Full line-up revealed for Enterprise Week event LEVELUP

Details of the key speakers, panellists and sponsors have been announced for a two day online event drawing on and looking at business innovation and best practice from around the world.
By Claire Cartmill
Published 9th Apr 2021, 13:00 BST
Updated 9th Apr 2021, 14:04 BST
The Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Brian Tierney pictured at Ebrington for the launch of the ‘Level Up Initiative with Alastair Cameron, founder, Startacus. Back from left are Jade Bradley, Restore Nutrition, Laverne O’Donnell, Business Officer, DCSDC and Emily McCorkell, Lo and SloThe Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Brian Tierney pictured at Ebrington for the launch of the ‘Level Up Initiative with Alastair Cameron, founder, Startacus. Back from left are Jade Bradley, Restore Nutrition, Laverne O’Donnell, Business Officer, DCSDC and Emily McCorkell, Lo and Slo
The Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Brian Tierney pictured at Ebrington for the launch of the ‘Level Up Initiative with Alastair Cameron, founder, Startacus. Back from left are Jade Bradley, Restore Nutrition, Laverne O’Donnell, Business Officer, DCSDC and Emily McCorkell, Lo and Slo

LEVELUP, delivered by Startacus, is taking place during Derry and Strabane Enterprise Week and will examine the changes that businesses can make and the opportunities that exist to thrive in our new economy – whether as individuals, organisations or regions.

The event will take place on Wednesday, April 21 and Thursday 22 and will feature a series of inspirational sessions on six core themes: Smart Cities, Places and Rural Innovation, Retail and High Street, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Health and Wellness, Social Change and Diversity and Inclusion.

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The key speakers and panellists confirmed so far are Izzy Obeng - Entrepreneur, business coach and professional speaker leading Foundervine, Ben Scott Robinson, Co-founder of Small Robot Company, Devika Wood, Leading UK entrepreneur and founder of I am Arla, Philip McLaughlin, Client Manager, ESRI Ireland, John Hoyle, Founder of Sook, a company that reactivates empty spaces, Liz Choonara, Head of Entrepreneurship at leading UK Charity CRISIS, Joe Richardson and Venetia Hulse from Corporate Innovation Consultancy L Marks and Christine White, Head of Business, Diversity Mark NI.

The event will also feature the NI startup pitch competition, LEVELUP 2021, where up to 14 early stage innovative digital / tech start-ups will compete for a £2k cash prize.

Applications for this remain open until Saturday, April 10, the winner of the virtual pitch competition will be decided by a high level panel of judges which includes: Dave Graham, Dell Technologies, Naomi Timperley, Tech North Advocates, Audrey Osborne, Techstart VC, Beth Glenfield, Scout for Ada Ventures, Shaun Sharkey, Equity Fundraising Manager, Crowdcube and Nico Albanese, Ascension Venture.

Anne Lawlor, CEO of Journey Protector, and winner of ‘The 20’ pitch competition at last year’s LineUP event will also be back to chat about the last 12 months and what she and her business have achieved.

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LEVELUP will also feature an early-evening Speed Networking event on April 21. The virtual event, taking place on Zoom, is being powered by NetMinds, and will provide opportunities for attendees to engage, build valuable connections, inspire others and be inspired.

It will follow a similar format to the recent speed networking event which Startacus had facilitated for female founders as part of International Women’s Day. Further details and opportunities to book tickets for the speed networking event will be announced shortly.

In addition to Derry City and Strabane District Council as strategic partners, LEVELUP organisers and facilitators Startacus are delighted to announce that the Council will be joined as major sponsors of the event by North West Regional College and Ulster University.

In addition, Allstate NI, ESRI Ireland, RAISE Ventures and RealTime Recruitment will be sponsoring individual sessions over the course of the 2-day event.

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Enterprise Week 2021 will be held from Monday, April 19 to Friday 23 and will offer expert support in building business resilience and how to tailor operations and services to meet the unprecedented challenges that the expected reopening of full trading will bring.

Among the highlights in the five day programme are three Full Circle hosted workshops on Business Resilience, Social Media and Online Advertising.

You can register for all the events at derrystrabane.com/enterpriseweek where the full programme is also available.Free tickets are now available to be booked for individual sessions or for all.

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