Bridge Innovation Centre | AI SME Accelerator: Zero to Hero in 48 Hours

Cost: Free

2-day AI accelerator for Welsh SMEs, taking place on Thursday 8th October to Friday 9th October 2026 at Bridge Innovation Centre, Pembrokeshire Science and Technology Park, Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, SA72 6UN.

This event is designed for Welsh SMEs who want to move beyond AI awareness and leave with a practical and working AI solution and an action plan for their own business.

Over two intensive days, you won't just learn about AI, you'll leave with a working AI tool, set up correctly and ready to use in your own business.

Where is the event hosted?

The event is hosted at Bridge Innovation Centre, on the Pembrokeshire Science and Technology Park in Pembroke Dock. It sits just off the A477, easily accessible by car, with visitor parking and EV charging on site.

SA72 6UN

This session will cover all things AI, including:

Session 1: What, Why, How?

• Discover what AI is
• Why it should matter for your business
• Understand and compare popular AI tools in action, incl. Paid vs Free
• See how your business could use AI to improve productivity and innovation.

Outcome: An understanding of the basics of AI and what we would call the "AI Landscape".

Session 2: Safety First!

• Understand how to use AI safely and responsibly within your business
• Learn about data privacy, GDPR, ethical considerations and what you should never do when using AI tools
• Recognise why trust, transparency and responsible AI practices are essential for successful AI adoption

Outcome: An understanding of how to use AI responsibly. Importance of protecting business data, key considerations needed to build trust and confidence when adopting AI.

Session 3: Work Smarter (not harder!)

• Identify where time, effort and productivity are being lost across your business operations
• Map repetitive tasks, inefficiencies and opportunities to work smarter
• Create a productivity roadmap highlighting where AI could add value in the future

Outcome: An understanding of how to identify productivity challenges within your business, map opportunities for improvement, and recognise where AI could support future efficiencies.

Session 4: AI Your Business

• Identify your own business challenges and where AI could help save time, improve productivity and work smarter
• Explore which AI tools or "bots" could support your specific business needs
• Test how AI can be applied to solve a real business problem and identify your biggest AI opportunity

Outcome: Identify opportunities where AI can add value to your business, select suitable AI tools for your needs, and define your first step towards AI adoption.

Session 5: Behind the Bot

• Understand what data your business has, where it is stored, and whether it is ready to support effective AI adoption.
• Review privacy, GDPR and key risks through a practical checklist
• Identify any issues, barriers or "red lines" that may require further support.

Outcome: Understand the importance of data readiness, how to review AI-related risks and GDPR considerations, and identify the next steps needed to prepare your business for safe AI adoption.

Session 6: Build the Pilot

• Follow a practical, step-by-step demonstration to set up an AI tool and apply it to your business.
• Create, test and refine prompts together, learning how to get better results through iteration
• Apply AI within your own business, experiment with improvements, and share progress through group checkpoints

Outcome: Gain practical experience using an AI tool, understand how to create effective prompts, and identify how AI can be integrated into your own business.

Session 7: Credits Count

• Understand how AI credits work and how to make the most effective use of your available allowance
• Explore how to manage AI tool usage, costs and value for your business
• Learn how to maximise your investment in AI tools through smarter usage and experimentation.

Outcome: Understand how AI credits work, how to manage usage effectively, and how to get the best value from AI tools for your business.

Session 8: Next Steps

• Reflect on your AI journey so far and identify the key opportunities for your business.
• Create a practical AI action plan, outlining your next steps, priorities and areas for further exploration.
• Identify the support needed to continue your AI adoption journey with us!

Core Objectives:

• An opportunity to adopt AI in 48hrs
• Work 1:1 with an expert
• Develop your skills
• Transform your business
• Develop an AI solution
• and all for free!

Who is this workshop for?

Welsh SME owners, managers, and sole traders who are ready to commit two full days to hands-on AI adoption, with 1:1 expert support throughout.

Ideal for those who want to move beyond awareness and leave with a working pilot and action plan for their own business.

No technical background required, just bring yourself, a laptop, and your questions.

Important: This event is for Welsh-based small and medium-sized enterprises and is restricted to two delegates per business.

Delivered as part of the fully funded AI Awareness and Adoption Programme by Business Wales.

Business Wales is a bilingual service and our events and workshops are available in Welsh and English, on registration please discuss you language preferences.

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