Tech Social: Networking for Social Impact Organisations

Description

This event will bring together social impact individuals and organisations already working in tech or looking to use tech for their business.

About this Event

This event, hosted by Town Sq, will bring together social impact individuals and organisations already working in the technology and innovation sector, or looking to develop a new business idea using technology to enable environmental or social change. We would also like to invite other existing organisations interested in exploring how they can leverage new technology to increase their impact.

This event will look at activity taking place in Oxfordshire, discuss key themes, opportunities and challenges as well as give attendees the chance to share news from their own organisations, exchange ideas and explore potential collaborations.

The session will start with an introduction to emerging trends in tech, now and in the near future, followed by tech stories from our panel, and an ‘icebreaker’ session for each attendee to introduce themselves, before opening up to the room for discussion and questions. The session will be limited in numbers to make sure genuine connections are created.

The discussion will be led by the group and could cover a range of topics such as:

• Opportunities and challenges as a result of the global pandemic, and the ‘tech world’ we currently find ourselves in
• Building an MVP – what tools and tech could help?
• How can tech businesses scale without losing their impact?
• What tech could help you to grow or reimagine your organisation?
• Could other attendees potentially work in tech spaces where it could be beneficial for you to collaborate?
• Local initiatives and opportunities, and signposting to funding and investment streams

This session will be limited in numbers to facilitate good discussion and strong connections to help build relationships and collaboration going forwards.

Who is it for?

This workshop is aimed at SMEs that include Social Enterprises, social entrepreneurs, enterprising charities and other purposeful businesses committed to enabling positive social and/or environmental impact, either through the work that they do or in the way they run their organisation.

You might be looking to create a website, an online service or an app to help grow your business, or already have a social impact tech business that you are keen to grow and meet others who are on a similar journey.

What will I learn?

• A tailored discussion of tools and tech which can/could help you, now and in the near future.
• The opportunity to meet like-minded people, and discover their stories, and where you might learn from each other, perhaps even collaborate for mutual benefit in the future.

Facilitator

Rob Fellows

After studying Engineering at Cambridge, followed by Advanced DSP at Southampton, Rob has spent the past 2 decades as a specialist technology consultant, and leading a small R&D team (which grew!) pioneering data analytics and bringing innovative solutions to hard problems. He has chaired the highest level cross-government committee for technical collaboration in data and analytics, and has studied and mentored and/or led workshops in areas such as: AI and Machine Learning, the Internet of Things, Augmented Reality, Collective Intelligence (for optimising teamworking), Lean methods for technology startups, and Morphological Analysis (for solving 'wicked' problems).

He enjoys any discussion about how technologies (especially algorithms!) could be used in new beneficial ways, and how we work to understand the detail of what is really possible (what lies behind the 'hype') when predicting how future technology trends will reshape the world we live and work in.

Speakers

Kyle Grant, CEO OxWASH

Oxwash is re-engineering the laundry process from the ground up; their award-winning laundry and dry cleaning service has customers at the core. By using cutting edge technology they guarantee a world-class clean and service direct to your door.

Joy Foster, Founder Tech Pixies

Since 2015, Joy Foster has led TechPixies on a mission to help thousands of women upskill with social media in order to return to work, change careers or start a business. TechPixies, and Joy herself, have been recognised nationally for the work she is doing.

Tony McGurk, CFO Crypto Cycle

Reward4Waste is an easy to use app that incentivises and rewards people for recycling. The rewards can be redeemed for cash, vouchers or benefits, or donated to charity. Behind the easy to use app lies intelligent back-end architecture. Green blockchain and AI technology helps drive consumer behavioural change, tracking packaging through the circular economy, eliminating fraud, enabling flexible deposit rates and bringing rich data, insights and modelling.

Victoria Edwards, Founder & CEO Fido Tech

FIDO wants to be the go-to choice for water companies the world-over by bringing together the varied leak detection methods they’re already using in one beautifully simple, adaptable, completely hardware agnostic SaaS solution.

About the host hub

Town Sq.

Town Square is one of six eScalate hubs across Oxfordshire, and is a certified B Corporation, committed to helping people to start and run their own businesses.

In September 2019 they launched a co-working community at the Eco Business Centre, based in the eco village of Elmsbrook, near Bicester.

Find out more at www.thetownsquare.co.uk

For more information about the eScalate programme , visit www.oxfordshirelep.com/escalate

Please note that this webinar is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and is delivered as part of the eScalate programme to help SMEs. By engaging in this programme you are being offered assistance under the De Minimis regulation which allows a company to receive up to but not exceeding €200,000 of public funding (at the applicable exchange rate) of De Minimis aid over a rolling three-tax year fiscal period. This de minimis declaration does not cover undertakings engaged in: the primary production of agricultural goods and fisheries/aquaculture, road freight, services of general economic interest and export related activities and activities favouring domestic over imported goods. Please note, support cannot be given to undertakings (businesses) in difficulty. In order to receive support from this programme, you will be required to complete an application form and other relevant documentation.