# Event Details - **Event Name**: Software Engineering Leadership - Meet Up & Social - Leeds Digi Fest 2026 - **Event Start and End Date**: Thu, 24 Sep, 2026 at 06:00 pm – Thu, 24 Sep, 2026 at 08:00 pm (+01:00) - **Event Description**: Rethink your process before you build your system. The Innovators Dilemma in the age of AI.About this EventI’m delighted to share the details for the next Software Engineering Leadership @ WRK - Event & Social 🥳Title: Rethink your process before you build your systemWith Guest Facilitator: John Hughes - COOJohn Hughes was a co-founder at The Modern Milkman and former Chief Growth Officer at Vintage Cash Cow.The session will focus mainly on the innovator's dilemma in the age of AI.Are people asking whether the process should exist, given what Claude or OpenAI can do? Where's the best place to apply AI in a growing company? How do you build an AI native company in 2026?Right now The Innovator's Dilemma is supercharged. Successful companies hesitate to adopt AI because it threatens current high-margin services and traditional workflows. Meanwhile, nimble startups use cheap, foundational AI tools to disrupt legacy markets from the bottom up.Why AI Deepens the DilemmaZero barrier to entry: Small teams can build powerful tools using basic foundational models, bypassing massive R&D budgets.Process over product: Disruption targets internal operating models and workflows, not just end products.Consolidation vs. Edge: While application layers face rapid disruption, massive capital costs concentrate raw model power in a few tech giants.Recycled output: Most AI Experts agree that current AI agents often recycle existing data, leading to generic results rather than true creativityJohn will share his story and encourage knowledge‑sharing from across the room, with conversation continuing into the social afterwards.🍕 Food and refreshments will be provided on the evening.🙏 Huge thanks to our friends at Parallax — these events wouldn’t be possible without their continued support of free event space.We can’t wait to see you on Thursday 24th of September as part of the Leeds Digital Festival 2026 🙌Please make sure to RSVP via the event link or Eventbrite, as numbers are limited. - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/leeds/software-engineering-leadership-meet-up-and-social-leeds-digi-fest-2026/100001995077327994 - **Event Categories**: festivals, business, meetups - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 0 - **Event Highlights**: - Duration: 2 hours - Location: Parallax - Languages: English ## Ticket Details - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 0, max: 0, currency: GBP ## Event venue details - **city**: Leeds - **state**: EN - **country**: United Kingdom - **location**: Parallax - **lat**: 53.7947496 - **long**: -1.5418705 - **full address**: Parallax, 64 Call Lane, Leeds, United Kingdom ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: Software Engineering Leadership - Meet Up & Social - Leeds Digi Fest 2026 - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events2/banners/0a574b51ce209c3a4164bba4ea5b3bb1e5fcd3dc2d698461551dd573e4d8ee24-rimg-w1200-h675-dc3a7c76-gmir.jpg?v=1784942059 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is Software Engineering Leadership - Meet Up & Social - Leeds Digi Fest 2026 being held? - **A:** Software Engineering Leadership - Meet Up & Social - Leeds Digi Fest 2026 takes place on Thu, 24 Sep, 2026 at 06:00 pm to Thu, 24 Sep, 2026 at 08:00 pm at Parallax, 64 Call Lane, Leeds, United Kingdom. - **Q**: Who is organizing Software Engineering Leadership - Meet Up & Social - Leeds Digi Fest 2026? - **A:** Software Engineering Leadership - Meet Up & Social - Leeds Digi Fest 2026 is organized by James Westwood. - **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me? - **A:** Software Engineering Leadership - Meet Up & Social - Leeds Digi Fest 2026 is ideal for festival lovers, culture enthusiasts, and anyone looking for a vibrant, immersive community experience. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Leeds, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. If Software Engineering Leadership - Meet Up & Social - Leeds Digi Fest 2026 sounds like your kind of event, don't wait - spots fill up fast. ## Structured Data (JSON-LD) ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Event", "name": "Software Engineering Leadership - Meet Up & Social - Leeds Digi Fest 2026", "image": "https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events2/banners/0a574b51ce209c3a4164bba4ea5b3bb1e5fcd3dc2d698461551dd573e4d8ee24-rimg-w1200-h675-dc3a7c76-gmir.jpg?v=1784942059", "startDate": "2026-09-24T18:00:00+01:00", "endDate": "2026-09-24T20:00:00+01:00", "url": "https://allevents.in/leeds/software-engineering-leadership-meet-up-and-social-leeds-digi-fest-2026/100001995077327994", "eventStatus": "https://schema.org/EventScheduled", "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "Parallax", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "64 Call Lane", "postalCode": "LS1 6DT", "addressLocality": "Leeds", "addressRegion": "EN", "addressCountry": "GB" }, "geo": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": "53.7947496", "longitude": "-1.5418705" } }, "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode", "description": "Rethink your process before you build your system. The Innovators Dilemma in the age of AI.", "offers": [ { "@type": "AggregateOffer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "GBP", "availabilityStarts": "2026-07-25", "availabilityEnds": "2026-09-24T20:00:00+01:00", "validFrom": "2026-07-25", "lowPrice": "0.00", "highPrice": "0.00", "price": "0.00", "url": "https://allevents.in/leeds/software-engineering-leadership-meet-up-and-social-leeds-digi-fest-2026/100001995077327994" }, { "@type": "Offer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "GBP", "availabilityStarts": "2026-07-25", "availabilityEnds": "", "validFrom": "2026-07-25", "url": "https://allevents.in/leeds/software-engineering-leadership-meet-up-and-social-leeds-digi-fest-2026/100001995077327994", "price": 0, "name": "General Admission" } ], "organizer": [ { "@type": "Organization", "name": "James Westwood", "url": "https://allevents.in/org/james-westwood/26986737", "description": "Our Software Engineering Leadership @ WRK community and event series is all about building stronger connections. If you’re a software engineering leader, you know the drill: juggling projects, growing your team, and somehow finding time to grow yourself. It’s a lot.That’s why we created this community — a place where software engineering leaders can connect, share, and support each other. It’s about making meaningful connections, swapping ideas, and helping each other take our careers (and sanity!) to the next level.These aren't just more boring networking events. Our bi-monthly meet-ups are all about:Fun, social, and interactive vibes (no endless slide decks, promise)A safe space to talk about what’s really challenging you at workMeeting peers outside of your own company (hello, fresh perspectives!)Personal growth — want to host or present? We’d love to see you take the mic." } ] } ] ```