Southend Business Partnership Briefing 9 October 2025
2025-10-09 07:30 - 10:30 UTC | Maritime Room, Cliffs Pavilion, Station Road, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, SS0 7RA
The morning will have on offer a free light breakfast, networking opportunities and a round of updates from local providers.
The focus of the event will be around AI.
AI presentation will be from the AI Guys:- An AI automation agency empowering your business with intelligent automation.
Space East will also be presenting on funding and advice for businesses looking to innovate and make the mst of space technologies.
7.30am registration begins
7.30am to 8.30am networking and light breakfast
8.30am to 10am presentations from keynote speakers
10am to 10.30am networking

AI Accelerator: Introduction to AI and Digital Tools
2025-10-10 10:00 - 15:00 | Launchpad Southend, Launchpad Airport Business Park, Rochford, SS4 1YH
Join us for a full-day, hands-on Digital Tools and AI Workshop designed to help professionals streamline workflows, boost productivity, and confidently integrate AI into their daily operations.
In the morning session, we’ll explore the fundamentals of digital tools, including communication, project management, automation, and data analysis platforms. Through interactive activities like tool mapping, gap analysis, and real-world scenario comparisons, participants will gain a clear understanding of how digital transformation can enhance efficiency and reduce manual processes.
We will have a short break inbetween including a complimentary light lunch and refreshments.
The afternoon session dives into the power of AI, with a focus on the Microsoft Copilot ecosystem. Participants will experience live demos across Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word, and engage in practical exercises to identify AI solutions for real-world tasks. The day concludes with a collaborative project lab, integration strategies, and actionable next steps for adopting digital tools and AI in the workplace.
Whether you’re just starting your digital journey or looking to deepen your AI integration, this workshop offers practical insights, peer learning, and expert guidance to help you drive meaningful change.
This workshop will be a pilot for a four part accelerator series and there are only 20 spaces for Southend based businesses, entrepreneurs and leaders who are ready to embrace the future of AI and reap the rewards for your business.
These workshops have been organised by Southend-on-Sea City Council, hosted by Launchpad Southend and delivered by GoodChangePeople

Train Your AI in 1 Hour (So It Actually Sounds Like You)
2025-11-03 11:00 - 12:00 | Zoom
Welcome to the Small Business Saturday Webinar Programme! Join us as we gear up for Small Business Saturday on 6th December with our series of free, virtual webinars designed to help small businesses grow.
Each webinar is hosted by successful small business owners and recorded for later viewing.
Attend 10 sessions, and receive a free gift from us!
Do you want your AI assistant to truly reflect your voice, tone, and personality?
In this webinar, Julie Begbie shows you how to train your AI in just one hour, with no tech background required. Learn simple and effective techniques to make your AI write like you, think like you, and communicate like you. Perfect for anyone who wants to save time without sounding robotic.
You’ll learn:
– The exact prompts to use
– How to teach your AI ‘you’ authentically
– How to use your trained AI in day to day
Sign up for more webinars in this series here: https://smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com/the-tour

Using AI in Bid Writing – Opportunities and Risks
2025-12-16 09:30 - 10:00 | Online
Essex Growth Agency is pleased to offer this free webinar for businesses and organisations across Essex. Join us for an insightful session on how Artificial Intelligence is shaping the future of bid writing. Discover practical ways AI can support your bidding process, the potential risks involved, and expert tips to improve success rates.
Date: 16th December 2025
Time: 09:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Agenda:

Introduction – Overview of Thornton & Lowe
The Importance of Effective Writing – How strong writing impacts success rates
What’s Involved in Writing – Key considerations for a winning bid
How AI Can Help – Practical applications for bid writing
How AI Can Be a Risk – Understanding limitations and compliance issues
Q&A Session – Your questions answered

Speaker:
Charles Grosstephan, Director of Development, Thornton & Lowe
About Thornton & Lowe:
Thornton & Lowe is a leading Bid Management and Bid Writing Consultancy with a success rate of nearly 80%, supporting businesses across all sectors nationwide to plan and secure contracts and frameworks.

Workshop 4: AI in Tendering – Practical, Compliant & Competitive Use
2026-01-23 10:00 - 13:00 | Launchpad Southend, Launchpad Airport Business Park, Rochford, SS4 1YH
This workshop helps micro and small businesses understand how to use AI safely, ethically, and effectively in their tendering process

Overview
AI is transforming how businesses approach public sector bidding. This two-hour workshop helps micro and small businesses understand how to use AI safely, ethically, and effectively in their tendering process.
What You’ll Learn

UK public sector guidance on AI in procurement
How AI can support drafting, compliance checks, and idea generation
Risks and red flags to avoid
A four-step framework for integrating AI into your bid process

Outcomes

A buyer-aligned approach to using AI in tendering
Improved efficiency without compromising quality
Confidence in ethical AI use
A smarter, more competitive bid strategy

Delivery
This workshop is hosted by Launchpad Southend and delivered by BIZphit LLP. It is fully funded by Southend-on-Sea City Council and Rochford District Council.

Unlock Productivity with Microsoft 365 Copilot
2026-02-12 11:00 - 12:00 | Webinar
Ready to transform the way you work?
Join us for an interactive one-hour webinar with Angela Pawar, Microsoft Copilot Specialist at Giacom, and Ken Strettle from KVS 365, a Microsoft 365 consultancy that helps small businesses adopt Copilot and Microsoft 365 securely and with confidence. In this webinar you will discover how AI can simplify your day-to-day tasks and boost productivity across your organisation.
Angela will break down what Microsoft 365 Copilot is, show you real-world demonstrations in Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, and more, and guide you through customization options with Copilot Studio. You’ll also learn the technical requirements for Copilot, proven adoption strategies, and where to find resources for continued learning.
Whether you’re exploring Copilot for the first time or looking to maximise its potential, this session will give you practical insights and confidence to take the next step.
Key Takeaways
By the end of this webinar, you will:
✅ Understand what Microsoft 365 Copilot is and how it works
✅ See demonstrations of Copilot in action across key apps
✅ Learn how to customize Copilot and leverage Copilot Studio
✅ Know the requirements for successful deployment
✅ Discover strategies to drive adoption and user engagement
✅ Access resources for ongoing learning and support
This webinar is hosted by the Federation of Small Businesses in partnership with KVS 365 and Giacom.
About KVS 365
KVS 365 is a UK-based Microsoft 365 consultancy that helps small businesses without in-house IT teams get set up securely, stay productive, and meet the basics of Cyber Essentials using Microsoft 365 Business Premium. We focus on clear, practical guidance rather than jargon, so owners can get more value from the tools they already pay for.
Important Notice:
Please be advised that bookings will close 70 minutes prior to the event start time to allow sufficient time for customer service support. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation.
Event contact
For help and support regarding this event, please telephone our dedicated events helpline 01253 336028 or email csdeventsupport@fsb.org.uk
