Leeds digital festival doubles in size

The 2017 Leeds Digital Festival has experienced a huge increase in the number of events compared to its first year in 2016.

This year’s festival, will run to 29 April and involves approximately 115 events, up from 56 in 2016, with more than 10,000 attendees expected

Hundreds of Leeds-based firms and speakers will be taking part in the event, including NHS Digital and Sky Betting & Gaming, as well as agencies such as Bloom and Epiphany.

Events cover a number of categories from data to coding to fintech and sports tech. There are also events aimed at encouraging girls and women to choose careers in the digital sector.

Festival director Stuart Clarke said: “It’s great to see the digital community of Leeds come together to build the Leeds Digital Festival.

“The festival is an open platform which truly belongs to the city, not to any one particular group or individual. This year firmly establishes Leeds as the largest digital festival in the North.”

Rob Shaw, chief executive of NHS Digital, added: “As one of the city’s major technology employers, we are delighted to support Leeds Digital Festival.

“We look forward to being part of this week of events which will showcase the city’s impressive digital credential and to opening our doors to show a little bit more of what we do and why we do it.”

Louise Handley from lawyer 3volution concluded: “The line-up of events is fantastically varied and there’s pretty much everything from showcasing the latest digital innovations to practical advice on how to run a successful tech business.”