ClimbUK Round-Up Discussion: What we’ve learnt from Climb24

Climb24 6 months On:

This year, Climb 24 took place on the 5th and 6th June. The event took place at Leeds Dock and around the Royal Armouries and attracted over 2000 delegates who came to spend two days learning how to accelerate the growth of their businesses. The delegates got hear talks by speakers who are experts in their field, as well as take part in masterclass, workshop and roundtable sessions where they could develop their knowledge and take away real world skills to scale their companies. They also enjoyed networking and learning about the latest technology in the exhibition hall, which was packed with exhibition stands showcasing the latest in UK Innovation. The UK’s Festival of Growth, featured speakers from a range of industries all of whom were there to discuss topics as varied as AI, diversity, mental health, and sustainability and investment. Speakers delivering these talks included the Senior Vice President of Sony Pictures Entertainment and the Former Executive Vice President and CFO of Pixar Animation.

What was new at Climb24?

At this year’s event, data, sustainability, growth, and diversity were all talk of the town, but it is AI that really was on everyone’s lips. As with the Climb23 event, the topics mentioned during talks reflected areas in which businesses were investing the most money with Google and OpenAI making considerable investments into their MML model. This year, among the many topics broached, ethical issues around AI, generative AI and how to leverage AI were the most burning.

Highlight speakers at Climb24 - which speakers stood out the most?

Key speakers at the event included Executive Coach Dr Gary Crotaz who, together with Dominic McGregor, the Co-Founder of Social Chain, spoke about his ‘Unlock Moment’ and how as a young entrepreneur, he was forced to discover the necessity of focusing on his own health and wellbeing. Other highlights included interviews with Simon Bax, the Former Executive Vice President and CFO of Pixar Animation and Jake Zim the SVP Virtual Reality at Sony Pictures Entertainment. Both brought forward their experience of leading large businesses that have innovation at their core.

Jake Zim on stage at Climb24

 Other standout topics included Diversity and Inclusion, Digital Innovation and What Investors Want From AI. Industry experts led discussions, providing attendees with actionable insights for business growth

The Event Captured on Social Media:

On social media, Climb 24 became a conversation starter before, during and after the event. Pre-event, the team behind the festival brought a sea of orange to Leeds Dock and the Royal Armouries as signage was put up around the area, as reflected by a LinkedIn post published by Climb24.

The 2-day event sparked enthusiastic responses from attendees on LinkedIn. Many highlighted the chance to connect with online contacts face to face, others commented on the valuable information they learned whilst listening to the talks with one person expressing their enthusiasm for Gen AI and the impact it will have on business in the future. The event also generated thoughtful discussions about ethics behind AI. Meanwhile, other delegates commented on meeting Tracy Brabin the mayor of West Yorkshire, on coming back for the 2025 event, on the activities on offer, and on their enthusiasm for travelling back to the Leeds Railway Station on the famous Water Taxi.

Key takeaways in preparation for Climb25

Climb24 was a resounding success, the event exceeded all our expectations and the talks on topics such as mental health and AI made a lasting impression on the delegates attending them. More of the same can be expected at Climb25 that will take place on 2nd and 3rd July at Leeds Dock. This includes the development of a brand-new app. Using AI, Climb's new app intelligently matches attendees with individuals who can best support their business goals. This includes connecting them with investors seeking similar businesses, potential clients in their industry, and seasoned entrepreneurs offering valuable insights on scaling. The app simplifies collaboration and meeting scheduling, igniting relationships that drive success.