Meet the Manufacturer, the 100% British sourcing event, is seeking manufacturers and designers who are innovators in technology and design, product development and sustainability to take part in a new Dragon’s Den style competition this year. 

The two-day conference and trade show from 25-26 May will feature Innovation Accelerator for manufacturers on day one and Designer's Den for designers on day two.

Enterprising manufacturers and designers are invited to submit their ideas ahead of the event.  Those with the most promising concepts will be selected to attend the Meet the Manufacturer conference to pitch their idea to a panel of experts and benefit from their knowledge and advice to take their business to the next level.

Industrial Revolution

“If the next Industrial Revolution is upon us, then it is quite pertinent that the opening sequence of the original series of Dragon’s Den was filmed by Manchester’s famous cotton mills, the inspiration being that it was an area transformed by the first Industrial Revolution,” explained Kate Hills, CEO and founder of Make it British.

“Since innovation is the key theme for our event this year, we’re taking our inspiration from the Dragon’s Den series to give manufacturers and designers the opportunity to pitch their creative and pioneering concepts to a panel of experts to gain the recognition and mentoring to enable them to transform their business.”

Meet the Manufacturer

Kate Hills is founder and CEO of Make it British. Twenty years of working as a designer and buyer for brands such as Burberry and M&S and multiple product sourcing trips overseas prompted Kate to set up the Make it British website to help promote UK manufacturing and British-made brands.

 Now in its sixth year, the website has gone from strength to strength and Kate has appeared regularly on television and radio espousing her firm belief that manufacturing in the UK is thriving, cost-effective and sustainable.

Kate Hills launched Meet the Manufacturer in 2014, a trade show and conference for the UK fashion and textiles industry. The event brings together the best of British manufacturers with buyers and designers looking to have their products made in Britain. The next edition will be held at The Old Truman Brewery, London. 

meetthemanufacturer.co.uk