Overview
Join your peers, the AI for Services Network and Whitecap Consulting for a hands-on workshop series designed to support innovation in the UK’s Financial, Professional and Business Services (FPBS).
Delivered as part of the Next Generation Professional & Financial Services programme that is supported by Innovate UK and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), this series will explore three critical themes shaping the future of the sector:
- Responsible innovation
- Digital adoption
- AI literacy
About the workshops
Each workshop is set to equip you with actionable insights, real-world case studies, and practical tools to drive ethical, sustainable, and technology-led transformation. Furthermore, you will be amongst the first to access a new set of online guides (to be published after this series), that have been created to help you apply these approaches effectively within your own organisation.
This series is free to attend however spaces are limited so we recommend that you secure your place as soon as possible. You may register for all events or choose the one(s) most relevant to your location and/or business needs.
Why attend?
- Gain practical tools to address innovation challenges within your organisation
- Learn from and build connections with UK wide peers, academic experts and members from across the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) ecosystem
- Leave with actionable plans tailored to your organisation’s goals
Who should attend?
- Firms looking to embed responsible innovation, digital transformation and AI
- Innovation and digital leads aiming to build organisational capability
- SMEs and startups seeking competitive edge through understanding client needs
- Academic and research partners focused on applied innovation
- Government support and regional growth stakeholders
Workshop schedule
Edinburgh: Responsible innovation
18 November 2025 | 09:30 – 16:30
Learn how to embed responsible innovation practices that align commercial outcomes with environmental and social impact. Explore ethical, inclusive, and sustainable approaches to innovation.
Manchester: AI literacy
25 November 2025 | 09:30 – 16:30
Demystify AI and build foundational knowledge for practical use. Identify relevant AI use cases, address adoption challenges, and plan for responsible and informed implementation.
Birmingham: Digital adoption
26 November 2025 | 09:30 – 16:30
Assess digital maturity and explore pathways to successful adoption of digital tools. Gain guidance on technology selection, stakeholder engagement, and operational transformation.
Workshops agenda
- 09:30 – Arrival and networking
- 10:00 – Welcome & introductions
- 10:10 – Keynote by an industry expert
- 10:30 – Coffee break
- 10:45 – Panel discussion: Challenges and opportunities
- 11:30 – Q&A and group reflections
- 12:15 – Networking lunch
- 13:00 – Tools and frameworks overview by Whitecap Consulting
- 13:45 – Workshop: Case studies and group exercises (Led and facilitated by Whitecap Consulting)
- 15:15 – Closing remarks
- 15:30 – Networking
- 16:30 – Event close