We came to ReGenerate,
we left with momentum
Regenerate: The Founder’s Edit
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Founders, operators and investors gathered to turn bold ideas into practical action. Catch the highlights, and join what’s next as we move from a business event to a movement connecting people, place, and planet to unlock growth, sustainability, and impact.
This October on the shores of Windermere, we convened business leaders, entrepreneurs, innovators, and policymakers to shape a regenerative future for Cumbria and beyond.
Cumbria is uniquely positioned to lead the next wave of regenerative thinking not only because of its landscape, but because we’re building an environment of innovation, collaboration, and cross-sector growth
Regenerate: Growth,
sustainability & impact
From green finance to regenerative innovation, from nature-based solutions to building resilient ecosystems, Regenerate brought together the voices defining what comes next.
We heard from Mike Berners-Lee, leading thinker on carbon intelligence and author of There Is No Planet B; Sue Barnard of the British Business Bank, sharing how finance can accelerate the shift toward sustainability-led growth; and Stuart Thompson of Redcat, offering innovation insights from the frontlines of systems change.
Insights that shaped
the conversation
Together, they helped frame a powerful question:How do we move beyond sustainability, and into regeneration that drives real, measurable change?
"There is some hope - Cumbria stands to be a fantastic exemplar, but you need to look at doing policy differently, and need to join up all the different perspectives. We just need to get the processes right." - Mike Berners Lee
"Head and heart are full after a day in the Lake District learning about sustainability and regeneration from a Cumbrian context as part of the ReGenerate conference; a programme of well-curated, impactful and nourishing discussions." -
Mich Bondesio
Regenerate isn’t just a conference,
it’s a catalyst for action, connecting the people and ideas driving Cumbria’s future
What inspired us?
An inspiring day at Regenerate Cumbria 2025 set at the beautiful Silverholme on the edge of Windermere. It was great to have the opportunity to listen to some incredible guest speakers and make new connections with some great Cumbrian business owners."- Hattie Jones
Regenerate was a positive and inspiring couple of days filled with energy, ideas, and like-minded people from across Cumbria, all focused on creating meaningful change.
Kay Groundwater
"Thank you for hosting such a connecting and ambition-raising two days at the first ReGenerate Cumbria event. From the coffee ceremony start to stories of leadership, regeneration and investment in Cumbria, it was a powerful reminder of what’s possible. I’m looking forward to seeing what emerges!" – Amy Boydell-Smith
What changed because we met?
"The Regenerate event was a brilliant mix of inspiration, challenge, and connection. It was a real privilege to hear Mike Berners-Lee speak – his presentation was both sobering and energising. He laid out the stark realities of climate change but also gave us hope through practical, positive actions we can take." – Jennie Stein, Enterprising Cumbria
"The people who ReGenerate brought together are serious about making actionable change in how business is done, creating a movement for a better way of doing things going forward. We know we can’t continue ‘business as usual’ but we need positive narratives to enable us to act, that way we can empower leaders to drive change, rather than head-in-the-sand denial or just plain overwhelm at the state we’re in." – Kate Brundrett
"People buy on price, and we're a nation that doesn't like being preached to, we need to shift people's thinking towards doing the right thing when it comes to buying food, and persuade people that sometimes food that has been produced sustainably costs a little bit more." - Kevin Beaty
Exploring how the North can turn ideas into investable ventures, where creativity, research, and capital align to drive sustainable growth. From founders to funders, we uncovered how collaboration, leadership, and purpose-led innovation can power the next wave of regenerative enterprise.
From a Grain of Sand to Global Change. Mike Berners-Lee reminded us that every business, no matter its size, has a role to play. For SMEs, regeneration starts by understanding our impact using tools like the Sustainability Edit to take a snapshot of where we are and what we can do better.
Regenerative Innovation
Climate Impact
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the sesions that moved us from insight to action
The big ideas
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Together, we explored what finance options are available to our business across Cumbria, how they access funding and investment, and what's needed to channel direct investment into the ideas, people, and places shaping a sustainable future for the North.
Transformative Finance
ReGenerate
Cumbria 2025
speakers
a blueprint for future fit leadership
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A world-class lineup of regional and
global leaders challenging us to
redefine what it means to be future-fit.
Leadership that recognises
the movement
“Cumbria is uniquely placed to lead in combining nature, landscape, livelihoods and communities – sensitively, imaginatively and powerfully.” Rory Stewart
We were honoured to receive this
endorsement from Rory Stewart, a proud Cumbrian and national advocate for regeneration. His words capture what Regenerate stands for a new model of growth rooted in place, powered by collaboration, and measured by its impact on people and the planet.
FOR ORGANISATIONS, INVESTORS AND INSTITUTIONS READY TO DRIVE REGENERATIVE GROWTH
Partners – shaping the future with us
Strategic collaboration
Co-design pilot projects that connect the Land, Innovation and Finance
Visibility & leadership
Position your brand at the forefront of the North West businesss. Advisory roles, event partnerships and impact.
Measured impact
Track results through projects, partnerships delivering real regeneration in action.
BOOK A PARTNERSHIP CALL
For founders, leaders and organisations who want momentum, collaboration and results
Founders – your ecosystem for action
APPLY FOR MEMBERSHIP
Monthly hub meetings & events
Access curated experts, strategy sessions, and peer insights.
Membership connection
Cross-sector collaboration, relationships and community impact.
Collaboration pathways
Creating routes to capital, helping purpose-driven SMEs access funding to build regenerative growth.
This event united global experts across policy, healthcare, sustainability and more. Your partnership made it possible for us to move beyond dialogue and into demonstrations as we shared insights and real-world strategies for accelerating the transformation of our climate-health, business, and innovation at pace and scale.
Registration 2026
