Manchester — Week of 29 Jun 2026

with Four expert speakers (Senior leaders across Finance, Technology, AI & Data, SF Partners, BGF & partners)

A senior-leadership breakfast on the people side of private-equity-backed transformation, hosted by tech recruiter SF Partners with growth investor BGF. Four speakers cover leadership, change and value creation through the Insights Discovery lens — a credible, investor-adjacent room for founders, CTOs and scale-up leaders. Free, but pitched at a senior audience over an early breakfast slot.

A relaxed monthly networking evening connecting Manchester's startup founders, tech entrepreneurs and investors. Drop in to meet builders and backers from across the city's tech scene over informal drinks — no pitch decks required, just good conversation and new connections.

REG Connects, the Racial Equity Group's annual flagship, returns in 2026 to bring founders, startups, corporate leaders and entrepreneurs together for a day of connections and actionable insight. A welcome diversity-focused addition to the week's mix.

with Jonathan Hall KC (Independent Reviewer of Terrorism & State Threats Legislation, 6KBW College Hill / Alan Turing Institute) · Dr Emma L. Briant (Leading expert on information warfare & propaganda, University of Notre Dame)

The University of Manchester's flagship digital-trust forum returns for a fourth, traditionally sell-out year, this time tackling misinformation, disinformation and online social influence — squarely where the AI-safety and information-integrity conversation sits right now. Headliners include Jonathan Hall KC (the UK's Independent Reviewer of Terrorism and State Threats Legislation, and an Alan Turing Institute fellow) and Dr Emma Briant, one of the world's foremost propaganda researchers. A full day of keynotes, panels on hostile-state and home-grown disinformation, and ECR lightning talks — free, but expect it to fill fast. Essential for anyone working on AI trust, online safety, policy or research.

Venture Café's weekly Thursday Gathering turns to advanced manufacturing, exploring how innovations forged in motorsport — digital technologies, advanced materials, rapid prototyping and data-driven performance — are reshaping aerospace, healthcare, mobility and sustainable manufacturing. Free, open and a reliable weekly heartbeat for Manchester's innovation community. Powered by ARIA.