Pennine Five Goes Live!

Sheffield’s Landmark Innovation Hub Opens Its Doors

Pennine Five, the former HSBC headquarters in Sheffield’s Cathedral Quarter, is set to open its campus doors next month as part of a major programme celebrating the city’s growing innovation economy.

The campus will play a key role in Sheffield Innovation Spine’s Northern Tech Summit fringe programme, delivered in partnership with TECH SY, which will bring three days of innovation-focused activity to the city from 20–22 October 2026.

For Pennine Five, the programme provides an opportunity to showcase the campus and its role within Sheffield’s emerging innovation ecosystem, while opening its doors to businesses, entrepreneurs, students and the wider community.

A landmark destination for businesses that want to scale

Pennine Five is one part of the wider Innovation Spine, a connected network of innovation-led businesses, organisations, universities and specialist workspaces running through Sheffield city centre.

Located within the Cathedral Quarter, Pennine Five is positioned as a landmark innovation hub for businesses in the digital, technology and life sciences sectors, particularly companies that are scaling up, relocating or looking for an environment where they can grow and collaborate.

The campus combines commercial workspace with a growing community of ambitious businesses, alongside events, amenities and opportunities for collaboration. With significant space available across the campus, Pennine Five is creating a bespoke destination for companies looking for more than just an office – a place where they can establish themselves, connect with other businesses and become part of Sheffield’s innovation story.

Pennine Five opens its doors

On Tuesday 20 October, Pennine Five will be one of the venues taking part in the Open Doors Innovation Festival, giving members of the public the opportunity to explore Sheffield’s urban innovation district and discover the organisations working across the city’s innovation ecosystem.

Visitors will be able to follow a self-guided route using the Spine Guide mobile app, visiting innovation venues across the city, meeting innovators and discovering the people and businesses behind Sheffield’s growing technology and innovation community.

Pennine Five will join venues including Electric Works, Sheffield Technology Parks, The Innovation Centre and innovation facilities across the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University.

The Open Doors experience is designed to be flexible, with visitors able to explore as many or as few venues as they choose. The full route is expected to take around two hours, while individual venues can also be visited during a lunch break.

Learn more and register your interest for the Open Doors app here.

Part of Sheffield’s Innovation Spine

Pennine Five’s involvement reflects its position within the wider Sheffield Innovation Spine – a 190-acre urban innovation district spanning five mixed-use neighbourhoods across the city centre.

The Spine brings together university spinouts, scaling technology businesses, specialist workspaces and innovation facilities, creating connections between businesses, academia, investors and the wider community.

Pennine Five forms an important part of this network from its position within the Cathedral Quarter, providing commercial space and a physical home for businesses operating within Sheffield’s fast-growing digital, technology and life sciences sectors.

[Pennine Five spokesperson] said:

“Pennine Five is proud to be part of Sheffield’s Innovation Spine and the wider Cathedral Quarter community.

“We see Pennine Five as much more than a commercial office destination. Our ambition is to create a landmark innovation hub for businesses that are scaling, innovating and looking to be part of Sheffield’s next generation of growth.

“The Northern Tech Summit and Open Doors programme provide a fantastic opportunity to showcase what is happening across the city and, importantly, to open Pennine Five up to people who may not have experienced the campus before.

“We want businesses to come here not just because of the space, but because of the opportunities to connect, collaborate and grow as part of Sheffield’s wider innovation ecosystem.”

Three days of Northern Tech Summit fringe activity

Pennine Five will feature as part of three days of activity organised through Sheffield Innovation Spine around TECH SY’s Northern Tech Summit.

Tuesday 20 October – Open Doors Innovation Festival

The free, open-to-all festival will invite people who live, work or study in Sheffield to explore the city’s urban innovation district.

Visitors will be able to use the Spine Guide mobile app to follow the Open Doors route, discover innovation venues and meet businesses and organisations working across Sheffield.

Wednesday 21 October – Guided Urban Innovation District Tours

Coinciding with the first day of the Northern Tech Summit, guided walking tours will give summit delegates the opportunity to experience Sheffield’s urban innovation district, with exclusive invitations extended to civic leaders, technology ecosystem partners and regional businesses.

Thursday 22 October – Run the Spine

The programme will conclude with a 5km group run along the Innovation Spine route, organised with local entrepreneur Hannah Duraid, founder of Sheffield Business Runners.

The social-paced run will be open to summit delegates and members of Sheffield’s innovation community, providing an informal networking opportunity before the Northern Tech Summit’s second day begins at the Crucible Theatre.