Save the date for Merged Futures 8! Our annual free tech innovation showcase returns to the University of Northampton on Friday 26 June 2026.
We will again be highlighting innovative technology and ideas across sectors in Northamptonshire and beyond.
You can check out the full timetable below, which also includes a range of exhibition stands where you can try out tech and talk to suppliers.
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Bodyswaps AI and VR Simulations for teaching
dbfb Telecomms
Dell
Dystopia Games and Lotus Flower Games
Elsby & Co
Explorable Games
Fuse Collaboration AI and Cloud
Giant Journeys
Kaltura AI Video Solutions
Magic Notes and West Northamptonshire Council Digital Service
MBD Limited
Microsoft
South Midlands Growth Hub
Spokes Education
The App Guy
University of Northampton Degree Apprenticeships
University of Northampton Digital Marketing
University of Northampton Esports
University of Northampton Fuelling Innovation
University of Northampton Games Design
University of Northampton Media and Culture
University of Northampton Robotics Stand
University of Northampton Virtual Reality Experience for Emotional Wellbeing
At 12.45, a fantastic free buffet lunch will be served and you can join us at 15.30 after the event in the Waterside Bar for pizza.
Main Space
10.00 - 10.10
Welcome - Alexandra Vujcich (Director of IT, University of Northampton)
10.10 - 10.45
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Education is evolving and so must the way we prepare young people for their futures.
Merged Futures explores how digital innovation, creativity and social action can intersect to create meaningful, employable and ethical pathways for students. Drawing on live cross-college projects from sustainable Architecture and AI-supported Fashion Design to Human Kind college strategy initiatives. This keynote will examine how education can move beyond siloed subjects and towards integrated, real-world learning.
The session will challenge us to think differently about the social role of technology: not as a replacement for craft or human skill, but as a tool to amplify impact, reduce waste and strengthen creative thinking. If we truly want a better future for all, we must design education that is collaborative, future-facing and grounded in social purpose. We all have a role to play for a better world!
Steph Lee-Vae is a Curriculum Manager for the School of Arts at Northampton College, with experience in FE (Further Education)/Alternative Education and International. Their work centres on reimagining education through community engagement, social impact and cross-disciplinary collaboration. Steph is passionate about integrating creative practice, digital fluency and real-world industry partnerships to ensure education remains relevant, inclusive and future-focused.
Room 1 - Local Stories
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What happens when the same AI tool is introduced into two very different educational contexts?
This session reflects on the experience of implementing Microsoft Copilot at the University of Northampton and Northampton College, exploring how institutional culture, digital maturity, and staff expectations shape adoption. Rather than focusing solely on features, the session centres on change, trust, and capability sharing insights that will resonate with anyone leading AI-enabled transformation in education.
Rob Howe is Head of Learning Technology at The University of Northampton. Accepted to CMALT and IADIS in 2007. Awarded University teaching fellowship in 2008. Achieved Senior Fellowship of the HEA in 2014.
Valentina Meninno is the Learning Facilitator at Northampton College. She is a passionate advocate for integrating and merging technology with education to enrich learning experiences.
Karl Downing is the Digital, AV and collaborative Services Manager at the University of Northampton. His role currently revolves around AI and creating Copilot bots for use around the University.
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James Steventon will share how Fermynwoods Contemporary Art operates at the intersection of art, education, environment and digital practice to support new forms of creative learning and ecological imagination.
Drawing on a range of past projects, from artist-led work with young people outside mainstream education to experimental digital artworks and environmental installation, the talk explores how artists can help people engage differently with landscape, technology and each other. Examples include projects using experimental locative technology, AI, and immersive sound and light installations across Northamptonshire country parks and urban and green spaces in Corby.
James Steventon is Director of Fermynwoods Contemporary Art, having previously been Education Officer for the organisation for many years. James is an artist, writer, and runner, based in Northamptonshire; an experienced lecturer at HE and FE institutions across the UK; and formerly Digital Special Interest Representative for Engage, the UK lead charity for promoting engagement and participation in the visual arts.
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Session details TBA
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Session details TBA
Room 2 - Health Tech
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Since October 2023, the Northamptonshire Care Record (NCR) has been bringing your health and care information together in one secure place. By connecting over 829,000 people’s records from GPs, hospitals, community teams, social care and mental health services, your care team can finally see the full picture—quickly, safely and at the moment they need it.
In this session, Matthew Hutton will show how having all this information joined up doesn’t just help you today, it creates the foundation for predictive, preventative healthcare that supports you long before problems become crises.
Matthew Hutton will explain how the NCR and the Northamptonshire Analytical Reporting Platform (NARP):
Spot patterns and risks earlier, helping teams identify when you might need extra support so issues can be prevented rather than treated late.
Use data to understand what works, making sure the right people get the right care at the right time.
Support personalised care planning, including tools like ReSPECT, so your wishes and priorities are understood by every professional caring for you.
By bringing your data together, Northamptonshire is creating the conditions for a future where care is not only joined‑up—but genuinely proactive, personalised and preventative.
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Anxiety and emotional difficulty are rising across age groups, yet many people struggle to engage with traditional support. WaveVR, developed at the University of Northampton, offers a different approach: a calming virtual reality experience where users practise emotional regulation skills through immersive gameplay. School pilots showed 86% of participants felt better after sessions, with measurable improvements in mood, focus, and sense of control.
WaveVR is also being piloted within NHS services for adult patient stabilisation. The solution fits alongside existing wellbeing provision. This talk explores the evidence, the user experience, and opportunities for schools and health services to get involved.
Dr Mu Mu is Professor of Human-Centred Data Intelligence at The University of Northampton. His research covers human-centred design, data science and immersive media. Dr Mu leads multiple innovation projects in digital health and data-driven service optimisation.
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This session explores how virtual reality (VR) is being used within the fostering services at Northamptonshire Children’s Trust to support foster carer assessment, training, and support. Through immersive scenarios offering a glimpse into the worlds of children, carers can experience the impact of early adversity, helping them better understand trauma-related behaviours.
The presentation will explore how immersive technology can deepen empathy and strengthen trauma-informed practice, better preparing carers to support children who have experienced trauma.
Robert Fuller is a Practice Manager in the Fostering Recruitment Team at Northamptonshire Children’s Trust. Robert has led the introduction of Virtual Reality (VR) into fostering practice in Northamptonshire, which uses immersive experiences to help foster carers better understand the impact of trauma on children in care.
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Discover how Nora and Amy, a generative‑AI‑powered self‑assessment tool is reshaping the way Therapy services gather information, understand need, and support people to ‘wait well’. In this session, we’ll explore how Nora/Amy replicates a therapist’s structured, exploratory conversation to identify functional challenges, environmental barriers, and meaningful outcomes.
Pedro Santos is the Digital and Innovation Tech Lead for North Northamptonshire Council and Henry Stratford is the Customer Success Manager at Beam. Both have been working to deliver this project into North and West Northants Councils.
Room 3 - EdTech
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Collaborative immersive spaces are transforming how people learn, work, and connect across physical boundaries. This session explores how immersive rooms at Northampton College enable shared experiences, cross‑site collaboration, and active participation at scale. Drawing on real‑world practice, the talk demonstrates how immersive environments can support:
Collaborative problem‑solving
Skills development
Inclusive and engaging learning design
Attendees will leave with practical insights into why immersive spaces matter, and how to use them purposefully.
Mike Smith is the Director of Digital and Academic Resources at Northampton College.
Nick Budden is a Learning Technology Co-ordinator at Northampton College.
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Step into a session where we unlock the so‑called “dark arts” of artificial intelligence in education - no wand required. AI isn’t magic, but it can certainly feel like it, and this talk will show you how to harness its power properly: legally, ethically and intelligently. You’ll walk away with practical, classroom-ready strategies from The Spellbook, covering everything from prompt structure and curriculum design at warp speed to AI‑powered assessment, feedback and differentiation.
We’ll also explore how to build AI literacy in students, set the right safety and ethical guardrails, and look ahead to the future teacher, augmented by AI, not replaced by it.
Ray Meadham is a curriculum leader and innovator whose career spans education, technology, and the creative industries. He currently leads Business, Computer Science and Media at Northampton International Academy, building on over 30 years of experience inspiring students, staff, and industry partners across multiple sectors.
Before returning to education leadership, Ray co‑founded Multiview Media, a multi‑angle content delivery platform featured at CES and named a MediaTech Top 50 innovator. His work brought groundbreaking viewing technology to music, sport, esports, and education, achieving 20% longer viewer engagement than traditional single‑angle content.
Today, Ray blends his expertise in AI, 5G/6G, software development, business, and creative industries to help shape the future of teaching and learning—driven by a passion for inspiring the next generation and empowering educators to innovate with confidence.
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How do institutional digital education strategies translate into meaningful, scalable practice? This session explores that journey through two contrasting but connected case studies: Digital Horizons and Study Smart 3.
Drawing on outputs from the Centre for Active Digital Education, the presentation demonstrates how research‑informed principles of active, inclusive and digitally‑enabled learning have been embedded across curriculum design, student support and learning environments.
Attendees will gain practical insight into what it takes to move beyond pilots and projects to deliver sustainable digital practice at scale, including lessons learned, challenges encountered and evidence of impact on learner engagement and success.
Rob Howe is Head of Learning Technology at The University of Northampton. Accepted to CMALT and IADIS in 2007. Awarded University teaching fellowship in 2008. Achieved Senior Fellowship of the HEA in 2014.
Dr Helen Caldwell is an Associate Professor at the University of Northampton where she leads postgraduate programmes and co-leads the Centre for Active Digital Education. Her research interests include digital pedagogies, social innovation education and the use of technologies for teaching and learning.
Dr Emma Whewell is an Associate Professor in learning and teaching at the University of Northampton. She is the Co-lead of CADE and the Head of School of Sport and Public Health. Her research interests include inclusive pedagogies, teaching and learning and Physical Education.
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An interactive session exploring how educators can use no‑code and AI‑supported tools to create engaging learning activities. The session will include live demonstrations, with volunteers invited to try things out, and a focus on practical ideas that can be adapted across different educational settings.
Jacqui Hughes is Head of Digital Innovation at Moulton College, supporting educators to explore practical, inclusive uses of digital and AI‑supported tools. She is a Microsoft Innovative Educator Expert (MIEE), Canvassador, Edpuzzle Ambassador, and was shortlisted for Edufuturists Educator of the Year 2026. Jacqui regularly works with educators across different settings, focusing on building confidence, encouraging experimentation, and creating engaging learning experiences without unnecessary complexity.
Room 4 - NN1 Dev Club
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Most AI conversations are about efficiency and that's a fine starting point but it's also where most people stop. The more interesting question is what a task enables when you remove the old constraints on scale and scope, because that'show a simple task becomes an asset, something new that didn't exist before you started looking.
In this hands-on workshop you'll take an AI use case and work it through a structured exercise that pushes from task all the way to invention. You'll walk away with a map of value you hadn't spotted and a way of thinking you'll keep using long after this.
Eric Bye, founder of Erictron AI, helps businesses unlock the value of artificial intelligence through education, strategy, governance, and implementation. His consultancy specialises in guiding organisations toward effective AI adoption and measurable outcomes, as well as helping them use AI to invent and evolve their products and services, not just improve how they operate. Outside of work, Eric enjoys hiking with his family and dog, reading science fiction, and exploring new recipes in the kitchen.
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Collecting bins and clearing up rubbish may seem like the least technical and definitely least glamorous activities a developer could work on. But behind every missed bin, dog poo report, and 'when's my collection?' call sits a stack of AWS services, chatbots, and automations that will hopefully surprise you.
Kevin White is Software Engineering Manager for West Northamptonshire Council. Over 38 years he's dabbled in tech from coding sheets to vibe coding, building systems, apps, AIs, integrations, and automations to try and improve the lives of the people in Northants.
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Roger Hughes will talk about his side-project workflow, building a PWA rapidly from scratch using the free tier AI/backend/frontend. Other than a GitHub and OpenCode account, not much more is needed to follow along and leave the session with a working app.
Roger Hughes has been hooked on the internet since his first experience with a 33.6k modem in 1993, now with over 20 years of commercial experience delivering digital projects for clients ranging from local SMEs to multinational corporates. Always looking to experiment with the latest tech to improve performance and stability for long term success.
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Mention you’re a Product Manager and you’ll get anything from a blank stare to a lecture on LinkedIn "thought leadership." But beneath the buzzwords and the corporate mystique, Product Management isn’t a secret society, it’s just a way of working that actually makes sense. It’s the art of stopping the "busy work" to focus on the problems that actually matter. In this interactive session, Kiran will be stripping away the jargon to show you how anyone, in any role, can use these basic habits to get better results without the fancy title.
Kiran Patel’s personal mission is to make product thinking accessible by removing unnecessary jargon and buzzwords to focus on solving problems to create great user experiences. He values honesty, equality of opportunity and 'actions over performance’.
Room 5 - Digital Marketing
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West Northamptonshire delivered a high‑impact communications campaign for the Women’s Rugby World Cup, showcasing the area, engaging communities and strengthening partnerships. The coordinated approach - from city dressing and fan zones to digital content and media engagement - ensured strong visibility and consistent messaging.
The results speak for themselves: 48,800+ match attendees, record town‑centre footfall, 2.27 million digital views, and wide‑reaching positive media coverage. The tournament generated £47.6 million for the local economy and sparked real legacy impact, including major growth in women’s and girls’ rugby across local clubs.
This campaign positioned West Northants as a confident, capable host for major sporting and cultural events, leaving a strong foundation for future opportunities.
Holly Skelton is a Communications and Engagement Business Partner at West Northamptonshire Council, where she delivers strategic comms advice across diverse service areas and leads high‑impact internal and external campaigns.
During the Women’s Rugby World Cup, Holly brought local partners together by coordinating the area’s communications and marketing working group - driving collaboration, aligning messaging and maximising the campaign’s reach.
She brings a strong background in journalism, media relations and digital marketing, developed through roles in both local government and media organisations. Holly recently completed the LGcomms Future Leaders 2025 programme, marking her as one of the sector’s rising communication professionals.
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The SEO industry has a jargon problem. Every year there's a new acronym, a new specialism, and a new reason to panic. GEO, AEO, AISEO - the terminology keeps changing but the fundamentals haven't.
In this talk, Nikki draws on 30 years of SEO experience and her popular LinkedIn series "The GEO Bullshit Jargon Translator" to cut through the noise.
She'll translate the technical language that businesses are being sold into plain English, show what's genuinely changed and what's just been repackaged.
Attendees will get a clear, practical understanding of what their business needs to focus on to get found online - without buying into every new trend.
Attendees will leave knowing how to spot when they're being sold something they don't need, what SEO fundamentals still matter most for their business, and how AI fits into the picture without replacing everything they already know.
Nikki Pilkington is an SEO consultant with over 30 years of experience, working with B2B service businesses across the UK.
She specialises in turning websites that rank but don't convert into websites that bring in actual enquiries.
Her straight-talking approach to SEO has built a reputation for cutting through industry jargon and calling out trends that don't serve businesses.
Main Space
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AI is moving quickly, but you don’t need to be an expert to understand the shift that’s happening. For years, most people have known AI as a tool that answers questions or suggests edits, a helpful assistant. That phase is already fading. New AI systems don’t just help with work; they can do the work you describe: pulling information from files, connecting across tools, creating finished outputs, and looping you in when decisions are needed.
This talk explains what’s possible right now, why these changes are arriving faster than most people expect, and how to make good decisions even when the future feels uncertain. The core idea is simple: you don’t need to predict tomorrow to act today and today’s tools are already reshaping how individuals, teams and organisations get things done.
Eric Bye is the founder of Erictron AI, an AI consulting and education company that helps organisations accelerate adoption and unlock measurable value from artificial intelligence. Based in Rothwell and originally from Canada, Eric has spent more than a decade working in technology and AI, beginning with his first role at an AI‑focused company—a spark that led to a long‑term passion for applied AI.
Through Erictron AI, he supports businesses in understanding, planning for, and effectively implementing AI by providing strategic guidance, practical workshops, and governance frameworks. Eric is also an active commentator on AI trends, regularly sharing insights through articles and talks on how organisations can navigate the rapidly evolving AI landscape.