The Berkshire town of Reading is well known for it’s thriving business community. Located along the M4 corridor at the heart of the Thames Valley, Reading attracts a mix of established and startup businesses.
You’ll find offices of the big four accounting firms here in Reading, along with many IT and tech firms, due to its prominent location within an easy commutable distance of London.
We’ve tried to compile a complete list of all the business networking events in Reading, you need to know about as a small business owner. BUT, if we’ve missed something, let us know!
Business networking events in Reading 2023
Discover all the best business networking events in Reading
Reading Business Group
Established in 1998, Reading Business Club creates a supportive hub of local business owners who empower, support & encourage one another.
We welcome visitors to 2 free meetings where you can enjoy a delicious full English breakfast or juicy fruit platter.
https://www.readingbusinessclub.com/upcoming-events
Sterling Networks Reading Business Breakfast
If you are looking to make new connections in Reading and grow your business, then the Sterling Networks Reading Breakfast Group is definitely the answer!
The Reading Breakfast Group meet fortnightly @ Metro Bank, Broad Street Mall, 201 Broad Street, Reading, RG1 7QA on a Wednesday from 7:45am to 9.30am. The meeting fee to attend is £19.99 plus VAT and to book.
Fees: Membership fees and meeting fees apply.
https://www.sterlingnetworks.co.uk/reading-breakfast
Reccobiz in-person Reading
Established by Camilla Medcalf, Reccobiz is a local business marketing platform that provides a range of events for small business owners including great business networking events in Reading.
We look forward to welcoming you to the Reccobiz community small business in person networking with buffet lunch, on the 3rd Friday of each month between 12pm and 1.30pm. Reccobiz meet at The Wheelwrights Arms Davis Way Reading RG10 0TR.
The cost to attend is £22.50 Inc. VAT or £16.50 for businesses registered on the Reccobiz marketing platform, this includes lunch with tea or coffee.
If you are a registered business, please email camilla@reccobiz.co.uk for your voucher code.
You will have the opportunity to showcase your business in our 60-second presentation round, network and collaborate with other local small businesses and benefit from the increased chances of referrals to grow your business.
We vary the format to keep things interesting, the meetings will include business showcase presentations from a Reccobiz registered business, and discussion topics so that we can share our knowledge and support each other and our businesses.
If you would like to take part as a speaker or have any topics you would like covered, please contact me at camilla@reccobiz.co.uk.
To book your place at Reccobiz In Person Small Business Networking.
Reccobiz also host a monthly Small Business Social at the Broad Street Tavern in Wokingham, find out more details and book your place here.
FORE Business Reading
“FORE” Business are delighted to welcome you to our Reading Group which is hosted at Sonning Golf Club. The business networking event in Reading is a newly established group for 2020 and business and friendship within the group is flourishing.
Monthly meetings on the third Wednesday of the month, starting at 8.30am.
Membership fees apply.
Find out more about golf based business networking at
OMNI Business Development Network Reading
One of the largest independent networking groups in the South East, the OMNI Business Network has hosted events across Surrey and South West London for many years.
Run by John Gower and his team of Group Directors, meetings are held across Guildford, Reading, Farnborough, Basingstoke, Bracknell and in South London with Twickenham, Walton and Weybridge.
You’ll generally meet John at the region’s business exhibitions hosting the speed networking sessions.
Reading Breakfast group meet bi-weekly, from 7.30 to 9.30am at The Grosvenor Casino
Rose Kiln Lane, Reading, RG2 0SN.
Costs: £10. Membership fees apply.
Omni Business Development Network – Reading
FSB Reading Virtual Networking
The Federation of Small Business (FSB) offers members a wide range of vital business services including advice, financial expertise, support and a powerful voice heard in government.
THe FSB Thames Valley Region regularly host a Reading Virtual Networking event online, usually on a Friday from 10 until 11am.
Members and non-members are welcome.
Cost: Free
To find out more about upcoming FSB networking events in your area, visit the FSB website.
Woodley Business Club
WBC is a group of small business owners in and around Woodley, near Reading in Berkshire. We support each other with advice, services and general chat via Twitter, and our main point of contact… our group Facebook page.
Business Networking meet-ups happen once a month and are a great place to share ideas and ask questions. There’s usually a guest speaker too.
Find out more about upcoming events at Woodley Business Club website.
The Athena Network Reading East
This group meets on the 1st Wednesday of the month from 12 – 2pm (excluding August & December).
A popular, dynamic and vibrant group where you can be assured of excellent business connections, meet local business women and step out of the isolation so many female entrepreneurs can feel.
The Reading East members pride themselves on the strategic connections that they have created, collaborating with each other to create new projects and services.
For further details call Debbie Atkins on 07834 861827 to find out how you can visit and then join our group.
The Athena Network – Reading East
Women in Business Networking – Caversham, Thames Valley and Wokingham
Would you like to spend time with other motivated businesswomen, in a vibrant, energetic and supportive environment where great connections are made, opportunities arise and friendships blossom?
If you have said yes to the above then the Thames Valley WIBN group is the place for you to do just that. I would like to invite you to come and visit us and experience it for yourself.
Whether you work full time or part time, are a business owner, entrepreneur or business professional, you can be sure of a warm welcome at the Thames Valley group.
The Thames Valley group is run by franchisee Sarah van Dort. You can find out about upcoming business networking events in Reading here.
The group meet from 12 to 2pm on the third Tuesday of each month.
Membership fees apply, with meals and refreshments included for in-person meetings.
Costs: Visitors £28.
The Caversham group is run by franchisee Sarah van Dort. You can find out about upcoming business networking events in Caversham here.
The group meet from 12 to 2pm on the third Wednesday of each month.
Membership fees apply, with meals and refreshments included for in-person meetings.
Costs: Visitors £28.
The Wokingham group is run by franchisee Sarah van Dort. You can find out about upcoming business networking events in Wokingham here.
The Thursday afternoon group meet from 12 to 2pm on the second Thursday of each month.
The Friday morning group meet from 9.30 to 11.30am on the 2nd Friday of the month.
Membership fees apply, with meals and refreshments included for in-person meetings.
Costs: Visitors £28.
Your Partnerships – Theale BizSpace
All are welcome to attend this vibrant morning networking event at the Theale BizSpace. All will be talking about this one….
BizSpace Theale and Your Partnerships are so proud to host a monthly networking event that will engage all Berkshire area businesses under one roof.
All are welcome and this is a free to attend event. You do not have to be a member of BizSpace or Your Partnerships to attend this one as we are wishing to offer a space for all business owners to engage.
BizSpace Theale will also be offering tours of the centre if you have never visited.
If you are accustomed to networking meetings full of rules, hard-line selling of their memberships and only letting the selected certain businesses join in, well this one is completely opposite of this. We know collaboration of competition is the combination that makes business happen.
Get ready to make things happen and you will be joining in with a network of over 4k members.
The business networking event in Reading runs from 9am to 11.30am at BizSpace Theale, Brunel Road, Theale, Reading, RG7 4AB
Cost: Free
Book your place – Morning Networking at Theale BizSpace in Berkshire.
MIB Mums in Business Networking Event
Join your Networking Leader – Sophie Ames and community of like-minded women at our networking meetings, where our focus is to leave you empowered, inspired and connected.
All our events are child friendly, we recognise the struggles of being a mum in business and we’re all here to support you all the way.
We aim to create a supportive and welcoming environment helping you feel comfortable, enabling you to share about your business and build connections and friendships that will truly support you and your business growth.
At every meeting we have a guest speaker who will bring a topic with a focus on sharing knowledge that will move your business forward.
There is always a chance to introduce yourself and your business and every attendee is entered into a draw at each meeting to win a prize donated by a local business.
Event Co-ordinator is Sophie Ames.
Next event: Robyn’s Nest School, Green School Green Centre, Berkshire, RG2 9EH
Cost: £15
Book your place here at MIB Int Networking
The Tech Tribe Thames Valley Meetup
The Tech Tribe Local Tribal Gatherings are a monthly peer group where Managed Service Provider (MSP) owners, MSP vendors and other IT community members get together to exchange ideas, best practices and discuss how to succeed in the world of Managed Services.
The format will start with an initial discussion on MSP topics followed by pizza. We’ll then have another roundtable discussion around any hot topics brought by those around the table.
It’s a loose format and may evolve on the night depending on how deep the discussion goes!
The discussion will be on whatever topics the group brings to the floor, so get your thinking cap on.
The Tech Tribe Local groups are kindly sponsored by Pax8 — meaning there is no cost to attend or consume pizza!
To find out details of the next monthly meetup near you, visit Tech Tribe Local Meetup.
Connect Reading
Are you looking to make connections and improve your local environment and community? Connect Reading can help you!
Each of our members has a unique and valuable contribution to make. We love getting to know you so we can help you build meaningful connections with long-term impact.
We focus on meeting actual needs and seek to always be innovative and creative as we work together to build a better Reading… for everyone!
Find out about upcoming events with Connect Reading
First Friday Club Reading
First Friday Club is a free of charge networking group which is organised and supported by The Reading Chronicle, Cream Design and Greatest Hits Radio.
Membership to First Friday Club is free, however you can upgrade to a featured listing for a one-off £50 fee. This includes an image, short description of your organisation and a link to your website. All our guest speakers also have their membership upgraded.
First Friday Club Reading is hosted at a variety of the best venues in town, including Bills, Blue Collar, Browns, Cote Brasserie, Malmaison, Pentahotel, Pho, Revolucion de Cuba, The Corn Stores, Veeno, Work.Life, Zero Degrees.
Find out more about the next First Friday Club Reading event at
https://www.firstfridayclubreading.com/
BNI Reading Central
BNI is comfortably the largest business networking organisation in the world, members meet on a weekly basis to exchange business referrals and make introductions.
As a member of BNI you will have access not only to the people that you meet every week and the 100,000+ UK based companies but also to over 1 million members worldwide. Of course, most business is completed within the local groups but it is good to know that the additional support is there if you want it.
BNI Reading Central currently has 35 members.
As well as the business leads and referrals, a thriving group like Guildford Business offers a chance to mix with successful business people, share their experiences and tap into a hugely experienced resource.
BNI Reading Central meet each Friday at 6.45 am at the Green Park Conference Centre, 100 Longwater Avenue, Green Park, Reading, Berkshire, RG2 6GP.
Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce
The Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce Group (TVCC) works with businesses across Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, West Berkshire and Swindon to help them achieve their full business potential. We do this by offering members a range of services including business advice, networking events, training and international trade support.
TVCC are one of the largest Chambers accredited by the British Chambers of Commerce in the UK, and are the only accredited Chamber in the region. Lobbying on behalf of business, we hold a fundamental role in the development and future wellbeing of the area.
Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce run regular networking events across Reading and Berkshire, find out more details here:
Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce – Events
Business Exhibitions in Reading
Reading Business Expo – 9 March 2023
Reading Business Expo is Berkshire’s largest free-to-attend business show which is next taking place on Thursday 9th March 2023 at Green Park Conference Centre.
This free event is for company directors, managers, professionals, start-ups and entrepreneurs looking at starting or growing a business.
Be inspired, make new connections and take your business to the next level.
Each event has open networking areas and facilitated speed networking session, making it a must-see in the business networking events in Reading calender.
Register now for FREE tickets or call us on 0845 139 9301 to book a stand to promote your business from as little as £295+VAT.
Find out more details at: Reading Business Expo.
Thames Valley Expo Reading – 13 October 2023
Great British Expos are delighted to bring back one of our longest-running business networking events in Reading – The Thames Valley Expo (Reading) on the 13th October 2023 at Green Park Conference Centre.
This exhibition is the ultimate event for businesses within the region, designed to help you network, make new connections and grow your business.
Attending the Thames Valley Expo gives SMEs a huge advantage. Join over 1000 SMEs from across the region who will be attending the business expo and using it as a platform to network, make new connections, meet new suppliers, become a new supplier, get inspired and motivated by our incredible keynote speakers.
Meet 30 new contacts in 30 minutes. Speed networking is the quickest and most effective way for you to make contact with potential suppliers, partners or clients.
Regardless of what stage you are in your business journey, there is something for everyone at this year’s expo. Don’t forget to confirm your attendance – we have limited tickets available.
Book your tickets for Thames Valley Expo Reading today.
Have we missed your business networking events in Reading out?
Drop me an email at jamie@helpmegrow.co.uk with all of the details and we’ll get it listed!
Are you looking for business networking events in Guildford instead? Alternatively, there are great business networking events in Woking to attend. Further afield there are regular events in Reading and Basingstoke.
