Energy, low carbon and finance in the spotlight

By Ged Henderson

03 Oct 2023

Amrcmarch2022jodyhartleyhires 108

Organisers of Lancashire’s annual Innovation Festival have announced details of this year’s programme.

Hosted at the AMRC North West in Samlesbury on October 13, the event will again bring start-ups, scale-ups and SMEs from across the county together with innovation experts, universities, support agencies, and policymakers.

Successful entrepreneurs who have grown their businesses by being innovative and advisors from services like Boost, Innovate UK, and Access to Finance, will also be in attendance.

The event is being delivered in partnership with the British Business Bank and is supported by Lancashire County Council’s Innovate Lancashire initiative and the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership’s Innovation Board. 

It will have two central themes: energy and low carbon, and finance and funding.

AMRC North West and RedCAT technology hub in east Lancashire will lead on the energy and low carbon theme.

They will demonstrate how innovative interventions can help businesses reduce their energy usage and carbon footprint, while simultaneously boosting their productivity.

There will also be a series of discussion panels exploring the issue of sustainability, with contributions from chief executive of East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce and the LEP’s low carbon lead, Miranda Barker.

Iain Martin, AMRC North West’s theme lead for low carbon smart buildings, will take delegates through the AMRC’s Low Carbon Smart Building Demonstrator, a facility which helps manufacturers reduce their emissions by retrofitting digital technologies onto legacy equipment and reimagining the traditional factory floor.

Delegates will also get the chance to tour the AMRC North West and discover more innovation-led solutions to the challenges of net zero. 

The afternoon’s discussions and presentations will be focused on finance.  Led by the British Business Bank’s North West senior manager Delyth Edwards, the first session will look at how it and other government-backed finance programmes, can support innovative Lancashire businesses looking to grow.

The British Business Bank recently announced details of its Northern Powerhouse Investment Fund II (NPIF II), a £660minvestment fund which will support the growth of SMEs across the North of England from early 2024.

This will be followed by sessions hosted by Innovate UK, and the new Lancashire Funding Hub, which will explore the wider funding and finance landscape.

This year’s festival will be introduced by Graham Baldwin, vice-chancellor of the University of Central Lancashire, and chair of the Lancashire Innovation Board.

He said: “The Lancashire Innovation Festival continues to go from strength to strength, and this year’s focus on finance, energy and low carbon highlights how it continues to address the issues which really matter to Lancashire businesses.

“I will also be taking the opportunity share with delegates details of the new Lancashire Innovation Plan and highlight some of the opportunities set to be offered by incoming projects like the National Cyber Force and Eden Project Morecambe.

“Further, I’ll be outlining how innovation doesn’t have to be high-tech, complicated, or expensive, to be commercially effective.”

The Lancashire Innovation Festival will run from 9am -4pm.Tickets are free but limited, and you can register at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lancashire-innovation-festival-2023-tickets-694753124297

Enjoyed this? Read more from Ged Henderson

Latest news

1

Bellway to build 183 high quality new homes Royal Bowland Park street scene NEW.jpg.jpg

Bellway to build 183 high quality new homes

29 Oct 2025

2

University of Lancashire recognised for entrepreneurship and supporting business growth - Representatives from the University's Business School, local SMEs and the IOEE

University of Lancashire recognised for entrepreneurship and supporting business growth

29 Oct 2025

3

£8bn Typhoon order is great news for Lancashire BAE Typhoon ECRS Mk2 Radar

£8bn Typhoon order is great news for Lancashire

28 Oct 2025

4

Award-winning Lancashire wedding venue and hotel is sold The Mill at Conder Green

Award-winning Lancashire wedding venue and hotel is sold

28 Oct 2025

5

PM+M announces another 19 promotions across the firm PM+M promotions

PM+M announces another 19 promotions across the firm

27 Oct 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
November / December 2025 Magazine Launch Event
Holiday Inn Hotel
Networking
28 Oct 2025 - 18 Nov 2025

November / December 2025 Magazine Launch Event

Holiday Inn, Blackpool

16:46 - 16:45

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

Help to grow management course
Help to grow - barriers to growth.png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
26 Sep 2025 - 16 Dec 2025

Help to grow management course

Preston Campus , Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 15:00

RISE - Lancashire's unique leadership programme for women
thumbnail_Emma Weston Illustration WENDY BOWERS RISE Illustrstion.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
22 Oct 2025 - 18 Mar 2026

RISE - Lancashire's unique leadership programme for women

East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, Clayton le Moors, BB5 5JR

09:30 - 15:30

Women scaling up Blackpool Fylde and Wyre
LBV Hub Seminars
22 Oct 2025 - 09 Jan 2026

Women scaling up Blackpool Fylde and Wyre

The Small Business Academy, Blackpool, FY4 5JX

09:30 - 15:30

Chamber Breakfast Networking – November
Lancs-cham-logo.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
06 Nov 2025 - 06 Nov 2025

Chamber Breakfast Networking – November

Porsche Centre South Lakes, Carnforth, LA6 1FW

08:30 - 10:30

Lancashire Police business update with The Police and Crime Commissioner
Lancs-cham-logo.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Roundtables
10 Nov 2025 - 10 Nov 2025

Lancashire Police business update with The Police and Crime Commissioner

Lancaster Castle, Lancaster, LA1 1YN

14:00 - 16:00

AI, Creativity, and what it means to be human
2.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Networking
11 Nov 2025 - 11 Nov 2025

AI, Creativity, and what it means to be human

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 20:00

Beyond the Brand: Building trust through values and integrity
1.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
11 Nov 2025 - 11 Nov 2025

Beyond the Brand: Building trust through values and integrity

Society1, Coworking Space, Preston, PR1 3LT

18:00 - 20:00

The Business Network Central and East Lancashire
LBV Hub Networking
13 Nov 2025 - 13 Nov 2025

The Business Network Central and East Lancashire

Stanley House, Blackburn, BB2 7NP

11:30 - 14:15

The AI Lab: E-commerce
Ai Lab ecommerce (1).png.png
LBV Hub Seminars
14 Nov 2025 - 14 Nov 2025

The AI Lab: E-commerce

Door4 Office, Burnley Wharf, Burnley, BB11 1JG

09:00 - 11:30

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV124 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin