Local AI Innovation in Action: Meet the Innovators

Brighton & Hove isn’t just a brilliant, creative city by the sea – it’s fast becoming a testbed for AI innovation. From researchers, to startups & scale ups, to long-established businesses, our community is experimenting with new ways of building, creating, and solving problems with AI.

At this month’s Brighton AI, we’re showcasing three very different local teams who are putting AI to work in the real world.

• Cecilia Drevon-Barbecot from 15gifts (https://www.15gifts.com)
  For over a decade, Brighton-based 15gifts has been driving digital sales success for some of the world’s leading Telcos across the UK and US.
  This year, 15gifts launched Humara - a specialist AI sales agent. Powered by 13+ years of expertise and trained by top performing salespeople, Humara combines agentic AI with sales psychology to power intelligent digital conversations that build trust and drive confident buying decisions.
• April Baker – CEO of Together Co (https://togetherco.org.uk). Together Co is Brighton’s leading loneliness and social health charity, connecting people through befriending and social prescribing. Since becoming CEO in 2022, April has championed innovation and learning to tackle isolation in new ways. Together Co is exploring how charities can embrace AI responsibly, from income generation and reducing admin, to crafting compassionate communications and using data to design better services. April will share both the opportunities and the risks they have identified, and how they outlined a roadmap for safe, ethical adoption where technology enhances, rather than replaces, the power of human connection.
• Shaun Ring – PhD researcher at the University of Sussex and Co-Founder of LHC Labs.
  Born out of a collaboration with Oracle, Quistor, and Sussex, LHC Labs is building an AI toolbox and consultancy that delivers a range of AI solutions across research, operations, and innovation - including hate speech & social media analysis.

This isn’t theory – it’s AI in action, right here in our city 🤩. You’ll hear how they approached it, what they're learning, and what’s next.

Who's it for?

Whether you’re a founder, a freelancer, part of a team, a researcher, or just curious to learn more, you’ll leave with fresh ideas and a sense of what’s possible when AI meets Brighton's creative energy.

Everyone is welcome. Come along, bring your questions and ideas, and be part of a friendly community learning about AI together.

As always, there’ll be time for questions, connections, and conversations over drinks in Plus X's relaxed, welcoming space.