School of Coding & AI champions innovation and collaboration during Birmingham Tech Week 2026

AI, business innovation and career development were at the heart of School of Coding & AI’s (SoC) contribution to Birmingham Tech Week 2026, with a programme of events exploring how emerging technologies can support learning, drive business growth and open up pathways into the technology sector.

SoC, one of the UK’s fastest-growing education providers, took part in two events exploring the role of AI in education and business, hosted a speed mentoring event in partnership with Birmingham Muslims in Tech, welcomed over 140 attendees to its Women in Tech event, and attended the Scale Up Summit in the city.

The events reflected SoC’s commitment to connecting education with industry, helping businesses understand the opportunities presented by emerging technologies, and creating more accessible pathways into the technology sector. 

Organised by TechWM, Birmingham Tech Week is the UK’s largest regional tech festival and conference, bringing together technology creators, businesses adopting new technologies, investors, policymakers, international delegates and skills providers. 

A key highlight of the week for SoC was the Women in Tech event, which celebrated female talent and explored how to make the technology sector more inclusive. Suki Gill, CEO of SoC, took part as a panel judge and was interviewed about her own career journey, sharing how she moved from a background in biotechnology and biochemistry into technology and education after retraining with an MSc in Computing. 

The AI and Education event focused on the changing relationship between AI, learning and skills development, while the Applications of AI for Business event brought the discussion into the commercial world. 

Curated at SoC’s Birmingham campus at Livery Place, the business event featured speakers Chaithanya Sai of Met Cloud and Harry Nijjar of Woodstock Media.

The session explored how organisations can move beyond experimentation and turn AI’s potential into practical, measurable business outcomes. Topics included process optimisation, data-driven decision-making, customer experience and new opportunities for innovation, alongside the importance of responsible AI, data security, governance, skills development and organisational change.

During last week’s Birmingham Tech Week, SoC also hosted the Muslims in Tech - Speed Mentoring event, organised by Birmingham Muslims in Tech and the Old Edwardians Muslim Network (OEMN), with support from Cloud Surge.

The event brought together aspiring professionals and experienced people working across the technology sector for a series of focused, one-to-one mentoring conversations. It also highlighted the importance of making the technology sector more accessible to underrepresented communities, connecting Birmingham’s diverse talent with the networks, knowledge and opportunities that can help them thrive.

SoC also participated in the Scale Up Summit in the city, an official Birmingham Tech Week event focused on the opportunities and challenges facing ambitious businesses as they grow.

The summit explored AI-enabled growth, operational expansion, leadership, investment readiness, industrial innovation, climate technology and international markets. Participation provided a further opportunity to engage with the founders, investors, business leaders and innovators shaping the region’s economy, while contributing to the wider conversation about how technology and digital skills can support sustainable growth.

Suki said: “Birmingham Tech Week gave us an opportunity to bring together three important priorities: understanding emerging technologies, developing the skills needed to use them effectively, and ensuring that more people and organisations can benefit from the opportunities they create.

“During the Women in Tech event, I felt truly privileged to be surrounded by a room full of inspiring women who have each made significant contributions to the technology sector. The event highlighted the power of representation and inclusion, and the importance of creating opportunities for more women and girls to pursue careers in technology. 

“I've seen first-hand the difference that encouragement, mentoring and positive role models can make to young people's aspirations.”