AWS Brighton User Group Meetup #17 – Save the Date

⌖ Brighton · Register to See Address

Hosted by South East Angels

Startup Roadshow Brighton brings early-stage founders and investors together in Brighton on 14 October 2026 for startup pitches and focused networking. Taking place from 6:00pm to 8:30pm GMT+1, this evening event is designed to connect promising founders from across Sussex with angel investors, venture capital investors, entrepreneurs and members of the wider regional startup ecosystem. The exact Brighton and Hove venue address will be shared with registered attendees. What to expect The centrepiece of the roadshow is a startup pitch competition, where selected early-stage companies will present their ideas to a judging panel of angel and VC investors. The investor judges are still to be confirmed, but the format gives founders an opportunity to put their businesses in front of people actively involved in funding and supporting early-stage technology ventures. Alongside the pitches, attendees will have time to build relevant connections across the Sussex startup community. The evening offers opportunities to: - Discover emerging startups and new business ideas - Meet founders, investors and fellow entrepreneurs - Gain visibility for an early-stage venture - Hear concise pitches assessed from an investor perspective - Develop relationships within the local funding ecosystem The event page particularly highlights founders seeking attention for their businesses and investors looking for potential opportunities in the FinTech sector. Founders who want to compete can apply to pitch at Startup Roadshow in advance. Who is behind the roadshow? The event is presented by South East Angels, an award-winning angel investor community operating one of the UK’s most active angel syndicates and currently investing more than £2 million each year into early-stage technology startups. It is hosted by Jake Fox. NatWest is also listed as an organiser. Through the NatWest Accelerator and its always-on Accelerator App community, the bank provides entrepreneurs with mentors, practical tools and access to a national network intended to help them develop the skills and confidence to scale.… Register for this event

Airtable

Sponsors: NatWest

⌖ Amsterdam · Hembrug Site

Hosted by AIC4NL

Meet relevant AI investors through focused one-to-one sessions in Amsterdam on 7 October 2026, alongside talks on funding and support for AI startups. Taking place on Wednesday afternoon at the Hembrug Site in the Amsterdam area, the AI Startup-Investor Matchmaking Event will connect promising AI ventures with investors from the Netherlands and neighbouring countries. Organised by AIC4NL, the event is designed to help founders hold meaningful funding conversations while giving investors direct access to the next generation of AI and deep-tech innovators. The exact start time is still to be announced. Focused investor matchmaking The centrepiece of the afternoon is a structured series of one-to-one meetings. Around 15–20 investors, including European partners, will meet pre-selected startups across five 20-minute rounds. These targeted conversations create space to discuss: - Growth plans and commercial ambitions - Current and future investment requirements - The startup’s underlying AI technology and solution - Potential fit with seed, growth or corporate capital Unlike a broad startup networking event, the format is built around specially arranged meetings between startups, investors and large companies with a shared interest in AI and deep tech. There will also be opportunities to expand your network with contacts from the Netherlands and abroad. Presentations and support programmes Alongside the matchmaking sessions, attendees can hear presentations covering AI business cases and the regional, national and European support available to young AI companies. Featured initiatives include AIC4NL’s Breaking Barriers programme, the TTT-AI programme supporting academic entrepreneurship, and LLM-BRIDGE, a pan-European accelerator for generative AI and large language model startups. Who should attend? The event is intended for AI startups and spin-offs developing original, groundbreaking AI technologies and seeking pre-seed, seed, Series A or corporate investment. It is equally relevant to venture investors and corporate investment representatives looking to discover emerging AI innovation.… Register for this event

⌖ Cardiff · Tramshed Tech

Hosted by Clean Growth Fund

Connect with Wales’ climate tech ecosystem in Cardiff on 7 October 2026, with investor pitches and a free cleantech reception. The Cardiff Climate Tech Roadshow brings together innovators, investors and organisations working to accelerate the low-carbon economy. Presented by the Clean Growth Fund and the Development Bank of Wales, the event combines private daytime pitching opportunities for early-stage businesses with an open evening of networking and conversation. Pitch to climate tech investors UK-based climate and cleantech companies at Seed to Series A stage can apply for a private, one-to-one daytime session with investment professionals from both organising teams. Successful applicants will be able to: - Present their technology or business innovation directly to investors - Receive feedback on their proposition and investment readiness - Explore potential funding opportunities - Build relationships within Wales’ growing climate tech ecosystem Pitch places are limited and require an application through the event form. The application deadline is 23 September 2026. The Clean Growth Fund is a specialist venture capital fund backing UK innovations with the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or improve resource efficiency. Founded in 2020, it has made 23 investments to date. The Development Bank of Wales helps Welsh businesses start, grow and scale by improving access to finance and connecting founders with the wider investment community. Evening cleantech reception From 5pm to 7pm, the programme opens into a free, in-person networking reception focused on the future of climate innovation in Wales. Expect a broad mix of founders, researchers, investors, funders, accelerators, policymakers, industry leaders and corporate sustainability professionals. Representatives from academia, local authorities, public-sector organisations, incubators and research institutions are also invited.… Register for this event

Sponsors: Development Bank of Wales · Clean Growth Fund

⌖ Birmingham · Birmingham, United Kingdom

Hosted by HackerX

Meet 100+ software developers in Birmingham through HackerX’s fast-paced, invite-only recruitment format on 8 October 2026. Hire technical talent face to face Designed specifically for employers, this three-hour Birmingham event offers an efficient alternative to conventional candidate sourcing. HackerX brings hiring companies together with hand-picked local developers for a series of focused, five-minute conversations, helping teams meet a large and relevant pool of technical talent in one evening. HackerX describes itself as the largest invite-only recruiting event for developers, supported by a community of more than 100,000 members across 175+ cities. The Birmingham edition is expected to feature 100+ software developers, with skills spanning several high-demand areas: - Artificial intelligence and data science - Full-stack software development - iOS development - Other technical specialisms requested by participating employers During registration, employers can specify the profiles and skills they are seeking. HackerX then uses those requirements to focus its recruitment and shape the candidate room around participating companies’ hiring needs. What to expect The event runs in a recruitment “speed-dating” format, with employers meeting developers face to face in rapid five-minute intervals. This structure is intended to keep conversations concise while allowing each company to encounter as many potential candidates as possible. It is best suited to employers and hiring teams with active or upcoming technical vacancies who want direct access to pre-selected local talent. The English-language event takes place in Birmingham, United Kingdom, from 7:00pm to 10:00pm on Thursday 8 October 2026. The listing gives Birmingham as the location but does not yet identify a more specific venue. Employer tickets and sponsorship Listed ticket options include: - Early Bird Ticket, USD 495: admission for two people plus two job postings - Employer Ticket, USD 595: admission for two people plus two job postings - Silver Sponsor, USD 995: admission for three people, a presentation and a booth - Gold Sponsor, USD 1,295: admission for six people, a presentation and a booth… Register for this event

⌖ Edinburgh · Shepherd and Wedderburn LLP

Hosted by UK Startup Events

Meet founders, investors and potential cofounders in Edinburgh on 20 October 2026 for tactical startup insights and focused networking. Organised by UK Startup Events, this founder-focused meetup combines practical conversation with structured opportunities to make useful connections. It takes place at Shepherd and Wedderburn LLP, 9 Haymarket Square, from 6:00pm to 8:30pm, followed by optional pub drinks at The Jolly Botanist. What to expect The evening begins with open networking and colour badges designed to support speed networking. After introductions, the community shoutouts give attendees a safe space to explain what they are building, celebrate recent wins and ask for help with current challenges. The centrepiece is an informal, hands-on tactical fireside chat about the strategies involved in building, shaping and growing a startup. Topics change each month, with experienced entrepreneurs and diverse guests sharing their stories. The October guest has not yet been announced; follow the Founders Meetup LinkedIn page for updates. Agenda: - 18:00: Arrival and open networking with speed-networking colour badges - 19:00: Welcome and introductions - 19:05: Community shoutouts - 19:20: Tactical fireside chat - 20:00: Open networking and drinks - 20:30 onwards: Pub drinks at The Jolly Botanist Who should attend? This meetup is designed for people currently building startups, those exploring an idea, founders searching for cofounders or team members, investors looking for opportunities, and anyone keen to learn from experienced startup operators. The format is useful whether you are at the idea stage or already working to grow a company.… Register for this event

Sponsors: Start to Scale · Shepherd and Wedderburn

⌖ Madrid · Talent Garden Madrid

Hosted by PontIA

PontIA Connect brings AI talks, a live generative AI demonstration and industry networking to Talent Garden Madrid on 23 October 2026, from 4pm to 9pm. Designed to connect current AI developments with practical business applications, this five-hour, in-person event offers an opportunity to understand how artificial intelligence works, discover innovations shaping the sector and meet professionals involved in the technology’s future. It is organised by PontIA and takes place at Talent Garden Madrid, Calle de Juan de Mariana 15, in Madrid. What to expect Doors open at 3:30pm, giving attendees time to register, collect their accreditation and explore the networking area before the main programme begins. The early access period also includes talent stands, where attendees can meet companies looking for data specialists. At 4pm, PontIA CEO Jesús Garrido will open the event with an introduction to the day and a roadmap for the real-world application of AI across today’s business landscape. A featured session follows at 4:15pm: “Does artificial intelligence think? Live Tokenizer demonstration”, led by Carlos Moreno, Head of AI at BBVA. This practical talk will demystify generative AI and examine why language models operate through statistics and probability rather than human-style reasoning. Attendees will see how these systems: - Divide written language into tokens - Transform text into numerical representations - Predict the next word from its surrounding context - Change their responses when model settings are adjusted Using OpenAI’s Tokenizer in a live, on-screen demonstration, Moreno will show how a machine processes language. He will also adjust parameters such as model temperature in real time, illustrating how these controls can affect the creativity of generated responses. Who it is for PontIA Connect is relevant to people who want to keep up with AI trends and understand their application in business, as well as professionals interested in data, generative AI and the wider technology sector. Its combination of an accessible technical explanation, practical demonstration, company stands and networking creates value for both those exploring AI concepts and those seeking new industry connections.… Register for this event