Hays and Empact Ventures to expand Super Connect Series for start-ups across the UK and Ireland

Hays, the leading recruiting experts and global super connectors Empact Ventures are set to expand their support to tech start-ups and scale-ups in a series of 12 unique events across the UK and Ireland.

The Super Connect Series brings together the best emerging tech start-ups and scale-ups with decision-makers at corporates, brands, SMEs, non-profits, investors, grant bodies and funding providers to explore collaboration and funding support based on mutual need.

The events will be run as part of a regional roadshow in 12 cities and towns across the UK and Ireland from October 2019 to June 2020 following a successful pilot in five areas including Bournemouth, Bristol, London, Cambridge and Leeds.

Each local event combines a series of tech talks with a range of innovative pitches from tech start-ups and scale-ups all powered by a unique match-making process to connect people based on mutual need during and after the day through its team of Super Connectors. The event themes include Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), FinTech, Cyber Security, MedTech, RetailTech and Fibre Network / 5G, AR/VR amongst others.

The Super Connect Series exists to address the challenge people face when attending events in identifying the right people to meet and understanding if they are potentially interested in their organisation, project or venture. More so, it is focused on supporting smaller companies to be given the opportunity to work with larger ones and access a wider range of funding sources at a local to national level.

Kosta Mavroulakis, Founder and CEO of Empact Ventures said: “While tech start-ups and scale-ups have access to an abundance of investment opportunities in the UK, they still face the challenge of securing new business development and a blended range of funding opportunities. For larger organisations and funding providers they often face the challenge of meeting many smaller tech companies before they find the gems that fit their sweet spot for the purposes of their innovation sourcing, business development and/or funding purposes.

In both cases, our goal is to bring people together to explore collaboration in a mutually beneficial manner that creates aggregate economic and/or social impact. Empact Ventures and Hays UK & I are both super connectors of technology and people respectively who are committed to supporting the growth of small to large organisations, and it is for this reason why we co-designed the Super Connect Series”.

James Milligan, Director of Hays Digital Technology, commented: “We are confident that by working in partnership with Empact Ventures on the new Super Connect series, the initiative will encourage professionals with a passion for technology, to better engage, connect and collaborate with others within the industry. The events are a unique opportunity for start-ups and scale-ups to access businesses and decision makers who can help them take their start-up to the next level.

Our Digital Technology business across the UK is now engaging more with smaller tech companies than it ever has before. Providing quality insight and advice to organisations of all sizes on skills, recruitment trends and workforce planning within the technology industry is a priority for us and our research and reports, like the Hays UK Salary and Recruiting Trends 2019 Guide aid in supporting our expertise.”

The pilot and upcoming events are sponsored locally by corporates and brands (e.g. Microsoft, Barclays Eagle Labs, City Fibre, Dee Set Logistics), SMEs (e.g. Future Kings, Linkilaw), non-profit organisations (e.g. The National Institute for Health Research Surgical MedTech Co-operative and UnLtd), and key ecosystem builders (e.g. Dorset LEP, Enterprise M3, NDRC, TechSolent).

They are backed by a range of partners across the UK including funding providers (e.g. Seedrs, Angels Den, BizBritain), workspace providers (e.g. eOffice, The Werks Group), universities (e.g. Bournemouth University, Solent University) and other ecosystem facilitators (e.g. GEN UK, Global Entrepreneurship Week UK, AI Tech North, Boardroom Advisors) and others (e.g. Synap, UGenie)

The Super Connect Series will run in the following cities and towns:

17th October 2019 – Super Connect Manchester (AI, FinTech & Cyber)

14th November 2019 – Super Connect London (AI & MedTech)

20th November 2019 – Super Connect Bournemouth (MedTech & AI)

27th November 2019 – Super Connect Southampton (AI, IoT & FinTech)

29th January 2020 – Super Connect Leeds (AI & MedTech)

11th February 2020 – Super Connect Birmingham (AI, RetailTech, Cyber Security)

11th March 2020 – Super Connect Milton Keynes (AI & IoT)

29th April 2020 – Super Connect Cardiff (AI)

6th May 2020 – Super Connect Edinburgh (AI, Smart Cities, MedTech)

12th May 2020 – Super Connect Dublin (AI, FinTech, Cyber)

14th May 2020 – Super Connect Belfast (AI, IoT & Cyber Security)

4th June 2020 – Super Connect Basingstoke (AI, AR/VR, 5G)

If you would like to attend a local event, please register at www.superconnectseries.com