Cambridge Tech Week

September has been a busy month for Form the Future, filled with impactful events and inspiring moments! Here's what we've been up to: 🚀 Tech Futures Day - We had the privilege of running the final day of Cambridge Tech Week 2024 at The Bradfield Centre (managed by Kathryn Fladgate). From hands-on workshops and career panels to inspiring talks from industry leaders and students including Tom Lloyd, Rajeshwari Iyer, Alfa Saleh, Elijah Ohiwerei, Claire Pike, Orianne Wightman, and Anthony Adiotomre, it was a day to remember! A special shoutout to Arm, Cambridge Consultants, Siemens, Black Talent & Leadership in STEM, and many others for supporting our student activities. The day concluded with speed networking, connecting students with top tech employers. Read more about this event 👉🏽 https://lnkd.in/ehcGJ6P8 💼 Employability Skills Day - We kicked off the new academic year at St Mary's School, Cambridge, working with over 120 Year 11 students. Our workshops covered everything from CV writing to interview skills, with great feedback from students on how prepared they now feel for their future careers. Special thanks to our incredible ambassadors from Hays, WSP, Grant Thornton UK LLP, and more for making the day a success! 🎓 Mock Interviews & Apprenticeship Talks - Back in schools with Peter Buncombe & Sonal Keshwala, we ran Mock Interviews for Year 12 students at the Cambridge Academy for Science & Technology and shared apprenticeship insights at Melbourn Village College. Thank you to Kelly Saunders (PEM) Ning Feng (Alpha Games), Marié Altintopi, DAMILOLA M. & Chris France (WTW) and our ambassador community for your continued support! 🏆 Cambridge Independent Business Awards 2024 - We proudly sponsored the Apprentice/Trainee of the Year award at this prestigious event. Congratulations to Abigail Mason and Jeffrey Seidu on their well-deserved recognitions, presented by Kath Austin! 💡 Careers Fair at Mildenhall College Academy - Peter Buncombe & Clare Hall engaged with over 800 students, exploring skills, motivation, and aspirations for the future. This event marked our first as The ASK Programme delivery partner in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk! Thank you to everyone involved over the past month and all of the talented members of our own team - let’s keep empowering the next generation this academic year! #CareersEducation #careers #cambridge #CamTechWeek

We had an incredible time at #CambridgeTechWeek! 🚀 As proud sponsors of Innovation Alley, we were thrilled to witness first-hand the latest breakthroughs in tech, from MedTech to Green Tech. Cambridge Tech Week brought together innovators and thought leaders to explore how emerging technologies such as AI, Robotics and immersive technologies are shaping the future – and we were delighted to be part of it. A few highlights from our team: 💡Partner and Patent Attorney, Parminder Kaur Lally, shared: "I particularly enjoyed the deep dive into quantum. At university, quantum physics seemed very abstract, so it was great to hear how quantum-based technologies are being used to solve a wide variety of real-world problems." 🎤Associate and Patent Attorney, Matthew Bennett, reflected on: "The keynote on AI’s 'big blue sky' by Euan Cameron was a highlight, along with the panel on integrating quantum into business." 🌱 Trainee Patent Attorney, Holly Redman PhD, was inspired by clean tech innovations: "Sam Goodall's talk on building a super cluster was super interesting, and I was excited to see trends in renewable energy that aligned with the work we're doing. Plus, the elevator pitches on biofuel cells and new materials for agriculture were fascinating! A huge thank you to everyone who shared their insights and contributed to the vibrant discussions this week. Let’s keep the conversation going – what were your key takeaways? #CambridgeTechWeek #Innovation #QuantumTech #AI #GreenTech #InnovationAlley #FutureOfTec #Robotics #ImmersiveTechnologies

⚡️ One of our key YAC members, Ifeanyi Madu, recently had the opportunity to attend Cambridge Tech Week on behalf of Black Talent & Leadership in STEM....   Here’s what he had to say about the event, which brought together industry, academia and investors from Cambridge’s innovation ecosystem and beyond👇 “It was an immense honour to be in a room filled with brilliant minds, many representing some of the largest and most innovative tech leaders in the UK. Highlights for me included hearing insights from Warren East CBE, former CEO of Arm and Rolls-Royce, Tim Fowler, Chief Commercial Officer at Cambridge Consultants, and Peter Cowley (he/him), a seasoned tech entrepreneur and investor. One particularly memorable panel, hosted by Tony Quested, CEO of Business Weekly newspaper, featured Steve Young CBE, Sir Andy Hopper CBE, and Professor Florin Udrea, who shared their inspiring journeys of turning academic research into thriving tech companies.   Here are some of the key takeaways from the day I spent at CTW24: >> Collaboration between academia, investors, and the government is critical for success.  >> US investors are more risk-tolerant, partly explaining their higher investment rates.  >> Founders must actively reduce perceived risks for investors while also conducting their own due diligence. It’s essential for founders to stay actively involved at the board level for as long as they are part of the company. >> Innovation should permeate not just the technology but also the product, business model, and execution strategy. The day ended with an investor pitch session, where I witnessed incredible innovations and ambitious startups that really inspired me. It was a round-trip drive of over 6 hours and more than 450 miles, but every second and every mile was absolutely worth it!”   Thank you Ifeanyi - we're sure that it will have inspired your work with the Youth Advisory Council UK, and the challenge of creating more diverse STEM career pathways ⚡️ Dr Soraya Jones Abhi Naha Olu Orugboh Sophie Clarke Cambridge Wireless Ltd Yemi Jackson MBA, ACMA Alistair Antoine The 10,000 Interns Foundation Homerton College #Changemakers University of Cambridge Chris Bruce Mary Paslawski #BlackTalent #STEM #CamTechWeek #DEI #DiversityInTech