Birmingham Tech Week 2024 - Day 3: Global Growth Congress Recap.

Birmingham Tech Week 2024’s third day was an exciting highlight with the Global Growth Congress, an event dedicated to exploring the UK tech sector’s global competitiveness and the West Midlands' role as a leader in technology and innovation.

Sponsored by IBM, the event featured insightful panels, keynotes, and fireside chats focused on scaling UK businesses globally.

✅ A Great start to the Day.

The day kicked off with a meeting with Georgina Ayre, the Deputy Director at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), where we discussed a potential partnership for the upcoming Parentech Conference 2025. This conference, set to take place in Birmingham in January 2025, aims to address critical challenges in parenting in the digital age, focusing on online safety, digital literacy, and bridging the generational digital divide.

We are incredibly excited about this opportunity to collaborate and create meaningful impact in this space.

Inspiring Conversations with Innovators in VR and STEM

One of the most energizing parts of the day was meeting Oliver Lawrence and Dr Gabriella Gardosi from Railverse, who are doing groundbreaking work using immersive VR and movement-based technology to inspire kids to explore diverse career paths in #STEM. Their innovative approach to combining music and VR technology for educational purposes highlights the power of digital transformation in shaping the next generation’s careers. Their work truly resonates with Socianet’s commitment to leveraging technology for positive change.

Lunchtime Networking with Industry Leaders

(L-R) Aimee P, Manolya Kavakli & Patrick Nwafor

Over lunch, I had the pleasure of connecting with Manolya Kavakli, Program Lead for Gamification & Simulation Technology at Aston University Digital Futures Institute, and Nikhil Harji, co-founder of RehabVerse.

Our conversation was one of the highlights of the day, delving into the future of digital simulation technologies and their applications in education and rehabilitation.

These discussions opened up possibilities for potential collaborations, especially as we look to expand Socianet’s role in the tech education space.

Panel on Enabling Innovation and Transformation

One of the standout moments of the day was attending a panel on "Enabling Innovation & Transformation", featuring insightful presentations from thought leaders such as — Manolya Kavakli, Prof. Kanghyun Jo, Prof. Hung-Suck Park, Peter Laybourn, and Raj Mack.

The panel offered deep dives into digital transformation strategies and sustainable innovation practices, all of which align with the values and forward-thinking approaches we champion at Socianet.

Ben Roberts’ Presentation on Tenants Hub AI

Later in the day, I had the chance to listen to Ben Roberts from Tenants Hub AI present on their cutting-edge technology that streamlines property management. The concept of integrating AI into property management processes was fascinating, and the potential for this type of innovation to revolutionize the real estate industry is clear.

A big thanks to Ben for the thoughtful gift — a cool keyring that I’ll treasure as a memento of the event.

Exciting Announcement: Parentech Conference 2025

In line with our efforts to support parents and children in navigating the challenges of the digital age, I am thrilled to officially announce that #Parentech2025 is set for January in Birmingham! 🚀🚀 

This event will provide a much-needed platform for parents, educators, tech professionals, and policymakers to come together and share practical steps, workshops, and insights on how to foster safe and healthy online experiences for children. We’ll be discussing everything from digital literacy to online safety, with a strong focus on bridging the digital divide.

This event will address the gaps in parenting in the digital age, providing a platform for key stakeholders to discuss online safety and share practical steps, tips, and workshops for kids and adults to bridge the digital divide.

We invite anyone interested in participating or contributing to reach out for more details. The Parentech Conference is shaping up to be a key event, and we’re excited about the opportunities for collaboration and impact.

Final Thoughts

The Global Growth Congress at Birmingham Tech Week 2024 has been a fantastic journey of connections, innovation, and thought leadership.

The conversations sparked and the potential partnerships formed have opened up exciting new directions for Socianet and Parentech 2025. We look forward to continuing these discussions and seeing where they lead as we strive to make a positive impact through technology and collaboration.

Stay tuned as we continue to bring you updates on the outcomes of this incredible week and the exciting developments for Parentech2025!