Sunderland Business Week 2026 kicks off with an event featuring a panel of key civic leaders including Patrick Melia OBE from Sunderland City Council, Paul McEldon OBE from the North East BIC, Sir David Bell from the University of Sunderland, Toni Rhodes from Education Partnership North East, and Sharon Appleby from Sunderland BIDs.
The event is invite only for Sunderland Business Partnership members. If you’re interested in joining the partnership and would like to attend as a guest please get in touch using the button below.
Sunderland City Council’s Business Investment Team is hosting an Access to Business Support event for Sunderland Businesses.
The event will showcase the wide range of support programmes that are available to businesses in the city including funding, grants, loans, information, guidance and practical support that can assist businesses to set up, grow and expand.
Hosted by Northstar Ventures, this panel will bring together Sunderland-based founders and investors to explore what it takes to build and scale an ambitious business from the city.
The discussion will introduce the Venture Sunderland Fund, which backs ambitious, scalable businesses in Sunderland, and explore how investment can support the city’s next generation of growth businesses.
An interactive session on leading, engaging and retaining the workforce of tomorrow.
Louise Kennedy, Founder of Oculus HR, is bringing her podcast series, Mind the Generation Gap, off the screen and onto the stage for a live panel discussion.
Louise will be joined by a panel of Gen Z employees, entrepreneurs and senior business leaders to share honest experiences, challenge assumptions and explore practical solutions for modern employers.
Join the North East BIC for an exciting event designed to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs, innovators and business leaders. Hear real stories from local entrepreneurs and discover how your skills and passions can create opportunities for the future.
Registrations are opening soon, if you would like more information about the event, use the button below to get in touch.
The Collective is joining forces with Richard Reed Solicitors to bring together a panel of leading Sunderland businesses to explore the people, relationships and collaborations shaping the city’s next chapter. This conversation will explore the power of genuine connection, shared ambition and collaboration and how people continue to be the driving force behind Sunderland’s growth.
Taking place at one the city’s exciting new venues guests will enjoy a welcome drink on arrival, along with a selection of delicious small bites.
The flagship event of Sunderland Business Week 2026, this dynamic, festival-style event will feature a full day of engaging talks, interactive workshops and valuable networking opportunities.
Headliners will include entrepreneur and TV personality Spencer Matthews, who rose to fame for his role on hit TV show Made in Chelsea, before founding CleanCo, the world’s leading independent non-alcoholic spirits brand – inspired by his own journey into sobriety, the company offers alcohol-free alternatives to gin, rum, tequila, whiskey and vodka.
Spencer has also achieved remarkable feats as an endurance athlete, holding three Guinness World Records, including completing Ironman-distance triathlons across all seven continents in just 21 days.
He also featured in the hit Disney+ documentary Finding Michael which followed Spencer’s journey to Everest’s treacherous “Death Zone” to recover the body of his older brother, Michael Matthews, the youngest Briton to summit the mountain at age 22, before tragically disappearing on the mountain in 1999.
Spencer will be bringing his insights on resilience, purpose-driven leadership and personal transformation to SunFest, in our opening keynote session.
More details will be announced shortly.
Through a reverse networking session, pupils will lead the conversations, gathering honest insights about skills, recruitment, career pathways and the future of your industry.
Using this intelligence, mixed teams will work together to design an immersive industry experience that showcases your sector, develops the skills employers need and inspires more young people to explore local opportunities.
