FabFest 2026

⌖ Birmingham · Innovation Depot Inc

Hosted by Birmingham AI

Explore practical AI use cases for classrooms and academic research at Birmingham AI’s free education breakout in Birmingham, Alabama, on 29 October 2026. Hosted by Birmingham AI, this 90-minute event brings together people interested in using artificial intelligence to improve education. A speaker-led talk and demo will introduce relevant AI tools and applications, followed by opportunities to exchange ideas with Birmingham’s wider AI community. The speaker and specific tools have not yet been announced. What to expect - Welcome and networking - Complimentary lunch - An AI-focused talk and live demo - Discussion of classroom and academic-research use cases The session is designed for educators, professors, academic researchers and school leaders, as well as anyone who wants to make an impact in education using AI. No experience requirements are stated. Date: Thursday 29 October 2026, 11:30am–1pm (GMT-05:00) Venue: Innovation Depot’s Event Space, 1500 1st Avenue North, Birmingham, Alabama, in the large room past the atrium on the right Tickets: Free, with limited seating Language: English The event is sponsored by KEYSYS, Sparkhound and C Spire. Reserve your free place.

Sponsors: KEYSYS · Sparkhound +1

⌖ Birmingham · Birmingham Repertory Theatre

Hosted by AND Capital Projects Limited

A practical, beginner-friendly AI workshop in Birmingham focused on working faster, strengthening skills and creating new income opportunities. Taking place on 2 November 2026 at Birmingham Repertory Theatre, this hands-on session looks beyond AI hype to explore where the technology can create real value in everyday work, freelancing, entrepreneurship and small business. It forms part of Building Financial Futures 2026, a full-day event covering financial resilience, careers, wealth, property, business ownership and long-term financial planning. What the workshop covers The session focuses on practical application rather than technical theory. Attendees will explore: - Ways to use AI to work more efficiently and improve productivity - How AI can strengthen skills and expertise you already have - Using AI to research, create, analyse information and solve problems - Opportunities to support freelancing and generate additional income - Practical applications for entrepreneurs and small businesses - Turning ideas into products, services or commercial opportunities more quickly - Why human judgement and subject-matter expertise remain essential - Responsible AI use, including the technology’s limitations The workshop is designed for non-technical attendees, and no previous AI experience is required. It should be particularly relevant to employees, freelancers, aspiring entrepreneurs, business owners and anyone curious about applying AI to their work or ideas without needing to understand the underlying technology. Part of a wider financial futures programme Registration for this workshop also provides access to the broader Building Financial Futures 2026 programme. The full-day event brings together individuals, families, business owners, financial professionals and community organisations for a mix of keynotes, workshops, marketplace activity and networking.… Register for this event

⌖ Birmingham · Innovation Depot Inc

Hosted by Birmingham AI

A free lunchtime AI briefing for finance and financial services leaders, taking place in Birmingham, Alabama, on 5 November 2026. Organised by Birmingham AI, this 90-minute breakout explores the latest AI news, its impact on financial services, and practical case studies and use cases for applying AI in business. What to expect - Welcome and networking with Birmingham’s AI and finance community - Lunch, which is included with admission - A speaker talk and live demo focused on AI in financial services The event is designed for finance professionals, bank and credit union leaders, fintech innovators, accountants, analysts, insurance professionals and wealth managers. It also welcomes anyone curious about how AI could transform financial services. No named speaker or detailed session topic has been published yet. The breakout runs from 11:30am to 1pm (GMT-06:00) on Thursday 5 November 2026 at Innovation Depot Inc, 1500 1st Avenue North. It will be held in the Event Space Room, located to the right past the large open atrium. Admission is free, including at the door, but seats are limited. The event is sponsored by KEYSYS, C Spire and Sparkhound. Reserve your free place

Sponsors: KEYSYS · C Spire +1

⌖ Birmingham · 6 Brindley Place

Hosted by DevOps Society

Improve how you communicate technical ideas at this practical DevOps workshop in Birmingham, taking place on 12 November 2026 from 6pm–9pm GMT. Hosted by DevOps Society at AND Digital’s The Foundry, the evening is designed to get engineers away from their laptops and practising the human skills behind effective meetings, presentations and workplace conversations. What to expect Steve Wade, Founder of Platform Fix, Kubernetes Ambassador for DevOps Society, former Flux maintainer and Istio contributor, will lead three sessions: - AI, DevOps and Kubernetes: What’s Next?, a concise keynote on changes across AI, Kubernetes and platform engineering. - The Human API, an interactive talk exploring how to start better conversations and communicate effectively in stand-ups, interviews, meetings and presentations. - Owning the Stage, a hands-on confidence workshop featuring small-group speaking exercises, unexpected questions and PowerPoint Karaoke with unseen slides. Steve brings 15 years of production infrastructure experience, has trained more than 6,000 engineers and has spoken at KubeCon and DevOps Pro Europe. Attendees will receive practical communication techniques, presentation practice and Steve’s Communication Playbook after the event. The workshop is aimed at DevOps engineers, SREs, platform and cloud engineers, developers, engineering leaders and other technology professionals, including those who find Terraform easier than presenting or asking for a pay rise. No natural public-speaking ability is expected. Venue: AND Digital, The Foundry, 6 Brindley Place, Birmingham B1 2JB. Food and drinks are provided by the host venue. Registration also includes pre- and post-event emails from Steve with session materials and a short follow-up series. Register for The Human API Workshop

⌖ Birmingham · NEC

Hosted by Schools & Academies Show

EdTech Summit brings school and trust leaders to the NEC in Birmingham on 18–19 November 2026 for two days of education technology, AI and digital innovation. Hosted within the Schools & Academies Show, the summit is designed to help education leaders select effective technology, implement practical digital strategies and improve teaching, organisational efficiency and learner outcomes. Attendees can expect CPD-certified content, expert-led sessions, keynote presentations, best-practice case studies and interactive panel discussions, alongside opportunities to meet leading EdTech providers. Headline speakers The announced line-up includes: - Abid Patel, Founder and CEO of ITjustworks - Dave Smith, Director of Procurement and Trust-wide Projects at Osborne Co-operative Academy Trust - Dawn Taylor, Assistant Headteacher at Kingsdale Foundation School - Claire Walden, Cyber Protect Specialist at Thames Valley Police - Dr Matthew Woodruff, CEO of Edequity AI - Caroline Wright, Director General of the British Educational Suppliers Association - Duncan Baldwin, Chair of EduData - Austin Earl, Senior Programme Manager, Education at TechUK The event is particularly relevant to school and multi-academy trust leaders responsible for digital transformation, procurement, safeguarding, data, operations and classroom technology. Partners and supporters include the Department for Education, ANME, EdTech Innovation Hub, NAHT, Launchpad STEM and the National PedTech Partnership. Register for the EdTech Summit

Sponsors: ANME · Department for Education +5

⌖ Birmingham · Millennium Point

Hosted by Clockwork Medical

A two-day AI and healthcare conference at Millennium Point in Birmingham, running 1–2 December 2026, focused on practical applications of AI in orthopaedics and musculoskeletal (MSK) care. Returning for its fifth meeting, AI in Orthopaedics and MSK brings clinicians, researchers, technologists, policymakers and industry together to explore how AI could improve patient outcomes and experiences. The programme covers: - Predictive analysis, including implant longevity - Surgical planning and medical imaging - Real-world AI applications, risks and benefits - Government policy, regulation and MHRA guidance - Developments from Python, Microsoft and Amazon - Research presentations and poster sessions The format combines presentations with workshops, demonstrations, one-to-one expert help, networking and an interactive hackathon. The British Orthopaedic Research Society will contribute to the meeting, while convenors include orthopaedic surgeons Keith Tucker and Vipin Asopa. CPD approval has been applied for. Competitions and submissions The 2026 hackathon asks teams to formulate an AI-based project that improves healthcare-system efficiency for MSK patients. Hackathon registration is now closed, and accepted presenters must also register for the conference. Abstract submissions open on 1 June and close on 9 October 2026, with results announced on 16 October. An essay competition titled The good, the bad and the ugly about AI offers a monetary prize; entries of up to 1,000 words are due by 31 October. Who should attend? The conference welcomes medical professionals and students, AI scientists, data analysts, regulators, government and Department of Health representatives, and industry partners. Tickets start at £150 for one day or £285 for both days, with reduced student rates; valid student ID is required on arrival. Register for AI in Orthopaedics and MSK 2026

Sponsors: British Orthopaedic Research Society (BORS)