---
title: CoTech Conference 2026
description: "Sovereign tech, cooperative future. CoTech's first conference - Thursday 17 September 2026 at SPACE4."
layout: default
permalink: /conference-2026
---

<section class="grid grid-uneven w-full">
  <div class="stack">
    <h1>CoTech Conference 2026</h1>

    <p class="large">Sovereign tech, cooperative future.</p>

    <p class="intro">Thursday 17th September 2026 &middot; SPACE4 &middot; 9:30am - 4:30pm + drinks</p>

    <div class="switcher">
      <a class="btn"
        href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ai-communities-coops-cotech-autumn-gathering-2026-tickets-1991476538937">Buy
        tickets</a>
    </div>
  </div>

  <div>
    <img class="rounded cover" src="assets/img/richard.jpg" alt="Photo of someone giving a talk at a CoTech event" />
  </div>
</section>

<section class="stack w-full">
  <h2>About the event</h2>

  <p class="intro">CoTech is bringing its network together for a day of honest conversation, genuine connection, and
    some big questions about the technology we're all living with.</p>

  <p>This year's theme is AI. Not the hype, not the sales pitch, but the real debate. Is ethical AI actually possible?
    And what does it mean for the kind of human-centred, ecologically-sustainable work we do?</p>

  <p>We're kicking things off with a panel of expert speakers, then opening the floor. The afternoon is yours:
    unconference sessions shaped by the people in the room, lightning talks, and the kind of conversations that don't
    happen at corporate conferences.</p>

  <p>Come ready to think, disagree, and leave with something useful.</p>
</section>

<section class="stack w-full">
  <h2>The day</h2>

  <table class="schedule">
    <tbody>
      <tr>
        <td>9:30-10:00</td>
        <td>Arrivals</td>
      </tr>
      <tr>
        <td>10:00-10:15</td>
        <td>CoTech introduction</td>
      </tr>
      <tr>
        <td>10:15-11:00</td>
        <td>Panel discussion on AI</td>
      </tr>
      <tr>
        <td>11:00-11:30</td>
        <td>Break</td>
      </tr>
      <tr>
        <td>11:30-12:30</td>
        <td>Facilitated group discussions</td>
      </tr>
      <tr>
        <td>12:30-13:00</td>
        <td>Unconference planning</td>
      </tr>
      <tr>
        <td>15:00-15:30</td>
        <td>Break</td>
      </tr>
      <tr>
        <td>15:30-16:30</td>
        <td>Unconference sessions</td>
      </tr>
    </tbody>
  </table>

</section>

<section class="stack w-full">
  <h2>Who's it for</h2>

  <p class="intro">CoTech members and anyone who cares about tech that serves people not profit. If you work in digital
    around co-ops, charities and the public sector, and you’re curious about where cooperative technology is heading,
    this is for you.</p>

  <div class="switcher">
    <a class="btn"
      href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ai-communities-coops-cotech-autumn-gathering-2026-tickets-1991476538937">Buy
      tickets</a>
  </div>
</section>