Introduction
A half‑day leaders workshop hosted at Microsoft’s Manchester office with Novem and partners Pax8. The workshop aims to give businesses tangible takeaways to implement in their business and focuses on the two topics we get asked most about from business leaders, Cybersecurity and how AI can support their business.
Date: Wednesday 4th March
Time: 08:45 to 13:00
Location: Microsoft UA92, Talbot Road, Manchester, M16 0PU
*Places are limited with only 30 available to ensure valuable engagement.
Register Your Interest
About the Event
Designed for leaders at SMEs, you’ll get a sharp update on the evolving cyber threat landscape and a practical playbook to raise your baseline without bloating budgets or slowing the business. Then we switch gears to AI that truly pays: how to deploy Microsoft Copilot, write prompts that work, map simple “agent” patterns to real workflows, and measure outcomes.
Expect expert talks, interactive workshop activities, and tangible takeaways: a cybersecurity action plan, a Copilot prompt pack for common business tasks, and a simple framework to evaluate AI use‑cases safely. Refreshments and lunch provided. Walk out confident about what to prioritise next and how to do it without creating new risks.
What You’ll Learn
Cybersecurity
- How attacker behaviour is shifting, and what that means for SMEs.
- What to do first, what to defer, and how to measure uplift.
AI & Copilot
- Where Copilot delivers immediate value across roles.
- How to structure prompts; how to iterate for better output.
- Identify a small, supervised agent workflow you can pilot.
- What you need to think about before implementing AI.
Agenda (Subject to Changes):
08:45 – 09:15: Arrival, Registration & Coffee
09:15 – 09:25: Welcome & Objectives
09:25 – 09:55: Cybersecurity 2026: Threats & Trends for SMEs
09:55 – 10:25: SME Best Practices & Cybersecurity Plan
10:25 – 10:40 Break & Networking
10:40 – 11:05: Copilot That Pays: Real‑World Use‑Cases
11:05 – 11:30: Prompting Lab: Write It, Test It, Improve It
11:30 – 11:50: Agents 101 & Mapping Opportunities
11:50 – 12:10: AI Readiness Without the Risk
12:10 – 12:20: Summary & Next Steps
12:20 – 13:00: Lunch & Networking
About the Speakers
Novem – An MSP with decades of experience supporting SMEs across the UK with their IT, cybersecurity and technology roadmaps.
Pax8 – A leading global cloud marketplace known for its deep expertise in AI, Copilot, security and modern workplace technologies.