled health and care to connect, collaborate and co-create. Listen on to find out:   How and why mHabitat was founded. How mHabitat cuts through complexity in digital and health provision Why technology is not the silver bullet to solve all problems in health and social care How her PhD on social media and teens informs her work today How they are actively trying to avoid the Inverse care law How co-design is different to consulting Victoria’s highlights of the digital health program at the festival Why Victoria setup Co Space North How Bibi the dog is a key a member of the mHabitat team.   You can find out more about Victoria on twitter @VictoriaBetton, mHabitat at https://wearemhabitat.com/ and on twitter @wearemhabitat. To book tickets for the events go to https://leedsdigitalfestival.org and follow current events on twitter @LeedsDigiFest.

Meet Paul Connell, the founder of The Open Data Institute Leeds which is a pioneer node of the Open Data Institute. Paul is also the co-founder of The Data City, a company that Uses the web, open data and artificial intelligence to offer real-time insights to justify investments in places, support innovation, growth & employment. Join me, for a fascinating insight into the work of the ODI and how Paul and the ODI are impacting the city region and his ambitious plans in place to extend the reach of the festival to Europe. Listen on to find out:   How and why the ODI Leeds was founded. What radical openness means to Paul. The value of being an open data organisation. The culture of open data and the impact on innovation. How the Kingdom of the Netherlands got involved with the Leeds Digital Festival. The powerful image of Leeds that Paul sees today.   You can find out more about Paul on twitter @paulconnell, the ODI at https://odileeds.org/ and on twitter at @ODILeeds To book tickets for the events go to https://leedsdigitalfestival.org and follow current events on twitter @LeedsDigiFest.  

Today we chat with Stuart Bullock the Managing Director of BJSS, a world class technology consultancy headquartered in Leeds.   We discuss why and how BJSS supports the festival. Some of the innovative events that BJSS are hosting. What excites Stuart about the festival this year. Current business challenges that BJSS hope the festival will help meet. The importance of young people to the success of BJSS.   Find out more about Stuart on twitter at @BullockStuart, BJSS at https://www.bjss.com/ and at https://www.sparck.io/and on twitter @BJSSLtd and at @sparckhq. To book tickets for the events go to https://leedsdigitalfestival.org and follow current events on twitter @LeedsDigiFest.

Introduction to Leeds Digital Festival 2019 with the co-founder and festival director, Stuart Clarke and host Sanjay Parekh. Keep up-to-date with the festival on twitter at @leedsdigifest Book events and see what's on at https://leedsdigitalfestival.org/.