A pioneering one-day summit designed to make the tech industry more welcoming to traditionally excluded groups will take place in Truro next Wednesday.
Ctrl Alt Del, at the Hall for Cornwall, aims to introduce underrepresented communities - including women, the disabled and neurodiverse, ethnic minorities, the LGBTQ+ community and people living in poverty – to local and international tech companies.
Together, they will share stories, explore untapped avenues for innovation and collaborate on building a more accessible future for all.
The summit has been organised by the non-profit TECwomen Community Interest Company (CiC), which has provided funded tickets for charities, community groups, small startups and students to help enrich the conversation and ensure all voices are heard.
The line-up of keynote speakers and exhibiting companies includes Unity, Google, Microsoft, Accenture, Airbnb, Miro and AbilityNet, as well as a number of fast-growing local companies such as Boost Technologies, GoodWith, Keylu and Spectrum Technologies.
Ctrl Alt Del will also offer attendees the opportunity to experience the LGBQT+ VR Museum, and to meet the unbeaten Kernow FA inclusive football team.
There will also be stands from DisAbility Cornwall, Black Voices Cornwall, Cornwall Pride, and Plymouth University’s GOALD and ICONIC projects.
In today’s interconnected world, technology permeates every aspect of our lives - influencing how we live, shop, and communicate. And yet research shows how it often overlooks the needs of a significant group of people: the 25% of the UK population living with a disability, the 20% belonging to an ethnic minority group, the 1.5 million people identifying as LGBQT+. The cost of innovation can also be a barrier to the 17 per cent of people who are grappling with poverty.
Ctrl Alt Del founder and director Caitlin Gould said: “With a huge number of tech-for-good organisations in the South West, we believe Cornwall is the perfect location to host such a critical global conversation. It presents a chance for local businesses, communities and students to engage with some of the largest tech companies in the UK.”
The summit forms part of the Software Cornwall Festival of Tech, a two-week celebration showcasing the best of tech, digital and software in Cornwall. Ctrl Alt Del has received £58,550 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
Tickets, including fully-funded entry for start-ups, non-profits and students, are available at www.ctrlaltdelsummit.com
TECwomen CiC provides support, training and a community for women who work (or want to work) in technology, engineering and creative digital industries. Initiatives include digitalUPLIFT, a free nine-week online course for women looking to grow their digital skills and advance their careers; and the award-winning TECgirls project, offering young girls exciting workshops and events focused on technology, engineering and creativity.