Preparations have begun for Leicestershire Innovation Festival 2026.

The annual event has been a fixture of the regional business calendar since 2018.

LIF is part of a programme of innovation-related activities across Leicester and Leicestershire. Its purpose is to increase regional productivity by building a collaborative regional innovation ecosystem.

1284 Communications has been involved with the festival since 2018, with George having co-founded the related Leicestershire Innovation Awards while serving as Editor of the Leicester Mercury.

Over recent years, 1284 has supported festival and event organisers with comms and stakeholder engagement work.

Innovation in Leicestershire

The 2026 festival, which will run from Monday 9 March to Friday 13 March, will be a week-long festival of productivity featuring workshops, networking opportunities, and conferences.

1284 Managing Director, George Oliver, said: “The festival has become a platform for celebrating the innovation and ambition driving economic growth across Leicestershire. 

“It continues to bring businesses, educators and innovators together to share ideas and inspire growth. Having been involved since the outset, it’s been fantastic to see how the festival has helped shape the innovation community across Leicester and Leicestershire. 

“The 2026 event promises to build on that momentum - showcasing the creativity, collaboration, and productivity that’s happening right now in our region.”

Promoting Small Business innovation

1284 Communications works uses its expertise and network to promote East Midlands small business innovation.

Its work has been recognised for supporting regional economic development, the building of business networks, and connecting SMEs with support services and funding opportunities.

1284 has been championing small business innovation since its launch in 2020, providing B2B and G2B strategic communications, stakeholder engagement, and consultancy services that help small businesses amplify their impact and accelerate change. 

1284’s approach centres on authenticity, clear messaging, and tailoring its work to help ambitious, innovative SMEs succeed in fast-moving, competitive markets

It is an approach which saw the Loughborough-based PR consultancy shortlisted for the CIPR’s UK Specialist PR Consultancy of the Year in 2024 and its UK Small PR Consultancy of the Year in 2025.