- Partners launched the run up to Basingstoke Business Week 2026 today, running Monday 9 to Friday 13 November 2026, with the theme Skills for the Future.
- The full programme will be announced between now and November, covering networking, workshops and innovation, with events for business leaders, employers, professionals, job-seekers and those starting their careers.
- People can sign up to the mailing list here.
The world of work and business is changing faster than at any point in living memory. Artificial intelligence is reshaping industries. The green economy is unlocking new markets. Digital transformation is creating new ways for businesses to grow, reach customers and improve how they work.
The question isn’t whether change is coming. It’s whether Basingstoke is ready to make the most of it.
Today, a coalition of the town’s leading business, public and community organisations officially launched Basingstoke Business Week 2026, a week of events, workshops, networking and inspiration running from Monday 9 to Friday 13 November, built around one defining theme: Skills for the Future.
Luke Murphy MP, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, Basingstoke College of Technology, Hampshire Chamber of Commerce, M3 Job Club, Mark Jones and Destination Basingstoke came together today to start the countdown to what promises to be an even more ambitious and wide-ranging follow up to the first Basingstoke Business Week last year.
A full programme, spanning AI, green innovation, digital skills, leadership and beyond, will be revealed in the months ahead, with new announcements dropping regularly between now and November.
- Come to connect, with the employers, entrepreneurs, innovators and community leaders shaping Basingstoke’s future, and build relationships that open doors in both directions.
- Come to upskill, through practical workshops, thought leadership and executive development that give businesses and their people tools they can put to work immediately.
- Come to innovate: get hands-on with the technologies, ideas and sectors defining tomorrow’s economy, and leave knowing exactly how your business can act on them.
Whether you lead a business, work in one, are searching for your next opportunity or are just starting out on your career, Basingstoke Business Week 2026 has something worth your time.
With events being announced regularly between now and November, the best move you can make right now is getting your name on the list first.
Sign up to the Basingstoke Business Week mailing list . Be the first to know. Be in the room.
Luke Murphy, MP for Basingstoke, said:
“Today is a real milestone, and a testament to what this town can do when its businesses, educators and community organisations pull together.
“The theme of Skills for the Future reflects a genuine belief, shared by all of us here today, that Basingstoke is ready for the economy ahead.
“There’s a lot still to be announced and I’d encourage everyone, businesses, employers, job-seekers, students, to sign up to the mailing list now so they don’t miss a thing.”
Cllr Paul Harvey, Leader of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, said:
“Basingstoke is a place of ambition, innovation and has huge economic potential and we making sure residents and businesses are at the heart of its success is incredibly important to us.
“Basingstoke Business Week is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when employers, colleges and our community come together to share ideas and new thinking to help people develop the skills and confidence they need to thrive in our borough.”
Lorraine Heath, Principal of Basingstoke College of Technology, said:
“BCoT has been at the heart of this community for decades, and our job has always been the same: to equip people with the skills they need to get on in life and work.
“The theme of Skills for the Future speaks directly to what we do every day, connecting young people, adult learners and local employers so that education and business aren’t just talking to each other, but genuinely working together.
“Basingstoke Business Week 2026 is a brilliant opportunity to bring that conversation into the open, and we’re proud to be part of it.”
Barry Smith, Chair, Basingstoke & North Hampshire, Hampshire Chamber of Commerce:
“The skills agenda isn’t just about recruitment, it’s about growth.
“The organisations that thrive over the next decade will be the ones investing now in their people, their technology and their thinking.
“Basingstoke Business Week 2026 gives every business in this town the chance to start doing exactly that.”
Elizabeth Spencer, Head of Event Management, Destination Basingstoke, said:
“Basingstoke is a town with a lot going for it; great businesses, great people and a real appetite for growth.
“Basingstoke Business Week 2026 is our chance to showcase that ambition, and to make sure businesses here have every opportunity to connect, learn and grow together.
“We’re proud to be part of pulling this together and can’t wait to share what this year’s programme delivers.”
Amanda Fisackerly, Operations Director and Trustee, M3 Job Club, said:
“At M3 Job Club we see every day what it means to someone when they find their way back into work; the confidence it builds, the difference it makes.
“That journey doesn’t happen in isolation. It happens when businesses open their doors, when communities invest in people and when events like this bring everyone into the same conversation.
“Basingstoke Business Week 2026 is a reminder that skills aren’t just an individual challenge, they’re a shared one. The more Basingstoke comes together around that, the stronger we all are.”
About Hampshire Chamber of Commerce
Hampshire Chamber of Commerce is the independent voice of local business across the county and one of the largest regional business networks in the UK. With a strategic vision to ‘unlock Hampshire’s potential’, Hampshire Chamber brings together the combined influence, strength and expertise of the county’s three former major chambers. It works with over 2,000 individual firms spanning all sectors and sizes of business. Member services include training, advice, international trade documentation, events, networking opportunities and lobbying to policymakers on issues affecting business. Hampshire Chamber’s business network is designed to help any employer to grow and thrive irrespective of their stage on the enterprise journey.
About Basingstoke Business Week 2026
Basingstoke Business Week 2026 runs from Monday 9 to Saturday 13 November 2026, built around one theme: Skills for the Future. Delivered by a coalition of the town’s leading business, civic and community organisations, it brings together a week of events, workshops, networking and inspiration spanning AI, green innovation, digital skills and leadership. Whether you lead a business, work in one, are searching for your next opportunity or are just starting out, there’s something worth your time. Come to connect, upskill and innovate – and leave ready to act. Sign up to the mailing list at https://mailchi.mp/destinationbasingstoke/y7c4wmngl0 and follow along on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/groups/26320066/