Imagine a deep-dive session without any moderators, any preset questions or any timekeeper, taking place every month in central London, bringing together technocrats, entrepreneurs, senior government officials, students, investors and other stakeholders for a free-flowing, engaging conversation on all things tech. This is exactly what Kolkata boy Subhash R. Ghosh has managed to do with his knowledge platform #TechTuesdaysUK. Taking place on the first Tuesday of every month, Subhash’s brainchild has already completed 16 episodes since it was launched in January 2023.
From fintech to space tech to health tech, from how technology can impact sports to its role in universities, from the representation of women in technology to the nuances of quantum and semiconductor tech, #TechTuesdaysUK covers a broad expanse of topics, with more than 50 industry experts joining its various episodes till date. Each episode lasts between 90 and 120 minutes and is an open conversation taking place without any kind of premeditated structure.
We’ve created a disruptive format where we don’t stop anyone from sharing their knowledge
Subhash delivers the welcome address at every #TechTuesdayUK event
“Our goal is to create a free-flowing, neutral forum of conversation, with a healthy mix of representatives from the government as well as the private sector. We also have an active audience that gets involved to create a homogenous community of people sharing knowledge,” says Subhash, who is the founder and CEO of two global businesses, Technoplat Ltd. and Lemon Advisors UK, and was recognised as an “Exceptional Talent in Digital Innovation” by the UK government in 2018. A self-proclaimed tech optimist, Subhash delivers the welcome address at every #TechTuesdayUK, which begins around 6.30pm and goes on late into the evening with networking opportunities taking place after the formal conversation ends.
“We’ve created a disruptive format where we don’t stop anyone from sharing their knowledge. People tend to share much less when they’re in a constrained environment, which is what we refrain from,” explains Subhash, who had partnered with K&L Gates LLP for the first season of #TechTuesdaysUK and has now teamed up with Greenwoods Legal LLP, another global law firm, for the second (both firms are known for their thought leadership in the emerging tech space). “It always helps to have a partner who understands and aligns themself with #TechTuesdaysUK’s vision and supports us throughout the journey,” adds Subhash.
Indians in tech in the UK are doing quite well, as leaders, entrepreneurs and developers
A quick glance at the panellists at #TechTuesdaysUK reveals a wide array of expertise, qualifications and backgrounds. For instance, Mike Short, who was on the launch panels for seasons one and two, is currently the chair of the UK Telecoms Innovation Network Advisory Board and the former chief scientific advisor to the UK government. “#TechTuesdaysUK has a very good audience with some great questions and networking opportunities. The interactions between innovation and investment in the digital space (during Short’s session) were indeed interesting,” comments Short. Conversations at #TechTuesdaysUK sees a considerable representation of Indians and Indian-origin individuals, a sign of the overall tech landscape in the UK.
Subhash with the panellists at #TechTuesdayUK’s episode on ‘Conservation and Technology’ in April 2024
“Indians in tech in the UK are doing quite well, as leaders, entrepreneurs and developers. Incidentally, TCS is the largest IT employer in the UK, and we have other players, too. With time, more and more Indians are going to contribute to the tech ecosystem here,” says Subhash. Should the impending free-trade agreement between India and the UK come to fruition, Subhash is confident that the technology space back home in India will also benefit significantly, whether it is in states with high rates of technology adoption such as Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana or states that are starting to show more tech promise such as Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Odisha.
No wonder then that #TechTuesdaysUK is looking to expand into India, alongside Singapore and Europe. “We’re working towards releasing a model soon, which will allow us to grow and take #TechTuesdaysUK to other parts of the world,” says Subhash.
The paid registration process for #TechTuesdaysUK is simple and straightforward. Those interested can fill up this Google Form and place a request to attend any episode(s) of their choice. Given the heavily curated nature of #TechTuesdaysUK, one is invited to the forum once their request has been validated and approved. All previous episodes of #TechTuesdaysUK are documented on LinkedIn and are available to watch on YouTube. “Apart from the 60 or so people who attend our programme in person, we have close to 25 or 30 attendees joining remotely from across the world,” mentions Subhash, who praises the UK for being a “thriving hub of tech and a great place for innovation and entrepreneurship, ably supported by an encouraging government”.
I believe in a humans-first approach, no matter how developed the technology gets
Subhash with the panellists at #TechTuesdayUK’s episode on ‘UK Tech and Global Trends’ in February 2024
Even as Subhash is upbeat about the diversity and meritocratic nature of the tech space in the UK, he is cognisant of the broader challenges underpinning modern technology. “We’re on the cusp of an explosion, especially with Artificial Intelligence (AI). There are concerns about deep fakes, which are created by AI, but also need to be regulated by AI. But it’s not about whether AI by itself is good or bad. It all depends on how we use it. This is why I believe in a humans-first approach, no matter how developed the technology gets. At #TechTuesdaysUK, we actualise this by asking how the common person is going to be affected by innovation and whether we’re in a position to make them comprehend the way tech is going to change their lives,” explains Subhash.
Plans are in place for #TechTuesdaysUK to diversify by introducing podcasts and reaching out physically to schools, universities, and corporates through its off-location format #TechTuesdaysUK-Xxtra. Recently, #TechTuesdaysUK-Xxtra was invited to run a session at the 2024 Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, which demonstrates the platform’s growing popularity.
The upcoming sessions of #TechTuesdaysUK are already scanning the tech horizon farther, with topics ranging from “Conscious Technology” to “Health and AI”, from “Space Tourism” to “Post-Quantum Cryptography”. “I’m really excited about enabling these conversations and, as the founder of #TechTuesdaysUK , nothing would make me prouder than to see the next disruptive innovation emerging out of this tech knowledge platform,” concludes Subhash.
