Cambridge Summit 26

Since 2022, Cambridge Summit has brought together people from different backgrounds for a day of learning, honest conversations and good company. We're returning on Tuesday, 27 October to continue the tradition.

The day brings together real-world experiences and fresh perspectives, with sessions throughout the morning and afternoon. We'll then gather informally over food and drinks before rounding off the day with a film screening as part of the Cambridge Film Festival.

As our host Simon Jones, Managing Director at Studio 24, said about last year’s summit:

“It’s always an engaging, fascinating day talking to other digital leaders about how to do our work better, often with an angle on how we can do good for society and the planet.”

Speakers

Programme

Three parts to the day. Join one, two, or all three — you'll tell us which when you register. The programme below is near complete…

9:15 - 4:00 The sessions

A mix of real-world stories, fresh ideas and open discussions on the challenges we're all working through. Expect different perspectives, plenty of questions and opportunities to learn from one another.

1. University of Cambridge update – Barney Brown, University of Cambridge

2. What I learned last week (PHP, security and more) – Simon Jones, Studio 24

3. Making decisions like a leader: a few words on behavioural science – Nina Dyrberg, BeWaviour

4. Open health informatics for the digital transformation of healthcare in Ukraine – John Chelsom, Seven Informatics

5. My new job at MongoDB – Vasilis Avlonitis, MongoDB

6. Super, intelligent layouts: headless the way it was always intended – Markus Schork, Codal

7. Using AI to understand our work better – Ben Lee, Instruction

8. Make your content easier for machines to understand – Tom Cranstoun, Tityra

9. What’s on for 2027 – Azra Abdul, Bloomreach, and others

10. Book reviews — Reverse Centaur, Nerd Reich and more

11. Live demos

12. What did we learn today? Next steps for 2027

4:00 - 7:15 Informal get-together & dinner

A proper Cambridge experience: we'll visit the famous Eagle pub before heading for dinner nearby.

7:15 - 10:00 Cambridge Film Festival

We'll close the day by watching a movie together at the Cambridge Film Festival, where our host Simon Jones sits on the Board of Trustees.

The film of this year is Mouse - a coming-of-age story about friendship, class and finding your own voice.

Our Cambridge setting

A good programme deserves an inspiring setting. At Cambridge Summit, we bring people together for thoughtful conversations in places with history, character and a connection to the city.

We're delighted to be back at The Old Schools this year, generously hosted once again by the University of Cambridge.

We'll also visit The Eagle, one of Cambridge's most historic pubs, famous for its connection to the discovery of the structure of DNA.

Storytelling and shared experiences are at the heart of what we do. Our friends at Studio 24, a digital design and technology agency in the heart of Cambridge, host us at the Picturehouse, an independent cinema, for a screening as part of the Cambridge Film Festival. It's a tradition we've enjoyed since our very first summit in 2022.

What to expect

What makes Cambridge Summit special is the mix of people around the table. This year you'll meet peers from b13, Bloomreach, Bytedance, MongoDB, Studio 24, University of London and more.

While many participants are based in the UK, others are travelling from further afield, including Germany, Ireland and Denmark. Together, they bring perspectives and experiences from universities, agencies and technology companies across Europe.

Over the years, we've explored everything from content strategy and AI to digital leadership, sustainability and the changing role of technology. The subjects evolve, but the spirit remains the same: good people, open conversations and a willingness to learn from one another.

Curious what previous gatherings have been like?
Read
* Key insights from the 2025 UK Digital Leaders Summit day in Cambridge by Emma Horrell from the University of Edinburgh
* From Monks to Machines: Reflections from the Cambridge 2025 Summit by Simon Jones