Events sit at the heart of communities, and that’s certainly true of Sheffield Digital. They’re where connections are made, ideas are shared, and opportunities begin to take shape – whether you’re a founder, freelancer, jobseeker or team leader. From our own community meetups to the wider ecosystem we support, events help power Sheffield’s digital scene. And with a new approach to how we share event updates, it’s about to get even easier to stay connected.

Why are events important for Sheffield Digital?

In-person, community-based events create space to meet new people, reconnect with familiar faces, and share experiences with others working across Sheffield’s digital tech sector. They’re a chance to talk through challenges, exchange ideas, and spark collaborations that might not happen otherwise.

For many, especially those working remotely or running businesses as solo founders, these gatherings are also a valuable reason to step away from the desk, come into the city, and feel part of something bigger. As one startup member recently shared after attending GeekBrekky:

“It was fantastic to see familiar faces and be reminded of what I loved about having my own business… Sheffield Digital has given me a network, access to knowledge, and a community I can rely on.”

Events also play an important role for jobseekers and employers alike, offering a more human way to explore opportunities, understand the local landscape, and build relationships that could lead to future roles.

Supporting community events, hosting our own

For all of these reasons, we’re committed to supporting the events organised by others, as well as running our own programme. We’ve recently launched a Meetup Directory, and we maintain a regularly updated events calendar on our website – both free to use and open to contributions from the community.

Alongside this, we host a range of events throughout the year. These include GeekBrekky – our long-running informal weekly meetup (now over 20 years strong) – as well as our quarterly Senior Leaders Dinners and Annual General Meetup (AGM), which brings together speakers from across Sheffield’s tech sector, and each year supports a fantastic local charity.

We also run a number of smaller, more focused meetups. These include gatherings for individual members, as well as dedicated meetups for mentors and mentees as part of our growing mentoring scheme. These spaces are particularly valuable for those who may work alone, are new to the sector, or are stepping into mentoring for the first time.

As Sarah Lister, who manages the mentoring scheme and organises these meetups, explains:

“A lot of people who come to Sheffield Digital are either new to the city, the sector or looking for new challenges and experiences. Through our meetups we aim to provide a platform for people in similar scenarios to connect, have open and candid conversations that really do lead to new ideas, solutions and opportunities.”

This collaborative spirit extends to the Sheffield Digital Meta Meetup – our gathering for meetup organisers across the city. These sessions create space to share experiences, tackle common challenges, and learn from one another.

Sarah adds:

“There is a fantastic, well-connected ecosystem in Sheffield, happy to share expertise. Our Meta Meetups feature guest speakers on topics ranging from event facilitation to securing sponsorship. Our goal is to help meetup organisers build their own confidence, increase their reach, and ultimately host successful, sustainable events.”

How do we keep you informed about upcoming events?

We’re committed to helping our members – and the wider community – amplify their events through a range of accessible channels. Our events calendar is free to use, and if your event has a connection to digital or tech in Sheffield, we encourage you to add it.

We also regularly share events we spot on LinkedIn, particularly when organisers tag us, helping to extend their reach across the network. And if you’re exploring what’s already out there, our Meetup Directory is a great place to start.

Event listings have long been a popular feature in our fortnightly newsletter. However, based on your feedback, we’re making a change.

Going forward, we’ll be moving to a new schedule:

• A full newsletter on the first Thursday of each month (including events, jobs, headline stories, community news and new members)
• A dedicated events and jobs bulletin sent mid-month on a Tuesday

This shift is designed to make event information more timely and useful. With Thursdays being one of the busiest days for events, we know that receiving listings on the same day hasn’t always given you enough notice. By sharing events earlier in the month – and again at the start of the week – we hope to help you plan ahead and make the most of what’s on offer.

Whether you’re attending, organising, or just exploring, Sheffield’s digital and tech events scene is there for you. And we’re here to help you stay connected.