@thedatalab.bsky.social
Scotland's Innovation Centre for Data and AI. We help companies, organisations and individuals capitalise on the opportunities that exist within data and AI. https://thedatalab.com/
🎤 We’re excited to welcome Dr Maya Indira Ganesh to the DataFest lineup! Maya is an Assistant Research Professor and Associate Director (Research Partnerships & Culture) at the Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence at the University of Cambridge.
🎟️ Tickets: https://ow.ly/puRp50XHjjY
🎓 Funding opportunity for Scottish universities – Masters Scholarship Programme 26/27
• Secure funding for new/existing courses
• Enhance student employability & industry connections
• Work closely with us and be part of Scotland’s growing data community
Apply by 16 Jan: https://ow.ly/w6S550Xy4qx
📢 Exhibit at DataFest 2026!
Showcase your products, services & ideas to 600+ delegates from across industry, academia & public sector.
Why exhibit?
🔍 Showcase your work
🤝 Connect with leaders
🎓 Access top talent
🌟 Brand visibility
Find out more & get in touch: https://ow.ly/xX6s50Xy9zZ
🚀 Rural AI Roadshow – coming to your area in January 2026!
Are you looking to explore AI’s potential for your business or community? Don’t miss this free conference series across rural Scotland:
📍 Inverness: 27 Jan
📍 Dundee: 28 Jan
📍 Gretna: 29 Jan
Reserve your spot now: https://ow.ly/GaCZ50Xy4i0
💡 Upskill for an AI-ready future
Join our free workshop designed for Scottish SMEs. Using The Data Lab’s Data & AI Skills Framework, you'll explore how to assess your team's current skills, identify gaps, and develop a clear upskilling plan.
Register your interest, here: https://ow.ly/zGYe50Xy4bM
🎉 The Data Lab Community’s Data Viz Competition is OPEN, with a top prize worth over £500!
Whether you’re a pro or just starting your data viz journey, this is your chance to hone your skills, demonstrate your abilities, & connect with a global data & AI community.
🔗 https://ow.ly/MSPV50Xy3Wu
New guest blog alert!
This week, we’re handing the mic to Sarah Burne James, Client Adoption Specialist (IBM), who brings a fresh and fun perspective to the world of mainframes.
Read Sarah's blog here 👉: https://thedatalab.com/guest-blog/reflections-on-2025-mainframe/
We’re delighted to announce that Nic Granger OBE, Chief Information and Financial Officer at the North Sea Transition Authority, has been appointed Chair of The Data Lab Governance Board.
Read more about Nic’s appointment and vision here: thedatalab.com/news/new-cha...
Keen to host a placement project?
Our MSc Student Placement Programme connects Scottish organisations with talented data & AI students to work on real-world projects. Pre-holidays are a great time to get your project ideas on the table so you’re ready to apply in Jan.
👉 https://ow.ly/sWb550Xy3rU
🎤 Speaker Announcement!
We’re excited to welcome Hanah-Marie Darley to the DataFest lineup! Hannah is the Co-Founder and Chief AI Officer at Geordie AI, bringing 12+ years of government and industry experience in AI and cybersecurity.
🎟️ Early bird tickets are live: https://datafest.global/tickets
📣 Free data and AI transformation course for SMEs in January
Access AI readiness, identify opportunities, and build responsible, strategic data and AI roadmaps aligned with your organisational and business goals.
Register your interest and find out more here: https://ow.ly/efsQ50Xy3nY
⏳ Still time to apply!
Don’t let financial barriers hold you back—fully funded MSc scholarships are still available for January starts at top Scottish universities!
👉 Check out eligible courses on our website: https://thedatalab.com/academy/masters/scholarships/
📢 Join our webinar this Wednesday to discover how your organisation can benefit from our MSc Student Placement Programme.
Hear from past hosts and student alumni, learn how to scope a successful project and understand the recruitment process.
🔗: https://ow.ly/caJH50Xy1z3
📢 Our Masters Scholarship Programme provides funding for Scottish universities to offer scholarships on data & AI courses.
Apply for continued funding for existing programmes or propose new ones, working with us to equip students with skills, connections & experience.
🔗 https://ow.ly/Jhoz50XsZS6
Are you just beginning your AI journey or looking to further progress existing initiatives? Attend a free Rural AI Roadshow conference near you. Taking place in Inverness on 27 Jan, Dundee on 28 Jan and Gretna on 29 Jan. Spaces are free but limited, book now! https://ow.ly/F9jp50XsYVt
27.11.2025 09:00 — 👍 0 🔁 0 💬 0 📌 0
Have you checked out the new DataFest website yet? 👀
Stay up to date with speaker announcements, agenda updates, and all the latest on DataFest 2026 - Scotland’s leading data & AI festival.
While you’re there, don’t forget to secure your early bird tickets!
🔗 Explore now: https://datafest.global/
🚨 The Data Lab Community has announced its Monthly Themes for 2026!
Monthly, we'll focus on a key topic in data & AI, guiding events, discussions, & content around the latest trends.
Find out more about how you can get involved and register your interest here: https://ow.ly/pF0r50XxoRV
"Join our lunchtime webinar 'Making the Most of a Student Placement', to discover how your organisation can benefit from The Data Lab's MSc Student Placement Programme. Taking place online on Wed 3 December 2025 12:00 - 13:00 GMT" @thedatalab.bsky.social
community.thedatalab.com/events/195671
🏆 Ready to turn data into a winning story?
Our Data Visualisation Competition 2025 opens this Wednesday!
Enter for a chance to win:
🛍️ £300 in retail vouchers
🎟️ 1 x ticket to DataFest 2026
🎉 The Data Lab Goodie Bag
Register your interest and find out more, here: https://ow.ly/YkOa50XjF2l
Working with talented MSc students through our placement programme helps organisations across Scotland turn ideas into real outcomes.
If your organisation has a project idea for 2026, get in touch with our team at partners@thedatalab.com
Find out more here: https://ow.ly/w7vQ50XinRU
An introduction to AI and its opportunities
Our final executive briefing for the year is on 1 Dec (10–11AM). For leaders in SMEs or social enterprises, this free online session will help you build awareness & leadership capacity around AI.
🔗 Spaces are limited — apply: https://ow.ly/9vZi50Xin7r
Join us for a webinar on 'Accessible Data Visualisation in the Age of AI'.
Jen Gates will explore how accessibility practices in data visualisation have progressed and whether AI tools are helping or hindering accessible visualisations.
📅 Fri 28 Nov, 12:30–13:30
👉 : https://ow.ly/Y84550Xic0U
Speaker Announcement 🎤
We’re excited to kick off the DataFest 2026 lineup with the return of Colin Jarvis, Head of Forward Deployed Engineering at OpenAI.
🎟️ Get your early bird tickets now: https://datafest.global/tickets
📢 Interested in hosting a Data and AI student placement next year?
Join our webinar to learn how your organisation can benefit from our MSc Student Placement Programme. Hear from past hosts and student alumni and learn about the recruitment process.
🕛 3 Dec, 12-1PM
🔗: https://ow.ly/lmY250XtqrP
You can now catch up on last week's @thedatalab.bsky.social session where Jason Swan talked about the business case for good #DataViz, and I discussed designing charts for a broad audience 📊
www.youtube.com/live/wW7UfM9...
🎓 Last chance to apply!
Fully funded MSc scholarships for January starts are still available. Don’t miss your opportunity to boost your data skills and kick-start your career.
👉 Find out more: https://thedatalab.com/students/scholarships/
🚀 Applications are now open for the 11th Scottish Knowledge Exchange Awards.
This year, we’re proud to partner with Interface to launch a brand-new Trailblazing AI Collaboration category.
🏆 Applications close: 5pm, 11 December 2025
👉 : https://ow.ly/XmBl50XqB2J
📣 Free online data & AI transformation course for SMEs - Access AI readiness, identify opportunities, & build strategic roadmaps aligned with your goals.
📅 26 Nov (Intro), 3-4 Dec (Module 1), 10-11 Dec (Module 2)
https://thedatalab.com/business-support/ai-adoption/data-and-ai-transformation-course/
🚀 DataFest 26 tickets now live!
Scotland’s leading data & AI festival returns for 2 days of innovation, world-class speakers, & networking.
✨ This year’s theme: Intelligent Futures – exploring how data & AI are shaping the industries, systems, & societies of tomorrow.
🔗 https://ow.ly/Neoy50XqYZE
🌍 This year’s Data Viz Competition theme: climate action.
📊 The challenge is to use data from the UK Co-Benefits Atlas to visualise how climate action can improve lives across the UK, and shift perspectives for your chosen audience.
🔗: https://ow.ly/wgI650XjEmA
