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

# CoTech Conference 2026

Who builds AI, who controls it, and how do communities take their seat at the table?

Thursday 17th September 2026 · SPACE4, London N4 3HH · 9:30am - 4:30pm

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## About the event

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.

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?

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.

Come ready to think, disagree, and leave with something useful.

## The Panellists

### Giuseppe Sollazzo, Deputy Director of HMRC's Chief AI Office

Giuseppe is helping HMRC set up its AI initiatives, specifically focussing on "good AI", assurance, and value creation. He previously led DWP's national-scale data products and services, and he was Deputy Director of the NHS AI Lab, the first public sector R&D AI initiative.

### Amanda Brock, OpenUK CEO

OpenUK CEO, Professor Amanda Brock has grown it into a leading open source organisation and think tank. A lawyer with 25 year's experience across tech, she helped shape internet law in the 2000's and today's AI and open source law and policy at an international level. Amanda is a sought-after international keynote speaker and has written extensively on tech. She's the editor of Open Source Law, Policy and Practice, the seminal text in this space. Amanda's held many commercial, not for profit and public sector advisory and NXD roles. OpenUK's State of Open Con is one of open source's leading conferences.

### Mhairi Aitken, Co-Founder and Director at Our AI Collective

Dr Mhairi Aitken is Co-Founder and Director at Our AI Collective, a community interest company dedicated to putting public voices at the heart of AI innovation. Previously, Mhairi was Senior Ethics Fellow at The Alan Turing Institute. Her work examines ethical considerations around AI through empowering impacted communities to shape innovation and governance.

## The day

9:30-10:00 | Arrivals
10:00-10:15 | CoTech introduction
10:15-11:15 | Panel discussion on AI
11:15-11:45 | Break
11:45-12:30 | Facilitated group discussions
12:30-13:00 | Unconference planning
13:00-14:00 | Lunch
14:00-15:00 | Unconference sessions
15:00-15:30 | Break
15:30-16:30 | Unconference sessions

## Who's it for

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.

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Look forward to seeing you there.