Hays and Empact Ventures inspire tech start-ups in Milton Keynes networking event

SCS Milton Keynes

Hays, the leading recruiting experts and global super connectors Empact Ventures, recently held an event in Milton Keynes as part of their Super Connect Series to support tech start-ups and scale-ups across the UK and Ireland.

The event brought together top tech start-ups and scale-ups emerging in the UK with decision-makers at corporates, brands, SMEs, non-profits, investors, grant bodies and funding providers. It was supported by Future Kings and Ying De Group along with Seedrs, BizBritain, Angels Den, UGenie, Synap and Linkilaw.

The focus of the event was AI, IoT and AutoTech and its aim was to facilitate collaboration and funding support between organisations.

It began with introductory talks by Kosta Mavroulakis (Founder & CEO, Empact Ventures & Super Connect Series), Kevin Celia (Business Director, Hays UK & Ireland) and Ben Mott (Managing Director of Future Kings).

Following this was a fireside chat hosted by Richard Wiggins (Geek Night & Pixel Creation). Roz Bird (Commercial Director, Silverstone Park and Chair of the Silverstone Technology Cluster) appeared as the guest.

Finally, a discussion panel chaired by Matthew Hughes (Editor in Chief, Top Business Tech) took place. Panellists included Oli Hammond (Associate, Fuel Ventures), Dr. Jo Slota-Newson (Investment Manager, Mercia Technologies), Benn Mott (Managing Director, Future Kings) and Mark Sear (Head of Data and Integration, Maersk).

The day also featured a number of pitches from tech start-ups and scale-ups in the areas of AI, IoT and AutoTech from Milton Keynes.

The event was held on Wednesday, 11th March at MK Gallery in Milton Keynes. It is part of a regional roadshow in 12 cities and towns across the UK and Ireland following a successful pilot in five areas including Bournemouth, Bristol, London, Cambridge and Leeds.

Kosta Mavroulakis, Founder & CEO of Empact Ventures, said: “We are delighted to have brought the Super Connect Series to the area and receive such a great reception from the local tech ecosystem of startups, SMEs, corporates, and funders in particular during a difficult time recently.”

Kevin Celia, Technology Channel Lead at Hays, said: “We had a very positive reception to our event in Milton Keynes which was a pleasure to host in partnership with Empact Ventures. It’s great to see the tech community in the region come together for what was an insightful and inspiring day and one which we hope will create a wealth of opportunities for tech professionals across different sized organisations.”

James Milligan, Director of Hays Digital Technology, said: “Our event in Milton Keynes provided tech start-ups and scale-ups in the area with a rare chance to connect with a diverse range of organisations they might not otherwise come across. By taking this opportunity, small and large organisations alike opened doors to collaborate, share knowledge and support one another.”

Ross Thornley, Co-Founder of Adaptai “In times of uncertainty, experiencing this event in Milton Keynes highlighted how important adaptability is for organisations to thrive by building resilient workforces, leveraging collaborations and embracing technology.”


Bekki Barnes

With 5 years’ experience in marketing, Bekki has knowledge in both B2B and B2C marketing. Bekki has worked with a wide range of brands, including local and national organisations.

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