Business Fest South West: Big-City Impact, Regional Roots
Business Fest South West (#BizFestSW) will take over Westpoint Arena, Exeter, on Wednesday 1 April 2026, bringing together hundreds of business owners, founders and decision-makers for an event that is reshaping expectations of what regional business gatherings can deliver.
With fewer than 20 exhibitor spaces remaining for the second #BizFestSW and the third major event delivered by Four Front Events, the festival has quickly established itself as the home of serious connection, commercial opportunity and regional confidence at a time when the market is challenging and competition is fierce.
Created in response to a long-standing gap in the market, #BizFestSW combines the reach of a major exhibition, the depth of a conference and the energy of a live networking experience. The result is a single-day event designed to support growth, visibility and collaboration, without businesses having to look beyond the region to access events of scale and quality.
Gavin Harris, co-founder of #BizFestSW, said: “Over the years, we saw regional businesses travelling across the country to find opportunities we knew could exist closer to home. We are proving that the South West can host events that are confident, well executed and commercially valuable in their own right. #BizFestSW is about backing this region and giving its business community the platform and eco system it deserves and needs.”
The event will feature a diverse exhibition floor showcasing organisations from across Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and the wider South West, alongside structured and informal networking designed to spark new relationships and partnerships.
Jamie O'Neill, #BizFestSW co-founder added: “This isn’t about filling a calendar slot; it’s a day with a full keynote programme with speakers sharing insight rooted in real-world experience, covering everything from entrepreneurship, and mindset to AI, innovation and leadership. Over the past 18 months, we’ve seen the impact of businesses coming together and how confidence has grown, ideas are moving faster and collaborations that people didn’t see coming are now the norm.
With limited exhibition spaces still available, the event is attracting strong interest from businesses keen to raise their profile, generate leads and connect with a high-intent audience.
Gavin concluded: “We are looking forward to welcoming exhibitors and guests to this event so they can take advantage of the speakers, seminars and networking on offer. The only fools this 01 April, will be the ones who don't come to #BizFestSW and get involved.”
Find out more information at: https://bizfestsw.co.uk/
