Small or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the UK economy. As of December, there were 5.7 million businesses registered in the UK, of which more than 99% are SMEs, accounting for 60% of employment and 51% of turnover.

The North, in particular Manchester, is a hotbed for SMEs, with the city ranking first nationally for SME growth with a 36% rise since 2010. Manchester is also fast emerging as a tech hub for the UK, and the Northern Powerhouse Partnership have called for investment to support further growth, particularly around digital.

Join Martin Bryant, consultant, speaker, writer and educator, along with speakers including; Alison Mckenzie-Folan, Deputy CEO at Wigan Council; Sara Simeone, VP of Marketing at Wakelet, and Ruth Harrison, Managing Director at Thoughtworks, amongst others. They will discuss important issues relating to the digital skills gap, how to compete with corporate giants and how machine learning can be used to plan digital marketing strategies more effectively.

The conference will be followed by networking and drinks.

Registration is essential, as places are limited.