Thinking Digital: The conference for technology lovers
Thinking Digital is the brainchild of Herb Kim, a conference curator from Brooklyn, who moved to the UK in 1997, and then up to Newcastle in 2002. Kim has led Ted Talks in Manchester, Durham and Newcastle, and created Thinking Digital to support the developing technology scene in the region in May 2008. Since then the North East has cemented itself as an industry hub in the UK, and is home to tech giants like Sage and Ubisoft.
Incredible talks from industry leaders
Thinking Digital has grown every year, including more venues, more workshops and more opportunities to connect with entrepreneurs and enthusiasts alike; however, the conference’s primary selling point has always been its speakers. These are industry experts, inventors and innovators, who share their expertise on a range of subjects from AI to autism.
In 2025, two of the headline speakers for Thinking Digital included Andy Stanford-Clark and Dr. Drupad Trivedi.
Andy Stanford-Clark led a talk on the Mayflower Autonomous Ship Project, a fully autonomous research ship which sailed from the UK to Massachusetts in 2022. The ship, which was captained by AI, used the voyage to gather information and data on climate change, pollution, ocean chemistry and the health of marine life. It was the first time that a completely autonomous ship had crossed the Atlantic.
Dr. Drupad Trivedi spoke with Joy Milne, the nurse who discovered that she could smell Parkinson’s Disease, ahead of a diagnosis, with 100% accuracy. Dr. Trivedi, a disease research specialist, spoke about the innovative approaches for diagnosing diseases and how Joy’s skills might extend to the detection of other diseases such as tuberculosis.
The speakers for Thinking Digital 202 are yet to be announced; however, attendees are sure to experience a diverse panel of experts from tech, science and business.
Workshops, networking and an after party
Since its inception, Thinking Digital has expanded across the North East, with multiple events and workshops available in Newcastle and Gateshead. Thinking Digital attendees will be able to choose a pre-conference workshop, and those who opt for the full pass will also get to attend the pre-conference dinner. There will also be an after party, where delegates can meet other attendees and the speakers that have led the conference itself.
Get tickets for the tech event of the year
To get tickets for Thinking Digital 2026, taking place on the 20th and 21st of May, visit the Thinking Digital website. You can also sign up to the Thinking Digital Newsletter, to stay updated as new speakers, workshops and events are announced.
