ConnectUp 2025

If you’re craving real connection that helps you grow (and not just a stack of business cards), then this one’s for you.

We all know the usual “networking” thing can feel… well, awks. So let’s do it differently.

ConnectUp is the event created for owners and founders of northern-based businesses who are done with surface-level chit chat and want to find actual community; the kind that lifts you up, challenges your thinking, and helps you grow in more ways than one.

Yes, we’ve got expert speakers and panels. Yes, there’s networking. But this isn’t a box-ticking day – it’s a full-on exploration of people, relationships, and how the different ways we connect can drive our businesses forward.

What’s on:

• 9 fab speakers sharing how you can grow your business when you’re hanging out with the right people
• 4 panel discussions digging into what growth by community really looks like
• 2 networking sessions that show you how fun networking really can be
• An exhibition showcasing amazing northern-based businesses

We’re also using the day to show that not all connection looks the same.Some people thrive in online groups. Others in co-working get-togethers, accountability peer groups, mentoring circles, super-structured meetings or informal gatherings over coffee and cake.

And that’s kind of the point.

Different ways of getting together serve different purposes. ConnectUp is your chance to explore, find what works for you, and meet the people already making it happen.

And of course, this is the North.

So expect warmth, grit, big ideas, good biscuits, and a room full of talent from Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Hull, Newcastle and beyond.

This is your space to:

• Meet people who actually get what you do
• Seek out new and exciting ways to collaborate
• Feel inspired, supported and a little less “on your own”

Tickets are live. Come and discover how community can make you and your business grow faster and better.

This is about real connection – the kind that sticks.

See you there!

Fringe gathering: June 25th 6:30pm, evening rooftop drinks @Leeds Beckett University School of Arts