Then look no further, because we’ve rounded up twelve of the UK and Europe’s best tech fests. From adventures at the inaugural Manchester Tech Festival to Estonia’s flagship tech event, Latitude59, we’re walking you through 2022’s most unmissable events. That’s right, it’s ‘Twelve Unmissable Tech Fests To Attend in 2022’. Try saying that three times, fast…
When: 7th – 11th March
Where: Manchester Central & Online
Digital City Festival takes over Manchester this March, with Digital City Expo descending upon Manchester Central, and a selection of fringe events taking place throughout the city. Key programme topics include digital infrastructure, skills and talent, digital transformation, bridging the digital divide, growth and productivity, and culture.
When: 25th – 27th April
Where: Leeds City Centre & Online
Following last year’s success, the April “mini-fest” returns for 2022. Team LDF have curated a programme of events spanning 3 days this Spring, ahead of the main open-platform event in September. New for this year, the April edition is themed around sustainability and will unpack how the tech sector in Leeds City region and beyond is helping to tackle some of the biggest issues facing people and planet – from fast fashion to climate change and more!
When: 9th – 13th May
Where: Sheffield City Centre & Online
Since its inception in 2018, the Sheffield Digital Festival has fast become one of Yorkshire’s most prolific tech events, and with a tagline like “where creativity meets technical excellence” you know it’s going to be chock full of tech goodness. This year’s theme of ‘Our Future City’ will see the programme include three streams of activity where Sheffield is already setting itself apart from the rest, including: HealthTech, Arts, Culture & Heritage and Enabling Decarbonisation.
When: 19th – 20th May
Where: Tallinn, Estonia & Online
Often cited as one of the most advanced digital societies in the world, Estonia has built a brilliantly efficient, transparent and innovative tech ecosystem. Latitude59 is a hallmark of that ecosystem, and a beacon of the region’s thriving tech and startup scene. From world-renowned pitching opportunities to the L59 mentoring scheme, Latitude59 is a must-see for any budding tech entrepreneur. And don’t forget to come and say hello to the LDF team if you do make it to Tallinn!
When: 13th – 17th June
Where: ExCel, London & Online
The (southern) jewel in the crown of UK tech, London Tech Week is a world-renowned celebration of all things digital. Welcoming over 20,000 attendees each year – including global government and corporate leaders, senior investors and rising tech stars – it’s esteemed guests for 2022 include Former US Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton and Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan. As well as the programme’s anchor events, ticket holders will also gain access to vision stages, demo areas, pitch competitions, and countless networking opportunities.
When: 13th – 15th June
Where: Kings Cross, London & Online
Now in its 6th year, CogX Festival brings together CEOs, Entrepreneurs, Academics, Artists, Activists & Policy Makers to share ideas, champion positive change and address the overall theme of ‘How do we get the next 10 years right’. Previous incarnations have welcomed senior management from Visa, BT, Amazon, AstraZeneca, the BBC, Rolls Royce and McKinsey to the stage, and in 2021 the festival was joined by actor and investor, Robert Downey Jr., and Grammy Award-winning producer and musician, Nile Rodgers. We can’t wait to see what’s in store for 2022!
When: 16th – 17th June
Where: Taets Art & Event Park, Amsterdam
TNW 2022 is bigger, bolder and better than ever, with more speakers, workshops, businesses, networking and attendees on offer. Returning to the Taets Art & Event Park in Amsterdam for two days in June, you can expect to rub shoulders with international tech executives, VC’s, policymakers, authors, startups and scale-ups. Though this year’s lineup is yet to be released, with senior reps from VICE, Reddit, WeTransfer, Vimeo and Wikipedia as previous contributors, we’re confident the 2022 lineup will be just as brilliant.
When: 19th – 30th September
Where: Leeds City Centre & Online
Leeds Digital Festival returns in its open-platform format this September, inviting the city region’s best and brightest tech minds to create a programme of 200+ brilliant events. Dubbed ‘The Tech Event For Everyone’, the Festival will include events across 19 tech categories, covering everything from Coding to Fintech, AI, Arts and everything else in between. Last year saw the likes of the G7 and DCMS take to the Festival stage, and we played host to the UK’s first ever NFT Treasure Hunt (courtesy of Journey Further). Join our mailing list to make sure you don’t miss the latest #LeedsDigi22 updates!
Where: TBA
When: October 2022, Dates TBA
Centred around “Inclusive Disruption”, Black Tech Fest is a 3-day digital experience during the UK’s Black History month. The festival brings together innovators, creators, and leaders of tomorrow to celebrate Black culture and explore innovation. The programme is divided into five tracks, covering everything from inclusive finance to landing a job in tech, and featuring headline events such at the Belonging Summit, which explores inclusion through the lens of product, people and culture. Though the festival dates for 2022 are yet to be announced, BTF is back in October so stick it in your diary and keep those eyes peeled!
When: 17th – 21st October
Where: Victoria Baths, Manchester & Online
Brand new for this year, Manchester Tech Festival descends upon the rainy city for one week in October, showcasing the diverse talent and innovative businesses which call it home. The programme – which is set to include 40+ free events – centres around a two-day event at the iconic Victoria Baths, with additional events and meetups taking place around Manchester throughout the week. LDF’s own Stuart Clarke is on the Advisory Board for MTF, joining a host of other tech leaders from the North of England to strengthen, and celebrate the Northern tech sector.
When: 8th – 12th November
Where: Bonus Arena, Hull & Online
The Humber has powered the UK economy for decades, bringing everything from food to freight, coal to cars, passengers to petroleum. And now, Tech Week Humber showcases to the world the incredible innovation taking place in the region. Focusing on areas such as smart cities, IoT, Blockchain, ML, Software Development, Cyber Security and Infrastructure, each year the event welcomes thousands of guests to the Humber and reaches countless others through their programme of online events. With a guest list that includes the likes of IBM, Google, AWS, Oracle, and Apple, it’s certainly not a bad place to find yourself if you’re looking to further your tech career or stay up to date with the latest in tech innovation.
When: 1st – 2nd December
Where: Olympia, London & Online
Intent on ‘Powering the connected world with IoT’, the world-leading IoT Tech Expo Global lands at the London Olympia this December to host its sixth annual global event. Spanning two days, the programme will feature content and thought leadership discussions across 5 co-located events covering IoT, 5G, Cyber Security & Cloud, Blockchain, AI & Big Data and the newly added Digital Transformation track. The expo also offers countless networking opportunities – from virtual meetings to on-site lounges and the official networking party, its 5000 attendees will find themselves among some of the tech world’s most influential CTO’s, Heads of Innovation and VC’s.
