About us
Meet people - We will help you meet futurists from Reading and beyond.
Learn concepts - We will support you in learning future concepts.
Share knowledge - We will provide a platform to share your experience.
We are aimed at everyone interested in Agile, Technology, and Skills Development - from new learners to expert practitioners.
We run a variety of formats - presentations, discussions, workshops, games etc.
Upcoming events
11
(FS:R) - The Metaverse Is Not Dead; It Is Early - with Astron Gerov
Pentahotels Reading, Oxford Road, RG1 7RH, Reading, GB(FS:R) - The Metaverse Is Not Dead; It Is Early - with Astron Gerov
>> Sign-up on Luma <<
Session Overview
These days, staying away from technology and politics is harder than avoiding gravity. This is for good reason, since the scale of upcoming shifts is no longer confined to tools that support our lives, but forces capable of derailing the structures we have thus far relied on. A colossal, yet severely underestimated trend is the gradual emergence of the Metaverse, or extended-reality technologies.
While it may be a term you may not have heard in years, or one which causes you to snort in derision, its trajectory deserves far more attention than it receives. The Metaverse is not a failed trend; but an early-stage infrastructure layer with the potential to redefine work, identity, communication, and human presence. This session explores why we dismissed it too soon, why it is returning in a more mature form, and what its rise and potential, irreversible consequences mean for society in the
decade ahead.This session will also include a live audience poll, an interactive group activity, and an opportunity for attendees to experience immersive technology first-hand using an Oculus headset.
FutureSkills Learning Outcomes
Over the course of this talk, we will cover the following topics:- What the Metaverse has been about so far and where it came from.
- How it will be rebranded and what to expect in the coming 5 years.
- Why I see this is inevitable and why it hasn’t happened yet.
- The attached benefits and downsides.
- What you can do to prepare for its gradual arrival.
Personal Bio:
My name is Astron Gerov, and I am interested in the impact of technology on everyday life. My hobbies involve networking and researching topics in technology, business and finance, politics and sociology. I have a BSc in International Development from Reading and currently work as a coordinator in telecoms, with previous experience in agriculture, healthcare, logistics, admin and several other fast-paced industries. I am particularly interested in how emerging digital systems such as AI and extended reality influence social behaviour, public infrastructure and the evolution of work.
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Logistics - In-person and Remote
- >> Sign-up on Luma <<
- In person at Pentahotel in Reading
- Online via Google Meet - https://meet.google.com/ics-iddz-uht
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Schedule18:00: Icebreaker on Miro
18.15: (FS:R) FutureSkills : Reading - Introduction
18.20: - (FS:R) - The Metaverse Is Not Dead; It Is Early - with Astron Gerov
– Live audience poll
– Interactive group activity
– Optional Oculus headset experience19:45: Close
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We look forward to seeing you there!
Adam and Stu
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About (FS:R) FutureSkills : Reading - Our mission is to grow the community of future facing technologists in Reading and share new trends and techniques that will help us accelerate into the future.
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We strive to host a friendly and safe environment for all attendees. Please read our Code of Conduct for full details on how we maintain this, and to understand how best to let us know about anything that may be going against this: http://bit.ly/AND-CodeOfConduct
28 attendees
E=mc²: The relativity of excellence in a complex tech world - Eduardo Marval
Pentahotels Reading, Oxford Road, RG1 7RH, Reading, GB(FS:R) - E=mc²: The relativity of excellence in a complex tech world - Eduardo Marval
Session Overview:
We are often told to "hit the ground running" when joining a new team or starting a project. But speed without direction is just chaos.
In this session, we reimagine Einstein’s formula E=mc² through the lens of professional success.
We will challenge the idea that technical skills alone drive impact, exploring a framework to help us activate the full potential of ourselves and our teams.
FutureSkills Learning Outcomes
- Rethink your impact: Understand why technical expertise is linear, but the power of Context is exponential.
- Master the 'Activation Phase': Learn a practical framework to rapidly make sense of people, processes, and technology in any new environment.
- Augment with AI: Discover how to use AI to turn your context insight into tangible strategies in minutes, not months.
Personal Bio:
Eduardo Marval’s journey into technology began as a kid in Venezuela, hacking custom monsters and objects into his own server for the game Tibia Online. That early hunger to understand "how things work" led him to study Systems Engineering at the Universidad de Los Andes and has defined his 15+ years of professional career as a technology leader.
Now a Senior Engineering Manager at AND Digital based in Reading , Eduardo specialises in untangling complex technical challenges for major enterprises like Rightmove and Hargreaves Lansdown. He believes that technical maturity is only half the battle; the rest is Context. He is passionate about building team cultures where curiosity thrives and where "hitting the ground running" is replaced by strategic understanding.
When he isn’t drawing architecture diagrams or leading teams, you can find Eduardo strategising over a boardgames, solving puzzles, or tearing up the dance floor with his Salsa moves.
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Logistics - In-person and Remote
- In person at Pentahotel in Reading
- Online via Google Meet - meet.google.com/ase-hmvf-usj
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Schedule18:30: Icebreaker on Miro
18.45: (FS:R) FutureSkills : Reading - Introduction
18.50: - (FS:R) - E=mc²: The relativity of excellence in a complex tech world - Eduardo Marval
20:00: Close
***
We look forward to seeing you there!
Adam and Stu
***
About (FS:R) FutureSkills : Reading - Our mission is to grow the community of future facing technologists in Reading and share new trends and techniques that will help us accelerate into the future.
***
We strive to host a friendly and safe environment for all attendees. Please read our Code of Conduct for full details on how we maintain this, and to understand how best to let us know about anything that may be going against this: http://bit.ly/AND-CodeOfConduct
3 attendees
Past events
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