Agenda

Blockchain is set to be the investment of the future according to many, but beyond crypto what are the possible applications in your business? This presentation will assess blockchain beyond crypto, taking a vertical approach to its potential applications and some of the interesting applications seen to date.

Key take aways include:

• Gaining a clearer understanding of blockchain’s cross-vertical applications - from banking, healthcare, politics, insurance, Government, retail, real estate, legal industry, charities, education and beyond
• Road mapping its potential for forecasting, crowdfunding, smart contracts, identity management, security and more
• Identifying how blockchain could work in your organisation e.g. protecting IP
• Clarifying where not to use blockchain

This presentation will cover the basics necessary for understanding AI. The most basic question of ‘What is artificial intelligence?’ will be answered!

Key take aways include:

• A clear understanding of the recent advances in AI
• Understanding of where AI sees practical application
• Clarity on future uses for AI
• Confidence that AI won’t replace humans, only enable them to make better decisions!
• Beginner-level understanding of the 2 common approaches to achieving AI: Machine
• Learning and Deep Learning
• Understanding that an AI’s biases are not its own!

Whilst we are still a long-way away from reaching true AI via the singularity, cognitive technologies are certainly here to stay! Whilst AI specifically may be still to knock on your office door, it doesn’t mean that it’s not on the horizon – and sooner than you might think! 2019 will see the technology advance further, and here we will assess how AI will impact your business in the coming year.

Key take aways include:

• Leveraging AI to create more customer-centric experiences via improved data analytics and predictive machine learning
• Examining how AI can create personalised content via behavioural targeting methodologies
• Analysis on how AI is truly propelling advancement in fraud detection in the face of fraud schemes utilising automation, machine learning, natural language processing and more!
• Maximising on the advancements in chatbots for 24/7 customer support
• Integrating IoT with blockchain for improved security and greater proliferation of IoT adoption
• Creating greater efficiency in early stages recruitment processes utilising AI powered software

This session will take a look over the security threats businesses will face in 2019, balancing today’s realities with what’s coming down the line.

Key takeaways include:

• A clear overview of the 2019 security threat landscape
  Understanding of the over-reliance on connectivity and its impact to your crisis response plans
  A review of your vulnerability to ransomware hijacks, especially around IoT
  Pin-pointing who are your ‘privileged insiders’ susceptible to outsider coercion
  Recognising that misinformation affects us all, especially automated misinformation

Natural language processing (NLP) is a commonly used technology for many businesses. In fact, in an increasingly global marketplace, NLP’s business case is clear, so much so that today NLP is as common as communication itself! So how can we further capitalise on the potential of NLP in 2019? This presentation will assess where the biggest business potentials lie for NLP in 2019.

Key take aways include:

• Understanding the next phase in machine translation – Neural machine translation
  Assessing NLP’s role in the advancement of chatbots – Where are we and what’s possible?
  Understanding how NLP can help in the creation of diverse and inclusive recruitment practices
  Examining NLP’s potential around conversational searching

It’s easy to get caught up in the fervour of digital, analytics and cloud, however it is crucial that businesses - large and small - do not overlook the advances being made around infrastructure and operations. Software-defined everything has the potential to elevate your infrastructure investments, and businesses need to remember that infrastructure is the back-bone of IT! During this presentation we will review the advantages and potential pitfalls of a move to a software-defined everything model.

Key take aways include:

• Understanding the risks of a move to software-define everything
• Realising the importance of making standardisation a design mandate from the off in easing maintenance and supplier negotiations
• Realising the benefits of a robust DevOps function combined with Software-defined everything to redefine your IT architectures

In the world of programming languages, it can sometimes be likened to something of a popularity contest! There are the consist, mainstream languages, that you better know at least 1 of if you want a job – These include Java, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, PHP, C#, C++, and Objective-C. However, as we head into 2019, what are the new languages that are emerging and gaining popularity?

Key take aways include:

• Pinpointing the top emerging languages to keep an eye on as we move through 2019 – Python, JavaScript, Java, Kotlin, Go, Rust, Elm, Elixir, Crystal to name a few!
  Assessing the pros and cons of the different languages
  What will the 2019 tech advancements most likely require?
  Which languages are likely to ‘die out’ as businesses continue their march to digitalisation?

Real estate has been a sector slow to realise the potential opportunities technology has to offer and real progress in adaptation and advancement has been slow. In 2017, global venture investments into proptech topped $12 billion but this is only the beginning in technology overhauling the industry. This session will review where proptech investment has been focused so far, predictions for the future, and the opportunities presented to the wider tech sector as a digital revolution in real estate gets underway!

Key takeaways include:

• Trends of proptech investment to date
• Which areas of the real estate sector can benefit from technology the most?
• What VCs look for when investing in proptech startups
• What steps can real estate companies take to successfully adapt to digitalisation?
• How the tech sector can benefit from the rise of proptech

Is file storage and computing power the only use businesses will have for the cloud as we look ahead? Or will we see SaaS, PaaS, IaaS and even DaaS start to dominate becoming the ‘cloud’ of the future?

Key take aways include:

• Develop a broader understanding for the future forecasts around DaaS, SaaS, PaaS and IaaS and where the drivers are coming from
• Understanding what decentralised cloud computing really means and looks like!
• Recognising developer inclusion of usability and interface elements with great user experience rising in priority in cloud computing
• Exploring how the original revolution centred on placing apps in the cloud, whilst the future lies in true app-to-app integration

An exciting application of AI can be found in chatbots. During this presentation, the limitless scope of chatbots will be explored.

Key take aways will include:

• Understanding of the various milestones reached by leading players in bot technology
• Clarity around the future and potential of chatbots as it adopts greater AI
• Roadmaps of the current and future applications for chatbots
• Tech-investment strategies – Pinpointing the industries that stand to gain the most both now and in the future?

Technologies like AI, blockchain, and IoT are changing our lives and work, and business leaders must make decisions right now about the best routes forwards. It is essential to therefore understand how (and when) AI will affect their organisations—and what they should do about it today. Here we will consider what the next decade of Ai will look like.

Key take aways include:

• Analysing the potential to simplify work with AI
• Examining is AI will finally help answer the ROI question around data
• Understanding AI’s potential for harm as well as good, especially in the field of cyberattack
• Reviewing who’s already onboard with AI and who isn’t – Will AI cause nations to war?
• Evaluating where privacy fits in with the advance of AI, or will it simply be a sacrifice we have to make?

The opportunity to apply robotic process automation (RPA) to business processes has captured the attention of many organisations as they compete in a digital-first world that requires seamless operations, and greater value from resources. The next stage in the automation journey – beyond RPA – is intelligent automation, incorporating machine learning and dynamic workflows, but what should we be considering as we move towards intelligent automation and AI?

Key take aways include:

• Understanding that to maximise the impact of robot-led automation, business leaders need to have a solid understanding of the available tools and a clearly defined strategy for automating their enterprises
• Clarity around good intelligent automation applications, such as non-routine tasks involving intuition, judgment, creativity, persuasion or problem solving
• RPA implementation roadmaps incorporating strategies that look beyond initial deployment to how automation will grow and evolve
• Looking beyond the immediate productivity benefits, and exploring how organisations are impacting top-line growth as the evolution into intelligent automation includes more advanced AI

When it comes to winning the war against hackers today, AI and machine learning represent critical innovation, but there is still far too much hesitation when it comes to AI, machine learning and its future in security. The future of cybersecurity is about embracing and innovating for the partnership of man and machine – both relying on each other in the fight against hackers. During this session we will consider just what this might look like and what are the next steps?

Key take aways include:

• Exploring how AI can aid in reducing the complexity of analysis performed by humans in security events
• Understanding the role of machine learning to mitigate anti-malware and anomaly detection
• Looking from the other side – How are hackers utilising AI and machine learning to create malware?
• Pinpointing the danger of using AI and machine learning security algorithms

Among the trends we had experienced in the recent times, one is undoubtedly the adoption of DevOps practices within businesses. As we are move into 2019, it is becoming more obvious that DevOps is becoming mainstream, with many large organisations getting on board with DevOps., but does DevOps have a longer-term future, or will it be replaced by something else 10 years from now? During this presentation we consider what the future holds for DevOps.

Key take aways include:

• Realising the benefits seen to date from DevOps – How far have we come?
• Does DevOps live up to the hype to make it a worthwhile investment for a business?
• Exploring the current trends – Microservices and containers
• Recognising the relationship between big data and DevOps in taking a step forward toward the design of predictive analytics

Natural language processing still has a long way to go, but there is a new approach to solving problems from a UX perspective – conversational interfaces. Conversational interfaces are changing the way users interact with their devices every day. Understanding the benefits of these interfaces can help you decide if these interfaces are right for your design.

Key take aways include:

• Creating better user attentiveness through conversational interfaces
• Reducing user frustration from reduced user inputs via conversational interfaces
• Improving cost effectiveness through web-based conversational interface technology vs. NLP
• Analysing what works best with your users – Reducing unnecessary chatter

The role of coders is changing. We are now entering a new epoch driven by big data, semantic computing, machine learning and artificial intelligence, and 5G.
“So, what does this all mean for coders?” – During this session we will consider what coding for the future will look like.

Key take aways include:

• Understanding that software developers need to focus more and more on continuous learning to keep pace with new open source ecosystems and tools
• Recognising that data, algorithms, neural networks and natural language processing are becoming increasingly intertwined in code, requiring more end-to-end systems knowledge than before in the coding community
• Exploring what this means in the future – Should we all be seeking to become data scientists?
• Examining if the future heralds the end for human coders with the advent of AI-enabled self-coding?

The benefits and advantages of 5G technology are expected to be available sometime in 2019, bringing with it a new age of interconnectedness. Many believe 5G will change the world even more profoundly than 3G and 4G; that it will be as revolutionary as electricity or the automobile, benefitting entire economies and entire societies. So, where will 5G take us? This and more will be explored during this presentation.

Key take aways include:

• Realising the scope of impact from 5G, across every industry
• Considering what new services, we will be able to build?
• Exploring the implications for real-time connections and advancements in VR and AR technology
• Assessing if 5G will truly herald the advent of wireless business?
• Examining the possibilities for businesses to decrease operational costs whilst increasing their connectivity

A controversial statement, but one intended to challenge the real reasons as to why we are struggling still with gender diversity in tech. Let’s discuss what a good coder needs to be in 2019, where will this talent that’s needed come from, and what strengths can we ALL bring in terms of coding requirements for the future? Clearly, men cannot be said to be better at coding just because they are men. Code written by women garners higher ratings on GitHub for example than that written by their male colleagues, so why is gender diversity still an issue in 2019?

In the run-up to the 2019 Women of Silicon Roundabout, we will be offering you the chance to actually submit your own ‘Elephant in the Room’ questions for consideration…Take the opportunity to help shape and mould the debate, and get your challenges heard! We want to ensure we are moving from words to action, and honest debate, around the issues that matter is an important part of this process!
We will soon be opening the Debate Den question submission process, so stay tuned and have your questions ready – Those selected will see their questions included in the 2019 Women of Silicon Roundabout agenda!

In an industry that favours youth over experience, is there an unspoken age-cap in place which once you hit means the end? And how ‘old’ is too old, especially in a society where we are increasingly working longer before retiring? One thing is certain: Widespread age discrimination is affecting many of us working or seeking to work in the IT industry, but will this modern-day age ultimately result in the death of innovation and development?

In the run-up to the 2019 Women of Silicon Roundabout, we will be offering you the chance to actually submit your own ‘Elephant in the Room’ questions for consideration…Take the opportunity to help shape and mould the debate, and get your challenges heard! We want to ensure we are moving from words to action, and honest debate, around the issues that matter is an important part of this process!

We will soon be opening the Debate Den question submission process, so stay tuned and have your questions ready – Those selected will see their questions included in the 2019 Women of Silicon Roundabout agenda!

Implementing mandatory diversity quotas has long been put forward as a solution for improved D&I, but it is by no means a perfect answer. Whilst it’s true that D&I Quotas are a quick way to get D&I into tech roles, some fear that people will not believe these D&I hires get these jobs based on their abilities. So, should we take the wins of an imperfect system if its increasing diversity and inclusion, should we abandon quotas all together, or we should we push for stricter quota implementation where we would see all women/all black etc recruitment mandates?

In the run-up to the 2019 Women of Silicon Roundabout, we will be offering you the chance to actually submit your own ‘Elephant in the Room’ questions for consideration…Take the opportunity to help shape and mould the debate, and get your challenges heard! We want to ensure we are moving from words to action, and honest debate, around the issues that matter is an important part of this process!
We will soon be opening the Debate Den question submission process, so stay tuned and have your questions ready – Those selected will see their questions included in the 2019 Women of Silicon Roundabout agenda!

We often hear said to us, “just be yourself”- but in a work environment is that ever truly possible? Further, is it wise to “just be yourself” in an increasingly competitive and hard-fought industry such as the IT industry? It sounds like an amazing thing to do, but what does it really mean? What if someone is a rude to other people? Is it okay for them to just be themselves and go on being rude to everyone? How about people who are fearful of being around others, or those more introverted/extroverted? What if being yourself doesn’t fit with that company’s corporate culture? It’s time to examine what’s possible, what’s advisable and where the truth ultimately lies.

In the run-up to the 2019 Women of Silicon Roundabout, we will be offering you the chance to actually submit your own ‘Elephant in the Room’ questions for consideration…Take the opportunity to help shape and mould the debate, and get your challenges heard! We want to ensure we are moving from words to action, and honest debate, around the issues that matter is an important part of this process!

We will soon be opening the Debate Den question submission process, so stay tuned and have your questions ready – Those selected will see their questions included in the 2019 Women of Silicon Roundabout agenda!

‘BAME’ is not a new term, it’s been around since the 1970’s, but does anyone in real life ever refer to themselves in this way? Should we be using labels at all? Is to do so itself patronising and potentially insulting? Does the BAME label ultimately help or hinder when we all want to be recognised as individuals?

We have seen a surge of technology organisations publicly declared their commitment to D&I, but how have they translated strategy into execution and what impact is it having on employee experience? During this session we will consider the stats and review the realities around a decade of tech-sector D&I…. But will we like what we hear?

Key take aways include:

• Exploring the difference between CSR and D&I and how this has lead focus away from the workplace
• Examining if we are starting to see ‘D&I fatigue’ from lack of action
• Critiquing D&I initiative implementation to translate strategy into action
• How much of a barrier to employee progression comes from the lack of D&I?
• Reviewing which industries have progressed and how?
• Assessing the D&I laggards and how to tackle this

In April this 2018, thousands of employers were required to publish their gender pay gap figures for the first time. In the technology sector especially, the reports make for interesting reading, with pay disparity for both hourly rates and bonuses and a clear lack of women in high-level roles. But what did these reports really show us, and where are the hidden truths?

Key take aways include:

• Understanding the gap in the tech sector and where it is coming from – Is it roles or pay?
• Assessing the impact of the changing jobs market
• Reviewing how improved STEM for girls can help towards closing the tech-sector gender pay gap
• Examining how technology can help close the gender pay gap?

Ageism is a hidden inclusion issue and most of us harbour some level of unconscious bias when it comes to age. Studies have shown, that at the age of 45, almost half of tech professionals believe their age stacks against them. It is how organisations make use of and support this growing group of people and, just as important, how this group of older workers manages their careers, that will increasingly define the tech sector.

Key take aways include:

• Assessing how widespread is the problem of ageism in the tech sector?
• Exploring the benefits those 40 and above bring to tech organisations
• Understanding the importance of keeping skills up to date to stay relevant
• Examining how companies can make positive, meaningful changes – Age-inclusive language

When the issue of pay gaps is raised, it more often than not centres around gender, but ethnic pay gaps are also a big problem. There is clearly discrimination in employment, with people with equivalent qualification but with African and Asian surnames having to send in twice as many CVs just to get an interview. Black and minority-ethnic people are also more likely to face disciplinary action and other decisions that most affect progression and pay. In 2019 its time to give equal light to ethnic pay gaps as well as gender. Here we will consider what the next steps need to be.

Key take aways include:

• We have gender pay gap reporting, but currently nothing exists for ethnicity – why?
• Asking if venture capitalists should be demanding ethnic diversity targets before funding?
• Understanding why ethnic diversity is an issue in the tech sector?
• Analysing the importance of ethnic diversity goals emanating from the top

2018’s pay gap reporting has been like pulling back the curtain, as we’re seeing the real picture behind the often-secretive world of pay: one in which every industry from academia and local councils to FTSE companies is underpaying women. However, despite this step forwards disability hasn’t been mentioned at all when it comes to the state of pay gaps.

Key take aways include:

• Understanding the state of disability pay gaps in the tech sector and why these exist?
• Reviewing flexible working and job sharing, especially at management levels
• Assessing the role of Government in creating further barriers for disabled workers
• Debating if new law requiring employers to publish their disability pay gaps should be introduced?
• Exploring the possibilities of advertising more jobs on a flexible and part time basis

In the tech world, there's often an unconscious bias in the workplace. Women are still underpaid compared to male co-workers, and worry about becoming ""mummy-tracked"" after pregnancy. Plus, there's still a lack of minority representation in tech that has yet to be overcome. The way past this unconscious bias in hiring and the workplace begins with individual companies becoming aware and taking action.

Key take aways include:

• Understanding the importance of removing the term ‘cultural fit’ from corporate vocabulary
• Highlighting the benefits of role models and leaders who belong to marginalised groups
• Assessing how to design inclusive company benefits packages to attract a more diverse and inclusive workforce
• Fostering an environment that brings people together to network and support one another
• Creating workplaces with conscious design at the heart of everything they do
• Leveraging tech to help remove unconscious biases – How can AI help?

When it comes to diversity and inclusion, nothing ignites greater debate than goals, targets, and quotas. On the one hand, setting specific diversity goals has been found to be one of the most effective methods for increasing the representation of women and other minority groups in companies. On the other hand, contentious arguments about targets vs. quotas, accusations of reverse discrimination, and fears of incentivising the wrong behaviours have arisen around goal-setting efforts. So, where does the truth lie around quotas?

Key take aways include:

• Understanding the importance of communication when setting quota targets – Do your leaders understand what they do and do not mean?
• Ensuring that goals set include inclusion and not just diversity!
• Championing your leadership with the D&I message through personal responsibility for D&I in the business
• Considering what actions to implement when reaching goals – The importance of recognition and reward

Whilst diversity and inclusion in tech is commonly discussed in general terms, one area that is often overlooked is neurodiversity. During this session we will consider what neurodiversity is, but also what it means in terms of application to your organisation and its potential positive impacts for improved diversity and inclusion in your workforce.

Key take aways include:

• Understanding what we mean by ‘neurodiversity’?
• Recognising that future tech will need neurodiverse workforces if it is to realise its potential
• Considering which industries are already embracing neurodiversity, and what impacts they have seen to business
• Assessing the practicalities of leading a neurodiverse team

The value of diverse teams goes well beyond the obvious sentiment that inclusion is the right thing to do. Simply put, diversity is how we ensure the best ideas rule the day. During this session we will take a more practical look at exactly how diversity and inclusion makes a difference in tech.

Key take aways include:

• Understanding that diverse teams win more often and more consistently!
• Recognising that diversity is a pathway to a broader thought-pool you can leverage to better serve your customers
• Realising that a company is much more likely to experience innovative change if it has a diverse tam, with different knowledge bases
• Admitting that diversity also includes background, perspective, age, education and more, which if harnessed builds products capable of serving everyone

Great mentors can have an enormous impact on your career. Their connections can open doors that would otherwise be closed, and their experiences can save you from suffering from the same mistakes they've already made. But finding the best mentor for you isn't as simple as picking a name from a hat. You'll need to be able to recognise what makes a great mentor, know how to approach one and then how to maximise the relationship. Here we will explore the top tips and tricks to help you find your ideal mentor-match!

Key take aways include:

• Recognising what makes a great mentor – the tougher the better?!
• Pinpointing how a mentor can help you develop
• Understanding what’s in it for mentors?
• Examining what sort of person makes a suitable mentor
• Exploring the best methods of finding a local mentor

AI has been a sound career choice for a while now because of the growing adoption of the technology across industries and the need for trained professionals to do the jobs created by this growth. Pundits predict that AI will create close to 2.3 million jobs by 2020. However, it is also forecasted that this technology will wipe out over 1.7 million jobs, resulting in about half a million new jobs worldwide. In addition, AI also offers many unique and viable career opportunities. AI is used in almost every industry, from entertainment to transportation, yet we have a huge need for qualified, skilled professionals. During this presentation we will discuss the future of AI and machine learning as career fields.

Key take aways include:

• Exploring the current AI career landscape and which industries are currently using AI
• Assessing how to get into AI if you are new to the field
• Understanding the alternative routes to entry if you are already a programmer
• Examining the options for those already in data science

Everyone is at a different place in their lives, and career paths are no longer linear, instead marked with twists, turns, and sometimes breaks. If you should either decide to take a career break, or unexpectedly find yourself in one how to you keep pace to ensure you’re still marketable when you return? During this presentation we will consider the practical tips for staying relevant and making yourself employable when you are ready to step back in.

Key take aways include:

• Ensuring you keep an open-mind to saying ‘yes’ during your break, especially around important key skills such as project management, leadership and communications
• Understanding the importance of staying in touch with the working world and be aware of potential untapped relationships
• Underlining the importance of updating your skills and developing new ones
• Reiterating the importance of small steps to keep things moving
• Leveraging social networking platforms to your advantage, such as LinkedIn
• Pinpointing the signs of complacency

Working with other team members whom you have a great work relationship with can actually make work fun. Furthermore, it improves morale, and ultimately improves productivity. It also helps in fostering an environment of ownership, with better information flow and where people are prepared to ‘go the extra mile’. But when this doesn’t work well, the impacts to business can be further reaching than you might think. During this presentation, we will assess tried and tested methods for improving work relationships.

Key take aways include:

• Establishing crystal-clear performance expectations from the start for true transparency
• Reviewing best practices in identifying where issues come from and how – Understanding how to see both sides of thecoin
• Understanding when management should be involved, and when they shouldn’t!
• Iterating the usefulness of seeking advice
• Evaluating how best to communicate in areas of conflict
• Providing co-workers with incentives and the importance of celebrating and rewarding successes

No matter what some of us try, work-life balance always seems like a destination that we have yet to reach. We all say we want it, you envision that perfect 50/50 balance point, where you magically finish everything you need to do at work and still have time left over for going to the gym, seeing friends, getting 8 hours of sleep, and everything else in-between. But how to actually build a harmonious work/life environment? During this presentation we will hear case studies from those that have alternative approaches to the holy work/life grail!

Key take aways include:

• Accepting that ‘perfection’ might be the wrong targets to be setting ourselves
• Figuring out the key components you need in your days and giving them equal seriousness
• Understanding the importance of setting boundaries in order to create time/space
• Creating your self-review system to keep things on track
• The importance of adaptation!

It’s easy to just think of career advancement as a straight line. But increasingly many people are taking a different approach and look at more lateral moves as well. Why? A lateral move can be very beneficial in arriving at your ultimate goal. It offers the opportunity to learn new skills, increase your visibility and could ultimately prepare you for the promotion you are looking for. During this presentation we will consider the pros and cons of lateral career moves.

Key take aways include:

• Understanding how a lateral move is proactive career management
• Assess how best to leverage a lateral move to increase your visibility and build your brand in your organisation
• Exploring how to leverage lateral moves to improve yourself awareness
• Examining the potential pitfalls of lateral moves: stagnation, perception and professional side stepping

You've got several years of experience under your belt, you've put in your fair share of time, sweat, and tears, and by your calculations, it’s your turn to move up into a leadership position. But where to start? How do you position yourself, build personal brand and awareness and secure that leadership role? During this presentation we will hear practical tips and advice on all of the above and more!

Key take aways include:

• Looking at your current role and assessing the opportunities that could be available to get you closer to the next level
• Embracing proactiveness: Saying yes and volunteering to assist
• Evolving the way women are expected to behave so we don’t fear leading from a place of strength
• Assessing the tools you’re going to need to effectively handle leadership challenges successfully
• Finding alternative paths to connect with colleagues or leaders in the positions that you ultimately see yourself evolving into, so you can ask questions and see them in action
• Recognising that once in management / leadership roles, how do we continue to advocate for increased diversity around us?

The lack of female representation in the UK’s boardrooms is well-documented. Likewise, the role of the Non-Executive Director (NED) has never been more important to companies. So how can women go about successfully applying for non-executive director roles, given the clear demand? We will explore this as well how to prepare yourself to make a successful move into non-executive directorship.

Key take aways include:

• Understanding what it takes to be a good NED
• Getting ready for the boardroom - Identifying what you can bring to your chosen NED
• Building the networks you will need both now and in the future
• Identifying potential philanthropic objectives you could achieve along the way

Depending on whether you’re a glass half-full or glass half-empty type of person, very much depends on how most people would first respond to the question of whether the future of work is bleak or exciting for today’s workers. Technology has been the great leveller, and in 2019 its already become a transformational entity altering society and the future workplace for the better. So where will the truth actually lie?

Key take aways include:

• Examining the freedoms technology can bring to the way and how that we work
• Understanding the cultural and organisational changes that will inevitably occur as a result of tech transformation
• Considering how technology adoption can create a larger range of people to connect and collaborate with for better outcomes
• Evaluating the headlines of humans being replaced by machines in reality
• Considering how tech can be a force for global good and enhance human lives

Access to talent is the number one policy issue facing startups in the UK and has been for the last seven years – according to Silicon Valley Bank’s annual Startup Outlook Report. Erin Platts, Head of EMEA at the bank, discusses opportunities for startups to train their own talent, in addition to looking for existing skills within a highly competitive marketplace. She explains key initiatives at SVB used to fuel the EMEA growth, as well as case studies from the bank’s client base

Key takeaways include:

• Setting up an Associate Programme: how to train junior talent in your business and ideas on the required infrastructure
  o Partnering with schools and universities – best practice. Is this separate or part of the above?
• Retaining talent – the importance of getting culture right and when to bring in a Head of Talent?
• Common pitfalls/mistakes to avoid?
• Hiring – building a process that works
• Brexit – its impact on hiring in the UK. What does the data say?

Everyone in development roles currently seems to be pulling in the direction of Agile, but will Agile ultimately be the end or is there something new around the corner? We will assess the status of agile, and consider continuous delivery, continuous integrations, DevOps and Lean.

Key take aways include:

• What could be next after Agile?
• What is the status of Kanban, waterfall and all the other methodologies in 2019?
• Evaluating if Lean truly is the next thing around the corner, or just Agile 2.0?
• Clarifying where we are still seeing Waterfall?!
• Understanding that the reality is that the next thing is digital disruption and its implications for the future of Agile

Businesses exist for one simple reason: to solve a big problem. At the core of every great product or service is an unfulfilled need that reaches a big enough market. But it’s not enough to have a great idea that solves a big problem; behind each successful company stands a flexible team that can efficiently turn a vision into a growing business. So, how to scale your teams for hypergrowth?

Key take aways include:

• Understanding how to organise your teams around markets
• Empowering people to make decisions
• Changing ‘strategic planning’ for ‘how to build great products
• Building consensus and ownership team brainstorming
• Embracing team self-interests within organisational interests
• Ensuring that you keep control over the solutions than your customers

We’re all familiar with traditional paper CVs, but changes are forging ahead in the recruitment arena as candidates who are culturally more influenced by video content and social media are now more likely to be confident to create their own video content and use it to find a job. We’re already starting to see Video CVs and online portals for example. There is a bigger question here too, in terms of if, or even how technology can help in improving diversity and inclusion in future recruitment practices. Questions we will consider during this presentation.

Key take aways include:

• Automation in recruitment – Is it the death of uniqueness?
• Leveraging social media as a core recruitment channel for the future
• Ensuring you are investing enough in mobile recruitment with mobile optimised sites
• Embracing video recruitment, especially for improving neurodiversity in your recruitment practices
• Overhauling your internal recruitment practices to ensure your practices match what types of candidates you are searching for

If your business is part of the SME landscape then it’s about time you start preparing your company for the future of work - especially if you are in media, tech and finance, the industries believed to be the most likely to see continued, accelerated automation in the next few years. The reality is that many of the tasks we do today could easily be automated – and it’s not just the administrative or operational roles. Even customer service has largely been replaced by machines, and in industries as varied as hospitality and banking. So, how do SMEs prepare themselves?

Key take aways include:

• Fostering a culture of feedback in your workplace to build inclusivity
• Encouraging mentoring across the board and consider reverse mentoring for your leadership
• Reviewing your performance evaluation processes and asking if they are employee-focused for the future?

Over the years, Sandtable has evolved from working on isolated/siloed projects to working in a fully collaborative environment. With a team of such diverse backgrounds, personalities and ways of working, this journey was filled with many highs and lows. During this session, we will discuss our key learnings and how to ensure that the transition to a collaborative workplace is a positive experience for all.

Key takeaways include:

• Learn how to educate your workplace around the communication styles of different personalities (e.g. introverts versus extroverts) and how not to misinterpret actions
• Understand how providing physical working spaces encourage collaboration but also allow for personal reflection e.g (quiet zones and chill areas
• Understanding that it isn’t wise to try and change everything overnight!
• Understanding that the process is unique to the team

Studies have shown that ads across many male-dominated industries (like tech!) included gendered language that deters female candidates from applying! This unconscious bias is often communicated unintentionally in the way ads are written and can negatively impact the diversity of the candidates for the role. The use of gendered language in ads can undermine the implementation of a diverse hiring strategy and affect the way a company’s employer brand is perceived. So how to remove unconscious bias from your recruitment process?

Key take aways include:

• Understanding the impact of gender-coded words: ‘’Rockstar’, ‘ninja’, ‘dominate’
• Demonstrate inclusiveness by keeping job requirements to the must haves
• Underlining the urgent need to remove jargon from your job ads
• Calling out your company’s progress and commitment to D&I in attracting the right talent
• Creating more perks-based thinking in the creation of job ads, especially around parental leave, subsidies and insurances

In the typical startup environment, small teams with a broad and complementary skill set come together to build a company. There are dozens of skills an entrepreneur must possess - from accounting and managing a profit and loss statement to marketing and business development. If your business leverages technology, learning to code should be added to the list of skills you need for success.

Key take aways include:

• Understanding the importance of being able to ‘speak tech’ for better informed product and business decision-making
• Coding’s ability to help you hire the right team -differentiating good and mediocre technical talent
• Understanding digital product development and programming will help you relate to your tech teams, especially when they face the struggles and frustrations inherent to the development process
• Strong critical thinking skills facilitate good decision making, and there is no better way to learn to think critically than by learning to code

Finding the right people to join you in your startup venture is difficult, but it’s well worth your time and effort in putting in the leg work to find the right people. As a startup founder who doesn’t have infinite resources for recruitment and training programs, you can still save yourself a lot of grief (and money) by taking charge of the hiring process. Here, we talk about who your first 5 hires should ideally to build a strong foundation.

Key take aways include:

• Understanding that YOU are your first hire: The CEO
• Realising that if you’re a non-coding founder, then you will need to invest in a front-end engineer, preferably with experience in UX and design
• …And then there’ll also be the back-end engineer
• Integrating a Marketing Manager
• Understanding what it is your trying to deliver – Do you need a Product or Sales Manager (or both)?

It can feel like we hear the same entrepreneurial story over and over again: I quit my job, worked hard, and now I have a business. While that may be true, as a general theme, there are many unique stories that have yet to be told – and those stories are the ones that truly inspire. They’re not one-dimensional; they’re real and raw and most of all, relatable. We will hear from 5 different and equally amazing female founders at the 2019 Women of Silicon Roundabout event. They will share with us their successes and challenges on their founder journeys, to help inspire you to start your own story!

Getting a company off the ground is an uphill battle, but tech-oriented projects tend to carry added expenses with hardware needs, software licensing, and the average salaries of STEM professionals. Often, funding these startups can be a challenge, especially early on before any investment or revenue. So, what is the differentiator between success and failure? During this presentation we will consider all this and more:

Key take aways include:

• Understanding the dynamics of the different funding routes
• Assessing what investors are looking for
• Analysing how founders can retain control whilst collaborating with funders and driving growth
• Reviewing the differing legal structures that can help in attracting funding
• Examining how to manage investor disputes should thing