Networking is vital for any small or medium sized business. It provides business owners to build relationships and partnerships, as well as gain insights into best practices and emerging trends. Conferences are an ideal forum to learn about how to start or grow a business, as well as form new business relationships. The following are just some of the UK’s best small business conferences in 2015.

StartUp 2015

StartUp 2015 will bring together more than 500 aspiring and early stage entrepreneurs on 17th January at Somerset House in London. The free event includes workshops, drop-in sessions and networking opportunities, as well as keynote speeches from leading entrepreneurs and business experts. Speakers will include chef Skye Gyngell, social entrepreneur Melody Hossaini, Felipe Alviar-Baquero and Solomon Akhtar of Apprentice fame, and top entrepreneur Mary Portas. The conference is an opportunity to learn about how to get financing, form a company, build a brand, use social media, and more. Participants can also get feedback on their business ideas and get free advice from experts.

The Business Growth Show

The Business Growth Show will be staged at Edgbaston Cricket Ground in Birmingham on 12th March 2015. The free one day event is expected to attract thousands of businesses from across the UK. The national conference is an opportunity to get business advice, hear from industry speakers and experts, and get information about growing start-ups and SMEs.

Student Enterprise Conference

Organised in partnership with Santander and Liverpool John Moores University, the Student Enterprise Conference 2015 is the largest student enterprise conference in Europe. It is an initiative of NACUE, a membership organisation focused student entrepreneurship. The conference brings together students and graduates from across the UK to learn and network, as well as build entrepreneurial skills through practical workshops. The event will be staged from the 31st of January to the 1st of February 2015 at Liverpool John Moores University.

Elite Business Event National Conference and Exhibition

The 2015 Elite Business Event National Conference and Exhibition will be staged on the 18th and 19th of March at the Old Truman Brewery in Shoreditch, London. The event attracts more than 1,000 business owners, directors and professionals looking at how to create strategies that promote business growth. Organised by Elite Business Magazine, the free conference’s programme includes talks by professional speakers, thought leaders and industry experts. Topics look at barriers facing fast track start-ups and high growth small and medium sized businesses. Planned speakers include Jim Cregan, Shaa Wasmund, Richard Tyler, Derek Mills, Will King, Lara Morgan, Michelle Carvill, Ian Dormer, and Clive Rich.

The Great British Family Business

The Great British Family Business 2015 is a master class in family business. The event will be put on at One Great George Street in Westminster, London, on 19 March 2015. The programme features a wide range of speakers and topics related to family businesses, including a panel discussion with family firms. Scheduled speakers include Adrian Maxwell of cappuccino and espresso coffee machine maker Fracino, Derrick Potter of Potter Logistics, Christopher Nieper of clothing company David Nieper, Tony Fish of AMF Ventures, and Charlie Mullins of Pimlico Plumbers.

FSB Conference

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) will host its annual conference at the ICC in Birmingham from the 19th to the 21st of March 2015. Founded in 1974, the FSB is the largest lobby group for the self-employed and owners of small businesses. The FSB Conference is open to all businesses, whether they are a member of the FSB or not. The conference includes a range of speakers from the FSB alongside guest and political speakers. In addition to seminars and presentations, the annual event also features a social programme with receptions, dinners and other networking opportunities.

Business Startup

Business Startup is a free conference and is open to anyone interested in starting or expanding a business. Attracting in excess of 20,000 businesses over two days, the annual event features more than 100 seminars, 12 workshops and over 150 exhibitors. The conference and trade show will take place on the 13th and 14th of May 2015 at the ExCeL in London. Keynote speakers are expected to include motivational business speaker Brad Burton, former Dragon’s Den star James Caan, Saatchi & Saatchi X’s Rachelle Headland and £10 billion negotiator Clive Rich, as well as Vicki Wusche, David Gold, Julianne Ponan and Kate Hardcastle.

The Business Show

The Business Show 2015 will draw some 25,000 businesses to the ExCeL in London from the 13th to 14th of May. The event will features approximately 250 seminars with business experts and 350 exhibitors showcasing the latest business solutions, and is free to attend. The Business Show is an opportunity to get advice and information about growing a business, regardless of which sector the business is active. It is held alongside Business Startup 2015 and Going Global, an international business conference organised with UK Trade & Investment.

International Conference on Entrepreneurship and Small Business

The 13th International Conference on Entrepreneurship and Small Business (ICESB) will run from the 25th to the 26th of July 2015. The conference brings together researchers and scholars to learn and exchange ideas about entrepreneurship and small businesses. It will be held at the Holiday Inn London Wembley and delve into a range of topics, from government policy and ethics to self-employment and entrepreneurship among minority groups.

ISBE Conference

The Technology Innovation Centre (TIC) in Glasgow will host the Institute for Small Business and Entrepreneurship (ISBE) Conference 2015 from the 11th to 12th of November. The 38th edition of the annual conference is a showcase for leading research on entrepreneurship and small business development. The ISBE 2015 conference attracts researchers, practitioners and policy makers from around the world. Networking is a major aspect of the conference, which features various social events. There are also more than 250 presentations on a range of topics during the two-day gathering.