21 Degrees Digital’s inaugural AI event packs out Horizon Leeds and sparks plans for more
Leeds-based digital marketing agency 21 Degrees Digital has cut through the hype surrounding artificial intelligence with a packed-out launch event showing businesses how AI can actually drive performance and profit.
The free evening event, Leveraging AI for Business Growth, took place this week at Horizon Leeds and brought together some of the North’s most respected voices in technology and marketing.
Business owners, marketers and growth leaders from across Yorkshire heard from speakers including Rory Mason, CEO of 21 Degrees Digital, and Zandra Moore MBE, co-founder of Zygens and one of the UK’s most prominent advocates for women in tech.
“To say tonight went well would be an understatement. It was a genuine lightbulb-moment evening,” said Rory Mason, CEO of 21 Degrees Digital. “We had around a hundred business owners in the room and at half nine on a Wednesday night they were still scribbling notes. That tells you everything about how hungry people are for practical, honest guidance on AI.”
The event opened with a keynote from Zandra Moore MBE, who set the scene by highlighting Leeds’ role in the internet and digital revolution over the past 20 years, before breaking down how large language models and AI agents really work in practice.
She was followed by entrepreneur Charlie Bartle, who shared how she pivoted her business from recruitment into low and no-code services, then again as AI threatened to disrupt her model, showing how “out of adversity comes opportunity."
Together, Moore and Charlie then built an AI agent live on stage, demonstrating how the audience could start using similar technology in their own organisations right away.
Across short talks, live demos and an extended Q&A, the session focused on practical use cases rather than theory, showing how companies are already using AI to sharpen their marketing, increase efficiency and stay competitive in a fast-moving economy.
Feedback from attendees highlighted the “refreshingly honest” approach and “real examples that can be actioned on Monday morning”.
“In my talk I took people on a journey of what we think the future of digital marketing looks like. It is more holistic, more human and powered by AI behind the scenes,” Mason added.
“Used properly, AI helps you do more, at higher quality, while stripping out the repetitive tasks everyone finds boring. The clear message across all the talks was that AI is not here to replace humans. It is here to collaborate with us so we can focus on strategy, creativity and serving customers better.”
For 21 Degrees Digital, the event marks the start of a new series of open-door sessions planned for 2026 as the agency builds its reputation as one of the new disruptors in the UK’s digital marketing scene. Following the success of this inaugural event, the team is already planning follow-up sessions that will dive deeper into AI for SEO and paid media, creative testing and automation for CRM and customer journeys.
Founded in Leeds by a group of performance marketers and creatives, 21 Degrees Digital has quickly gained a reputation for blending data-driven strategy with bold creative execution, helping brands move faster, waste less and stay on the right side of change.
While many agencies talk about transformation, 21 Degrees Digital lives it. The team has embedded AI into every stage of their marketing process, from research and creative development to media optimisation and CRM automation, ensuring clients see measurable impact rather than buzzwords. The agency’s approach, equal parts analytical rigour and creative risk-taking, has already attracted attention from ambitious businesses across Yorkshire and beyond.
“It has been a brilliant year for the agency. We have grown fast, built an incredible team and partnered with some fantastic clients,” said Mason. “The success of this first event shows there is a real community of businesses who want to do things differently. In 2026 we will be building on that momentum with more events across the North and further afield in the UK, working with organisations that share our appetite for innovation and progress.”
Guests at Leveraging AI for Business Growth enjoyed short, punchy talks, live demos, Q&A sessions and relaxed networking with food, drinks and music. Free LinkedIn headshots and digital marketing health checks proved especially popular, with many attendees booking follow-up sessions to explore AI opportunities in more detail.
See slides from the event HERE