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A scene from last year's successful Venturefest

Venturefest, the North-West’s biggest annual innovation conference and exhibition, comes to Manchester Central on Thursday, September 13, providing a unique networking platform for companies from Oldham to meet businesses from across the region.

The event - which brings together hundreds of innovators, entrepreneurs, investors and business leaders - is also once again hosting the Innovation Showcase competition.

Now in its fifth year, the Innovation Showcase is open to investment-ready firms from Oldham, from within any sector, who believe they have a product, service or commercial idea which could grow rapidly with the right support and funding.

Previous winners have gone on to secure substantial investment, with runners-up also experiencing great interest in their proposition from business angels, venture capitalists, potential customers and partners.

It has been calculated that 2017’s entries alone generated over £4m of funding offers from having taken part in the Innovation Showcase initiative.

The prestige of winning has also seen firms being able to attract high quality staff and enjoy an enhanced reputation as an innovative, ambitious and successful business. 

In addition, the companies that scoop the top prize will win a package of business support worth thousands of pounds from partners of Venturefest’s organisers, GC Business Growth Hub.

This year there are four separate categories to enter: Product Innovation, Service Innovation, Digital Innovation and Innovative Established Business.

There will also be an Overall Winner, plus a Venturefest Audience Winner chosen by a vote on the day.

Entry is free and the closing date is July 31.

For more information on the event and to access the Innovation Showcase online entry form, visit: www.venturefestnorthwest.com.