As fast as it arrived, three days of UKREiiF 2026 are almost over!
On the third and final day in Leeds, we caught up with Rian Patel, our Freeport Future Ambassador.
In case you missed our previous article, Rian is the CEO and Founder of VEDA, a technology consultancy and software development company which works with SMEs to support them with digital transformation and AI adoption.
In being named our Freeport Future Ambassador, Rian joined our team at UKREiiF this week, attending various events and speaking to delegates about his business story so far.
Reflecting on his time at UKREiiF, Rian said: “Coming to an event like UKREiiF makes me incredibly proud to be from the Humber, and to be representing the region. It’s been a unique opportunity for me to speak to people who I would not normally meet, or have access to.
“The sessions I’ve attended have been really insightful, and a lot of the challenges and barriers people are facing in their own businesses resonate with my own experiences.
“UKREiiF is a unique opportunity for small business owners like myself. It bridges the gap between private and public sectors, and it’s a chance to get inside the minds of some of these fantastic speakers.”
While at UKREiiF, Rian caught up with our Freeport team, comprising our Chair Finbarr Dowling, CEO Simon Green and Head of Investment Richard Beason.
Having grown up in Hull, in the HU5 area, Rian’s passion for technology started at a young age, when he became interested in the latest gadgets and innovations.
As he started studying at the University of Hull, the acceleration of AI adoption in business was in full swing. It gave him the perfect opportunity to combine his love of technology and digital with his entrepreneurial spark.
VEDA has now been running for two years, helping businesses with software, intelligent automation and AI. It’s about supporting companies to work smarter, and more efficiently, embracing digital technology to drive growth.
Rian, right, chatting to Humber Freeport Chair Finbarr Dowling at UKREiiF.
Speaking about the Freeport’s presence at UKREiiF, Rian said: “Humber Freeport is a massive investment opportunity for businesses. There’s a mutual balance between private companies benefitting and getting a good return on their investment, and local people and communities benefitting too, through the creation of skilled jobs.
“It should be a no-brainer for businesses to choose the Humber. We need to shout louder about what we are amazing at in the Humber. So much fantastic work goes on behind the scenes, and as part of a generation of young people coming from the city, I don’t think everyone is aware of the range of careers on offer here.
“Shout louder, and take more risks, and take a leap into what you are passionate about.”
Rian said freeport status was a key point of difference for the Humber, adding the investment proposition in the region was unlike any other area of the UK.
“If we get this right, it will lift the entire region, and improve the lives of so many people. It’s really exciting.”
• You can read more about Rian in our previous article here: https://humberfreeport.org/introducing-our-humber-freeport-future-ambassador-rian-patel/
