Tech Events in Brighton

Last PHP Sussex meetup of 2026!

It’s almost exactly a year since Anthropic and OpenAI released Opus 4.5 and GPT 5.1, a turning point marking the transition from chatbots to autonomous agents. Many industry leaders started 2026 with entirely new perspectives on the technology, having had the time to experiment with those models over the Christmas break.

A year later, have those promises materialised?

James Turner, Technical Director & co-founder of Esparter Ltd, is one of those engineers who fully embraced AI for their development workflow. In “Building and running WebApps with AI tools”, he explains how he builds and maintains software using Large Language Models (LLMs).

Building and running WebApps with AI tools

When used properly AI can help drastically improve the efficiency (and quality) of building and maintaining software systems. Like any powerful tool, LLMs have practical limitations and second order effects that can result in negative consequences.

Taking one of our web-based SaaS products (orderwhizz.com) as an example we’ll look at some of those limitations and how they were mitigated. There will be some theory, code samples and recommendations for more effective use of LLMs when developing and supporting production web apps.

The meetup will take place at Runway East in Brighton from 6:30 pm, with the talk starting at around 7 pm. As always, there will be food and drinks and plenty of time to chat with fellow developers. After the talk, we’ll head to UnBarred Taproom, a 2-minute walk from our venue, to wind up the evening over a craft beer 🍻.

PHP Sussex is supported by Silicon Brighton and Runway East.

Runway East has been fighting boring offices since 2014. Members get team bliss guaranteed, space to scale and Big Desk Energy.

Welcome, Brighton Data Intelligence Network!

Brighton Data Intelligence Network is a community-based networking event bringing people together to meet peers, share stories, and build meaningful relationships around data intelligence.

Hosted by Datacove, award-winning Brighton-based R, Python and Shiny experts, these events also offer inspiring talks, hands-on sessions, and open knowledge sharing, all in a friendly, inclusive environment. Whether you’re just starting out in data or a seasoned expert, there’s always something new to discover, spark your curiosity, and take back to the office.

We run six events each year in Brighton, offering fresh insights, lively discussions, and opportunities to connect with the wider Data Intelligence Network, anchored by the EARL Data Intelligence Conference, our flagship event held in Brighton each October.

The events are supported by Silicon Brighton, Barclays Eagle Labs and Plat9rm Brighton.

For more information, sponsorship opportunities, or to get involved as a speaker, contact us at [admin@datacove.co.uk](https://datacove.co.uk/contact/) or visit https://datacove.co.uk

--- Talk Information ---

Jeff Magloire, BridgeLytic Capital

"What Enterprise AI Product Teams Learn After the Demo"
The hardest part of enterprise AI begins after the prototype works. Product teams must decide what evidence is good enough, where human review belongs, how access and governance should work, and whether users are actually
changing the workflow. This talk presents a field tested product lens for that transition. It combines use case
selection, evaluation, operating design and adoption into one decision system. The session is designed for a
practitioner audience and uses concrete product examples rather than broad AI predictions.

What attendees will take away:
1. A checklist for moving an AI prototype toward production
2. A method for balancing quality, risk, and speed
3. An adoption scorecard that focuses on changed work, not novelty

--- Schedule & Refreshments ---

Now, refreshments! Drinks and nibbles will be served from 6pm. Talks will commence at 6:30pm/6:45pm and the event will conclude at 8pm. The conversation will continue after the event at a local pub.

--- Sponsorship Information ---

Our event relies heavily on sponsorship from companies that attend. Please contact the organisers or [[admin@datacove.co.uk](mailto:admin@datacove.co.uk)](https://datacove.co.uk/) to get involved.

--- Arrival Instructions ---

Please arrive at Towerpoint and press 21 on the intercom. We will buzz you in.

What3Words: wider.bind.crush

--- Registration Etiquette ---

At our meetups, the event is sometimes capped by the space. We’re committed to keeping these events accessible for everyone, but to make that possible, we need your help.

Please ensure your registration is kept up to date. If your plans change, simply update your RSVP to reflect your availability. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Please feel free to spread the word. We look forward to seeing you all again!

Welcome, Brighton Data Intelligence Network!

Brighton Data Intelligence Network is a community-based networking event bringing people together to meet peers, share stories, and build meaningful relationships around data intelligence.

Hosted by Datacove, award-winning Brighton-based R, Python and Shiny experts, these events also offer inspiring talks, hands-on sessions, and open knowledge sharing, all in a friendly, inclusive environment. Whether you’re just starting out in data or a seasoned expert, there’s always something new to discover, spark your curiosity, and take back to the office.

We run six events each year in Brighton, offering fresh insights, lively discussions, and opportunities to connect with the wider Data Intelligence Network, anchored by the EARL Data Intelligence Conference, our flagship event held in Brighton each October.

The events are supported by Silicon Brighton, Barclays Eagle Labs and Plat9rm Brighton.

--- Talk Information ---

Jeff Magloire, BridgeLytic Capital
"What Enterprise AI Product Teams Learn After the Demo"

The hardest part of enterprise AI begins after the prototype works. Product teams must decide what evidence is good
enough, where human review belongs, how access and governance should work, and whether users are actually
changing the workflow. This talk presents a field tested product lens for that transition. It combines use case
selection, evaluation, operating design and adoption into one decision system. The session is designed for a
practitioner audience and uses concrete product examples rather than broad AI predictions.

What attendees will take away:
1. A checklist for moving an AI prototype toward production
2. A method for balancing quality, risk, and speed
3. An adoption scorecard that focuses on changed work, not novelty

--- Schedule & Refreshments ---

Now, refreshments! Drinks and nibbles will be served from 6pm. Talks will commence at 6:30pm/6:45pm and the event will conclude at 8pm. The conversation will continue after the event at a local pub.

--- Sponsorship Information ---

Our event relies heavily on sponsorship from companies that attend. Please contact the organisers or [admin@datacove.co.uk](https://datacove.co.uk/) to get involved.

--- Arrival Instructions ---

Please arrive at Towerpoint and press 21 on the intercom. We will buzz you in.

What3Words: wider.bind.crush

--- Registration Etiquette ---

At our meetups, the event is sometimes capped by the space. We’re committed to keeping these events accessible for everyone, but to make that possible, we need your help. Please ensure your registration is kept up to date. If your plans change, simply update your RSVP to reflect your availability. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Please feel free to spread the word. We look forward to seeing you all again!

IMPORTANT: Date change & venue confirmed. The date for the 2026 International Show 'n' Tell has changed to the second Thursday in November (12th). The event will be held at Runway East and streamed online if you can't make it in-person.

The November migration of the world's top web developers to the sunny city of Brighton & Hove can only mean one thing - ffconf 2026 is coming. So, it's time for another International Async Show n' tell! This year's installment will be on Thursday 12th November (the second Thursday in November).

If you're interested in giving a talk, we'd love to hear from you. It's the perfect opportunity to give a peek at your passion project, try out a lightning talk, or just share what's on your mind. You’ll have five minutes on the night to tell us about something… a project, a library, a technique, a story, or anything else about JavaScript, related tech (HTML, CSS, SVG, etc), or the wider world of web.

If you would like to grab a speaking slot, please leave a comment including:

• Your name
• Your main website, if you have one
• Where to find you on the socials
• A sentence or two about your talk
• Any relevant links
• Delete as appropriate:
• I have a live demo that I will need to run on my own machine
• I can provide slides/pre-recorded demos that are publicly accessible on the web

Ideally your talk should be available as slides on the web that can be accessed from another machine. If you have live demos it would be easiest for us (to avoid having to switch machines regularly and get the stream setup on each) if you pre-recorded these. If you cannot pre-record a demo, please note (in your comment) that you need your own machine to present.

We only have time for so many speakers, so if you'd like to secure a slot please leave your details on this meetup event - first come, first served. If on the day you feel like showing something off, we may have additional time due to cancellations, but we cannot guarantee it.

For a spot of inspiration, take a look at our International Show n' Tells in 2025, 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011 and 2010.

You will be able to join us in-person at Runway East or online (link added closer to the event) thanks to Silicon Brighton.

🍕🍻 Pizza and drinks will be provided thanks to sponsorship from Puck - the open source visual editor for React.

After the event we'll be heading to a nearby pub for more drinks, and chat with the ffconf attendees.

As always we welcome people of all backgrounds and experience levels, so whether you've got a few years under your belt, or you're just starting to look into development we'd love to have you along.

In-person attendees: Please arrive at Runway East between 19:00 and 19:15 for refreshments and socializing. Make sure you are registered to attend so we have an idea of numbers for catering.

Remote attendees: We will start broadcasting the event at 19:30 online (link added closer to the event), there is no need to register.

Don't forget to join the Async Slack for updates.

Our standard lean coffee format for this month.

Beer and pizzas provided as usual.

Location: Friday Ad Offices, 80 East St, Brighton and Hove, BN1 1NF

The first AI in the Wild Brighton meetup.

The event's premise is pretty simple. We're interested in talks about what implementing AI actually looks like in a real business and how marketing can use AI to deliver better marketing

The good, the bad, and the ugly: we're not just interested in the shiny outcome; we want to learn about the mistakes, the things you learnt from failing and what you did to achieve success.

Agenda:

• Why most AI pilots fail (and the ones that don't)

How to scope a proof of concept, define success before you start, and prove commercial impact rather than a good demo.

• Where to start: How to get your first AI project right

Your first AI project is exciting, but setting it up for success is critical. In this session, we’ll look at how to choose the right opportunity, how to measure success, assess your data and processes, build the right team, and move from idea to a practical MVP. We’ll also cover the common pitfalls: from starting with the technology rather than the problem, to underestimating data quality, governance, integration and change management - and how to build something that delivers measurable value rather than becoming another AI Pilot failure.

• Your new AI campaign analyst

A live demo of a tool that turns campaign data into insight, plus an honest account of what went wrong building it.

• Rise of the agentic workforce

From:, cross-platform reporting, data cleansing and competitive monitoring. What can realistically be handed over to AI tools.

Timings:
18:00 Arrive, food
18:30 Introductions
18:40 Talk one
19:10 Talk two
19:40 Talk three
20:00 Drinks and conversation
20:30 Close

Who this is for

AI in the Wild is for people in marketing and the commercial functions around it, the people expected to turn AI into revenue, efficiency or a better customer experience.

You will feel at home here if you work in:

• Marketing (brand, demand generation, digital, content, campaigns)
• CRM, lifecycle and customer marketing
• Ecommerce and digital commerce
• Sales and revenue operations
• Customer experience and service
• Data and analytics in a commercial context
• Business owners and leaders responsible for growth

Future Talent: How Different People Will Be Tomorrow’s Leaders
Tech Jumpstart × Tech Talent Champions book launch with author Mo Kanjilal Williams

📅 Tuesday 24 November, 6:30pm to 8:30pm
📍 Sallis Benney Theatre
58-67 Grand Parade, Brighton and Hove, Brighton BN2 0JY

Tech Jumpstart, in partnership with Tech Talent Champions present: Future Talent: How Different People Will Be Tomorrow’s Leaders by Mo Kanjilal Williams.

Join Dan Wallman, founder of TechNative Digital, in conversation with Mo Kanjilal Williams, exploring real stories of people and movements reshaping power from the edges. Mo will also share insights and new ideas on the future of leadership from some of the book’s contributors.

The book is both a wake-up call and a practical guide for organisations ready to adapt, evolve and thrive. Tomorrow’s leaders are already leading. The question is: will today’s leaders catch up?

📚 Signed copies of Future Talent will be available to buy on the night at a special event price.

Who should attend?

• Employers who want to recruit and develop emerging talent with confidence
• People leaders across all sectors who want to build diverse leadership teams
• Young leaders and early-career tech professionals who want to progress their careers
• Entrepreneurs looking for fresh ideas

Programme
18:30–19:00 Welcome and networking
19:00–19:30 In conversation: author interview and book overview, with Q&A with employers
19:30–20:15 Interactive exercise on building tomorrow’s leadership teams
20:15–20:30 Closing remarks

About Tech Talent Champions
Tech Talent Champions is a joint project by TechNative Digital and Sussex Innovation, funded by the UK Government through Innovate UK as part of the TechFirst programme. One aim, shared by everyone involved: real tech jobs for emerging talent, created here in Sussex.

Tonight we are delighted to be having 3 brand new talks on a variety of AI development topics. Our first presentation will be from Craig West on AI Agents, the second on building RAG pipelines by Andrew Cheesman and then a discussion on what being a Developer means with AI now by long time member of our meetup, and PHP Sussex Organiser, Yannick Chenot.

TALK 1:

"From AI Agents in HTML to creating our own coding agent - let's demystify and simplify." - Craig West

Talk summary:

By the end of this talk, you will see that AI Agents are code that use APIs to get answers to questions with data and then work with the response in some type of workflow.

Specifically, we will look at basic chat requests, tool calling, memory and the ReAct loop that is the basis of creating our minimal coding agent or harness.

A full repo of all the code, talk and much more will be given.

TALK 2:

"Building RAG with .Net, Jev and other stuff" - Andrew Cheeseman

Talk Summary:

Andrew with present a worked example of retrieval-augmented generation, built end to end in .NET. He will take 100's YouTube poker-coaching transcripts and walk through every step: getting the data out of
YouTube, sorting it with Jev (TypeSafe AI's new decision model), chunking and embedding it in C#, storing it in Amazon S3 Vectors, and giving Claude a search tool over MCP. Real data, live
demos, and the parts the tutorials skip.

This will be a hands on demo with live coding and real world examples.

TALK 3:

"In the age of AI, what is a Software Developer?" - Yannick Chenot

Talk summary:

If we’re not writing the code anymore, what’s left for us to do?

Judgement and taste, yes, but what does this mean in practice?

Whether you’ve embraced AI or are resisting it, the technology raises serious questions about the nature of the job. And if you’re considering software engineering as a career, knowing where to focus your attention can be challenging.

Does it still make sense to specialise in one layer of the stack? What do we need to let go of, and what warrants renewed attention?

Rather than predicting the future, this talk will help you identify what's being disrupted and where the value is going, reframing the software engineering role in the process.

SPEAKER BIOS:

Craig West, originally an SQL DBA, is an Agentic Engineer that started with WordPress and moved through JS and Python frameworks to ML/AI. Based in Brighton, he was a member of codebar.io and can be found walking his two dogs Leo and Pip. He is passionate about demystifying and simplifying AI Agents.
CraigWestAI.com

Andrew Cheeseman is a .NET developer and architect with 30 years in infrastructure, including four years as CTO of events-tech studio Graffic Jam. He works as a fractional chief architect and development lead through Cheesesharp, based in Hove.
cheesesharp.com

Yannick Chenot is a long term member of our group and also organises the PHP Sussex meetup in Brighton.
Yannick is a freelance Product Engineer and Fractional CTO based in Brighton, UK. Born and bred in Brittany, France, he has been building software since 2007 and is the founder of PixelWatcher.io, a webpage monitoring tool.

Doors open at 6:30pm with our first talf from Craig starting at 7pm. This will be followed by Andrew, a break for snacks and drinks and then followed by Yannick's talk to round off the evening.

As usual there will be half-time drinks and snacks included.

Please sign up so we can keep track of numbers on the night?

We look forward to seeing you there.

Thanks, Gavin

Agentic engineering is building software by directing AI coding agents rather than writing the code yourself. The engineering part comes from how you direct the agents - the goal, the rules, the checks, the coding standards, the tests, the code reviews etc.

It speeds things up a lot as Agents are incredibly quick at producing code, much faster than humans, and it allows you much more flexibility in what you build, as you are not just limited to your own knowledge, language or domain expertise. The more time consuming part now, is not the writing code, but the verifying, the testing, the workflow you use to ensure code quality and goal adherence.

This is for anyone curious about building software with AI agents, be it experienced developers, or people who don't know how to code.

In this session we will go over:

• What agentic engineering is, and how it differs from just asking a chatbot for code
• How the build has been ran
• What went wrong along the way and how we fixed it
• Common pitfalls we can fall into now

We launched a competition to show the magic of the winter festival season. With real prizes too! At this event, each of the entries will pitch their build, and the audience and judges will crown a winner.

Each entry will show the full Seasonal Build for Winter Magic in a 5 minute pitch in person at the event. Entries can be from individuals or groups. The entry should include a Microcontroller or SBC computer as it must include some Software/Firmware as well as some hardware (LEDs for example).

The prizes include a RPI5, AI Hat 2 and 10" Touch Screen 2. Notification of entry must be received by the event organisers by 17-Nov-2026 to secure a presentation slot.

Agenda:
18:30 Pizza and Chat
18:50 Introductions: BB Team
19:00 Competition Pitches
20:20 Winner(s) Announced
20:30 Clothing Thoughts: BB Team

Whether you’re into Raspberry Pi, Arduino, modifying Game Boys, building robots, or any other hardware-based projects, this event is for you. From seasoned professionals to complete beginners, everyone is welcome.

If you have any questions or want to get involved, please reach out.

Leading conference & expo for games designers and developers in Europe. 'Develop in Brighton Conference' gathers usual inspiring mix of top speakers, informative sessions, insights into the latest trends & technologies, plus of course fantastic networkin

Telecom / 5G conference in Brighton, United Kingdom