There's just one week to go until one of the biggest festivals of innovation the world has ever seen kicks off online.
Thousands of people from some of the world's leading businesses and organisations are poised over their laptops, computers and tablets, ready to push the button and enter the 2020 Northumbrian Water Innovation Festival.
Held in a digital capacity for the first time ever due to coronavirus, the festival will be live-streamed into homes from 14 -17 September and will see innovators, engineers, scientists, students and members of the public join industry professionals to explore some of the biggest and hard-hitting problems faced by society and the environment today.
This year's festival theme is ‘Build Back Better,' with a focus on tackling specific key issues that could help change the world forever as it recovers from coronavirus, such as remote working, utilising smart tech to improve wellbeing, reducing carbon emissions and using water wisely.
Attendees will be coming together to collaborate on more than 40 different challenges - the most ever challenges held since the festival began in 2017, as well as participating in a daily programme of networking, panel discussions, guest speakers and virtual wellbeing activities.
Festival goers will also be joined by a line-up of celebrity guests, including international fashion designer Wayne Hemingway and mathematician and broadcaster Dr Hannah Fry, who will be taking part in question and answer sessions or providing lightning talks to help energise and inspire attendees.
Northumbrian Water's Information Services Director, Nigel Watson, said: "There's just days to go now and we're very excited for what will be our first ever, online festival.
"It's certainly going to be different to the physical festivals we've held over the last three years, but with lots of the challenges focused on helping the world to build back better, we're expecting even bigger and better things from 2020!
"Being online has opened up the opportunity to go truly global this year, with people from all over the world signing up to work together and come up with new ideas and innovative solutions. We've also got all of the usual fun and creative elements of the festival that everyone loves so much and we can't wait to get started.
"I would urge anyone who hasn't already registered, to do so quickly if they want to be part of this incredible extravaganza and help play their part in changing the world."
To find out more about the Innovation Festival or to register, visit www.innovationfestival.org