Evening Drinks: Meet People in Tech (Developers, PMs, Designers, UX & More)

⌖ Edinburgh · Edinburgh Futures Institute, The University of Edinburgh

Hosted by Traveltech

University of Edinburgh students can spend a full day solving real-world festival challenges at this collaborative arts, culture and technology hackathon. Taking place on Friday 30 October 2026, from 9am to 5pm, the in-person event brings innovators, artists, developers, designers and festival enthusiasts together at the Edinburgh Futures Institute in Edinburgh. What to expect Festival partners will provide challenge prompts based on pressing issues faced by the Edinburgh Festivals. Participants will form multidisciplinary teams, combine their different perspectives and develop creative solutions designed to enhance the festival experience. The programme also includes insights from festival organisers and data visualisation leaders, covering challenges, opportunities and emerging directions across cultural events. Projects may explore how technology can help festivals reach wider audiences, strengthen their communities and make a more positive environmental impact. No specific technical experience requirement is stated; coders, designers and arts enthusiasts are all encouraged to contribute. Practical details: - Room 2.55, Floor 2, Edinburgh Futures Institute - 1 Lauriston Place, Edinburgh EH3 9EF - Eight-hour, in-person format - Food and refreshments provided - Organised by Traveltech Get tickets for the hackathon

⌖ Edinburgh · Stansted House, 3rd Floor, 12-14 Long Lane, London EC1A 9PN, UK

Hosted by The Investment Association (IA)

IA Conference Scotland 2026 brings investment leaders, policymakers and innovators to Edinburgh on 5 November for debate on AI, regulation and sustainable growth. Taking place at The Exchange, EH3 8EE, this flagship one-day conference from The Investment Association will examine how Scotland can strengthen its position as a global centre for investment management. More than 330 attendees from 110+ organisations are expected, including senior decision-makers, regulators and policymakers. What to expect The programme combines keynote speeches, leadership panels, fireside chats, presentations, interactive sessions and networking. Across 20+ thought-leadership sessions and more than eight hours of content, delegates will explore: - AI, digital transformation and technological disruption in asset management - Regulatory change, political developments and global market dynamics - Changing client expectations and the future of retail investing - Operational resilience amid cyber threats, geopolitical tension and supply-chain disruption - Talent, competitiveness and Scotland’s role in attracting capital - Sustainable growth and the investment industry’s contribution to UK prosperity An AI-focused debate featuring Dr Sonia Schulenburg of Level E Research will ask whether artificial intelligence is an incremental development or a fundamental shift for asset management, and consider how it is already reshaping the industry. Speakers and sessions The day begins with breakfast and networking from 08:00, followed by the main conference programme. John Owen, CEO of The Investment Association, will deliver his first address at the Scottish conference before moderating a leadership panel with Xavier Meyer of Aberdeen, Kirstie MacGillivray of Aegon, Sandra Boss of BlackRock and Scott Wallace of Aberforth Partners. Further highlights include: - A conversation with Stephen Flynn MSP, Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, on Scotland’s economic priorities and investment-led growth - A resilience fireside chat with Kenneth MacKay of M&G Asset Management - Miranda Seath’s launch of new IA analysis into boutique asset management in 2026, with a focus on Scotland - A discussion about how demographics, technology and changing attitudes to risk are transforming investing for individuals… Register for this event

Sponsors: FundGuard

⌖ Edinburgh · Jamaica Yard

Hosted by Founders Coffee Club

Founders Coffee Club brings relaxed, pitch-free founder networking and a day of coworking to Jamaica Yard in Edinburgh on 12 November 2026. Built around a simple promise, no speeches, no presentations and no selling, this in-person meetup gives founders space to have genuine conversations without sitting through formal talks or navigating sales pitches. Turn up, grab a coffee and meet other people building businesses across Edinburgh’s founder community. What to expect The scheduled networking session runs from 10:00am to 11:00am GMT at Jamaica Yard, 3 Jamaica Street, Edinburgh EH3 6HH. The event also includes coworking for the day, so attendees can continue working from the venue after the morning meetup rather than heading straight back to the office or working alone. There is no speaker programme or prescribed agenda. Instead, the format centres on informal, founder-to-founder networking: - Meet other founders over coffee - Exchange experiences in a sales-free setting - Build local connections without formal presentations - Stay for coworking during the rest of the day This is a founders-only event. It is particularly welcoming to people who find traditional networking daunting or who are attending Founders Coffee Club for the first time. The hosts say newcomers will be greeted on arrival and introduced to someone immediately, helping conversations start naturally rather than leaving attendees to work the room alone. Tickets and organiser Tickets cost £15, and registration is subject to host approval. The meetup is presented by Founders Coffee Club, which hosts networking events for founders across the UK. You can also follow the organiser on Instagram or LinkedIn. The Edinburgh gathering forms part of a recurring series held on the second Thursday of each month, offering founders a regular opportunity to reconnect, meet new peers and spend a productive day working alongside others. Request to join and get your ticket

⌖ Edinburgh · CodeBase

Hosted by Edinburgh User Experience Meetup

Explore human-centred government technology and AI accessibility at this World Usability Day meetup in Edinburgh. Hosted by the Edinburgh User Experience Meetup, this Tech for Good special brings together two founders to share practical lessons from starting and scaling purpose-led digital products. It takes place at CodeBase, 37a Castle Terrace, on Thursday 12 November 2026, from 5:15pm to 7:30pm GMT. Talks From Challenge to Infrastructure: What It Really Takes to Design for Government, James Buchan, founder and CEO of ePass, will explain how a Scottish CivTech challenge became national government infrastructure. Topics include: - Designing simultaneously for citizens, businesses, licensing officers and policy teams - Conducting research across complex departments and undocumented processes - Using the Digital Scotland Service Standard as a design tool - Creating a reusable component configurable for more than 160 licence types - Adapting user-centred design as a product moves from pilot to infrastructure Designing Doubt: Can I Make This Journey?, Tirtho Dasgupta, founder of Nirmānaa, will share how he built an AI accessibility co-pilot solo in nine weeks. He will examine how AI is changing design work and why designers increasingly need to design for uncertainty rather than certainty. The programme opens with doors at 5:15pm, followed by James’s talk at 5:45pm, a break at 6:30pm, Tirtho’s talk at 6:40pm, and a 7:30pm close. It is particularly relevant to UX, product, accessibility, AI and government technology practitioners seeking candid, experience-led lessons. Register for this event

⌖ Sheffield · The Edge, University of Sheffield, 34 Endcliffe Crescent, Sheffield, S10 3ED

Hosted by APRIL

The APRIL AI Hub Annual Summit 2026 brings together researchers, practitioners, and innovators at the forefront of artificial intelligence and machine learning for a full day of knowledge sharing and collaboration in Sheffield. Taking place at The Edge at the University of Sheffield, this conference serves as the flagship annual gathering for the APRIL (AI for Precision Medicine and Healthcare, Privacy, Reproducibility, Interpretability, and Learning) community. As the second annual summit following the inaugural event in Edinburgh, this conference continues APRIL AI Hub's mission to advance responsible AI research and practice across healthcare, precision medicine, and beyond. The summit provides a vital platform for cross-sector dialogue between academic researchers, industry partners, healthcare professionals, and policy makers working at the intersection of AI, ethics, and real-world applications. What to Expect While the detailed programme is still being finalised, attendees can expect a comprehensive agenda featuring: - Keynote presentations from leading figures in AI research and healthcare innovation - Research showcases highlighting cutting-edge work in precision medicine, privacy-preserving AI, reproducible research methodologies, and interpretable machine learning - Panel discussions exploring the ethical, regulatory, and practical challenges of deploying AI systems in sensitive domains - Networking opportunities to connect with peers across academia, industry, and healthcare sectors - Poster sessions and demonstrations of ongoing research projects Who Should Attend This summit is designed for: - AI and machine learning researchers working on healthcare applications - Data scientists and engineers building trustworthy AI systems - Healthcare professionals interested in AI-driven precision medicine - Policy makers and ethicists concerned with responsible AI deployment - PhD students and early-career researchers in AI and related fields - Industry partners exploring AI applications in regulated environments About APRIL AI Hub The APRIL AI Hub represents a collaborative initiative advancing responsible AI research with particular emphasis on healthcare applications, data privacy, reproducible science, interpretable models, and robust learning systems. Previous APRIL events have established a strong reputation for bringing together diverse perspectives on the challe

⌖ Mexico City

Hosted by Rafael Mendiola

AI Builders Meetup brings React and AI developers to Mexico City on 27 October 2026 during Mexico Tech Week and Día de Muertos. This planned meetup offers developers a timely opportunity to connect with Mexico’s technology community, compare what they are building and spend time discussing the intersection of React and artificial intelligence. Organised by Rafael Mendiola, it is designed to bring local builders together with developers travelling from outside Mexico. What to expect The concept is deliberately community-focused: gather strong developers in one place, invite interesting speakers and create space for conversations about React, AI and current projects. While the detailed programme and speaker line-up have not yet been announced, the meetup is expected to centre on: - React development and the evolving tools and practices around it - AI products, applications and developer-led experimentation - What attendees are currently designing, coding and shipping - Connections between Mexican developers and visiting builders - Exposure to one of the world’s most energetic technology communities The event is being timed to coincide with Mexico Tech Week and Día de Muertos, making it particularly relevant for people who want to combine a developer meetup with several days in Mexico City. That wider context gives international attendees an opportunity to experience the local technology scene while the city hosts other activity and one of Mexico’s most significant cultural occasions. Who should attend? The meetup is aimed specifically at React and AI developers. It should appeal to working engineers, independent builders and technically minded product creators who want to exchange ideas with peers and learn what others are building. The published announcement does not specify a required experience level, so prospective attendees should register their interest and follow future updates as the agenda takes shape. Current event status… Register for this event