IoT Belfast 30: IoT in Insurance
Details
Join us for an evening of insights, innovation, and networking as IoTBelfast heads to LibertyIT for our March 2026 “IoT & Insurance” meetup.
This month, we’ll explore the intersection of IoT and insurance, looking at how connected devices, emerging technologies, and AI-driven insights are reshaping the industry, shifting services from reactive models toward proactive prediction, prevention, and protection in real-world insurance and risk applications.
Whether you’re an engineer, technologist, data scientist, product leader, or insurance professional, or simply interested in IoT, AI, emerging technologies, and how they’re transforming the insurance industry, you’ll come away with practical insights and inspiration from local experts working on real-world applications.
About the Speakers & Topics
Ben Bland & Carol Campbell | Liberty IT
LinkedIn: Ben Bland | LinkedIn: Carol Campbell
Bio: Ben and Carol bring experience in innovation and product strategy to advise Liberty Mutual on emerging tech trends and new technology opportunities.
Title: Moving “Left of the Bang” - How Emerging Tech is Driving the Inversion from Reactive to Proactive Services
Description: Based on our research of various emerging tech trends, we paint a picture of insurance and risk in the near future. Several related innovations are combining into a gradual shift from reactive (compensating after loss) to proactive services, where technology enables prediction, prevention and protection before an event occurs.
Rory Gallagher
LinkedIn | Liberty IT
Bio: Solutions Engineer at Liberty Information Technology where I've spent nearly 14 years as an engineer and the past 6 years in Liberty's innovation unit. I lead engineering teams exploring emerging technologies, from quantum computing to agentic AI and help to shape which innovations are ready for enterprise adoption.
Title: Agentic AI lessons from my LLM backed smart home
Description: A story of what my smart home taught me about agentic AI: Where GenAI genuinely helps to build a smarter home, where it breaks down, the practical lessons that I bring back to my workplace, and where I think AI-powered smart home tech is heading next.
Phil Weir
LinkedIn: Phil Weir | Flax & Teal
Founder of Flax & Teal Limited
Bio: Phil’s expertise extends beyond programming into areas like geospatial data analysis and numerical simulations. He has presented his work at prestigious conferences worldwide, including PyCon New Zealand, FEniCS, and the Open Data Science Conference, covering topics such as numerical analysis, web-based simulations, and on-demand data analysis. With his unique skillset and thought leadership, Phil spearheads Flax & Teal’s innovative projects as the lead architect, ensuring robust, scientifically sound solutions.
Title: From Sensors to Sense: Knowledge Graphs for Insurable Cities
Description: How semantic graphs turn fragmented sensor, infrastructure and environmental data into a unified view of city risk. From early work in India to AI-ready knowledge graphs, we explore how “seatbelts for cities” could help planners, responders and insurers turn hidden data into actionable resilience.
Agenda
- 6:30 PM - Informal networking
- 7:00 PM - Welcome & introductions
- 7:15 PM - Talks begin
- Ben Bland & Carol Campbell - Moving “Left of the Bang” - How Emerging Tech is Driving the Inversion from Reactive to Proactive Services
(15 mins + 5 mins Q&A) - Rory Gallagher - Agentic AI Lessons from My LLM-Backed Smart Home
(15 mins + 5 mins Q&A) - Phil Weir - From Sensors to Sense: Knowledge Graphs for Insurable Cities (15 mins + 5 mins Q&A)
- 8:15 PM - Networking & chats
- 8:30 PM - Event close (and maybe pints nearby )
Event Details
- Venue: Liberty IT, 24–26 Adelaide St, Belfast BT2 8GD
- Date: Thursday, 26th March 2026
- Time: 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
- Host: Liberty IT
This event is facilitated by Martin Naughton & Galvia Digital. If you have any questions about the event, or if you're interested in speaking / hosting a future meetup, please get in touch!