http://www.eastbournedigifest.com/

Eastbourne DigiFest, Kings Centre 27 Edison Road, Eastbourne (2026)

11/09/2026

: Are we training the talent we're refusing to hire?

We're running AI bootcamps at scale, outputting thousands of tech-ready graduates, and investing billions in the workforce of the future. So why are 44% of UK employers simultaneously pausing or reducing entry level hiring?

This session at Eastbourne DigiFest unpacks the paradox hiding in plain sight: businesses are using AI as a reason not to hire juniors while quietly engineering the skills crisis that will define the next decade.

Who trains the senior talent of 2035 if we stop hiring juniors today? Who carries the institutional knowledge when your most experienced people leave and there's no one behind them?

Maria Bedoya-Toro, Head of Programmes & Operations at Sussex Innovation Centre, brings data, real employer patterns from across the Sussex business community, and a bit of provocation. Expect honest debate, uncomfortable questions, and -if we're lucky- a few decisions made before lunch.

📅 Join us at Eastbourne DigiFest - book your conference ticket now: https://eastbournedigifest.onlineticketseller.com/events/157666

09/09/2026

We’re excited to announce that Axisops Limited are returning to the Eastbourne DigiFest exhibition!👏

Building software has never been easier. The real value now lives in the connections between your systems, data and AI.

As your consultancy-led partner, AxisOps designs, builds and runs the technology that ties everything together, giving you the capability of a senior in-house team without the cost or complexity.

ISO 27001 certified, backed by 25+ years of engineering experience and 24/7 support, AxisOps are trusted across fintech, legal, startups and SMEs.

Eastbourne DigiFest: Wednesday 14th October, Kings Centre, Eastbourne📍

08/09/2026

Small businesses continue to face a growing range of cyber, operational, and security challenges, often without the dedicated resources needed to manage them effectively. Kurtis's "Strengthening Cyber Resilience for Small Businesses" session will explore practical approaches to monitoring, detection, prevention, and incident response that are suited to the realities of smaller organisations.

Kurtis Toy, Virtual Chief Information Security Officer and CEO at Cyber Centre of Excellence will lead this discussion and will highlight how businesses can learn to identify potential threats early, improve day-to-day resilience, and respond more effectively when incidents occur. Attendees will gain practical insights and achievable strategies to strengthen preparedness, support business continuity, and build a more resilient operational environment.

Learn more about our speakers and book your tickets at eastbournedigifest.com

07/09/2026

Responsible AI can appear as a brake on an organisation. That framing is why it keeps losing the argument for budget and attention.

The organisations getting real value from AI tell a different story. Clear accountability means people stop waiting for permission. Knowing what data can go where means teams can experiment without checking upward every time. The foundations are not the tax you pay for innovation - they are what makes innovation possible at any speed worth having.

In this session, Edward Chinn (founder of Kintara and co-founder of the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership AI for Good group) covers what responsible AI looks like in practice for small and mid-sized organisations - including why Shadow AI happens, where responsibility really sits, and how to develop people's judgement rather than create dependency on the tools.

Designed for owners, leaders and managers. No technical background needed. You will leave with a view of where your organisation stands and a small number of things worth doing first.

📅 Join us at Eastbourne DigiFest! Book your conference ticket at eastbournedigifest.com

28/08/2026

AI is rapidly transforming the workplace, from recruitment and performance management to disciplinary processes and redundancy decisions.

While the opportunities are significant, so too are the legal and HR risks.

This session will explore how employers are using AI across the employment lifecycle and examines the challenges that can arise, including discrimination, algorithmic bias, GDPR compliance and employee relations issues.

Drawing on high-profile examples and headline cases, we will look at where AI has gone wrong, what lessons can be learned, and how employers can stay on the right side of the law.

Attendees will leave with practical guidance on reviewing their own use of AI, implementing effective policies and governance, and ensuring that human judgment - not just machine logic - remains at the heart of workplace decision-making.

Victoria Regan is an experienced employment law solicitor and Partner with over 20 years’ experience. She advises employers and employees on all aspects of employment law and represents clients in the employment tribunal, employment appeal tribunal and the Supreme Court.

Recognised for her expertise, Victoria has been annually ranked in Chambers and Partners 2025 and recognised as a ‘Leading Partner’ by The Legal 500 UK 2025.

She regularly delivers webinars and seminars at regional and industry events, providing employment law updates and guidance on topical issues such as AI, mental health & wellbeing, menopause and fertility, restrictive covenants and most latterly on the Employment Rights Act 2025.

An insightful talk you won’t want to miss at Eastbourne DigiFest, Wednesday 14th October.

🌐 Book your conference ticket, including this session and many more, at eastbournedigifest.com

27/08/2026

💥An Eastbourne DigiFest first: We have a live podcast recording taking place!

AI is reshaping the world of work at pace, and for many people, that's unsettling. Job security feels uncertain, and roles are changing. This session at Eastbourne DigiFest addresses that anxiety head-on and explains why AI will never replace human talent.

Nicky (researcher, L&D pro, and host of the Heart and Graft podcast), Mia (trainer and facilitator specialising in difficult conversations and emotional intelligence), and Joel Fielder (joint MD of Switchplane, Eastbourne Chamber Director, and President of BNI Royal) are joining forces to explore why the businesses that thrive won't be the ones with the most AI - they'll be the ones that double down on what makes us human.

Communication. Emotional intelligence. Creative problem-solving. Judgement built on lived experience. These are the skills no algorithm can replicate - and this session shows you how to actually develop them.

You'll leave with:

- A clear view of the human skills worth investing in
- Real examples of roles being reshaped by digital transformation
- Why communication is your competitive advantage in the AI era
- A starting framework for planning your future workforce

If you're a business leader wondering how to prepare your team for what's next, this one's for you.

📍 Catch it at Eastbourne DigiFest - Wednesday 14th October.

👉 Get your conference ticket, to include this session and much more, at eastbournedigifest.com

26/08/2026

Sponsoring our increasingly-popular networking lunch at Eastbourne DigiFest is Global WealthMAP.

Global WealthMAP is an independent financial planning and wealth management firm based in Eastbourne & London. They help individuals, families, business owners, and professionals create clear financial strategies to achieve their long-term goals.

Their approach begins with understanding a client's personal objectives and values, before building a tailored financial plan and investment strategy. The firm is structured around two specialist areas: financial planning and wealth management. Each area is led by experienced practitioners, and every client relationship involves team members who know the situation and each other.

They provide services such as:

- Retirement planning
- Wealth management
- Tax planning
- Estate planning
- Financial protection
- Cashflow modelling

Global WealthMAP are proud to have the engine room of their business within Eastbourne and enjoy supporting local communities with varying charitable events.

Aside from chatting to them over lunch, you can visit stand M22 at Eastbourne DigiFest to speak to Mike (Managing Director), Aaron (Strategy Director), Frida (Protection & Benefits Adviser), and Andrew (Financial Planner).

🌐 https://www.globalwealthmap.com/

26/08/2026

💡 Speaker Spotlight: Dr Nick Harvey

Digital health is often overhyped. At its core, it's not about apps or AI - it's about using technology to solve real healthcare problems: improving access, outcomes, and experience.

Many initiatives fail because they prioritise technology over need. What works is simple: start with real problems, fit into real lives, deliver measurable value, build trust.

What's changed is power. For the first time, individuals have tools to understand and influence their own health - and health no longer happens only in clinics, it happens in daily life. That means everyone has a role: to take more control of their own health, and to design, lead, and invest in ways that empower others.

Digital health isn't just a technology shift. It's a human empowerment shift, enabled by technology.

Nick is a GP and CEO working at the intersection of frontline care and healthcare innovation, bridging the gap between clinical reality and ambition.

📍 Be in the room for Nick’s talk and many more, at Eastbourne DigiFest, Wednesday 14th October.

🌐 Get your conference ticket at eastbournedigifest.com

20/08/2026

Welcoming M-Tech Systems to this year’s exhibition👏

M-Tech Systems delivers managed IT, cyber security, cloud, networks and connected space solutions for organisations that need one accountable technology partner.

From support, infrastructure and communications through to access control, CCTV, AV and smart building systems, M-Tech brings digital platforms and physical environments together.

Through M-Tech Labs, they also help organisations explore automation, AI and bespoke technology solutions that improve efficiency, insight and service delivery. Together, M-Tech and M-Tech Labs provide practical, joined-up technology that supports how modern organisations work, grow and operate.

You can speak to George and Stuart from M-Tech on stand M4!

19/08/2026

New exhibitor alert: The Logo Emporium joins the Eastbourne DigiFest exhibition! ✨

The Logo Emporium provide printed & embroidered branded clothing and promotional items. Some of you may have already spotted our bright and brilliant pink Eastbourne DigiFest hoodies - custom printed by The Logo Emporium! Don’t they look great?

You can find Mat and the The Logo Emporium team on stand M15. Pleased to have you on board!

Eastbourne DigiFest

11/09/2026

09/09/2026

08/09/2026

07/09/2026

28/08/2026

27/08/2026

26/08/2026

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