TechNExt Festival 2024: Here’s how you can get involved

It plans to bring together over 3,000 attendees across five days, displaying the diversity, achievements, and innovation of the region's tech scene.  

Whether you’re a tech enthusiast or not, TechNExt is an opportunity for everyone to be inspired and get involved. From curated showcases to community-led fringe events, the range of events and opportunities gives every attendee a flavour of the region's tech thriving tech sector.  

So, what can we expect from TechNExt 2024?  

How can I get involved in TechNExt?

TechNExt is a celebration of the North East tech scene’s collective achievements, commitment to innovation and collaboration opportunities.  

To achieve its goal, it encourages visitors from all over the UK to get involved in the programme and preview the region’s thriving tech scene.

If you’re unsure how you can contribute, here are a few ways you can get involved.  

Festival fringe

The TechNExt festival fringe offers a rich variety of community-designed and community-led events that are open to all.

Throughout the festival week, TechNExt will endorse over 50 events organised by various entities across the North East. Organisations are encouraged to host their own events independently and link them to the fringe program by completing the provided form. Upon approval, each event will be featured in the festival program, and participants will receive branding assets from TechNExt to promote their event.

Events can vary in size and target audience, ensuring they remain free of charge and align with the overarching themes outlined in the application.  

If you are a business that is keen to get involved in the tech sector, we would encourage you to sign up here and submit a fringe event.  

Industry Dinner

The TechNExt Industry Dinner offers a chance for individuals to connect with peers, tech entrepreneurs and business leaders in the North East.  

Hosted at the Fire Station in Sunderland, it is an opportunity to celebrate, network and explore collaborations. This event is kindly sponsored by invest North East England and Ward Hadaway.  

Join us for an evening of insightful conversations, delicious food and updates from the region's tech sector. Access your tickets here.

Tech Talent Live

This free, drop-in event is for anyone keen to learn more about employers in the North East and tech career opportunities.  

Tech Talent Live aims to inspire, motivate and inform the next generation of tech talent, encouraging conversations around digital careers. Throughout this event, there will be a range of short talks throughout the afternoon to highlight the tech career families. This will also include drop-in CV workshops running throughout the afternoon.  

‍For businesses

Tech Talent Engine is encouraging businesses to host a stall at Tech Talent Live and exhibit their organisation to the region.  

TechNExt23 witnessed hundreds of attendees to Tech Talent Live careers fair, with many businesses gaining the opportunity to speak to candidates firsthand.  

Its success was echoed by Kerridge Commercial Systems and Engima Interactive, of whom both hired through the event. Read Rose’s and Antonella’s story here.  

For candidates

Whether you’re looking for a new job or simply want to find out more about tech careers, Tech Talent Live is a great opportunity to network with employers and gain insights in the North East’s tech sector.  

Meeting employers, sourcing vacancies and understanding new skills are another few key benefits of attending a careers fair.

Date: Wednesday 19^th June

Location: Hilton, Gateshead

Main Stage

The TechNExt24 Main Stage is the focal point of the festival, where innovation, inspiration and industry insights converge.  

Held at the Crowne Plaza in Newcastle, it will be a single stream of thought-provoking conference talks from leaders in technology and related industries. It is designed to include a range of speakers and disciplines centered around future proofing tech and innovation with purpose, with this years theme being ‘Tech with Purpose.’

Some of the Main Stage speakers for TechNExt 2024 includes:  

• David Grey, Founder of London-based startup GG Care.
• Avril Chester, multi-award-winning Technology Entrepreneur, experienced CTO, author, podcast host and cancer thriver.
• Tracey Follows, CEO of futures consultancy, Futuremade and top 50 Forbes female futurist.
• Jude Pullen, featured inventor on BBC2's Big Life Fix.
• Eleanor Harry, founder of HACE: Data Changing Child Labour in 2020.

Whether you’re interested in the tech sector, creative solutions or just curious about what the future holds for the tech sector, it’s a place to learn and network with others.

Date: Thursday 20^th June, 8:45 – 16:00

Location: Crowne Plaza, Newcastle

Festival Party

The TechNExt official festival party is an informal event hosted in the heart of Newcastle Upon Tyne, celebrating the collective achievements of the festival.  

Enjoy a tasty vegetarian buffet and join us for a toast with fellow tech enthusiasts from across the North East.  

Date: Thursday 30^th June, 18:00 – 23:00

Location: Revolution de Cuba

Schools Challenge

New to TechNext, the Schools Challenge engages North East school children in tech with tech employers in the region.  

It aims to help school children gain an insight into the industry by focusing on “Tech for Good” and developing an innovative tech-based solution that addresses real-life problems.  

Working together as a class or small groups, the children are encouraged to come up with a solution to the challenge presented, with the finished result uploaded for viewing by the regional tech panel.  

Each local authority area will select one submission and be invited to a celebration event in Durham City Centre on Tuesday 18^th June.  

Enter your school here.  

Get Involved in TechNExt

TechNExt is a celebration of the North East’s tech scene, bringing together collaborations from across the region.  

Whether you’re interested in careers, fringe events or simply soaking in the wisdom from experts at the Main Stage event, TechNExt has a place for everyone.  

We would love for you to get involved in TechNExt 2024 and make this year as brilliant as ever.  

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