Lancashire’s annual innovation and technology festival is set to return next week, bringing together founders, investors and business leaders from across the UK.
LIFT 26, funded by Lancashire County Council and delivered through the Innovate Lancashire programme, will take place on Thursday 11 June at Burnley FC’s Turf Moor stadium, with organisers promising a programme packed with keynotes, fireside chats and panel sessions filled with practical advice.
Major investors – including several VCs and angels – will also be speaking at LIFT. The line-up includes Alex Heerema, an investment manager at VC firm Ascension and Sarah Barber, managing partner at leading London-based capital investment firm, Jenson Funding Partners.
They’ll be joined by serial entrepreneur James Butcher, a founding member of Lancashire’s Fhunded Angel network; Jane Theaker, a life sciences investment consultant from SpinXperts; and Toby Biollo, a tech investment specialist from HSBC Innovation Banking.
Speaking from both a founder and investor perspective, attendees can also expect to hear from Hazel Savage, a punk rocker turned music tech founder who sold her AI music tech business Musiio to SoundCloud in 2022 and currently heads up the Leeds Angels syndicate in West Yorkshire.
“As someone who went from playing in punk bands and working for disruptive tech firms like Shazam, to building and selling my own company to SoundCloud, I fully understand the mindset of entrepreneurs who are passionate about their business,” said Hazel Savage.
“Now, as an angel investor, I can also see things from a funder’s perspective, and I’ll be sharing insights from both sides of the table when I come to Burnley in June.”
The day event features other Northern founders discussing the realities of building and scaling businesses, including Mary Speakman, co-founder of Blackpool software company Code Galaxy; Ben Stuart, founder of Cumbrian soft-drink brand Lakes Soda; Mark Kelly, MD of Chorley firm Kelmore; and Graham Chadwick, founder of Burnley-based edtech business Gener8 Spaces.
Jonny Clark, CEO of Capital Enterprise and active angel investor known across the region for running the Liverpool Slush’D events in 2023 and 2024, will be hosting the event.
Clark said: “Having run events like Liverpool Slush’D, I know just how much untapped business growth potential there is in the region. But what LIFT demonstrates is that it’s not just about cities like Liverpool and Manchester, and that Lancashire has a dynamic founder community driving its own thriving innovation-led economy.
“The fact LIFT will see angels and VCs from across the UK coming to Burnley is also testament to just how far Lancashire has come as an investor destination, and I’m really looking forward to hosting it.”
Daniel Fletcher, senior associate at Forbes Solicitors which is sponsoring the event, added: “LIFT helps to strengthen the region’s economy by encouraging innovation. It provides valuable support for entrepreneurs and scale-ups, and connects ambitious companies with professionals who can share experience and high-quality advice that drives growth.
“It’s a privilege to be involved with LIFT and to have the opportunity to support Lancashire’s early-stage ecosystem.”
