UK Startup & Scaleup Week (2-6 June 2025)

Got an idea for a new business or want to know how you can make your existing business more successful? UK Startup & Scaleup Week is a 5-day, multi-venue, citywide festival in Sunderland (in the North East England) that will inspire & educate you on how to start, grow & fund a successful business in the UK.

Since the pandemic, we've seen first-hand how Sunderland has been gearing up to be one of the most exciting places to live, work, start & grow a business in the UK & so we are helping to create an entrepreneurial ecosystem in the city through our 'UK Startup & Scaleup Week' festival in June 2025 & our monthly 'PLATFORM' events since June 2024.

Over the course of 5 days (between 2-6 June), we will cover the following themes that we believe all new businesses, projects or services need to go through to be a success:

1. Monday = INSPIRATION
2. Tuesday = GETTING STARTED
3. Wednesday = FUNDING & FINANCE
4. Thursday = GROWING & SCALING
5. Friday = KEEP GOING OR PIVOT?

Day 1 ('INSPIRATION') is the main conference taking place in the beautiful, 550 capacity auditorium at The Fire Station in Sunderland city centre.

Featuring a range of inspirational keynote talks & fireside chats (including Sara Davies MBE, Daniel Priestley & Paul Mort) plus panel discussions, breakout sessions, exhibitions & networking opportunities, Day 1 is our main event that will inspire & motivate anyone with an idea for a new business venture, who has recently started a business, is an established business owner or leader, works in a large enterprise serving SMEs, is funder or investor & anyone else who wants to see the business community in Sunderland, the North East & wider North of England succeed.

Days 2-5 (described below) will take place in different venues in & around Sunderland city centre & are focused on different stages in the business startup & scaleup journey.

Day 2 ('GETTING STARTED') will provide practical information & advice on how to start a new business, product or service & bring your creative ideas to life.

Day 3 ('FUNDING & FINANCE') is for anyone looking for funding to start or grow a business (covering grants, loans, investment, crowdfunding & other sources of finance).

Day 4 ('GROWING & SCALING') is all about sales, marketing, business development, leadership, mindset, automation & AI, how to find talent & build teams, partnerships, national & international expansion.

Day 5 ('KEEP GOING OR PIVOT?') is all about how to survive & thrive in the weeks & months ahead, how to know what is & isn't working, how to stay focused & how to change direction if necessary. It's also a celebration of the week we've just had with a closing party for everyone.

1 wristband for all 5 days

When you buy a ticket, you will receive a wristband on arrival that gives you access to all day & evening events taking place across the 5 days.

Everyone will be able to attend Day 1 but Days 2-5 will be in smaller venues so you will be asked to specify which days & events you wish to attend nearer the time.

The wristband will also give you access to all of the after parties & networking events taking place across the week & entitle you to various special offers & discounts in local venues.

Book your ticket now for UK Startup & Scaleup Week 2025!

UK Startup & Scaleup Week is sponsored by; NatWest, North East BIC, BJSS, Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), Northstar Ventures, Sweeney Miller Law, Tennick Accountants, UMi, Ward Hadaway, Waterstons & Wubbleyou