Since the very first Rise and Design back in September 2009, we’ve welcomed 7,908 delegates from 3,528 organisations, heard from 528 speakers, and served up a whopping 7,253 bacon sandwiches.

After more than a decade of fuelling conversations, creativity and collaboration across the North, last week, we brought the magic to the Liverpool City Region for the very first time, and it went down an absolute storm.

From the moment doors opened, the energy in the room was incredible. Packed with businesses, creatives, makers and thinkers, the morning was a celebration of what design can really do, not just for products, but for entire business models, customer experiences and communities.

Jonathan Butters of Butters Innovation kicked things off with a powerful talk on user-centred design, sharing stories of how diving deep into actual user needs leads to truly impactful, life-improving products.

Steve Threlfall from Life of Ply followed, with a captivating insight into sustainable manufacturing, purposeful design, and how his team blend cutting-edge digital tools with timeless artisan craft, all under the umbrella of a Social Enterprise that puts people and planet first.

Daniel Isler from D Squared Product Development was last, but definitely not least. Based in Liverpool and established in 2012, DSquared offer product development, design and engineering consultancy across consumer, medical and industrial sectors. Daniel shared some of their most fascinating recent projects, from telemetry systems for firefighters and adaptive lens spectacles, to innovative acoustic products and even a prosthetic leg for a pigeon. He explained how design thinking is at the heart of everything they do, no matter the challenge.

Delegates were inspired, engaged and, more than anything, fired up with new ideas.

A buzzing networking session sparked fresh ideas and forged new connections, and the event finished up with an open pitch segment, which offered the perfect platform for attendees to share their work and open the door to future potential collaborations.

The feedback was consistently brilliant. One attendee put it perfectly on the day, commenting “This has been brilliant, a really good mix of speakers and some fantastic networking! When’s the next one?”

Rise and Design has always been about more than just talks, it’s about creating an open space for innovation, for conversation, and for businesses to think differently. And if Liverpool’s anything to go by, the appetite for that has never been stronger.

For that reason, another session is already in the works, due to take place around September time. To be first to hear about it, join our mailing list here: https://rtcnorth.co.uk/contact/newsletter

Here’s to the next one!