Design Network North was established in 2007 with one aim: to increase design’s contribution to the economy. Bringing together approximately 90 companies, the event united guests with powerful stories about how businesses have been transformed by using design to develop unique products, launch new services, and deliver sustainable growth.

Lesley Gulliver, Managing Director of The Engine Room, presented alongside Jayne Purcell, Transformation Lead at Kirklees Council. They talked about how they’ve worked together and how design thinking and disruptive approaches to problem-solving are driving positive change within the Council. Profiling Comoodle, the Kirklees initiative that won a one million euro prize for Kirklees, they demonstrated how design had positioned them alongside Barcelona, Stockholm, Athens and Warsaw in the Bloomberg Philanthropies Mayors Challenge Award.

Additional speakers at the event included Cocoon Labs and LDT Design, who shared the story of their joint development of Coccoon, a home alarm device that is affordable, unobtrusive and aesthetically pleasing.

Design Network North is a growing community of businesses and individuals who are passionate about design and keen to collaborate and share ideas, projects and business opportunities. Members are situated right across Northern England and beyond, covering all areas of design and manufacturing. We look forward to the next event!