Day one of the festival featured exciting events in Newcastle and North Tyneside. Highlights included a Fireside Chat with Chi Onwurah MP at Opencast’s Newcastle HQ, insights on money and start-ups from Vision Accountants, RBC Brewin Dolphin, NEL Fund Managers, and British Business Bank, as well as discussions on gaming trends, AI, and data transformation. Other sessions focused on digital trustees, technology and performance fusion, the techUK manifesto, and designer portfolio reviews. Opencast also showcased its impact through a key partnership, with the overall festival promoting growth, innovation, and digital transformation in the region.
DAY 1: Events
Breakfast and Fireside Chat with Chi Onwurah MP
Money, Investment, and Start-up Business Support
Discovering the Future Gamer
Building Trust and Enhancing Experience – Cybersecurity and User Experience.
Opencast held a special opening 2023 TechNExt festival fringe session at their Newcastle HQ. The event featured Chi Onwurah, Labour MP for Newcastle Central, who engaged in an informal breakfast and fireside chat with Tom Lawson, Opencast’s chief executive, discussing North East challenges and her tech background.
This business start-up event accelerated journeys to success. Attendees gained invaluable money-related insights from specialist organisations and networked with industry experts to foster growth. Attendees gained money-related insights from specialists, networked with industry experts, and enjoyed rapid talks from influential people: Silvia (Vision Accountants), Chris (RBC Brewin Dolphin), Susan, Jonathan, and Carolyn (NEL Fund Managers), and Shaun (British Business Bank).
TrendBible, a global futures agency and authority in predicting the future of life at home, collaborated with top brands to create commercially relevant products for future audiences. In this session, we shared emerging trends that would shape the future of gaming and presented future gaming personas to watch. Participants explored who would be buying games, how they’d play them, and what they’d seek from the experience. The session concluded with a panel discussion featuring key industry leaders sharing their insights.
Our Newcastle Strategic Solutions team hosted an engaging morning of discussions and informative sessions on UX Research and Cyber Security. Expert speakers shared valuable insights on user experiences and cyber threats, providing tips and strategies for professionals from various industries. The event offered a valuable opportunity to stay informed and up-to-date in these evolving fields.
Data For Good
Digital Trustees North East
Creative UK North East June Social: Exploring the Fusion of Technology and Performance
Technology and a Manifesto for Change
Sage and its partners hosted a series of enlightening talks and a panel discussion on how AI and data could transform lives. Attendees gathered valuable insights on the potential of AI and data in various aspects of life. Following the sessions, participants enjoyed networking opportunities while savoring drinks in a friendly and engaging atmosphere.
Tech for Good North East invited volunteers and digital experts to their Digital Trustees event at VODA’s Spirit of North Tyneside building in Wallsend. The event offered opportunities to learn about being a trustee, hear from experienced leaders, meet local charities seeking digital trustees, network with like-minded professionals, and access support and training.
Creative UK delved into the intersection of technology, enhancement, and growth in the performance sector. Event highlights included an insightful industry panel discussion on technology’s long-term implications, captivating performances by Southpaw Dance Company and Tanya Oxbury using laser wands and pixel poi, engaging talks by Creative UK North East and Creative Fuse teams, fantastic networking, and free nibbles and beer from Big River Bakery!
A joint panel session with Opencast and techUK discussing the freshly published techUK manifesto and the challenges and opportunities that technology offers the NE and wider UK tech economy. The session will explored how technology can transform the regional and national economy and the challenges that remain.
Design Talks
Partnership for Impact: How Our Work Makes Life Better
Design Talks was an event tailored for designers and aspiring designers, featuring inspiring speakers and networking opportunities. The event addressed the common challenge of receiving generic feedback from non-designers. In addition to the talks and networking, attendees had the chance to receive a portfolio review from a senior designer, providing critical and constructive feedback to aid their progression.
During the session, Opencast showcased the impactful outcomes of its collaboration with a key partner in the North East. The presentation provided a comprehensive overview of the positive results achieved through their joint efforts. Attendees gained valuable insights into the transformative work carried out by Opencast and its partner, witnessing the tangible difference they made in the region.
