About the summit
Why this matters now
The UK is entering a critical phase in the development of digital infrastructure. Demand for compute capacity is growing rapidly as large language models and other data-intensive technologies become central to the digital economy.
Yet the UK's infrastructure remains heavily concentrated in London and the South East, where power is increasingly constrained, while renewable energy generation in the North is frequently curtailed because it cannot easily reach where demand is concentrated.
At the same time, northern cities such as Manchester host major research communities, thriving digital industries and rapidly growing AI and innovation ecosystems. Supporting this growth will require significant new infrastructure investment across the North.
Digital Infrastructure North 2026 is a discussion-led forum rather than a commercial conference. It will bring together around 100–120 senior participants from government, infrastructure operators, technology companies and research organisations — primarily by invitation — to examine these challenges and help shape the next phase of the UK's digital infrastructure development.
