Get switched on with stand-out events at Leeds Digital Festival

The countdown to 2018's Leeds Digital Festival is well and truly on '“ and today Yorkshire Evening Post readers are given a sneak preview of what are expected to be some of its stand-out moments.
Stuart Clarke.Stuart Clarke.
Stuart Clarke.

More than 100 events are taking place in venues across the city as part of the festival, which is being staged this year for the third time and runs from April 16 to 27.

Likely highlights picked out for Digital City by the organising team include:

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* TechEdge, a full-day conference put together by Sky Betting & Gaming that will feature international speakers discussing the development and operation of complex tech platforms;

* Using EdTech In The Classroom, hosted by startup Synap and billed as a must-attend for anyone wanting to reap the benefits of bringing tech into schools;

* FinTech North, a full-day conference that – with the help of experts from organisations such as the CBI and NorthInvest – will explore how Leeds can keep growing as a financial technology hub;

* Code In The Dark, which will see the UK’s best developers putting their skills to the test in front of a live audience at the Belgrave Music Hall;

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* The Leeds Digital Festival Awards, which will recognise excellence in categories including Entrepreneur of the Year, Tech Innovation and Startup of the Year.

Festival director Stuart Clarke said: “We’ll see over 100 events celebrating the very best of digital in Leeds, from healthtech, data and coding to careers and startups.

“More than 250 organisations will be showcasing their talents, from the largest such as the University of Leeds and Sky Betting & Gaming, to the smallest digital agencies and startups.

“The Leeds Digital Festival belongs to the city and I hope you can join us in April.”

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Sponsors and individual event organisers say they are delighted by the buzz that is already building around the festival.

Prof Neil Morris, director of digital learning at the University of Leeds, told Digital City: “We are pleased to support Leeds Digital Festival and are looking forward to hosting a wide range of events across campus and in the city to showcase our research and engage with businesses and community activities.”

Chris Wright, managing director of Leeds-based cap hpi, said: “Leeds is home to our international innovation hub where we are constantly rolling out new applications and expanding essential automotive data assets.

“The Leeds Digital Festival does a great job of engaging and inspiring the next generation of talent, and as a business, we hope to do the same.”

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Ashley Bolser, managing director of Leeds digital marketing agency Bolser, said: “Bolser are looking forward to taking an active part in the best digital festival in the UK, showcasing the digital opportunities, talent and experience of the Leeds city region. Can’t wait!”

The deadline for nominations for the Leeds Digital Festival Awards is March 26.

The awards ceremony will take place at Headrow House in the city centre on April 25.

For more details, visit the www.leedsdigitalfestival.org website.

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The Yorkshire Evening Post runs a regular Digital City column in partnership with Sky Betting & Gaming.

The platform aims to highlight the giant strides being made by a sector that boasts around 3,000 organisations in Leeds.