Databricks Bristol Meetup: November Edition

⌖ Bristol · St Nicholas Church

Hosted by techSPARK

Brazen Summit 2026 opens in Bristol with a three-hour programme for senior leaders navigating AI, modernisation and risk. Taking place 09:30–12:30 on Monday 9 November 2026 at St Nicholas Church, this in-person morning combines research, keynotes, a panel and a fireside chat. It is designed for CTOs, CIOs, founders, board members and others responsible for technology strategy or investment. Programme highlights - The State of Tech Leadership in 2027: Ghyston founders Ric Hill and Emily Hill launch the company’s new report, covering AI adoption and returns, legacy systems, regulation, resilience, cybersecurity and the workforce of 2030. - Beyond the Hype: Sam Deacon chairs a panel with Sue Turner OBE, Microsoft Director of Digital Strategy Richard Potter and Tom Heath. They will examine investment trade-offs, liability, infrastructure costs and the organisational structures behind resilient growth. - Legacy Modernisation: From Anchor to Asset: Ric Hill and Mike Whitehead discuss sequencing, internal politics and ways to transform critical systems without a disruptive multi-year rebuild. - Closing keynote: Liam Maxwell, formerly the UK Government’s first CTO, shares practical lessons on risk, regulation and resilience. Breaks between sessions provide time to meet technology and business leaders from across the South West. This is Day 1 of Brazen, Bristol’s weekday festival of technology, creativity and culture, running until 13 November. A separate week pass is available. The event is organised by techSPARK. Tickets are sold through another channel, and the stated refund policy is no refunds. Get tickets for Brazen Summit 2026

Sponsors: Ghyston

⌖ Bristol · The Watershed

Hosted by South West Data

South West Data Social is an informal monthly networking evening for anyone using, learning about or exploring data technologies in Bristol. Hosted by South West Data, the event runs from 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM GMT on Tuesday, 10 November 2026 at The Watershed, 1 Canon’s Road, Harbourside. The social takes place on the second Tuesday of every month. This relaxed meetup is designed for people across the local data community to meet, exchange ideas and build connections. It is suitable both for experienced data practitioners and those who are still learning or discovering the field. No formal agenda, talks or speakers are listed, so expect an informal, conversation-led networking format rather than a structured conference programme. Register for the South West Data Social

◎ Online

Explore how AI systems can be engineered for efficient deployment on resource-constrained devices in this online AIoT Hub talk on 3 November 2026 at 6:00pm. Rethinking AI beyond the cloud As machine learning moves from powerful cloud infrastructure onto smaller devices, capable models alone are not enough. “(Re)-engineering AI” examines the systems-level challenges that determine whether AI can work efficiently and reliably in real-world, resource-constrained environments. Hosted by the AIoT Hub – Newcastle Upon Tyne community, formerly known as IoT North, this online talk features Blesson Varghese, Professor of Computer Science at the University of St Andrews. Rather than concentrating on one model or application, Varghese will unpack the engineering principles needed to make distributed and edge AI practical at scale. The presentation centres on three fundamental deployment problems: - ML systems do not run efficiently on small devices - Sequential dependencies can restrict efficient execution - AI workloads are highly memory-intensive Varghese will introduce research solutions developed through hands-on experience designing and deploying distributed and edge AI systems. Attendees will learn why existing approaches need to be reconsidered and how changing the design and execution of ML systems can support more practical AI deployment outside conventional cloud environments. About the speaker Blesson Varghese has more than 15 years of UK and international experience in the design, development and deployment of large-scale distributed computer systems. His research focuses on edge computing and distributed systems, with a strong emphasis on translating academic research into practical technology. He received the 2021 IEEE Rising Star Award and held a Royal Society fellowship in partnership with British Telecommunications plc. He directs the Rakuten Mobile-funded Edge Computing Hub and co-leads research within the UK’s National Edge AI Hub. His work has produced more than ten patent filings and has appeared in a New Scientist video series and the documentary Clouded. View the event and registration details

⌖ Madrid

Hosted by Tech Show Madrid (CloserStill Media)

Big Data & AI World Madrid brings big data, advanced analytics and artificial intelligence leaders together in Madrid on 4–5 November 2026. Spain’s meeting point for data and AI This two-day, on-site exhibition and conference gives attendees a focused view of the technologies shaping modern data operations and enterprise AI. Held in Madrid, the event brings together technology leaders, startups and specialised vendors to present innovations across the data and artificial intelligence landscape. The exhibition format offers a practical way to explore different technologies in one place, see how vendors are approaching current data and AI challenges, and compare platforms relevant to real-world implementation. Key areas highlighted by the organiser include: - Big data and data management, including the systems used to organise, govern and work with growing volumes of information - Advanced analytics and the technologies helping organisations turn data into useful insight - Machine learning, with innovations from technology providers and emerging companies - Artificial intelligence platforms designed for business and technical applications - The wider role of AI in business, from technology strategy to implementation Who should attend? Big Data & AI World Madrid is positioned for professionals evaluating, implementing or supplying data and AI technology. It will be particularly relevant to technology leaders, data and analytics practitioners, AI and machine learning professionals, startup teams, and decision-makers researching platforms for their organisations. The published event information does not specify a required experience level, but its specialist technology and business focus makes it most applicable to attendees with a professional interest in data infrastructure, analytics or AI adoption. The event takes place 4–5 November 2026 and is delivered on site in Madrid. The listed event language is English. A specific venue and speaker programme are not included in the currently published information, so prospective attendees should check the official event page for updates before arranging travel.… Register for this event

⌖ Leeds · Platform

Hosted by The Curve

A closed-door Leeds discussion for senior professional-services leaders on shadow AI, data sovereignty and accountability for AI-assisted decisions. Taking place from 8:30am to 10:30am on 4 November 2026 at Platform in Leeds, this focused session from The Curve tackles the gap between formal AI policy and how artificial intelligence is already being used inside organisations. From informal AI use to defensible control Employees may be turning to personal AI accounts because approved tools are inadequate or unavailable. Governance policies may reflect how the organisation operated a year ago, while regulation and everyday usage continue to evolve. Meanwhile, ownership can become unclear when an AI-assisted decision produces the wrong result. Rather than treating these challenges as employee discipline issues, the discussion will examine them as questions of organisational design. Attendees will explore: - Where sanctioned and unsanctioned AI may already be operating, and what that exposes - How to size governance according to genuine risk rather than impose blanket processes - Where data sovereignty matters, and where it may sit lower on the risk spectrum - How governance can withstand model drift, regulatory drift and growing teams - What effective governance looks like when translated from principles into daily practice - How organisations can train and supervise junior staff who may not yet recognise when AI output is wrong The aim is to help leaders move away from ungoverned or informal AI use and towards confident, proportionate and defensible control, without assuming that every business needs the same framework. Speakers and format The conversation will include Fiona Widd, Head of IT at Clarion Solicitors, and James Ridgway, CTO at The Curve. This is not an AI hype session or a lecture focused on the wording of legislation. It is a small, in-person, closed-door discussion for senior leaders in professional service organisations, designed around candid peer exchange and practical experience. The session will operate under the Chatham House Rule, creating space to discuss shadow AI, unclear ownership and operational exposure openly. Breakfast will be provided. View the event and registration details

Sponsors: CGI

⌖ Frankfurt · INFOMOTION GMBH

Das Data & AI Meetup Frankfurt bringt am 4. November 2026 Fachleute zusammen, um AI Agents, Datenschutz und AI Readiness praxisnah zu diskutieren. Von 18:00 bis 21:00 Uhr treffen sich im INFOMOTION Innovation Lab, Westhafenplatz 1 in Frankfurt, Expert:innen, Praktiker:innen und Entscheider:innen aus Data, Analytics und künstlicher Intelligenz. Der kostenfreie Abend verbindet konkrete Einblicke aus Unternehmensprojekten mit fachlichen Diskussionen und viel Raum für neue Kontakte. Vorträge und Themen Im Mittelpunkt stehen zwei zentrale Herausforderungen für Unternehmen, die generative AI und autonome Agenten produktiv einsetzen möchten: - Data & Privacy First. AI Ready – Andreas Mayer, Advisory Board Member bei U-KNOW.AI, zeigt, wie sich verteilte Unternehmensdaten sicher, datenschutzkonform und intelligent für AI nutzbar machen lassen. Der Vortrag beleuchtet damit eine wichtige Grundlage für echten Mehrwert durch generative AI. - AI Agents Everywhere – How Do You Manage Them? – Vincent Rijnbeek, Regional Vice President Germany bei Dataiku, spricht darüber, wie Unternehmen AI Agents zentral verwalten, transparent steuern und skalierbar governieren können – unabhängig davon, wo die einzelnen Agenten entwickelt wurden. - Ein dritter Speaker-Slot ist vorgesehen und wird noch bekannt gegeben. Das Meetup eignet sich sowohl für erfahrene Data- und AI-Fachleute als auch für Menschen, die gerade erst in diese Themen einsteigen. Besonders relevant ist es für alle, die sich mit Datenstrategie, Analytics, Datenschutz, generativer AI, Agent Governance oder der Einführung von AI in Unternehmen beschäftigen. Ablauf des Abends - 18:00 Uhr: Einlass, Pizza und Getränke - 18:30 Uhr: Offizieller Beginn - 18:35 Uhr: Fachvorträge - 20:15 Uhr: Networking und Austausch - 21:00 Uhr: Veranstaltungsende Nach den Präsentationen bleibt ausreichend Zeit, um Fragen mit den Speakern zu vertiefen, aktuelle Data-&-AI-Herausforderungen zu diskutieren und Kontakte zum INFOMOTION-Team sowie zu anderen Teilnehmenden aufzubauen. Wer selbst eine Success Story, einen Praxisvortrag oder Erfahrungen aus einem Data-, Analytics- oder AI-Projekt teilen möchte, kann sich außerdem über das LinkedIn-Profil des Organisators als Speaker für ein kommendes Meetup melden. View the event and registration details