Following the 2024 Milton Keynes Artificial Intelligence Festival launch event at Bletchley Park on Monday 28th October, our co-hosted event with Bidwells kicked off a week of AI seminars and hackathons celebrating the artificial intelligence and innovation ecosystem in Milton Keynes. 

COEL and Bidwells hosted ‘The Future Workspace: How the Tech Evolution is Shaping Milton Keynes’ networking breakfast on Tuesday 29th October with a panel of local AI experts, a flexible workspace provider and our very own Head of Design, Katie Oldknow. 

We started the event with an insightful presentation from Sue Foxley, Research Director at Bidwells. Sue covered how evolving technologies and the convergence of science and tech are transforming workspaces and property demand in Milton Keynes, with a focus on UK business and VC funding trends locally, as well as space requirements and tech employment in Milton Keynes. 

Mike Jones, Planning Partner MRTPI at Bidwells, then led the panel discussion with: 

• Andy Paul, Founder of Fliweel Tech
• Leon Gordon, Founder of Onyx Data
• Marian Powell, Workspace General Manager of x+why 

Photo credit: Kiana Kamalian

Discussion topics included what companies are looking for when choosing workspaces for their tech company, considering inclusion and wellness, and quality e.g. Grade A space, to attract and retain talent. The panel also discussed the current opportunities for AI companies based in Milton Keynes, and the benefits of its location and infrastructure. 

It was then the audience’s turn to ask the panel questions including how the property market might look to consider the opportunity of letting premises within a changing hybrid climate.  Plus, questions on the opportunity the new 5 year Technology, Smart City, Digital and Creative Industries Strategy presents for the Milton Keynes tech community. 

Katie Oldknow finished off the morning presentations demonstrating many of the considerations tech companies contemplate when designing a dedicated workspace. 

Using our latest project with Oxford Ionics as an example of design and delivery, Katie led the audience on a design journey demonstrating the use of collaborative and quiet space, combined with town hall location and wellness rooms, that were considered for the project alongside their technical requirements.  

The event finished off with more networking, and it was clear that it had been successful in broadening the local AI and property consultancy communities appreciation of the workspace opportunities in Milton Keynes and how companies are adapting to meet the needs of the tech industry as a whole. 

There is no doubt of the city’s potential as a tech cluster, and of the available workspace to support and retain this growing talent in Milton Keynes. 

Thank you to Invest Milton Keynes and Milton Keynes City Council, along with Protospace for providing us with the opportunity to be involved in this insightful AI Festival. 

Highlights from the Milton Keynes AI Festival Launch event at Bletchley Park.