West Midlands Business Festival

Join us for Next Stop Europe, an event designed for creative, digital, and immersive organisations seeking to expand internationally.

Organised as part of the West Midlands Business Festival, the event will bring together innovators, universities, networks, and project coordinators to explore how to build strong European partnerships, access funding opportunities, and develop the skills needed for successful collaborative projects.

Participants will also hear about the support available to help R&D-active SMEs showcase their innovations, connect with European partners, and explore international markets.

Through interactive networking sessions, expert insights, and practical advice, you’ll gain the tools and connections to position your business for growth and collaboration in 2026 and beyond.

Whether you’re looking to expand your business, find collaborators or gain insider knowledge of European opportunities, this event is a must-attend for creative tech innovators ready to take the next step.

This event is organised by the Innovation Alliance for the West Midlands, in collaboration with Coventry University, Novation Europe, Create Central, and the West Midlands Combined Authority, and is supported by Innovate UK and the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology.

Agenda:

• Arrival - 9:30 - 10:00am
• Opening (Ros Povilionis, Innovation Alliance for the West Midlands)
• Setting the Scene: The European CreaTech Landscape (David Hope, Coventry City Council)
• Business Case: The Impact of European Collaborations on My Business (John Sewell, Cosimo Art)
• Existing Opportunity: CreaTech Frontiers: European Exchange and Exploitation Pilot (Lisa Wilson, Coventry University)
• Panel - European Collaborations: What we wish we’d known at the start Chaired by Sinead Ouillon (Coventry University) Panellists: Fiona Latter (WMCA) Malcolm Barnes (Hollywood Gaming) Csaba Berenyi (Sponge Hammer)
• Roundtable Introductions
• Closing remarks
• Lunch and networking

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Location

The Delia Derbyshire Building, Coventry University, Cox Street, Coventry, West Midlands, CV1 5PH