Leeds has a genuine, accessible business community. Here are the events and organisations worth your time.

Regular Events

  • Silicon Canal: Monthly meetups for tech founders. Casual, practical, well-attended.
  • Leeds Chamber of Commerce: Formal networking breakfasts and events. Good for B2B service businesses.
  • 4Networking: Weekly morning meetings. Referral-based model. Good for local service businesses.
  • West Yorkshire Founders: Peer support group for early-stage founders.

Annual Events

  • Leeds Digital Festival: 200+ sessions across the city. The biggest tech event in the North.
  • Northern Startup Awards: Awards recognising the best startups across the North.
  • YEN (Yorkshire Enterprise Network): Annual conference and awards.

Online Communities

  • Leeds Freelancers Slack: Active community for freelancers based in Leeds
  • Digital Leeds LinkedIn: Industry news and job postings

For more on the Leeds business environment, see starting a business in Leeds and the Leeds startup ecosystem.