13th September 2024

Last night we kicked off the first of what promises to be a series of lively CEO dinners. For those of you who missed it (and to those who were there but might still be processing the sheer amount of networking), here’s a little taste of what went down.

Hot Topics

HR Challenges & AI to the Rescue? One of the evening’s hottest discussions—centered around the universal challenges of HR. Could artificial intelligence might just be the secret weapon to handle those sticky people management issues. From chatbots that can summarise FAQs faster than we can finish a prawn cracker, to AI tools that could streamline the dreaded performance review process—there was definitely appetite for more tech in the HR world.

Getting Quick AI Wins
While we're not quite ready to hand over the keys to our companies to robots (yet), a few of us are itching to get some AI tools up and running ASAP. A chatbot to answer all those annoying FAQ emails? Yes, please. The sentiment was: let’s get something live, simple, and effective, even if it’s just an MVP to keep the inbox (and our blood pressure) down.

Sharing Successes (and failures)

Thanks to all who contributed to the evening including my colleagues Matt Dibben, Howard Kitto, Adam Harrington and of course our soon to be High Sheriff of Surrey Peter Cluff for his wonderful impromptu post dinner speech.    

On 23rd September, our Co-founder and CEO, Cian, had the opportunity to speak at the 3rd Annual Innovation 4.4 UNGA Family Office Summit in New York.

Cian’s talk focused on the critical role of SMEs in today’s economy and the impact AI can have on levelling the playing field for these businesses. He emphasised how AI empowers SMEs to innovate, compete with larger companies and improve operational efficiency - all while staying true to their community-driven roots.

To dive deeper into his talk and understand how AI is shaping the future of businesses, have a read of the attached document.

A hands-on event in Canary Wharf, Be the Business Event. 40 growth-focused SMBs came together to tackle the real challenges of AI adoption.

We led discussions at three of the five tables, guiding participants through a practical journey—from identifying pressing business challenges to exploring AI solutions and crafting actionable implementation plans.

The key takeaway? Start small. Focus on specific problems that matter to your business. Our discussions highlighted how a targeted approach makes AI adoption manageable and impactful.

Find a challenge, research the right AI tool, and create a plan. With small steps, big results are possible.

This roundtable brought together program alumni, academics, and industry experts for an exciting roundtable to explore how SMBs can embrace AI and overcome challenges head on.

The energy in the room was palpable as we tackled common barriers like fear, procrastination, and uncertainty, sharing inspiring stories from businesses that have successfully made AI work for them.

Hearing diverse perspectives made it clear: many SMBs face the same obstacles, but success is within reach. By learning from peers who’ve already walked this path, you can gain the insights and confidence needed to take the leap. This event truly showed how collaboration and shared experiences can transform AI into a growth engine for small businesses.

This forum brought together "AI super users" to refine a crucial questionnaire designed to help SMBs better understand and implement AI. We provided feedback to ensure the questionnaire is practical, clear, and accessible for businesses at every stage of their AI journey.

This initiative reflects the growing recognition of AI's impact on small and medium-sized enterprises. Once complete, the questionnaire will be an invaluable resource to assess your business's AI readiness and identify key opportunities for growth. We’re looking forward to its release and seeing how it helps SMBs effectively harness AI. Stay tuned!

At this high-level meeting, attended by Lord Pettigrew and Minister Kevin Hollenrake, we explored how government support could boost AI adoption among SMBs. Discussions focused on potential funding opportunities, training programs, and awareness initiatives, highlighting the government's dedication to advancing AI within the SMB sector.

A key takeaway from the roundtable was the importance of public-private partnerships in accelerating AI adoption. For SMB owners, this means opportunities could be on the horizon—government initiatives that provide funding, training, or other resources to support your AI journey. Stay informed, as these initiatives could offer crucial assistance to help your business harness the power of AI.