130 lines
4.7 KiB
HTML
130 lines
4.7 KiB
HTML
---
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title: CoTech Conference 2026
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description: "Sovereign tech, cooperative future. CoTech's first conference - Thursday 17 September 2026 at SPACE4."
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layout: default
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permalink: /conference-2026
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---
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<section class="grid grid-uneven w-full">
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<div class="stack">
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<h1>CoTech Conference 2026</h1>
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<p class="large">Who builds AI, who controls it, and how do communities take their seat at the table?</p>
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<p class="intro">Thursday 17th September 2026 · SPACE4, London N4 3HH · 9:30am - 4:30pm</p>
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<div class="switcher">
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<a class="btn"
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href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ai-communities-coops-cotech-autumn-gathering-2026-tickets-1991476538937">Buy
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tickets</a>
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</div>
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</div>
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<div>
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<img class="rounded cover focus-right" src="assets/img/richard.jpg"
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alt="Photo of someone giving a talk at a CoTech event" />
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</div>
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</section>
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<section class="stack w-full">
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<h2>About the event</h2>
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<p class="intro">CoTech is bringing its network together for a day of honest conversation, genuine connection, and
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some big questions about the technology we're all living with.</p>
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<p>This year's theme is AI. Not the hype, not the sales pitch, but the real debate. Is ethical AI actually possible?
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And what does it mean for the kind of human-centred, ecologically-sustainable work we do?</p>
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<p>We're kicking things off with a panel of expert speakers, then opening the floor. The afternoon is yours:
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unconference sessions shaped by the people in the room, lightning talks, and the kind of conversations that don't
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happen at corporate conferences.</p>
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<p>Come ready to think, disagree, and leave with something useful.</p>
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</section>
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<section class="stack w-full">
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<h2> The Panellists</h2>
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<h3>Giuseppe Sollazzo, Deputy Director of HMRC's Chief AI Office</h3>
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<p>Giuseppe is helping HMRC set up its AI initiatives, specifically focussing on "good AI", assurance, and value
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creation. He previously led DWP's national-scale data products and services, and he was Deputy Director of the NHS
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AI Lab, the first public sector R&D AI initiative.</p>
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<h3>Amanda Brock, OpenUK CEO</h3>
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<p>OpenUK CEO, Professor Amanda Brock has grown it into a leading open source organisation and think tank. A lawyer
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with 25 year's experience across tech, she helped shape internet law in the 2000's and today's AI and open source
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law and policy at an international level. Amanda is a sought-after international keynote speaker and has written
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extensively on tech. She's the editor of Open Source Law, Policy and Practice, the seminal text in this space.
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Amanda's held many commercial, not for profit and public sector advisory and NXD roles. OpenUK's State of Open Con
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is one of open source's leading conferences.</p>
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<h3>Mhairi Aitken, Co-Founder and Director at Our AI Collective</h3>
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<p>Dr Mhairi Aitken is Co-Founder and Director at Our AI Collective, a community interest company dedicated to putting
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public voices at the heart of AI innovation. Previously, Mhairi was Senior Ethics Fellow at The Alan Turing
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Institute. Her work examines ethical considerations around AI through empowering impacted communities to shape
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innovation and governance.</p>
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</section>
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<section class="stack w-full">
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<h2>The day</h2>
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<table class="schedule">
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<tbody>
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<tr>
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<td>9:30-10:00</td>
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<td>Arrivals</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td>10:00-10:15</td>
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<td>CoTech introduction</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td>10:15-11:15</td>
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<td>Panel discussion on AI</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td>11:15-11:45</td>
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<td>Break</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td>11:45-12:30</td>
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<td>Facilitated group discussions</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td>12:30-13:00</td>
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<td>Unconference planning</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td>13:00-14:00</td>
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<td>Lunch</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td>14:00-15:00</td>
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<td>Unconference sessions</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td>15:00-15:30</td>
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<td>Break</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td>15:30-16:30</td>
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<td>Unconference sessions</td>
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</tr>
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</tbody>
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</table>
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</section>
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<section class="stack w-full">
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<h2>Who's it for</h2>
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<p class="intro">CoTech members and anyone who cares about tech that serves people not profit. If you work in digital
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around co-ops, charities and the public sector, and you're curious about where cooperative technology is heading,
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this is for you.</p>
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<div class="switcher">
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<a class="btn"
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href="https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ai-communities-coops-cotech-autumn-gathering-2026-tickets-1991476538937">Buy
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tickets</a>
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</div>
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<p>
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Look forward to seeing you there.
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</p>
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</section> |