THEMES
Our Programme is taking shape but what can you expect and what will you learn from our expert panels at this year's event?
RETAIL
Retail Revolution: How Tech is Driving Customer Experience
Confused about chatbots or finding it harder to cut through the noise of a crowded market place? You’re not alone. The world of retail has changed forever - as businesses move beyond customer transactions to focus on more relationship-based experiences. Our panel of experts will discuss how technology is driving this change, accessibility to new tech and the cost of being left behind.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
The Future of Artificial Intelligence: What’s Next for Businesses
AI is gaining momentum at an incredible pace and the corporate world is taking note. From future use cases of ChatGPT, to the impact AI will have on the workforce and privacy implications, our panel discussion will cover everything you need to know about what’s next for AI and Machine Learning. Not to be missed!
FIERY FOUNDERS
What I wish I Knew Then
Everything is easier in hindsight, and that includes starting and running your own business! Meet some of Greater Manchester’s fiery founders as they reflect on their business journeys, the highs and lows of starting up, and what they wish they had known all along. Guaranteed to be a thought-provoking session.
CYBER CRIME
The Do’s and Don’ts to Keep Your Company Safe
Whilst retail is leading the way in omnichannel it is a way of selling products and services which is being quickly adopted by other sectors and marketers who want to create a seamless experience for customers across all the channels through which they sell. The offline touchpoints have been just as important as the online ones but crucially it all depends on the tech driving it from shoppable Instagram posts to customers receiving an SMS message whilst shopping in store or being retargeted by online ads after abandoning their purchase or leaving the online store. We’ll be discussing how marketers are embracing the technologies which are enabling this omnichannel strategy and what might be next.
FINTECH
FinTech on the Rise: Inclusivity and Pushing Boundaries
A whistlestop tour of what’s big in the world of FinTech. Our panellists will cover the latest digital currencies to watch out for, how FinTech is pushing the boundaries of financial inclusion and international firsts from around the globe – including the ChatGPT investment fund and Coinbase opening an international exchange among other big hitting news stories.
CYBER SECURITY
There’s no such thing as too much security
In 2020 47.3% of organisations reported a medium to high level of security automation compared to 39% reported the year before. More and more businesses are investing in security and security automation and after almost two years of working and living online it’s easy to see why. We’ll be discussing how AI continues to play a crucial role in automating security systems online and how multi factor authentication (MFA) including authorisation codes, facial recognition and finger techniques are providing businesses with an additional layer of security for their people and systems.
START UPS 2.0
Business Cloud Session
This panel will reveal Manchester Startups 2.0.- some of the city’s most promising under-the-radar technology startups. Several founders of these bootstrapped, pre-seed or angel-backed businesses will be interviewed on stage by award-winning journalist Chris Maguire. Hear about how they started, an honest account of running their businesses and what’s next on the radar.
Retail Revolution: How Tech is Driving Customer Experience
Confused about chatbots or finding it harder to cut through the noise of a crowded market place? You’re not alone. The world of retail has changed forever - as businesses move beyond customer transactions to focus on more relationship-based experiences. Our panel of experts will discuss how technology is driving this change, accessibility to new tech and the cost of being left behind.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
The Future of Artificial Intelligence: What’s Next for Businesses
AI is gaining momentum at an incredible pace and the corporate world is taking note. From future use cases of ChatGPT, to the impact AI will have on the workforce and privacy implications, our panel discussion will cover everything you need to know about what’s next for AI and Machine Learning. Not to be missed!
FIERY FOUNDERS
What I wish I Knew Then
Everything is easier in hindsight, and that includes starting and running your own business! Meet some of Greater Manchester’s fiery founders as they reflect on their business journeys, the highs and lows of starting up, and what they wish they had known all along. Guaranteed to be a thought-provoking session.
CYBER CRIME
The Do’s and Don’ts to Keep Your Company Safe
Whilst retail is leading the way in omnichannel it is a way of selling products and services which is being quickly adopted by other sectors and marketers who want to create a seamless experience for customers across all the channels through which they sell. The offline touchpoints have been just as important as the online ones but crucially it all depends on the tech driving it from shoppable Instagram posts to customers receiving an SMS message whilst shopping in store or being retargeted by online ads after abandoning their purchase or leaving the online store. We’ll be discussing how marketers are embracing the technologies which are enabling this omnichannel strategy and what might be next.
FINTECH
FinTech on the Rise: Inclusivity and Pushing Boundaries
A whistlestop tour of what’s big in the world of FinTech. Our panellists will cover the latest digital currencies to watch out for, how FinTech is pushing the boundaries of financial inclusion and international firsts from around the globe – including the ChatGPT investment fund and Coinbase opening an international exchange among other big hitting news stories.
CYBER SECURITY
There’s no such thing as too much security
In 2020 47.3% of organisations reported a medium to high level of security automation compared to 39% reported the year before. More and more businesses are investing in security and security automation and after almost two years of working and living online it’s easy to see why. We’ll be discussing how AI continues to play a crucial role in automating security systems online and how multi factor authentication (MFA) including authorisation codes, facial recognition and finger techniques are providing businesses with an additional layer of security for their people and systems.
START UPS 2.0
Business Cloud Session
This panel will reveal Manchester Startups 2.0.- some of the city’s most promising under-the-radar technology startups. Several founders of these bootstrapped, pre-seed or angel-backed businesses will be interviewed on stage by award-winning journalist Chris Maguire. Hear about how they started, an honest account of running their businesses and what’s next on the radar.