Birmingham Tech Week returns

Birmingham Tech Week, from October 10 to 14, features free events that are open to anyone interested in the digital ecosystem or working in the technology sector.

More than 5,000 taking part will congregate in venues across the West Midlands for events and demonstrations, delivered by executives from the world’s leading brands, including Microsoft, Accenture and Slack.

The West Midlands has nearly 6,000 tech companies employing a diverse workforce of over 38,000 people.

Across the week there will be many free sessions and workshops, including a scale-up summit, a digital skills symposium and an awards ceremony to celebrate the region’s tech successes.

Topics that will be discussed at the festival include artificial intelligence, web 3.0, robotics, big data and digital transformation.

The free to attend festival has been created to help businesses achieve more, inspire the next generation and highlight the importance of digital skills.

Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “Birmingham Tech Week has become a real highlight in the city’s business calendar – which is apt given the West Midlands’ status as the UK’s fastest-growing tech sector. After millions tuned in to enjoy the spectacular Commonwealth Games, this is a great time to be pitching all that our region has to offer – including our impressive tech credentials - whilst also building strong relationships with fellow tech hubs overseas.

“It was fantastic to play host to the inaugural Commonwealth Esports Championships this summer which underscored how we are in many ways a natural fit for the fast-growing e sports industry given the tech sector is one of our strong suits thanks to our talent base and innovation capabilities. I look forward to productive discussion around how we can take the tech sector to the next level and make the most of the genuine opportunities ahead of us in the coming months and years.”

Yiannis Maos, the founder and chief executive of Birmingham Tech, the organisation responsible for delivering the week, commented: “The week was founded on encouraging collaboration, celebrating regional success and inspiring people from all walks of life to get into technology. We are really excited about this year’s festival as the region’s tech sector has seen a real transformation and the week will act as a catalyst for future growth.”

To ensure the city continues on its journey to being recognised as a major international tech hub, Birmingham Tech Week is working with a number of strategic sponsors and partners.

Visit birminghamtechweek.com