A room of curious people, every other month.
Berkhamsted Tech Meet-up is a free evening for anyone who works with technology in and around the town. Two speakers. Two hours. Real talk. The first one is on Thursday 12 November 2026, 18:30 to 20:30.
Purpose
There is a lot of noise about technology right now. Most of it comes from people selling something, or from conferences an hour away that cost a day and a train fare.
Meanwhile, plenty of people in Berkhamsted are quietly doing the work: building systems, buying tools, running teams, and finding out what actually helps. We wanted a place on our doorstep where they could compare notes honestly.
So that is what this is. Not a conference, and not a networking event with a thin agenda bolted on. We exist to cut through the noise, not to add to it.
Who is behind it
Berkhamsted Tech Meet-up is run by Nick Harding and Peter Stuart. Both spend their working days putting technology to use in real organisations, and both wanted the honest, practical conversation about it that is hard to find. They run it as volunteers, in their own time. It is not a company event.
- Peter StuartDirector of Development Analytics & Applied AI at RES, the renewable energy company
- Nick HardingCEO at Fifty One Degrees, an AI consultancy
What we stand for
Practical over theoretical
Real rooms, real problems, real detail. What happened when someone actually tried it.
Honest over hype
What worked, what did not and what it cost. No future-of-everything talks.
Sustainable by design
Two hours, light pages, nothing wasted. Easy to come back to every other month.
Not a sales pitch
Speakers share, they do not sell. Sponsors are labelled and kept small.
Inclusive by design
You do not need to write code to belong. Every role in the room has something to bring.
Who it is for
Five kinds of people, one room. You do not need to write code to belong.
- Build & ShipEngineers, data scientists, architects
- Lead & DecideCEOs, CTOs, directors
- Grow & SellCommercial, marketing, go-to-market
- Operate & ScaleOperations, finance, HR
- Create & DesignProduct, UX
Speak at a meet-up
If you have done something real with technology and learned from it, we would like to hear about it. First-time speakers are very welcome.
- A story from your own work: what you tried, what happened, what it cost.
- About 25 minutes of talk, then 10 for questions.
- No product pitches. Mention your company once, then get on with it.
- Any role. Some of the best talks will come from people who do not code.
The small print, in plain English
Sponsorship
A local business may cover drinks or the room. If they do, we say so, label it "Sponsored", and keep it smaller than the speakers. Sponsors do not choose talks.
Photos and recording
We take photos and sometimes record talks. Speakers agree in advance, and everyone is told before the evening. If you appear and want something removed, tell us and we will remove it.
Who runs it
Nick and Peter, as volunteers. It costs them an evening and a bit of admin, and they do it because they wanted it to exist.
Questions people ask
- When is the first one?
- Thursday 12 November 2026, 18:30 to 20:30, at The Green Lounge, above the Kings Arms, Berkhamsted. Join the WhatsApp community to hear about it first.
- Do I need to be technical?
- No. Talks are pitched so a finance director and a data engineer both get something from them. You do not need to write code to belong.
- How much does it cost?
- Nothing. No ticket, no membership, no application.
- Do I need to sign up?
- No. Just turn up. Joining the WhatsApp community means you hear about dates and speakers first.
- Can I bring someone?
- Yes. Bring a colleague, a friend, or the person who keeps asking you what AI is actually for.
- Will I be sold to?
- No. Speakers share what they have done, not what they sell. Any sponsor is labelled and kept small.
- Is the venue accessible?
- The Green Lounge is upstairs above the Kings Arms. If you have access needs, get in touch before the evening and we will do our best to help.
Where to find us
The Green Lounge, upstairs at the Kings Arms, High Street, Berkhamsted.
A short walk from Berkhamsted station. The bar is open downstairs before and after. Free entry. No membership, no application, no gatekeeping. Show up.
Join the WhatsApp community
It is where dates, speakers and the odd reminder go first. Low traffic, no spam, no selling.