Press Release
16/09/2025
For Immediate Release
16/09/2025
For Immediate Release
Creative leaders from Manchester’s bourgeoning video game industry gathered for the city’s first ever TEDxNorthernQuarter summit this week.
Endorsed by TED and supported by prominent industry figures, the event provided a platform for creatives to share their stories and connect with the broader community.
The event comes as Manchester cements its reputation as the UK’s video gaming capital, recording 46 official gaming companies, measuring one for every 12,000 people.
Andy Coley, event organiser, said; “TEDxNorthernQuarter was born from a simple idea: to give some of the most brilliant minds in video games, technology, the creative industries, science, business and beyond a global platform to tell their stories.
“This week, we welcomed a completely sold-out audience and watched as 16 powerful voices shared their ideas worth spreading.”
The event featured over 200 minutes of talks, live music entertainment, and an evening social.
Simran Whitham, CEO of the FORMAT Group and event speaker, added: "It was an absolute pleasure to stand on one of the world’s most iconic conference stages.
“There are no words that can fully capture the emotions I’m feeling right now. Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of watching TEDxNorthernQuarter come to life.
“Seeing the impact TEDxNorthernQuarter has had for Manchester and beyond has been nothing short of inspiring.”
The event was fully sponsored by businesses in the sector, many of which are based in Manchester and the North West.
Zohaib Hashim of Blackmont Legal, which sponsored the event, said: “Too many developers, especially smaller studios, are left vulnerable by legal advice that isn’t built for games.
“Most developers rely on generic legal services that don’t account for the specific challenges in games – from IP and licensing to monetisation and live-service models.”
The Blackmont Legal team is made up of qualified legal professionals with genuine links to gaming culture. Founder Zohaib Hashim brings a background in competitive gaming, and the team also includes a paralegal with deep knowledge of the gaming space.
Alongside Blackmont Legal, sponsors Chillblast Group, Staycity Group, the School of Digital Arts at Manchester Metropolitan University, Escape Technology, and Six Degrees Music & Sound also played an important role in the success of the summit.
Manchester is the leader in a wider trend. Across the UK, the games industry now employs over 28,000 development staff across 1,757 studios. Consumer spending has more than doubled since 2013, hitting £7.6 billion last year.
By bringing together leading voices from the games sector and forward-thinking sponsors, TEDxNorthernQuarter displayed the strength of the community when brought together.
Andy Coley added: “Working with 16 incredible speakers and world-class partners to turn this dream into a reality has been nothing short of extraordinary.
“Together, we even helped partners like Feed Manchester to go out into the world and do even more amazing work.
“Thank you to everyone who believed in this vision and supported the inaugural TEDxNorthernQuarter. This is just the beginning.”
Endorsed by TED and supported by prominent industry figures, the event provided a platform for creatives to share their stories and connect with the broader community.
The event comes as Manchester cements its reputation as the UK’s video gaming capital, recording 46 official gaming companies, measuring one for every 12,000 people.
Andy Coley, event organiser, said; “TEDxNorthernQuarter was born from a simple idea: to give some of the most brilliant minds in video games, technology, the creative industries, science, business and beyond a global platform to tell their stories.
“This week, we welcomed a completely sold-out audience and watched as 16 powerful voices shared their ideas worth spreading.”
The event featured over 200 minutes of talks, live music entertainment, and an evening social.
Simran Whitham, CEO of the FORMAT Group and event speaker, added: "It was an absolute pleasure to stand on one of the world’s most iconic conference stages.
“There are no words that can fully capture the emotions I’m feeling right now. Over the past year, I’ve had the privilege of watching TEDxNorthernQuarter come to life.
“Seeing the impact TEDxNorthernQuarter has had for Manchester and beyond has been nothing short of inspiring.”
The event was fully sponsored by businesses in the sector, many of which are based in Manchester and the North West.
Zohaib Hashim of Blackmont Legal, which sponsored the event, said: “Too many developers, especially smaller studios, are left vulnerable by legal advice that isn’t built for games.
“Most developers rely on generic legal services that don’t account for the specific challenges in games – from IP and licensing to monetisation and live-service models.”
The Blackmont Legal team is made up of qualified legal professionals with genuine links to gaming culture. Founder Zohaib Hashim brings a background in competitive gaming, and the team also includes a paralegal with deep knowledge of the gaming space.
Alongside Blackmont Legal, sponsors Chillblast Group, Staycity Group, the School of Digital Arts at Manchester Metropolitan University, Escape Technology, and Six Degrees Music & Sound also played an important role in the success of the summit.
Manchester is the leader in a wider trend. Across the UK, the games industry now employs over 28,000 development staff across 1,757 studios. Consumer spending has more than doubled since 2013, hitting £7.6 billion last year.
By bringing together leading voices from the games sector and forward-thinking sponsors, TEDxNorthernQuarter displayed the strength of the community when brought together.
Andy Coley added: “Working with 16 incredible speakers and world-class partners to turn this dream into a reality has been nothing short of extraordinary.
“Together, we even helped partners like Feed Manchester to go out into the world and do even more amazing work.
“Thank you to everyone who believed in this vision and supported the inaugural TEDxNorthernQuarter. This is just the beginning.”
-ENDS-
About Blackmont Legal:
- Blackmont Legal, established in 2024, is a leading law firm specialising in corporate law.
- Known for their expertise in intellectual property rights and mergers & acquisitions.
- They boast a diverse client base ranging from startups to multinational corporations.
- Committed to delivering innovative legal solutions tailored to client needs.
- For more information, visit their website at www.blackmontlegal.com.
- Known for their expertise in intellectual property rights and mergers & acquisitions.
- They boast a diverse client base ranging from startups to multinational corporations.
- Committed to delivering innovative legal solutions tailored to client needs.
- For more information, visit their website at www.blackmontlegal.com.
Media contact: For press enquiries please email press@inkedpr.com