Birmingham Tech Week has returned as a festival of digital, technology and innovation across Birmingham and the West Midlands. As a hybrid festival, Birmingham Tech Week 2021 offers a choice between virtual and in-person events that run from Monday 11 – Friday 15 October.
If you’re stuck for something to attend, we’ve rounded up 10 of the best events on everything from cybersecurity to digital skills and scaling a tech company.
Birmingham Tech Week opening ceremony
- Type: In-person
- Date: Monday October 11 – Tickets (Sold out)
Birmingham Tech Week kicks off on Monday afternoon with a keynote from Inez Brown, West Midlands Chair at Institute of Directors. A panel session is set to follow with representatives from Advanced, The Commonwealth Games, and the West Midlands Growth Company.
Cyber Tuesday
- Type: In-person
- Date: Tuesday October 12 – Tickets
Hear from Tech Nation Net Zero 1.0 alumnus Petalite at this Birmingham Tech Week panel event, which promises to provide clear information and practical approaches to solving business-related cybersecurity challenges.
Celebration of WM Health Technology
- Type: Online
- Date: Tuesday October 12 – Tickets
If you’re interested in hearing about the latest health and medical technologies in the West Midlands, then dial into this virtual early afternoon event. You’ll hear from speakers including Perninder Dhadwar, CEO at Innovate Health & Imobisoft, and Steve May-Russell, CEO at Smallfry.
Transforming Digital Skills Across the West Midlands
Focused on boosting the West Midlands’ digital skills capabilities, this event kicks off with keynotes from the University of Birmingham, Goldman Sachs, West Midlands Combined Authority, BT, and Birmingham Metropolitan College. In the afternoon, Naomi Nash, Tech Nation Entrepreneur Engagement Manager for the Midlands, is set to discuss digital skills in the West Midlands on a panel featuring business leaders from the region.
CreaTech Panel
- Type: Online
- Date: Monday 11 October – Tickets
CreaTech is booming in the UK. According to Tech Nation’s CreaTech Report 2021, CreaTech companies in the country raised nearly £1bn in VC investment in 2020, a 22% increase from 2019. Dial into this online panel discussion to hear about this exciting vertical from companies including ATMOS VR, Vanti, and Arcadis.
Product Leadership & Culture Change + Social
- Type: Online
- Date: Wednesday October 13 – Tickets
What drives cultural change? Find out at this virtual event which is set to hear from Monica Todd, who built the FT’s customer research capability. Monica now leads the commercial and product success of Curated Meetings at Hyve, a B2B platform that brings buyers and suppliers together in the retail sector.
Tech & Digital Showcase Day
- Type: In-person
- Date: Wednesday October 13 – Tickets
Head down to Birmingham Tech Week’s Tech & Digital Showcase Day to hear from innovative companies including Tech Nation highly commended fintech CrowdProperty, which recently secured £300m to fund its UK expansion.
Start/Scale/Succeed
- Type: In-person
- Date: Thursday October 14 – Tickets
An essential event for startup and scaleup founders, Start/Scale/Succeed will connect you with successful tech businesses and help you understand how to prepare for (and unlock) investment opportunities. You’ll also hear from Melissa Snover, CEO and founder of Tech Nation Upscale 7.0 alumnus Nourished, which 3D prints personalised gummy packets full of high impact vitamins and nutrients.
Game-changing digital in a pandemic
- Type: Online
- Date: Thursday October 14 – Tickets
Dial into this virtual event to hear what part software engineers from Belfast-based Kainos played in transforming how the UK lived and worked through the pandemic.
Black Tie Dinner and Awards
- Type: In-person
- Date: Friday October 15 – Tickets
Our Midlands Entrepreneur Engagement Manager Naomi Nash is on the judging panel for this awards event, which promises to be an evening of inspiration, celebration and collaboration. Held at the impressive ICC venue, its guest speakers include former Dragons’ Den investor Piers Linney.
