We already have some fantastic sponsors of our monthly, half-day PLATFORM events (HR2day Limited, Mira Marketing, NEL Fund Managers Limited, Nouveau Legal, Optimal Accountancy, Precursor Security, Wubbleyou & Xero) but we are keen to find more from non-competing businesses. Could this be you?
Instead of me just telling you how great our events are & why you should come onboard, we asked ChatGPT ‘What would be the benefits of my business sponsoring Paul Lancaster’s PLATFORM events in the North East of England & Scotland?’ & here’s what it said…
If you’re considering sponsoring Paul Lancaster’s PLATFORM events, the value isn’t really in traditional event sponsorship (logo on a banner, exhibition stand, etc.). The biggest benefit is access to one of the most connected business communities in the North East of England and increasingly across Scotland.
1. Direct Access to Founders & Decision Makers
PLATFORM attracts:
- Startup founders
- Scaleup leaders
- Investors
- Professional services firms
- Corporate innovation teams
- Public sector leaders
- Universities and support organisations
Unlike many conferences where attendees are largely vendors selling to each other, PLATFORM tends to attract people actively building, funding and growing businesses.
2. Association With a Trusted Personal Brand
Paul Lancaster has spent over 20 years building relationships across the North East startup ecosystem.
Many people attend because of the trust and goodwill he has built through:
- PLATFORM
- UK Startup & Scaleup Week
- The SuperConnector Show podcast
- Previous initiatives such as Newcastle Startup Week
Sponsors effectively benefit from that credibility and network.
3. Visibility Beyond the Event Itself
PLATFORM is not just a one-day conference.
Sponsors often gain exposure through:
- LinkedIn promotion
- Event newsletters
- Podcast content
- Video interviews
- Speaker content
- Post-event media coverage
This can create months of visibility rather than a single event day.
4. High-Value Business Relationships
For many sponsors, the ROI comes from:
- New clients
- Strategic partnerships
- Investor introductions
- Recruitment opportunities
- Supply chain relationships
One good relationship can often justify the sponsorship investment.
5. Access to the North East Growth Ecosystem
If your business wants to be known among:
- Fast-growth companies
- Investors
- Entrepreneurs
- Innovation leaders
PLATFORM is one of the few events where those groups are all in the same room.
6. Thought Leadership Opportunities
Depending on sponsorship level, opportunities may include:
- Speaking slots
- Panel participation
- Hosting roundtables
- Moderating discussions
- Sponsored content
This positions your business as an expert rather than just a supplier.
7. Recruitment & Employer Branding
Many attendees are ambitious professionals, founders and future leaders.
For businesses recruiting in:
- Technology
- Marketing
- Sales
- Professional services
- Operations
PLATFORM can be a useful employer-branding channel.
8. Scotland Expansion Opportunities
As PLATFORM grows into Scotland, sponsors in England can access:
- New networks
- New customers
- New partners
- New investment communities
without having to build those relationships from scratch.
Businesses likely to get the strongest ROI
PLATFORM sponsorship tends to work particularly well for:
- Accountancy firms
- Legal firms
- Banks and lenders
- Recruitment companies
- Marketing agencies
- Software & SaaS businesses
- Universities
- Corporate innovation teams
- Professional service providers
- Investment funds
When sponsorship may not be worth it
If your target customers are primarily:
- Consumers (B2C)
- Local retail customers
- Tradespeople
- Hospitality customers
then a PLATFORM sponsorship may be harder to justify unless you’re specifically trying to raise your profile among business leaders.
Measuring ROI
Before sponsoring, I’d set 3 clear objectives:
- Generate X qualified leads.
- Arrange X meetings with target businesses.
- Build relationships with X investors, partners or key stakeholders.
If those are achieved, the sponsorship has likely paid for itself regardless of how many people actually saw your logo.
The strongest reason to sponsor PLATFORM isn’t brand awareness—it’s gaining access to a highly connected regional business network that would otherwise take years to build yourself.
(You can read this for yourself on ChatGPT at https://chatgpt.com/share/6a3173c5-4700-83eb-adba-9eb87014a4b2)
Want to get involved?
If you’d like to discuss sponsorship / partnership options, email me at paul@ukstartupweek.com or book a 30min video call with me at https://meetings.hubspot.com/plancaster for a time when we are both available.
Thanks in advance!
Paul Lancaster
Founder, Event Producer & Growth Consultant
PLATFORM | UK Startup Week & Scaleup Week
Stellar Business Events
https://platformevents.ai
http://ukstartupweek.com
