Press release: Innovation Zero 2024 congress set to be largest net zero industry gathering in the UK

Innovation Zero 2024, a UK government-backed two-day international congress taking place at London Olympia from 30 April to 1 May 2024, is set to be one of the largest sustainability and net zero expos ever seen in the UK, with 12,000 delegates expected and a comprehensive programme featuring hundreds of world-class speakers across 175+ content sessions, who are experts in climate change mitigation, clean technology innovation and implementing low carbon solutions.

The congress, chaired by former Secretary of State for International Trade, Dr Liam Fox MP, is free to attend and has high-profile support from the UK government and the UK’s national innovation agency Innovate UK. Innovation Zero 2024 will provide a unique meeting place for announcements, partnerships, deal-making and collaborations for those who develop, produce, deploy, and fund low carbon solutions. By building and connecting an influential global network of innovators, funders, policymakers and non-state actors across disciplines, siloes and geographies, the event will offer a valuable platform to leaders who inspire change​.

Following a record-breaking launch in May 2023, new developments for 2024 include a parallel event, Infrastructure Zero, which will attract a dedicated audience of infrastructure professionals, to connect the policymakers, funders, industry leaders and innovators needed to maximise the impact of an estimated £40bn per year net zero-related infrastructure investment in the 2020s.

The event will also include a series of 14 targeted content forums including Energy, Finance and Industrial, as well as a range of new forums for 2024 including Food and Agriculture, Advanced Tech, Oceans and Water, Minerals and Materials, Environmental Markets and Aviation and Shipping. These forums each cover a range of issues such as Policy, Investment, Scaling Clean Technology, Low Carbon Leadership, Green Infrastructure, Circularity, and Supply Chain.

Over 600 leading experts will be speaking across the Innovation Zero conference programme, with key names including: -

• Dr Sweta Chakraborty, CEO North America, We Don’t Have Time.
• Bob Wigley, Chair, UK Finance.
• Rhian-Mari Thomas, Chief Executive, Green Finance Institute.
• Shaun Kingsbury CBE, Chief Investment Officer, Just Climate.
• Simon Sharpe, Director of Economics, UN Climate Champions.
• Rt. Hon. Carwyn Jones, Former First Minister of Wales and Chair, Size of Wales.
• Olivier Wenden, CEO, Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation.

The 2024 congress will also host the launch of the inaugural Innovation Zero Awards and Showcase for the best innovations in climate change mitigation, clean technology innovation and the implementation of low carbon solutions. The Showcase is designed to attract an audience of relevant investors, business customers and support services to hear innovator pitches, be informed on sector prospects, hear short presentations from and engage with leading actors within the ecosystem. The Showcase will be presented in six themed categories to give investors an overview of the market and a view of a number of innovators seeking funding.

The Innovation Zero Awards will see leading innovators providing submissions to be judged by an expert panel, with 24 awards presented on the first evening of Innovation Zero. The awards also offer exclusive networking opportunities with a reception for up to 300 attendees from innovators, corporate investors, corporate users, financial investors and professional services.

Innovation Zero 2024 chair, former Secretary of State for International Trade, Dr Liam Fox MP, said: “The enormous success of the inaugural Innovation Zero congress in 2023 will be built on for 2024. Our vision is to double the size of the event, focusing on more clean technology sectors which are vital to innovating the transition to a low carbon economy.

“As the event chair, I am delighted to be joined by the 600-strong line up of industry, financial and policy experts who will be discussing the pathway to deliver net zero in the UK and beyond. Furthermore, the launch of our co-located twin event, Infrastructure Zero, will convene the leaders who are collaborating to drive the critical infrastructure required to decarbonise and create a more sustainable world.”

Big name exhibitors already confirmed for Innovation Zero include Innovate UK, HSBC UK, NatWest, UK Power Networks, National Gas, Tees Valley Cluster, Humber Cluster, Solent Cluster and Aramco Ventures, with more set to be announced over the coming weeks. The 30+ partners signed up to support the event include leading organisations like Bankers for Net Zero, British Chamber of Commerce, Renewable UK, UK Green Building Council, GIIA, CCSA, Forum for the Future, Imperial College London, and the British Business Bank.

Registrations for the free event open in early January 2024. To enquire about exhibiting, sponsoring or speaking opportunities visit www.innovationzero.com

ENDS

Notes to the Editor 

To apply for press passes, register your interest at www.innovationzero.com

For more details and to enquire about possible interviews with speakers or exhibitors contact Andy Walker in the Innovation Zero media office on +44 (0) 7791 997602 or andy@andywalkerconsult.co.uk

Innovation Zero is organised by Clean Tech Events Ltd.