DataFest 2023
Edinburgh International Conference Centre, Edinburgh
The release of Chat-GPT in 2023 revolutionised the way the public perceived AI - it caused equal amounts apprehension and optimism. Growing on the success of the 2022 event, my goal for this edition was to bring DataFest into the mainstream consciousness of the Scottish tech ecosystem and make the event financially self-sustaining.
I worked with The Union agency to flesh out my idea for the event - I wanted to critically explore both sides of the AI argument using provocative, controversial messaging. DF23 was an unmitigated success - we welcomed 800+ attendees, 50+ exhibitors, had an satisfaction rate of 96%, and was the first DataFest to be profitable.
DataFest23 sold out in advance of the main event and was the first profitable event in the history of The Data Lab. I achieved this primarily by sourcing speakers outside of the standard speaker circuit, which had the added benefit of ensuring the discussions on the day were unique and fresh.
The event was nominated for the Marketing Society's Brand Communication Award alongside brands such as AG Barr (Irn Bru) and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival Society.
I also hosted sell-out fringe events with NASA, ESA, and several of the keynote speakers from the main event.
Select Speakers
Olga Tokariuk - disinformation expert
Moriba Jah - space environmentalism
Shona Robinson - Deputy First Minister of Scotland
Paolo Benanti - AI adviser to Pope Francis and the Vatican
Katherine Rahill - NASA, lunar psychophysics expert
Yuko Itatsu - University of Tokyo, AI and sociology expert
