AI Automation Workshop
2026-05-08 10:00 - 12:00 UTC | Vulcan Works, 34-38 Guildhall Road, Northampton, Northampton, NN1 1EW, United Kingdom
How AI Can Save Your Business 10+ Hours a Week

Workshop Overview
A hands-on, practical workshop designed for early-stage and small business owners who want to understand how AI can automate repetitive tasks, save time, and grow their business – without needing any technical background. This is not a lecture about what AI is. Through live demos and real-world case studies, participants will see exactly how AI automation works in practice – and leave with a clear action plan for their own business.
Date Friday 8 May 2026
Location Vulcan Works, Northampton
Duration 1-hour group session (presentation + live demos) + 30-minute individual consultation slots
Audience Vulcan Creatives cohort — early-stage business owners.
Requirements Just turn up — no laptop or setup needed
Facilitator Olushola Oladipupo — Founder, WorkCrew Ltd; Solutions Architect, AWS
What’s Covered: Group Session (60 minutes)
• AI Tools That Actually Matter — A no-jargon tour of the tools that save real businesses real time: ChatGPT, Claude, Google Gemini, and automation platforms. What each one does best, and which one fits your business.
• Live Demo: AI in Action — Watch a real AI system take a customer order via WhatsApp, write it to a spreadsheet, calculate the total, and notify the business owner — all automatically. Built by WorkCrew for a real UK food business.
• Live Demo: From Idea to Automation in Minutes — See how a simple business task (email replies, social media posts, lead follow-ups) gets automated live on screen — start to finish, no coding.
• The 10-Hour Framework — A simple method to audit your week, identify the tasks AI can handle, and prioritise which to automate first. Most business owners find 10+ hours of automatable work they didn’t realise they had.
Individual Consultations (30 minutes each) After the group session, each participant gets a private 30-minute slot with Shola to discuss their specific business challenges and get a personalised AI action plan. This is where the real value lands — tailored advice for your exact situation.
What Participants Walk Away With
• A clear understanding of which AI tools actually matter for their business (and which are hype)
• A personalised AI action plan from the 1:1 consultation
• The 10-Hour Framework worksheet — a reusable template for identifying automatable tasks
• A curated resource list of free and low-cost AI tools relevant to small businesses
• Clarity on which AI tools are worth paying for and which are free
• Confidence to experiment with AI independently after the session
Ideal For
• Business owners who have heard about AI but don’t know where to start
• Founders spending hours on repetitive tasks (emails, social media, admin, customer queries)
• Anyone who has used ChatGPT for blog writing but wants to go further
• Businesses that want to look and operate like a much bigger company — using AI as the multiplier

Intellectual property litigation for start-ups WEBINAR
2026-05-20 13:00 - 14:30 | Northampton
An introduction to the steps you can take if you find your intellectual property has been infringed.

IP litigation can be a daunting thought but this session will provide an introduction to the steps a business can take if they find their intellectual property has been infringed.
Hosted by Business & IP Centre Northamptonshire and delivered by Franks & Co European Patent & Trademark Attorneys.
This webinar is for people living in the UK only.
Prior to the webinar you will receive an email with webinar link and details. Please add bipc@westnorthants.gov.uk to your contact’s list to avoid our email going into your junk mail.
Following the event Business & IP Centre Northamptonshire will send a feedback form which we would be grateful if you could complete to allow us to monitor the success of our events. This is facilitated by our third party processor Reason Digital Limited.

#12: "Resilient Payment Systems: How bank transfers actually work (most of the time)" by Jacek Miloszewski and "There's No Such Thing As Plain Text" by Dylan Beattie
2026-05-28 18:00 - 20:00 | Vulcan Works, 34-38 Guildhall Road, Northampton, Northampton, NN1 1EW, United Kingdom
Schedule #

18:00 – 18:30
Meet and Greet

18:30 – 19:00

“Resilient Payment Systems: How bank transfers actually work (most of the time)” by Jacek Miloszewski
Ever wondered what happens behind the scenes when you send money? In this talk, I’ll take you under the hood of how Form3 helps banks handle inter-bank transfers at scale. We’ll dive into the high-stakes world of security, compliance, and volume, and how we’ve built the architecture (and the teams) to handle it all. I’ll cover the practical side of running a mission-critical system, including: scaling teams, regulatory hurdles and hardened security.

19:00 – 19:15
Break

19:15 – 19:45

“There’s No Such Thing As Plain Text” by Dylan Beattie
When we say something is a plain text file, we’re relying on a huge number of assumptions – about operating systems, editors, file formats, language, culture, history… and, most of the time, that’s OK. But when it goes wrong, good old plain text can lead to some of the weirdest bugs you’ve ever seen. Join Dylan Beattie for a fascinating look into the hidden world of text files – from the history of mechanical teletypes, to how emoji skin tones actually work.

Accessibility #
Our venue is wheelchair accessible, and we provide on-site assistance for anyone requiring additional support during the meetup. While we currently do not offer live captioning for talks, we are committed to creating an inclusive environment and welcome all participants. Please contact the organisers with any specific accessibility requirements.

Food and drinks #
Learning new things and socialising with others is a lot easier when you are properly energised. Pizza, some sweets and beverages are on us. There is something for everyone: pepperoni pizza, vegan ones, fizzy drinks, water and a selection of beers. You are welcome!

Cashflow Control: Strengthening Your Business for Sustainable Growth
2026-06-02 10:00 - 12:00 | Vulcan Works, 34-38 Guildhall Road, Northampton, Northampton, NN1 1EW, United Kingdom
Join Barclays Eagle Labs and Michael Price Associates for a practical, insight-led session designed for scaling and established businesses.

Cashflow is one of the most powerful, and often misunderstood, levers in a growing business. While many established businesses are generating revenue and even profit, cash can still feel tight. Growth, rising costs, and slower payment cycles are putting increasing pressure on working capital – and without clear visibility and control, even strong businesses can find themselves constrained. Through a real-life case study, we’ll explore how cashflow challenges develop, where control is often lost, and what business owners can do to strengthen their financial position.
Session Schedule:

10:30-11:00 – Arrival, coffee & networking
11:00 – 11:45 – Cashflow Workshop (MPA)
11:45-12:30 – Lunch (Provided by event organisers)

What we’ll cover:

Understanding cashflow in a scaling business
Why growth increases pressure on cash — and how to stay in control.
A real business scenario
Step through a case study to see how cashflow challenges build over time and how they can be identified earlier.
Revenue, profit and cash — the critical differences
Make better decisions by understanding what your numbers are really telling you.
Where cash gets tied up
From invoicing and payment terms to stock, staffing and overheads.
Strengthening your financial position
Practical ways to improve working capital and create more stability.
Building confidence in your numbers
How to use cashflow insight to support better planning and decision-making.

Why attend:

Gain greater control and visibility over your cashflow.
Understand how to support sustainable, confident growth.
Learn from real-world scenarios, not just theory.
Walk away with practical actions you can apply immediately.
Connect with other local business owners.

Bonus:
All attendees will have the opportunity to book a free 30-minute 1-2-1 session with an MPA expert to discuss their business and next steps.
Meet the speaker:
Samantha Wildman (Director – MPA) Samantha is a highly experienced business adviser and Group Client Director at MPA, where she also sits on the Board. She works closely with established and scaling businesses to help them strengthen financial control, improve visibility, and support sustainable growth. With over a decade of experience advising senior leaders across a range of sectors, Samantha brings a practical, commercially focused perspective to the challenges business owners face, particularly around cashflow, funding, and managing growth without unnecessary risk. Known for her clear, results-driven approach, Samantha helps business owners move beyond reactive decision-making, giving them the confidence and control needed to plan ahead and scale effectively.

Vulcan's Den
2026-06-30 10:00 - 13:00 | Vulcan Works, 34-38 Guildhall Road, Northampton, Northampton, NN1 1EW, United Kingdom
Got a business idea worth pitching?
We’re excited to launch Vulcan’s Den – inspired by the popular BBC series where entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to a panel of industry experts.
This is your opportunity to showcase your business, share your vision, and compete to win a serviced office space at Vulcan Works for one month completely FREE*
You’ll pitch live to:
🔹 Darren Smith – Vulcan Works
🔹 Sam Hunter – The Growth Hub
🔹 Owen Moran – Barclays Eagle Lab
We’re looking for ambitious entrepreneurs, innovative ideas, and businesses ready to grow within our thriving community.
📍 Vulcan Works
📅 Tuesday 30th June
Think you’ve got what it takes to step into the Den?
Complete the entry form today and take your next big step. (link in the bio or send us a DM)
*with a £50 refundable security deposit

Fuel your growth: Find the right funding path
2026-07-01 09:30 - 13:00 | Vulcan Works, 34-38 Guildhall Road, Northampton, Northampton, NN1 1EW, United Kingdom
Fuelling Innovation: Exploring Funding Options for Growth
Delivered by South Midlands Growth Hub, Barclays Eagle Labs, and the British Business Bank
Are you an innovative business in Northamptonshire looking to fund your next stage of growth?
Understanding the right funding option for your business can feel overwhelming. From grants and loans to angel investment and equity finance, each route offers different opportunities—and different implications for your business journey.
This interactive workshop as part of this years Fuelling Innovation campaign in collaboration with University of Northampton is designed to help you navigate those choices with confidence.
Join us for a series of engaging panel discussions featuring real businesses that have successfully secured funding through different routes. You’ll gain practical insights, hear first-hand experiences, and discover which options might be right for you.
Lunch is included, with dedicated time for networking throughout the event.

Why Attend?

Gain clarity on the different funding options available for business growth
Hear real-life experiences from businesses that have successfully secured funding
Connect with funding experts and support organisations
Expand your professional network with like-minded business leaders
Leave with practical insights you can apply to your own growth plans

What You Will Learn

The key differences between grants, loans, and equity investment
The advantages and considerations of each funding route
How to determine which funding option aligns with your business goals
What funders and investors look for in innovative businesses
How to prepare your business for funding opportunities

Who Should Attend?

Innovative startups and scale-ups based in Northamptonshire
Business owners planning their next stage of growth
Entrepreneurs exploring funding options for the first time
Companies considering grants, loans, or investment to expand
Anyone seeking expert guidance on business finance and funding strategies

Event Agenda
9:30am – Arrival and registration
10:00am – Welcome and introduction
10:10am – Panel 1: Grants
10:35am – Networking break
10:45am – Panel 2: Loans
11:10am – Networking break
11:20am – Panel 3: Equity Investment
11:45am – Event wrap-up
12:00pm – Networking lunch
