Our Inaugural AI Event Packed Out Horizon Leeds – And We're Just Getting Started

I'll be honest – when we started planning our first-ever AI for Business Growth event, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect. Would people actually show up? Would they get value from it? Would anyone still be awake by 9pm?

Turns out, I had nothing to worry about.

On November 19th, around 100 business owners, marketers, and growth leaders packed into Horizon Leeds for an evening that ran well past 9:30pm – with people still taking notes. That's not something you see every day.

No Fluff, Just Practical AI You Can Actually Use

Here's the thing about most AI events: they're either too technical or too vague. We wanted to do something different. We wanted people to leave with ideas they could implement on Monday morning – not abstract concepts they'd forget by Tuesday.

My keynote focused on the reality of AI in digital marketing right now. Not the sci-fi stuff, not the hype – the actual, tangible ways businesses can use AI to save money, boost productivity, and create real opportunities. We're talking content workflows, data analysis, customer experiences, and competitive intelligence.

One stat that really hit home: AI-led companies are seeing 2.5x faster revenue growth. That's not future promise – that's happening right now for businesses that have got their act together.

Incredible Speakers Who Actually Know Their Stuff

I was joined on stage by two brilliant minds. Zandra Moore MBE, co-founder of Zygens, absolutely nailed her session – the feedback we got was phenomenal. And Charlie Bartle brought a refreshingly honest perspective on entrepreneurship and pivoting that clearly resonated with the room.

One of the highlights? A live demonstration building an AI agent from scratch. Watching the room's reaction as we showed how accessible this technology actually is – that was special.

What People Actually Said

The feedback genuinely blew us away. People described the evening as "refreshingly honest" with "real examples that can be actioned Monday morning." That's exactly what we were going for.

We also offered free LinkedIn headshots and digital marketing health checks – because if you're going to bring 100 ambitious business people together, you might as well make the most of it.

This Is Just the Beginning

Off the back of this success, we're already planning more events for 2026. We'll be diving deeper into specific areas: AI for SEO, paid media optimisation, creative testing, and CRM automation. Basically, all the stuff that actually moves the needle for businesses.

If you missed this one, don't worry – there'll be more opportunities. But if you want to make sure you don't miss the next event (and trust me, you won't want to), get yourself on our mailing list.

Want to be first to know about our next AI event?

Get in touch and we'll keep you in the know.

Get in touch

Watch the Full Presentation

Couldn't make it on the night? Here's my full presentation so you can catch up on everything we covered:

Thanks for Being Part of This

To everyone who came, engaged, asked questions, and stuck around til the end – thank you. You made our first event one to remember.

AI isn't the future – it's already the present. And if this event proved anything, it's that Yorkshire businesses are ready to grab it with both hands.

See you at the next one.

Rory Mason CEO, 21 Degrees Digital

Got questions about AI for your business? Drop us a line at hello@21degreesdigital.com

21 Degrees Digital is a digital marketing agency based in Leeds, helping businesses leverage AI for sustainable growth.