First Northern Powerhouse Business Summit set for the summer

A three-day summit to celebrate Northern innovation and discuss the future direction of the Northern Powerhouse will take place this summer, the government announced today (16 May 2018).

The Northern Powerhouse Business Summit, part of the Great Exhibition of the North, is the first event of its kind ever to be held by government and will take place from 4 to 6 July 2018 in Newcastle Gateshead.

The summit will bring together small businesses, government ministers, Northern Mayors, and business leaders from across the North of England.

It will be held at the heart of the Great Exhibition of the North, on the site where 19th century engineer George Stephenson designed the world’s first locomotive – the Rocket.

Northern Powerhouse Minister Jake Berry said: “The Northern Powerhouse is a top priority for our government and it is right that it should be central to the Great Exhibition of the North.

“The last Great Exhibition was in 1851, when the North was powering the Industrial Revolution. This summit is about making sure that the Northern Powerhouse is creating a Northern economy fit for the future with the North at the forefront of a fourth Industrial Revolution.

“The event will explore the creativity and innovation of northern businesses – from SMEs to FTSE100s – and the role the Northern Powerhouse will play in maximising the opportunities of Brexit.”

There will also be discussion on how to tackle the North-South divide in educational attainment and outline the measures government is undertaking to reverse historic under-investment in northern transport and super-connect the great cities and towns of the North.

The Northern Powerhouse Business Summit is supported by the European Regional Development Fund and will be free to attend.