Business North East Festival
One day. Two experiences. Countless opportunities.
The North East Mayoral Strategic Authority brings the Business North East Festival to The Glasshouse, Gateshead, on Wednesday 20 January 2027. Doors open at 8.45am for registration, and the festival opens at 9.30am and runs until 5pm. ClimbUK runs four live sessions on Sage Two, on raising investment and growing a business. At 5pm, the ClimbUK Takeover hands the evening to selected founders, active investors and experienced business leaders, in one curated room.
The day is built for founders at every stage: starting out, raising at any stage of the funding journey, or scaling fast. The advisers, fractional leaders, universities, public sector teams and investors who work with them are invited too.
The whole day at a glance
| Event | Business North East Festival, delivered by the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority |
|---|---|
| Date | Wednesday 20 January 2027 |
| Doors open | 8.45am, for registration |
| Festival day | Opens at 9.30am and runs until 5pm, with four ClimbUK sessions on Sage Two |
| ClimbUK Takeover | From 5pm |
| Venue | The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, St Mary’s Square, Gateshead Quays, Gateshead NE8 2JR |
| Cost | Free. Registration is essential. |
| Register | Register your place on the event page |
During the festival day, on Sage Two
Part one: you make the call
ClimbUK runs four live sessions on Sage Two. The audience questions, votes, argues and decides; nobody sits through a slide deck.
Inside the Investment Committee
Ever wondered what really happens inside a venture capital (VC) firm after they’ve expressed interest in your business? We’re recreating an investment committee meeting, giving you a rare insight into how investors evaluate opportunities, challenge assumptions and make investment decisions.
The Great Northern Investment Debate
Is it harder to raise investment in the North? Two opposing views, one lively debate and an audience that’s encouraged to challenge both sides. Expect some strong opinions.
Business Growth: You Make the Call
You’re running a scaling business. Things are going well. Then something unexpected happens. What do you do? Our live role-play puts real business challenges on stage, with the audience helping decide what happens next.
The ClimbUK Business Growth Quiz
Think you know what it takes to build and scale a successful business? It’s time to put that knowledge to the test. An interactive, fast-paced quiz with some great prizes up for grabs.
From 5pm
Part two: the ClimbUK Takeover
As the festival day closes at 5pm, ClimbUK takes over and the energy goes up. The evening has one job: put the right people in front of each other and turn good conversations into real opportunities. It runs as four experiences.
Investor Speed Networking
Fast-paced, focused conversations between selected founders and active investors.
High-Energy Founder Pitching
Selected businesses get the opportunity to take the spotlight and showcase what they’re building.
Exclusive Roundtables
Small, invitation-only discussions bringing together founders, investors and experts to tackle real business challenges.
Networking, ClimbUK Style
Great people, great conversations and the opportunity to make connections that could genuinely change the direction of your business.
Places for Investor Speed Networking, High-Energy Founder Pitching and the Exclusive Roundtables are limited. Participants are selected to get the right mix of people around each table, and everyone who registers can tell us which they want to take part in.
Big conversations, closer to home
The Great Northern Investment Debate puts a question many founders in the region ask on stage: is it harder to raise investment in the North? ClimbUK brings its formats and its community to the festival, so founders here can find investors looking for real deal flow, fellow founders a step ahead and the advisers who help businesses grow.
For four years, ClimbUK has brought founders, entrepreneurs, investors and business leaders together from across the UK. Now we’re bringing that community to the North East.
Find your day
Pick who you are and see what the Business North East Festival means for you.
Free to attend. Register first.
Registration is free and essential, as places are limited. One registration covers the day sessions on Sage Two and the ClimbUK Takeover. Register your place on the event page.
About the Business North East Festival
The North East Mayoral Strategic Authority delivers the Business North East Festival. ClimbUK runs the sessions on Sage Two and the ClimbUK Takeover.
About ClimbUK
ClimbUK is The Festival for Business Growth: a community of founders, investors and business leaders who share what they learned and send each other work. Climb27, The Festival for Business Growth, runs on 30 June and 1 July 2027.
Media enquiries: [email protected]
Don’t just hear about the conversations afterwards. Be part of them.
Wednesday 20 January 2027, The Glasshouse, Gateshead. Places are limited and advance registration is essential.