September 2019 - Invest Colchester

Colchester Tech Experts Launch New AI and Cloud Computing Meet Up Group

Posted on September 20, 2019 | by web@colchester.gov.uk

Calling all budding Steve Jobs and Bill Gates! Essex has a new event for like-minded tech entrepreneurs and programmers. This October sees the launch of the Essex Cloud Computing meetup group at the Innovation Centre, at the University of Essex in Colchester, with a kick-off talk about “building lean solutions with Cloud and AI”.

The event, which takes place on 9^th October at 7pm – 9pm is free to attend, but spaces must be pre-booked.

Launched by Richard Conway (Director of Elastacloud) and James Brand (Director of Innovative Creations), the meetup aims to bring expert talks to Essex, discussing topics ranging from Cloud Computing to AI to DevOps. Richard and James, who both live in Essex, launched the group as a local alternative to London-based tech events. Essex has an impressive tech scene so Richard and James felt that Essex should have a monthly meetup event that was more accessible.

Richard and James will be using their extensive network of contacts to bring in some of the leading tech speakers from both Essex and the surrounding areas to deliver high quality talks.

The benefits to local businesses to attend and participate are:

Information exchange of industry trends and news
Learn from experts in the field
Network with like-minded peers
Galvanise the tech community in Essex

The event will run every 2^nd Wednesday of the month between 7pm and 9pm, alternating between the Innovation Centre in Colchester and a Chelmsford venue.

The event is free to attend with Coffee, Beer and Pizza is being sponsored by the group’s organisers.

To attend the launch event on the 9^th October please register at https://www.meetup.com/Essex-Cloud-User-Group/

James Brand t: 07947974219 e: James@InnoCreate.com

Colchester in top 100 places to live, rising 21 places in a year

Posted on September 16, 2019 | by web@colchester.gov.uk

COLCHESTER has been named as one of the best places to live after racing 20 places up an annual leaderboard. The town came 61st in the Hot Housing Index put together by CACI and Property Week, rising 21 places compared to the 2018 survey.

Its placing on the list saw it beat both Cambridge in at 86th and Chelmsford at 92nd based on affordability, employment levels, internet connectivity, school provision, local amenities, access to public transport and crime levels.

Image: Colchester Borough Council

University of Essex Cements AI Partnership with Facilities Management Industry Trailblazer

Posted on September 2, 2019 | by web@colchester.gov.uk

Cloudfm, a leading disruptive facilities management (FM) company based in Colchester, is joining forces with leading University of Essex artificial intelligence (AI) academics to drive change and revolutionise an industry that it believes has become stuck in the past.

Cloudfm has been awarded £195,000 as part of a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) by the UK Government’s innovation agency, Innovate UK, to improve prediction and monitoring of estate assets of some of the world’s most recognisable brands, including: PizzaExpress, KFC, Karen Millen and Tui.

Image credit: University of Essex. From left: Hossein Anisi, Lecturer at Essex’s School of Computer Science and Electronic Engineering, Steve Corbett, CIO at Cloudfm, Robert Walker, Head of Business Engagement at Essex, Holly Leonard, KTP Manager at Essex and Xiaozhan Yang, KTP Associate for Cloudfm.