Hillier Hopkins Among the week’s notable successes was T e Founders
Looking towards the future: a retrospective
Milton Keynes shone brightly this September with its inaugural MK Tech Week, a fi ve-day celebration of inno- vation, connectivity, and the city’s growing infl uence in the UK technology ecosystem. From robotics and artifi cial intelligence to smart cities,
James Johnson Principal
Hillier Hopkins
education and investment, the programme demonstrated how Milton Keynes is positioning itself as a serious player in national tech conversations. T e week began with a VIP reception at Bletchley Park,
linking the city’s historic role in codebreaking to its future ambitions in AI and digital infrastructure. Events followed across venues including the MK:U Innovation Hub, Unity Place, the Open University, and centre:MK. With more than 2,400 tech fi rms and strong institutional anchors such as the Open University and Cranfi eld, the organisers sought to create not just a showcase but a hub where talent, investors and innovators could form lasting ties.
Lounge, hosted by Central Arc Angels. Designed as a relaxed environment for early-stage founders, it encouraged open mentoring and investor networking without the pressure of a formal pitch. T is inclusive setting refl ected Central Arc Angels’ mission to connect entrepreneurs with funding opportunities and strengthened the informal networks that form the backbone of a startup ecosystem. Having such a vested interest in local business, they specifi cally chose a central independent coff ee shop to host the event, which acted as the ideal collaborative setting. T e Lounge coincided with sessions on responsible AI and online safety, notably Building Safer Digital Futures: Tech to Protect Women Online, held at the Open University. Pairing a founder networking space with a conversation on ethical innovation reinforced the message that technological progress must also prioritise responsibility and inclusion. Across the broader schedule, several panels drew strong
attention in both the press and social media. T e AI Summit, featuring speakers from Microsoft, Google and innovative SMEs, was a highlight. Its focus on practical adoption over abstract theory - how smaller organisations can integrate AI responsibly, manage data risk and build governance frameworks - earned praise for substance over hype.
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