Industry Showcase Event

Get an exclusive guided tour of our facilities, showcasing how we bring students, businesses, and ideas together.

Alongside a visit to the Game Changer Labs, you’ll explore our open-access spaces for the local business community, Google-style creativity labs, a trading floor with London Stock Exchange Group terminals, Harvard-style lecture theatres, Executive Education boardrooms, co-working hubs, and flexible conferencing and events spaces.

You’ll also have the chance to meet some of the businesses co-locating with us, offering a full picture of how we support industry engagement.

During the Lab tour, you'll:

• Hear a presentation from Enactus Derby, sharing their mission, impact, and how businesses can get involved.
• Learn about the Game Changer Awards and how your business can contribute as mentors, coaches, or judges.
• Meet with The King’s Trust, who will be offering in-person consultations for young aspiring entrepreneurs looking to launch a business. This is a chance to understand how the Trust is supporting future business leaders through guidance and funding.

Featured exhibitors include:

• Business Support Services – A central hub for enterprise support, including Business Gateway services.
• EarthScale – Explore opportunities in environmental innovation.
• Work Health Hub – Discuss how human sustainability can support business success.
• Enterprise Service, Banks Mill and Create Growth – Discover co-working and creative enterprise support, backed by student talent.
• Human Performance Unit – Learn how sports science and health research can benefit your business.
• Careers and Employment Services – Unlock student and graduate engagement for your business.
• University of Derby Delivery and Project Teams – Showcasing strategic business support across sectors.

Time: 10:15am

Delivered by: Professor Marvin Cooke  

Marvin Cooke, Professor of Enterprise at the University of Derby and former Executive Vice President for Manufacturing at Toyota Motor Europe will discuss practical lessons from Toyota that are transferable to any business, along with Regenerative Leadership for the future.

Time: 11:00am

Delivered by: Dr Daithí McMahon, Associate Professor of Media & Culture

This interactive session will explore the growth and reach potentially offered through contemporary podcasting solutions and why so many companies are investing in this responsive and cost-effective communication medium. We'll highlight how you can access our industry-leading digital media studios and collaborative production facilities to bring your podcasting ideas to life.

Time: 1:00pm

Delivered by: Professor Mark Gilman, Professor of Economics

Are you looking to grow your business? Your organisation has the power to drive a thriving regional economy and strengthen your community. But growth isn’t always easy as challenges like skills shortages, funding, innovation, and strategic planning can hold you back.  Join us to hear how the Promoting Sustainable Performance (PSP) diagnostic tool can help organisations grow quicker, work better, and perform more competitively.

Time: 1:00pm

Delivered by: Dr Elnerine Greeff, Senior Lecturer in Marketing

Join us for an immersive introduction to digital marketing, designed to unlock the potential of digital tools to elevate your business performance. Our session explores essential topics that drive successful marketing in today’s competitive landscape, including: 

• Mobile digital marketing
• Compiling digital campaigns, strategies and plans
• Digital marketing platforms and the AIDA model
• SEO and keyword mapping
• Social media and digital customer engagement

Time: 1:00pm

Delivered by: Kate Wood & Gen Blakeley

This workshop will raise awareness of the importance of human sustainability and how this impacts business productivity and growth. We will explore how psychological safety is the catalyst for human sustainability and provide an understanding of how you can nurture psychological safety in your workplace to achieve better results. 

Time: 2:00pm

Delivered by: Tom Malpass, Andy Dowling & Ben Cope

Apprenticeships are a powerful tool for business development and talent cultivation. This session demystifies how apprenticeships work, what options are available through the University of Derby, and how they can be tailored to meet your organisation's needs. Learn how to attract, train, and retain future talent in a way that supports sustainable business growth.

Time: 2:00pm 

Delivered by: Jacqui Measures and Sarah Reynolds 

This session will showcase the many ways you can engage with our student and graduate talent, and the support available to help. Whether you’re looking to develop future leaders or boost short-term capacity, we’ll guide you through the best options. By offering work opportunities, you can nurture fresh talent, bring in new skills, and benefit from their high-level expertise and innovative thinking

Time: 2:00pm

Delivered by: Orla Kelleher, Senior Lecturer in Responsible Management.

Join us for an exclusive session introducing the Help to Grow: Management Course, a 12-week programme designed to help senior leaders and managers build resilience, boost performance, and achieve strategic growth and sustainable innovation tackling issues such as digital adoption, sustainability, marketing and growth strategies.  

Time: 3:00pm 

Delivered by: Dr Gerri Mortimore, Associate Professor in Advanced Clinical Practice

Join Associate Professor Gerri Mortimore for an eye-opening session that dives into the everyday choices impacting your health and productivity. Whether you are desk-bound or constantly on the move, this session offers you knowledge and practical strategies to help you become healthier, more resilient and contribute to a happier, more productive workforce.

Time: 3:00pm 

Delivered by: Dr Polina Baranova, Associate Professor of Strategy and Sustainability

Looking to grow your business and contribute to sustainable regional development? Based on a 10-year study of the green growth trends in the region, we present benefits, barriers and strategic approaches to succeed in the green market niches. Our experts share the latest research and experience of working with businesses that lead contribution to sustainable regional development.  

Time: 3:00pm

Delivered by: Sophie Beer, Knowledge Exchange Manager

Connect with experts to tackle strategic innovation challenges. Funded by Innovate UK, Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) have been helping businesses and organisations innovate for growth since 1975. They enable unique collaborative partnerships between universities and businesses, charities or third sector organisations. Find out how Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTPs) can transform your business.