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We want to awaken your entrepreneurial potential and welcome you to our annual WhatNext? Conference. This jam-packed day will allow you to hear from a range of leading entrepreneurs and visionaries. Alongside talks we'll also be holding a variety of workshops designed to stretch and challenge your thoughts and opinions. Previous workshops have been facilitated by Uber, Dotforge and Ignite. Expect another great selection of workshop leaders this year at WhatNext? 2017. Registration for the workshops will take place in the morning.
Included in each ticket is free breakfast and lunch, free nibbles and refreshments throughout the day, and free afterparty drinks at VIVA Manchester. This is Manchester Entrepreneur's flagship event of the year and we'd love for you to join us. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to get in touch.
Louis-James Davis, Emma Jones, Fraser Williams, River Tamoor Baig, James Akrigg, Martin Bryant, Keith Mabbutt, Peter Sage, Tom Cheesewright, John Bird, Steve Bartlett, Alex Depledge, Solly Sol, James Eder, Tony Anderson, Jonathan May, Jessica Huie, Neil Clough, George Burgess, Caleb Meakins, Piers Ridyard
We welcome individuals from all walks of life, from freshers to final year students, to graduates and professionals. Whether you're looking for a busines partner or just to hang out with people of similar interests, come along and say hi.
To enter, please submit a 1 minute video of your pitch to us on twitter @m_entrepreneurs or send a Facebook message to us directly. Please make sure you state whether you are entering the Business or Digital category. You must have purchased a ticket to enter. Finalists will be invited to pitch to the audience. Elevator pitch (1min), no slides.
Before setting-up jwc, the multi award-winning PR company, John Warburton worked for news organisations including the BBC, The Sunday Times and The Sun. As a journalist he went on tour with the Happy Mondays, had his socks set on fire and got trapped on the roof of a bus. So he wrote a best-selling book about it. Working in broadcast he created TV and radio shows and these days he uses his unrivalled media knowledge to run jwc, a Manchester PR and digital communications company which specialises in media relations for B2B and B2C businesses across a number of sectors. For a hobby John performs stand-up comedy at theatres and comedy clubs – including the world famous Comedy Store - and counts many of today’s household names as friends.
Naomi runs Coo Digital and is Cofounder of Tech North Advocates. She is also a mentor, TEDx speaker, trainer, connector and chair of Capitol Pilot, an investment platform. Naomi was named in 'The Maserati 100' 2015 - a definitive list of Britain's most successful business leaders actively supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs.
Amy is a Research Student at The Mixed Reality Laboratory, currently working with The Able Orchestra Project looking at enabling interactions with sound technologies. She is also lead organiser of the Women in Technology conference at The University of Nottingham & HackSoc's Inclusivity and Outreach Secretary.
Alessandro is a musician, sound engineer and team leader at The MUSIC Group innovation department. The MUSIC Group is one of the world's most innovative and largest holding companies for some of the finest brands in the audio industry. Their cutting edge technology products are found everywhere from professional recording studios to stadiums.
John is the founder and CEO of M14 Industries. M14 Industries build technology to power niche dating websites. Their first dating app is Bristlr with over 150,000 members, connecting those with beards to those who want to stroke beards. John has recently appeared on Dragon's Den where he was called one of the most investable people to have been on the show.
Bruce is a 22 year old entrepreneur and founder of We Are The Future. His organisation hosts entrepreneurship summits across the world to bring together business leaders, innovators and startups. In addition to being a passionate social entrepreneur he is also Chairman of The Entrepreneur's Foundation, Board Adviser at Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce and Partner at FutureX.
Menu 1: Chicken Curry and Rice
Menu 2: Vegetable Lasagna
Menu 3: Vegan Chickpea Curry
In The City have curated a panel of renowned entrepreneurs for a discussion on life as an entrepreneur in Manchester. We'll be talking through opportunities that exist in Manchester as a city, the importance of fostering a community, as well as learning a bit more about what personally makes these entrepreneurs tick. Lisa is the CEO and brainchild behind the modern fusion food experience of Sweet Mandarin, an award winning Chinese restaurant in Manchester. Lisa won the prestigious award of Best Local Chinese Restaurant 2009/10 on the F Word. Henry has spent the last 4 years running operations in tech startups. Henry is the director of a vast network of decision makers through In The City Club where he connects startups to investors, corporates to charities, working to grow the economy. Sam started his first business at age 14 and SAMTEQ, his software development company, at just 16. Most recently Sam co-founded TickX, a ticket search engine, and in early 2017 turned down three investment opportunities whilst pitching the company on Dragon's Den.
Maria is Head of Digital at the BBC Academy. She is responsible for the engagement and user experience of Academy users and delegates across all digital channels including virtual and online learning, web, mobile, social and emerging channels for the BBC.
Campus Capital is a Venture Capital fund that works in partnership UK’s leading universities. They provide an opportunity for students to part-run the fund and experience investing from a VC’s side of the table. Their workshop will be on everything Venture Capital for entrepreneurs and startups.
Entrepreneurial Spark is the world's largest free six-month business accelerator for early stage and growing ventures. Together with their partners like NatWest, RBS, KPMG Enterprise and Dell EMC, they offer specialist mentoring, investment opportunities and pitching training. Their workshop will be on how to effectively pitch your business idea to investors.
Revolution Hive is a personal development organisation primary focused on working with young people to drive social impact by helping them transform their lives through personal development. Their workshop will be on finding your life's mission, the importance of self-development and applying that to building your business.
Tim is the CEO and founder of CANDDi, an innovative marketing platform that gives companies real insight into their customer's online interactions. Since 2001 Tim has founded five companies and worked with organisations such as Orange, DHL and TelSur. Tim is active in the startup community and regularly provides advice and assistance to other startups across Manchester.
Arches 3 and 4 Deansgate Locks
Whitworth Street West
Manchester
M1 5LH
We had the guys from included.co live blogging the event last year. Tweets, photos and videos as it happened.
Great day planned by the .@M_Entrepreneur and .@WhatNextMCR.
— Rahul Verma (@RahulV90) 27 February 2016
So, #whatnext16 ?
21 hours later back in my bed. Such an excellent day at #whatnext16 so well executed by @M_Entrepreneurs @DamianKys @Vojtrrr and team
— Edward Smith (@ecpsmith) 28 February 2016
Was a fascinating day at #WhatNext16. Thank all 300+ of you for making it so awesome and to @includedco for sponsoring the chronicle!
— playbyplay.io (@playbyplayio) 27 February 2016
A hilarious start to head of partners at #microsoft @jakkrig talk at #whatnext16 @m_entrepreneurs pic.twitter.com/RVFGPayc5a
— Manit Sethi (@Manit_Sethi) 27 February 2016
I am absolutely blow away by @PeterSage007
— Nessima Kaabeche (@NessimaKaabeche) 27 February 2016
The most empowering, inspiring and motivating talk i have evet heard!#whatnext16 #entrepreneur
Very inspiring talk from Peter Sage today at the #whatnext16 conference! @PeterSage007 pic.twitter.com/WE4FZsJ6MV
— Hedda Jobraaten (@Hedda_J) 27 February 2016
Well done to all the team @M_Entrepreneurs #whatnext16 has been a huge success. Great speakers and well organised, enjoyable event
— my2be (@my2be_) 27 February 2016
@DamianKys @WhatNextMCR #whatnext16 Damian closing up, incredible, speakers, networking and day @M_Entrepreneurs pic.twitter.com/PHUpK5GhEN
— Georgia Farrugia (@GFSexinaBox) 27 February 2016
Wow....what a day....thanks to everyone involved, you were amazing. A day to remember. @WhatNextMCR #whatnext16 pic.twitter.com/90e5NwbEle
— Damian Kysely (@DamianKys) 27 February 2016
#whatnext16 was incredible.Wonderful energy and speakers,great crowd .
— Nessima Kaabeche (@NessimaKaabeche) 27 February 2016
Thank you @M_Entrepreneurs.let's celebrate! pic.twitter.com/OxRoyk51c4
#whatnext16 Great day, great talks, great afterparty! Thanks a lot @M_Entrepreneurs for making this come true!
— Ben Ormos (@OrmosBen) 27 February 2016
So much love for the @M_Entrepreneurs and @WhatNextMCR community thank you for making #whatnext16 so special. You are all amazing.
— Vojta Petrus (@Vojtrrr) 27 February 2016
Great day so far. Like minded young people all wanting to start cool stuff #whatnext16
— Jamie Rawsthorne (@jamierawsthorne) 27 February 2016
Amazing job from Manchester Entrepreneurs @whatnextconference full of entrepreneurs to-be!! #whatnext16 pic.twitter.com/OA9LBT3heS
— Emma Jones (@emmaljones) 27 February 2016