TechNExt takes place from the 19th - 23rd June, and will be focusing on the theme technology, the future and us.
‘A major new festival to promote and celebrate the North East’s growing tech sector’
TechNExt is a five day festival, which has been organised by Dynamo and Sunderland Software City. The festival aims to showcase the wide range of diversity in tech in the North East, as well as the achievements of tech businesses in the region. The festival will take place at a number of different locations around the North East, including Sunderland City Hall, Raddison Blu in Durham, Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Revolución de Cuba and Northumbria University Campus.
According to Dynamo, the ‘major new festival to promote and celebrate the north east’s growing tech sector’ will include ‘curated key events, [as well as a] vibrant showcase programme of fringe events. Tech companies and organisations have been submitting ideas to populate the programme, which aims to have more than 30 events for people to attend.’ These events will be hosted by different communities, individuals and organisations, all taking place between the 19th and 23rd of June under the umbrella of Tech NExt.
Key events at TechNExt
Tickets for some of the key events at TechNExt are already on sale, with more of their fringe events to be announced over the next couple of months.
Industry Dinner: Raddison Blu in Durham
Tuesday 20th June
The Industry Dinner will be attended by TechNExt delegates, as well as tech heavyweights and entrepreneurs in and across the North East. Tech NExt hopes that this will be an opportunity to meet and connect with other tech enthusiasts. The meal will be meat free by default as a commitment to Tech NExt’s Good Festival Ambition.
Tickets for this event are £105 excluding VAT.
Main Stage Conference: Sunderland City Hall
Wednesday 21st June
The Main Stage Conference is Tech NExt’s anchor event, and will include talks, lectures and panels with business leaders in the tech sector. The theme will be technology, the future and us. Speakers are to be announced. The event will be vegetarian as a commitment to Tech NExt’s Good Festival Ambition.
Tickets for this event are £80 excluding VAT.
Festival Party: Revolución de Cuba, Newcastle
Thursday 22nd June
This event will include a light buffet and drink, and will allow speakers, tech leaders, business owners and attendees to connect on the subjects of tech and business. The event will be vegetarian as a commitment to Tech NExt’s Good Festival Ambition.
Tickets for this event are £20 excluding VAT.
A festival ‘for good’ : TechNExt’s Good Festival Ambition
Tech NExt is planned as a Good Festival, meaning that ‘for good [is] a core value that will run through everything we are planning. This will ensure we always focus on quality, inclusivity, diversity, accessibility and sustainability.’ To support their Good Festival Ambition, Tech NExt are promoting a number of different inclusivity policies in order to make, ‘the programme of core events truly accessible and will consider those with different protected characteristics and how to meet their needs, with the aim to make the events as welcoming as possible.’
These policies include a buddy system, where attendees can be allocated an organisation or person to help support them throughout the festival. According to Tech NExt, ‘attendees can select the option to be met by a friendly face from the TechNExt team or wider community on arrival. Your buddy would help you feel comfortable at the event perhaps by chatting over a coffee on arrival, introducing you to new faces, or help you understand more about the content of the event and what's planned that day.’
Tech NExt are also offering funded and supported places for the Main Stage Conference and Festival Party to help those who would otherwise struggle to attend. They will also be asking delegates to complete a questionnaire about their planned travel to, from and around the event, to help them identify the festival’s carbon footprint.
To find out more about TechNExt’s Good Festival Ambition, you can read their statement here.
