Niyo Fest 2024: Birmingham Prepares for Three-Day Tech and Culture Extravaganza

By Anushka Malhotra

1 minute 36 seconds

Tech

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Quick Read: Niyo Fest 2024 in Birmingham will feature a three-day celebration of tech, culture, and innovation, with prominent speakers and a hack-a-thon, attracting 10,000 attendees.

Niyo Group, known for its innovative Ed-tech and beauty brands, is set to host its most significant event to date—Niyo Fest 2024. This dynamic festival, scheduled for October 3-5, will take place at Millennium Point, one of Birmingham's key tech hubs, and is expected to draw 10,000 attendees.

Niyo Fest promises an impressive lineup of speakers, performers, and sponsors. The event will also feature Niyo Hack, a three-day hack-a-thon offering cash prizes and opportunities to collaborate with industry leaders.

Bringing together innovators, investors, industry leaders, and enthusiasts from around the globe, Niyo Fest aims to merge technology, beauty, fashion, fitness, and culture into a comprehensive festival of networking, opportunities, and inspiration.

From October 3 to 5, these industry leaders and innovators will share their career experiences and insights with attendees. The festival will also offer various engaging sessions designed to equip participants with essential skills and knowledge to thrive in their respective fields.

Niyo Fest is designed to help attendees develop technical skills, gain business acumen, and connect with like-minded individuals.

Oyinkansola Adebayo, CEO and Founder of Niyo Fest, emphasised the event's mission:

"Niyo Fest is more than just a festival – it’s a platform strategically designed to build a better environment for investment in the national and global female economy. We are thrilled to gather 10,000 people, primarily women from underrepresented backgrounds, in Birmingham. It’s set to be an incredible three days, and we can’t wait to see you all there!"

Chief Community Officer Laolu Dada added,

"Niyo Fest is an ambitious global showcase of innovation and empowerment from the West Midlands to the world! This initiative focuses on women, galvanizing, educating, and driving change by raising aspirations and equipping women for the future."

The event will also feature a three-day hack-a-thon where teams can compete to develop SDG-focused products and win cash prizes. Applicants can apply on the Niyo Fest website, and successful submissions will have the chance to showcase their skills to a panel of expert judges.

With more names to be announced, Niyo Fest 2024 is poised to be a landmark event, blending culture and business in the West Midlands with a global roster of speakers. Free tickets are now available, alongside paid tickets offering exclusive access to the Investor Circle, the Hack-a-thon, and more.

What's new

West Midlands Health Tech Innovation Accelerator Unlocks Nearly £50M in Private Investment

The West Midlands Health Tech Innovation Accelerator (WMHTIA), led by the University of Birmingham, has generated an impressive £49.4 million in private co-investment within its first two years, significantly surpassing its original £14.5 million public funding allocation.

Funded through the Innovation Accelerator programme, coordinated by Innovate UK, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, and UK Research and Innovation, WMHTIA has become a leading force in advancing health technology innovation across the region.

The majority of the private investment—£36.3 million—was directly committed by investors to enterprises supported by the Accelerator. This achievement represents a threefold return on the initial public investment, demonstrating the strong investor confidence in the region’s health tech sector.

Powering Health Innovation Through Collaboration

The WMHTIA brings together 21 partners from academia, industry, and the NHS to help healthtech companies develop, validate, and commercialise cutting-edge medical technologies. So far, companies supported through the programme have also secured an additional £10 million in national public grants from agencies including NIHR, Eureka, and Innovate UK.

Including both public and private contributions, the total investment leveraged by WMHTIA now stands at £67.3 million.

Professor Adam Tickell, Vice-Chancellor, University of Birmingham:

We’re proud to support startups through the riskiest stages of innovation so more life-saving technologies reach patients. This exceptional investment proves what’s possible when academia, the NHS, and industry work together to drive economic growth and better health outcomes.

In March 2025, the Innovation Accelerator programme was extended with a further £30 million, including £4 million for the WMHTIA to continue supporting the region’s innovators in 2025/26.

Backing the Future of Health Tech

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands:

The West Midlands is leading medical tech innovation—from faster diagnoses to shorter hospital stays. Healthtech isn’t just improving lives; it’s creating secure, high-value jobs that drive inclusive growth.

Dean Cook, Executive Director of Place and Global, Innovate UK:

This programme shows how place-based innovation can unlock greater business investment in R&D. By connecting the region’s strengths, we’re creating high-value jobs and building globally significant innovation capability.

The WMHTIA continues to strengthen the region’s reputation as a national hub for health technology, with far-reaching benefits for patient care, job creation, and regional economic development.

By Anushka Malhotra

24 Jun