Myth-busting AI: Lighting Talks & Debate

Join us for an evening of fast-paced lightning talks and an open panel debate that cuts through the buzzwords and how to move from hype to ROI and gets to the heart of what AI really means for startups, entrepreneurs, and innovators.

What we'll cover:

• The latest trends in AI and what they mean for your business

• Practical advice on integrating AI into operations

• Real-life startup stories where AI is part of the secret sauce

• Use cases beyond ChatGPT - from logistics to legal

• Ethical and legal considerations, including data privacy and copyright. Do you remember when ScotRail 'borrowed' someone's voice?!

• Whether you're building with AI, curious about its potential, or sceptical of the hype — this event is for you.

Come with your questions, ideas, and curiosity.  Life before AI was already ‘AI’ - we just didn’t call it that.

Don't miss out on networking with like-minded individuals who are passionate about technology and entrepreneurship in Glasgow. Limited spaces are available, so be sure to RSVP today and secure your spot!

🗣Introducing Our Lightning Talks!

Profit or Prototype? Finding the Business Case for AI

Euan Meston - Head of Professional Services at Otera

Currently the Head of Professional Services for Otera (formerly DeepOpinion) where they are implementing agentic solutions at scale from proof of concepts all the way to enterprise solutions. Previous to this, his introduction to the startup lifestyle was almost six years ago where he was one of the Customer Success Directors at a life sciences lab automation company.

Smoke & Mirrors: How Hype Obscures the Future and How to See Past It

Gemma Milne - Researcher, Lecturer & Author at University of Glasgow

Gemma is a Lecturer in Innovation and Technology Management at the University of Glasgow’s Adam Smith Business School, and a writer and broadcaster focused on cultural, economic and social concerns of science and technology. Gemma is author of 'Smoke & Mirrors: How Hype Obscures the Future and How to See Past It'; has written for outlets such as The Guardian, WIRED, Forbes, the BBC and others; and is co-host of the Radical Science podcast. Her current research focuses on the political economy of lab-to-market processes, with a particular focus on alternative organisational structures for deep tech, for example, open IP structures in pharma, cooperative models in space-tech spinouts and citizen co-design and -implementation of high tech local energy projects. Gemma has been an Expert Assessor for the European Commission and Innovate UK, a Fellow of the Institute for the Future of Work, an Innovation Jury Member for SXSW and a Scout for Backed VC.

Talking to your coffee machine: how AI is creeping into our lives

Alasdair Keane - Reporter, BBC Tech Now

Alasdair Keane is a reporter for BBC News covering all things technology. His role takes him around the globe meeting those developing the latest innovations that could have an impact on the world.  

AI on Trial: Law, Ethics, and the Human Factor

Gideon Green - Associate (Tech, Media & IP) / Innovation & AI at CMS Scotland

Gideon is a solicitor in the Technology and Media team at international law firm CMS. Gideon has a hybrid role at CMS, where he divides his time equally between traditional legal work and legal technology/AI initiatives. On the legal side, Gideon advises on all aspects of AI, including regulation, intellectual property, data protection, and commercial contracts. Gideon works with a variety of technology clients in this space – from household names to smaller startups and scale-ups.

From Hype to Help: Making AI Work in Therapy

Samuel Stern - Co-Founder & CEO at Affiniti AI

Samuel Stern is the Co-Founder and CEO of Affiniti AI, the UK’s first generative AI software medical device for mental health. He holds a PhD in Computer Science from UCL, where he is also an Honorary Senior Research Fellow. Samuel has been working at the intersection of AI and psychotherapy since 2020, focusing on how human-AI collaboration can meaningfully expand access to care.

Agenda:

1. Welcome & Networking

2. Lightening talks from experts followed by panel debate

3. Q&A followed by open mic session where any attendee is free to speak their mind or ask for a piece of advice (60-seconds each) from the community and receive feedback.

4. Continued networking, there's no Startup Grind event where you don't leave with new friends and exciting connections.

How to attend?

📅 Date: Wednesday 29th October 2024

🕔 Time: 18:00 - 20:00

📍 Location: CMS, 1 W Regent St, Glasgow G2 1AP

We are delighted to be hosted by CMS for this event. CMS want to change the way that early stage companies access legal support. They don’t want top quality legal advice to be seen as out of reach, because we believe that having the right foundations are imperative to scale successfully, especially when investors are involved. That’s how CMS equIP was born.

Why attend?

- Learn from Scotland's leading startup founders & experts

- Catch up with friends and make new ones

- Drinks and delicious food

- Share an ask with the community via our open-mic

Whether you're a founder, aspiring entrepreneur, or simply curious about the stories behind successful startups, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss.