Manchester Networking Events 2025
3 February 2025
Discover some of the upcoming networking events in Manchester to watch out for, and where to find future events to grow your network and your business.
Share:
Manchester is famed for many things; its diverse musical roots, rich cultural scene and top-tier shopping to name just a few. Alongside all of this, you’ll find a booming commercial landscape with a smorgasbord of businesses doing their thing. So, when you’re looking for networking events, Manchester is a great place to be. Read on for our lowdown on upcoming networking events in Manchester, and where to find more information to plan where and how you’ll network in 2025.
Upcoming Manchester networking events for your calendar
Ready to get your business ducks in a row and plan in some networking events? Manchester organisations tend to release dates steadily throughout the year, so here’s a list of some upcoming events to sign up to now:
1. Manchester Young Professionals Breakfast Club
Who doesn't love breakfast? Located inside Hotel Gotham in central Manchester, the Manchester Young Professionals Breakfast Club is an especially popular business networking event. Manchester graduates, startups and engaged workers can head here for coffee, croissants and other breakfast fare before heading into their office or coworking space for the day. It’s a fun and productive way to start your morning in exceptional surroundings.
When: 26th February 2025 at 8am
Where: Hotel Gotham Manchester, 100 King St, Manchester M2 4WU
2. Pure Networking
If you’re looking for after-work networking events, Manchester has a whole host of bars and social spaces that will rise to the occasion. Pure Networking Events are hosted by Pro Manchester and are held at Gino D’Acampo Italian restaurant, just around the corner from Manchester Oxford Road station and a 10 minute Metrolink ride from Manchester Piccadilly. It’s designed as a casual evening where people can network naturally with no formal agenda, so it’s perfect if you prefer to network on your own terms.
When: Wednesday 12th February at 4pm with further dates released throughout the year
Where: Gino D'Acampo Manchester, INNSiDE by Melia, First Street, M15 4RP, Manchester,
3. TTB x Manchester: Bad Ideas Build Day
Hosted in the comfortable surroundings of Colony Fabrica in Ancoats, the latest Bad Ideas Build Day is aimed at Manchester women in STEM. You’ll be invited to join a team and come up with a deliberately bad idea before using your combined skills, knowledge and experience to turn it into something good. The day finishes with presentations and celebrations to round things off nicely.
When: Wednesday 5th February at 9.30am to 6pm
Where: Colony Fabrica, 269 Great Ancoats St, Greater, Manchester M4 7DB
4. Manchester R Meetup!
An evening of fascinating information brought to you by Datacove and held in Colony's Piccadilly offices. Expect a fascinating chat about deciding which packages and products are right for your business needs and how to trust if something really will do what it says it will. You can carry on the conversation afterwards and get to know your fellow attendees a bit better.
When: Thursday 6th February at 6pm to 8:30pm
Where: Colony Piccadilly, 5 Piccadilly Pl, Aytoun St, Manchester M1 3BR
5. International Women’s Day Brunch
The first of its kind, this International Women’s Day Brunch is a brilliant opportunity to network, find a mentor or simply be inspired by some of Manchester’s best businesswomen. You’ll get two hours of delicious brunch, guest speakers, and moments to chat among yourselves. With such a well-placed location, it’s easy to get to from wherever you work in the city.
When: Thursday 6th March 2025 at 11:30am
Where: Piccolino Caffé Grande, 8 Clarence Street, Manchester, M2 4DW
6. Festival Of Enterprise
A Government-funded initiative, the Festival Of Enterprise is a full-day networking event. Manchester professionals can enjoy the splendour of the Royal Exchange Theatre while listening to panel discussions and presentations from some of the area’s best business minds. There are workshops, market stalls and even a pitching corner to take advantage of, and the best bit is it’s completely free. It’s hosted by GM Business Growth Hub and is not to be missed.
When: Friday 14th March at 9.30am
Where: Royal Exchange Theatre, St Ann’s Square, Manchester, M2 7DH
Where to find more Manchester networking events
A fair few of the events mentioned above will be repeated throughout the year, allowing you plenty of chances to attend different networking events in Manchester. If you want to keep abreast of what’s happening and when, these are some of the best places to discover new events and business opportunities:
1. Pro Manchester
Pro Manchester describes itself as the “Greater Manchester Business Community and the largest business development organisation in the North West”. They have a varied calendar of networking events in Manchester, from wellbeing lunches to business awards evenings.
2. Federation Of Small Businesses (FSB)
FSB is a member organisation that supports small businesses in the region. They provide resources and advice to their members, and host a variety of events and webinars.
3. Business Network Manchester
Another membership organisation, the Business Network Manchester holds events for owners and directors with a focus on business growth. Their events cover a wide range of topics specific to certain industries or sectors.
4. MBH
If you’re looking for tailored networking events, Manchester is home to MBH, who craft networking experiences across the region for different industries or business topics. Dates are released throughout the year, so it’s worth checking their website regularly.
5. Business Growth Hub
A free business networking tool, the Business Growth Hub has multiple resources and specialist events to support local businesses. From round table discussions, to speed networking, there’s something to suit everyone.
Why you should network
Networking is a pretty essential element of modern business. It gives professionals the chance to create valuable connections that can lead to growth and innovation. Put simply, you’ll get to meet lots of interesting new people and discover new opportunities when you spend time at business networking events. Manchester, a city known for its thriving business scene, has a wealth of freelancers, entrepreneurs and ambitious professionals for you to engage, share ideas and collaborate with. Networking puts your future into your own hands and, with so many diverse individuals, skills and industries, it’s also a lot of fun.
Networking with Colony
As you can see, there are plenty of chances to attend some incredible networking events in Manchester. Colony is a collection of serviced offices designed specifically for modern workers, so we know how crucial collaboration is. That’s why we host our own events within all of our coworking spaces to bring people together away from their desk. The great thing with a Colony event is that, whether you’re a remote worker visiting our hot desks, or have your own private office within our managed offices, you can hang out with everyone. Our events are a perfect place to meet people you might not otherwise have come across, and you’re already all part of the Colony network, so you’ve got a conversation starter.
A Colony membership gives you access to all of our events, so talk to us today to find out how you can enjoy your own space to get things done, and spend lunchtimes and evenings expanding your network.
This month, we had the chance to sit down with Jonny, General Manager for Dr. Wolff UK & Ireland, to…
Read our guide to some of the most valuable digital marketing events Manchester has to offer, plus information…
Discover the top benefits of hot desking for employers, employees and remote workers, plus advice on…