Silicon Mingle
Silicon Mingle is a regular meetup here in the North East of England for tech and non-tech people to get together and find out what's going as part of the hub of the North East Tech Scene, which I covered recently in the RoguePlanetoid Podcast. I've been to a few Silicon Mingles and each one has been a great way to meet and speak to new people as well as catch up with those I've met at previous or other events. Silicon Mingle filled a need from those organising the event including Dylan McKee, Karl Murray and Travis Street who have created the kind of event they were looking for here in the North East of England, which was a way to speak to new people, catch up with others or allow those living here or new to the region to find out and keep apprised of what's going on here by going along to a Silicon Mingle.
Silicon Mingle is an event where you can chat to people there about your new startup, existing business or maybe just to see what's going on and it is also a great way to make connections to help grow existing businesses. I've seen for myself people from the same industry helping each other with tips and advice along with offers to help outside the event itself and even heard of those who have met investors from them coming along and talking about their business ideas. There's a lot of success stories that will be shared thanks to Silicon Mingle and it has already established itself as one of the key events here in the North East of England and has also spawned a Manchester-based version where those there can gain the same benefits and insights that is offered by the events held by the Newcastle-based Silicon Mingle.
Silicon Mingle has also helped me personally, I attend many tech events here in the North East of England including presenting at many of them but for me networking events are still quite new to me, but have really helped when building our new business, Cluarantonn, to help people get people get started with podcasting or to help them on their podcasting journey including connecting them with small businesses and freelancers who can offer them products and services. It was at one Silicon Mingle when Christelle Gatchalian from The End of Nowhere said hello and mentioned they did branding, what they didn't realise that was exactly what I needed at the time so was fantastic to meet them and she went on to create our branding along with our stand at The Podcast Show, this gave us a great look and helped project the message we wanted of community and approachability of which would not have been possible without meeting her at Silicon Mingle.
Silicon Mingle has also help cement relationships and connections from other events, I met Riz Shahid from Square One Law when attending Thinking Digital in 2023, I caught up with them later at a Silicon Mingle which allowed me to talk more about what I was doing including starting the business, he later when on to draft the introduction agreement for our business for the small businesses and freelancers we will be connecting people with. It is always great to see people you know come along to a networking event as often there's not much time at other events so is a great way to find out what other people do. Often you may speak to someone about something they do and then later someone mentions being interested in that who you can then introduce them to each other! You never know who someone knows as at the most recent Silicon Mingle someone mentioned their husband was wanting to get into podcasting after I mentioned what I was doing and hopefully is someone we can help with their podcast journey. I know there has been and will be many others who we can help with their podcasting journey or know someone else we can help or are a small businesses or freelancers that I have spoken to at Silicon Mingle.
Silicon Mingle has become one of those signature events you just have to along to and with an event each month it is a great chance to keep up to date with what is going on in the Tech Scene here in the North East of England for those who are part of it, want to be part of it, or just want to find out more about it. I can't recommend Silicon Mingle enough, I know we would not be in the position we are in today with our business and continue to meet new people who can help us in our journey, or we can help them in theirs. I always look forward to going along to the events when I can and if you've not been before or you've not been for a while then you should definitely make sure you make it along, whether that's in Newcastle or Manchester, to the next Silicon Mingle.