If RISE 2025 was the pilot, RISE 2026 is the scale-up.
We’re returning to The Midland, Manchester, but this time we’re taking more space, more rooms, and more of the building — because the demand, and the ambition, have both grown.
From One Room to a Whole Ecosystem
With the expanded footprint, RISE 2026 will be able to offer:
- Parallel sector streams – so women can choose sessions most relevant to their journey
- More roundtables – focused on health, trade, tech, education, finance, sustainability, and culture
- Dedicated spaces for:
- Youth and early-career leaders
- International delegates
- Policy and civic leadership conversations
- Spotlight sessions with sponsors and strategic partners
- More curated one-to-one slots with leaders from business, trade bodies, legal, investment and diplomacy
In short: the space physically reflects what we’re building conceptually — an ecosystem, not just an event.
Deepening the “Stage to Strategy” Promise
RISE 2026 will build on themes surfaced in 2025 and in the RISE reports:
- Moving from inspiration to implementation
- Linking awards recognition to policy, resources, and opportunities
- Bringing together corporates, public sector, educators, entrepreneurs, and community leaders
- Creating measurable pathways: internships, pilots, collaborations, fellowships and more
With partners like Slater Heelis and Dematic, and with returning and new sponsors still to be announced, the 2026 edition will also place stronger emphasis on:
- Skills – practical, sector-specific and leadership skills
- Systems – legal, financial, operational frameworks that support women’s growth
- Structures – networks, alliances, and programmes that live beyond the day itself
