Launch of Beyond the AI Binary

⌖ 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 · The Nucleus Building

Hosted by CompSoc, University of Edinburgh

HackTheBurgh XIII brings 300 students to Edinburgh for a 24-hour challenge-based hackathon on 7–8 November 2026. Applications are now closed. Organised by the University of Edinburgh’s CompSoc, Scotland’s largest hackathon invites participants to build creative technical projects in teams of up to four. Sponsors will set the challenge tracks, with projects assessed through demos and judging at the end of the weekend. No specific workshop topics have yet been published. What to expect The event runs at The Nucleus Building, starting at 10:00 on Saturday 7 November and ending at 17:00 on Sunday 8 November. The programme includes: - Registration, breakfast and an opening ceremony - Hacking from 12:00 Saturday until the submission deadline at 12:00 Sunday - Sponsor-led workshops, meals and overnight refreshments - Project demos, judging and a closing ceremony - Opportunities to meet technology employers and fellow participants Current university students and people who graduated within the past year were eligible to apply. All degree disciplines and experience levels were welcome, including non-technical students and first-time hackers, provided they were at least 18 when the event begins. Participants without a team can connect with others before or during the event. Food, snacks, drinks and designated sleeping spaces will be provided. Attendees should bring a laptop, charger, valid student ID and, if staying overnight, a blanket or sleeping bag. Travel reimbursement is also available, subject to the organiser’s published terms. Visit the official event page for application and attendance updates.

Sponsors: Metaview · Hudson River Trading +9

⌖ Edinburgh · Heriot-Watt University Edinburgh Campus

Hosted by HW Compsoc

Build your Python skills with JetBrains and Heriot-Watt CompSoc at this in-person student workshop in Edinburgh on 10 November 2026. Running from 1:45pm to 2:30pm GMT, the session takes place in EM 2.50 at Heriot-Watt University’s Edinburgh Campus. It is aimed at students interested in strengthening their coding skills, although the event page does not specify an experience level, detailed agenda or named workshop speakers. The workshop forms part of a wider JetBrains programme on campus: - A related seminar runs from 1:00pm to 1:30pm and requires separate registration. - The JetBrains stall will be open at the HW Bridge from 1:00pm to 2:30pm, with no sign-up required. - Free pizza will be available. Specific allergies and dietary requirements cannot be accommodated, so attendees with food allergies should check the allergen information before eating. Spaces for the workshop are limited, and early booking is recommended. Attendees are also reminded to register as a member of HWU CompSoc. Register for the Python workshop

Sponsors: JetBrains

⌖ Edinburgh · Codebase

Hosted by TechTalks Edinburgh

Learn how to judge whether AI-written code makes a codebase safer or riskier at TechTalks Edinburgh 10, taking place at CodeBase in Edinburgh on 10 November 2026. Legacy in Months, Not Years Lead Software Engineer Dmitriy Fedoryshchev will share lessons from modernising a 600-table, 21 TB legacy core into microservices after four previous attempts. His squad adopted a custom multi-agent system while following one central doctrine: only merge code that can be understood and explained. The talk explores how to assess agent-written code, identify the rules AI agents repeatedly break, and turn those rules into automated checks that agents cannot skip. Dmitriy brings experience spanning startups and enterprises, plus more than 100 merged open-source pull requests across 20 projects, including Anthropic, OpenAI and Microsoft. This meetup is relevant to software engineers, technical leads and anyone interested in AI-assisted development, maintainability and open-source tooling. Both experienced professionals and people earlier in their tech careers are welcome. Agenda - 6:00–6:30pm: Drinks, pizza and introductions - 6:30–6:40pm: Opening talk - 6:40–7:30pm: Main talk - 7:30–7:45pm: Q&A - 7:45–8:00pm: Networking and close - From 8:00pm: Afterparty at a nearby pub The event takes place at CodeBase, 38 Castle Terrace, Edinburgh EH3 9DZ. Partners include CodeBase, Dougray, Scottish Technology Club, Beyond Tech and Lyxonn. Photography and video will be captured for social media; notify the organisers if you prefer not to appear. Register for TechTalks Edinburgh 10.

Sponsors: CodeBase · Dougray +3

⌖ Edinburgh · The Slug and Lettuce George Street

Hosted by ⭐ Edinburgh Tech Network (ETN) ⭐

Meet Edinburgh’s software, product, data, AI and startup community over informal drinks on Wednesday 11 November 2026, from 7–10pm GMT. Hosted by Edinburgh Tech Network, this relaxed networking evening at The Slug and Lettuce George Street brings together people working in and around tech. It is designed for software engineers, product managers, data and AI professionals, startup founders and operators, as well as others building products, projects or careers in tech. There are no presentations, speeches or structured activities. Instead, attendees can exchange ideas, learn from their peers and explore potential collaborations or career opportunities through natural conversation. The gathering is generally self-hosted, with no designated host leading the evening; ask venue staff for the “Edinburgh Tech Network” table when you arrive. Attendance details - Venue: 113–115 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 4JN - Places are limited to keep the gathering focused and conversational - RSVP on Meetup, then become an OkGather member - Membership costs £2.99 per month and is required to attend - Members receive 20% off food and drinks by showing their OkGather profile at the bar This event is part of a recurring series held on the second Wednesday of each month. RSVP for this event

⌖ 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