The festival will be bigger and better than ever, showcasing the strength, creativity, and diversity of the North East of England’s technology ecosystem while bringing together businesses, communities, and innovators from across the region.

Leading local tech companies Sage, Accenture and Leighton have just been announced as headline sponsors for the festival, showcasing their confidence and investment in the region’s digital future,

Michael Office,Senior Vice Principal of Growth at Sage, said:

“Sage is delighted to sponsor TechNExt, and to continue our passionate and relentless support to the North East tech sector; specifically, our startups that are driving amazing innovation across AI and hardware design. We are proud to celebrate the creativity, ambition, and talent emerging from the region, and look forward to connecting with the next generation of innovators who are shaping the future of technology.”[NB1] 

“TechNExt is a brilliant way for organisations and individuals to get involved with our vibrant tech sector, so pledge your support, come along inJune, and get involved.”

Laura Healy, Internal Communications & Engagement Lead at Accenture, said:

“TechNExt really showcases the very best of the NorthEast’s tech community- its innovation, its collaboration, its ambition. Last year we sponsored the Data and AI hub, which was a fantastic way of gathering like minded individuals in one space. We are really excited to see what the hubs bring this time around.”

“Seeing so many organisations big and small come together over the week to bring technology in the North East to life is always really inspiring. For us, this partnership is about more than being headline sponsors and getting our logo on the big screen, it’s about investing in the region, supporting the incredible talent we have here, and helping to create opportunities for people and organisations to thrive.”

James Bunting,Chief Executive Officer of Leighton, said:

“As a North East business, we’re deeply invested in the success of our region’s tech community.This is our third year as a headline sponsor, and our fourth year involved, and it’s been incredible to watch TechNExt grow into one of the most important events in the regional tech calendar. The continued success of the festival reflects the ambition and talent we’re so proud to see across the North East. For us, being a headline sponsor is about giving back, supporting our community and helping to strengthen an ecosystem we care deeply about. We can't wait to see TechNExt 2026 come to life in June."

For one week in June, there will be a whole host of events running across the North East, designed to celebrate the best of North East technology, including the Festival Launch, Schools Challenge, Tech Talent Live, FestivalParty and Industry Dinner. Also, back for 2026 are the thematic hubs, which host a wide range of focused sessions that will centre around one of four themes: Data and AI, Tech for Good, Tech Startups and Creative Tech.

As always, TechNExt is powered by community, and regional organisations are invited to get involved with sponsoring, pledging support, and submitting ideas for hub talksand fringe event ideas when submissions open in early 2026.