Urbano - Connecting Companies Facilitating Opportunities

Introducing Urbano
20 years + of running Urbano (including its earliest iteration, Shoreditch Business Network) have shown me that whilst I can’t prove the tangible or even intangible benefits of being a part of our business before anyone has joined, I am lucky that very few members leave and even then only because their business circumstances changed rather than their opinion about Urbano.

Once an application to join Urbano is accepted, it is the COMPANY that joins. No Urbano event ever has the same mix of attendees.  Every Urbano event, including our speaker breakfasts, is relaxed, informal and sometimes even fun.

We have around 100 member companies which vary in size from individuals to those with up to 250 employees. Our sweet spot of members is SMEs, most of which work in our Build, Create-Media, and Tech communities, though we have others from beauty recruitment to management consultants. Most have a base or focus on London, as that is where we host nearly all our events, but we have members from Birmingham, Nottingham, Cheshire, Yorkshire, Oxford, and Somerset.

Urbano’s mix of member companies and the diversity of their services, plus our own experience running Talent Lab which itself works with with a mix of PLCs and SMEs, helps us deliver a business community that is a pro-active valuable resource for our members.

I like to think Urbano offers any business – especially those that run and create them - the kind of conversations, connections, information and support not easily found elsewhere.

Our focus is on nurturing the kind of relationships between companies that do lead to opportunities to become suppliers, associates or to collaborate on projects and tenders.

Being a catalyst to a rich mix of connections between a diverse range of companies remains at the heart of what we try to encourage and facilitate at Urbano.

Urbano Top Table networking events
These regular events are exclusively for Urbano Member Company founders, owners, and directors.

Urbano Top Tables are hosted at great restaurants. Previous Top Table host venues have included The Hide Piccadilly, Café Murano, Quo Vadis, Anise at Cinnamon, 110 de Taillevent, Cafe Du Marche, The Social Eating House) and OXO Tower Brasserie.

Recent testimonial: "What a lovely afternoon I had at the latest Urbano Top Table lunch ! Lots of very interesting and constructive conversations with my fellow table guests, a very lovely bunch! Always fun, and they just seem to get better and better! This is my style of networking, no pressure, no stress, just easy, flowing conversation with friends and co-entrepreneurs in London discussing the opportunities and challenges, providing advice, support and meaningful ideas." Source and photo: Jon Williams, Director - Xerini

Urbano Events Calendar, 2025
(Confimed events in bold)

Tuesday March 11th Urbano Members At MIPIM 2025 (free networking group for attendees)

Wednesday March 26th Urbano Women In Business networking lunch

Wednesday May 14th Urbano Members reception at the House of Lords

Tuesday May 22nd - Urbano networking breakfast at REiiF, Leeds

Wednesday May 23^rd Urbano networking evening at REiiF, Leeds (venue tbc)

* Thursday June 22^nd – Urbano Midsummer Top Table lunch (venue TBC)

Urbano speaker events
Our speaker breakfast events examine relevant topics of interest to businesses. Recent events have included AI in construction, the modern workplace, ESG, procurement and greenwashing.

Urbano also has a proud record in championing issues like sustainability, diversity, ESG, wellbeing and opportunities for SMEs in the supply chain way before they became mainstream

All upcoming Urbano events and those of our corporate members can be found here:  https://www.urbanonetwork.co.uk/london-networking-events/list

SMEs and tenders
We continue to press for SMEs to be given a fairer chance at winning public sector work, including as part of project and large company's supply chains.

As Talent Lab, we have over 10 years experience helping all sizes of companies win places on frameworks and tenders, including Urbano members.

You can view our combined expertise and experience as Talent Lab and Urbano here: https://www.talentlab.co.uk/projects/tendering/the-new-procurement-act-and-smes-turn-words-into-actions/

The latest list of live tenders and frameworks be found here: Tenders @ Urbano

Urbano - The Sustainable Business Network
We call Urbano ‘The Sustainable Business Network’, not just because we have hosted speaker events on ‘sustainability’ stretching back to 2004 and challenged companies and individuals to make active changes on this front, but also because of our experience of bringing together those that create and run companies to help them adapt to the ever-changing challenges of running a successful enterprise.

I believe it is the diversity of our member companies, our own experience of running an SME – www.talentlab.co.uk - and the mix of people and events that makes Urbano unique.

We continue to develop this commitment, inviting event speakers to share with us their knowledge on ESG and their own company journeys on the pathway to net zero carbon. Membership and sponsorship of Urbano can also be used to demonstrate elements measured under social value for use on bids.

Fees
Members can choose which type of membership suits them best according to their size and needs, and whether to pay on an annual or monthly payment scheme. Details of options, including relevant services for each level of membership, available here: Urbano Membership

It is our members, event sponsors and especially our community supporter Stewart Title that allow Urbano to exist and fund the services we offer to the community. Often, the value of membership can be measured by one conversation and connection which Urbano creates during the year.

To start your journey with us, or to ask specific questions not answered here, click the link below to send me an email.

Best

Mark

Mark Herring