THE Tees Valley will move onto the national innovation stage after securing a place at an event.

The area is now part of the Venturefest calendar.

Confirmation comes after the Innovate Tees Valley Festival trial event last year, which attracted hundreds of delegates to Middlesbrough FC’s Riverside Stadium.

Organisers say they hope Venturefest Tees Valley will build on such success, adding they aim to attract 400 businesses, entrepreneurs and innovators from across Darlington, Stockton, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough and Redcar and Cleveland to share ideas, grow networks and raise investment.

Paula Rogers-Brown, Venturefest network manager at the Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN), said: “We are really excited to welcome Tees Valley into the national network.

“Venturefest exists because, despite all the advances in technology, innovators, investors and entrepreneurs still struggle to find each other, especially when they are operating in different business sectors.”

Alongside the KTN, Venturefest Tees Valley’s founding partners are Innovate Tees Valley, the support programme run by Teesside University, the North-East Process Industry Cluster, the Materials Processing Institute and Digital City, and Tees Valley Combined Authority.

Professor Jane Turner, pro vice-chancellor for enterprise and business engagement at Teesside University, added: “Innovation has always been at the heart of business in the Tees Valley.”

The event is due to take place on Wednesday, September 13 at Wynyard Hall, near Billingham, Stockton.

It is free for local businesses to attend and registration is open at venturefest.tv