Marius Frank is Co-Head of Education at Microlink PC UK Ltd, a company committed to opening up pathways of opportunity from the classroom to the boardroom for any child with barriers to learning and progress. He is the creator of Raising Attainment with Wellbeing, Be ThAT Teacher (introducing Assistive Technologies into mainstream classrooms) and is an accredited Emotion Coach.

He currently works directly and indirectly with over 600 primary and secondary schools across the UK. Prior to that, Marius was an inner-city teacher, ten successful years in charge of a very challenging Secondary School community, was CEO of ASDAN Education, then a Director at Achievement for All.

David co-founded Claro Software Ltd and Sensory App House Ltd, playing a key role in developing assistive technologies. He also invested in Read Successfully Ltd (Trugs) alongside partners to help grow the TRUGS phonics-based reading card games. Currently, he is focused on rolling out the Sensory Readable reading assistant software range. As a long-time technologist, he has been involved in speech technology from its early stages and worked closely with Professor Paul Blenkhorn to create a wide range of assistive software tools to support learners with reading and writing difficulties.

An AI innovator with a law degree and an ex-professional musician who toured arenas in the late '90s and early 2000s, supporting acts like Def Leppard, Alice Cooper, Brian May, and even Wheatus (of "Teenage Dirtbag" fame)! With a long-standing passion for "slow is fast" learning and metacognitive techniques—key to success in music, sport, and chess— principles that form the foundational core of Tempo Reading, along with cutting-edge neurocognitive entrainment methodology. Also co-founder and innovator of Social Asking, the most advanced AI-powered social comments and data consumer research platform.

Joe Fernandez is a leading advocate for AI for Good in education. As the Founder & CEO of ALPACA, he champions the use of artificial intelligence to deliver evidence-based insights that respect and reflect the diverse needs of learners and educators.

Through ALPACA’s AI-driven literacy solutions, Joe is transforming how schools identify and support early literacy challenges, ensuring that technology serves as a tool for empowerment, not replacement. His work focuses on bridging the gap between innovation and inclusivity, ensuring AI enhances learning environments while maintaining a human-centred approach to education.

For twelve years, Robert Palmquist led a team developing advanced intelligence technologies. Like a real-life Q from James Bond, he created cutting-edge tech, but sought a more meaningful path. He started SpeechGear with the thought that if everyone could talk with each other, the world will be a better place. That’s what SpeechGear has done.

SpeechGear’s technology instantly translates conversations into over 100 languages. It also provides instant captions for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing and enables non-verbal individuals to communicate. Join us to learn how SpeechGear’s Streamer™ (www.streamer.center) is s removing communication barriers in classrooms throughout the world.

Frances Akinde is a qualified SENCO and former headteacher of a secondary special school for learners with autism. With 20 years of experience across education and local authority roles, she now works as a SEND inspector and consultant. After discovering her neurodivergence and hearing impairment in 2022, she shifted focus to inclusion training and advocacy. She co-founded the BAMEed SEND Hub in 2023 and is an Anti-Racist Schools coach.

Frances writes and speaks on Race & SEND, mentors educators, and trains in assistive technology. Her book, Be An Ally, Not a Bystander, was released in October 2024, with a second due in 2025.

Nicole Ponsford is a prominent figure in education and technology, currently Founder and CEO of the GEC (Global Equality Collective) and Co-Head of Education at Microlink, and also as, giving her a unique line of sight into current and emerging DEI (Diversity Equity and Inclusion) imperatives in education and workplace culture, practice and policy. Nic has been recognised as one of Europe’s top 50 women in tech by #InspiringFiftyEurope and has received numerous awards, including ‘Outstanding New Teacher’ at the National Teaching Awards.

Her expertise has been instrumental in several high-profile Department for Education (DfE) projects, including the Edtech Demonstrator Programme and developing the use of Assistive Technologies in mainstream classrooms, reflecting her commitment to driving innovation and inclusion by design. Beyond her leadership role at Microlink, Nic is the founder of the Global Equality Collective (GEC), a pioneering initiative focused on diversity and inclusion in education.