Immerse UK, Barclays Eagle Labs and Hatsumi were joined in Manchester on 20 January for an evening of talks and conversation exploring the therapeutic value of immersive technologies, the future of financial wellbeing and the importance of community when it comes to self-care.

Event recording

Content

We all live with financial anxiety, the startup community especially suffers, with over half of entrepreneurs reporting that running their businesses has resulted in poor mental health, including as stress, depression and anxiety. Whilst many of our financial behaviours exist online, what role does community, creativity and connection play in making us mentally and financially resilient?

Aims of the event:

  • Make Blue Monday a little less blue, and explore the connection between finance and wellbeing.
  • Learn about hydrotherapy and how VR is being used in supporting children with complex needs.
  • Understand the emerging role of arts, community and creativity in healthcare.
  • Hear more about the investment landscape and how entrepreneurs can support each other through the challenging world of startups.
  • Bring together entrepreneurs, investors, researchers and healthcare practitioners.

About our speakers

Rebecca Gill, Nurse & Founder of VR Therapies

Rebecca is a qualified nurse who specialises in learning disabilities, brain injury rehabilitation and mental health, formed VR Therapies in 2018. She is the founder of Virtual Reality Therapies, an innovative and new social enterprise, specially created for kids with special needs & adults with disabilities. They are dedicated to making the inaccessible, accessible.

Lottie Barnes, Arts Health and Culture Manager, Princess Elizabeth Hospital, Guernsey

Lottie Barnes was a freelance community artist for over 10 years in Manchester, working for the 3rd Sector, arts organisations and for local authorities. She moved to Guernsey to take on the role of Community Arts Development Manager and is now the Culture, Arts and Health Manger for the States of Guernsey, Health and Social Care.

Mohsin Patel, Co-founder, islamicfinanceguru.com

Mohsin is an ex-corporate lawyer and the co-founder of islamicfinanceguru.com (“IFG”), a platform dedicated to helping Muslims to make smart financial decisions and faciliate entrepreneurship. IFG secured over £2m of funding into start-ups in 2019 and is building a start-up ecosystem. Mohsin is also particularly keen on helping to raise financial savviness amongst the most socio-economically disadvantaged groups.

Programme

5.30:  Doors Open (Food and drinks available)
6.00: Introduction – Barclays Eagle Lab and Immerse UK
6.10: Keynote: Rebecca Gill
6.30: Video from Becky Inkster Neuroscientist and Honorary Fellow at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge on The Financial Health and Technology Consortium
6.35: Panel Discussion
7.00: Q&A
7.15: Networking reception
8.00: Close

In partnership with

    

Barclays Eagle Labs begun from a simple idea of re-purposing under-used Barclays’s space, our network of Eagle Labs has expanded quickly since our launch in 2015. Our mission is to fuel the UK’s entrepreneurial community by accelerating high-growth businesses through collaborative innovation and provide access to emerging technologies. @Eagle_Labs_MCR

   Hatsumi logo

Hatsumi develop, curate and research immersive experiences across arts, health and virtual reality technology. We are creating a virtual reality platform that enables people to visualise lived experience of pain and mental health conditions using 3D drawing tools. @HatsumiVR