South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) Helps U.S. and U.K. Technology Companies Connect
September 2005

THE CHALLENGE
The South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) is responsible for the sustainable economic development and regeneration of the South East of England – the driving force of the U.K.’s economy. In an effort to create networking opportunities between U.K. and U.S.-based technology companies, SEEDA created the “U.S./U.K. Technology Forum” – a breakfast networking event designed to introduce leaders from many of the UK’s veteran and start-up companies to US technology firms.

With two events scheduled in the U.S. (New York and Boston), SEEDA was challenged with creating an interesting program that not only appealed to the audience of business professionals and government leaders, but also allowed them to be active participants in a broader discussion covering the challenges and issues of conducting business in both the U.S. and U.K.

THE SOLUTION
To encourage an open dialogue between all attendees, Brainium produced the forum in a “town hall” format, featuring a moderator who introduced questions and fielded responses from audience members. In this manner, attendees were provided with excellent opportunities to connect with one another while discussing key topics relative to their industries. The forums were held at the British Consulate headquarters in each city and were followed by a networking breakfast. Brainium worked closely with British Consulate staff to efficiently manage all logistical aspects of the events, including onsite attendee registration, catering, audio/visual production, program guides and signage.

RESULTS
Over 75 business professionals and UK delegates gathered over the course of the two single-day events. According to Chris King, Vice President, Eastern Region, SEEDA, “Brainium’s attention to detail, coupled with their creative solutions, resulted in two very successful events in New York City and Boston. We couldn’t have been more pleased with their professionalism and high-level of service.”