City of Leeds to host 2019's Business of Science Conference for first time ever

Leeds is to host the annual Business of Science Conference for Yorkshire this year.

The event, which gathers businesses and individuals involved in the commercialisation of science, will take place on Thursday May 16, 2019 at Leeds Cloth Hall Court.

It will include speakers such as chief executive of Leeds City Council, Tom Riordan; minister for Northern Powerhouse, Jake Berry MP; and Pip Clode, concept team leader at Mercedes-AMG High Performance Powertrains.

More than £1.4m of investment was made into the city during 2018, including for the launch of the Bragg Centre, which will see the University of Leeds work closely with scientists to develop new and innovative solutions for real-world materials challenges.

The university has also secured 150 fully-funded PhD research placements to train the next generation of scientists and engineers.

Tom Riordan, chief executive of Leeds City Council, will open the Business of Science Conference.

Discussing what the event means to the city, he said: “Leeds has seen huge investment over the last few years, including welcoming Channel 4 and expanding our digital sector.

“Our strong innovation economy has proven key to the city’s success, so it’s the perfect time to host the Business of Science Conference and celebrate all that our city has to offer.

“Because innovation thrives with the sharing of ideas and knowledge, Leeds City Council is working with partners to bring some of the city’s most creative and innovative institutions and businesses together to form an Innovation District.”

Delegates can expect a combination of panel discussions, breakout sessions and interactive sessions at this years’ conference.

With the overarching theme of the commercialisation of science, speakers will cover topics such as the business of space, emerging technologies, Brexit and diversity in STEM.

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