BarCamp Belfast 2025 Announces First Speakers Covering Tech, Skills and Business Growth

Organisers of BarCamp Belfast 2025 have announced the first group of speakers set to take the stage on September 26 at the Oh Yeah Centre in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter. The line-up includes experts on everything from soft skills and financial freedom to accessibility, email marketing and critical thinking in the age of AI.

Building on Andy McMillan’s 2009 success, organisers Marty Neill (of AirPOS Pay & Retro Rooms) and Jennie Wallace (Beyond Skin) have brought the captivating day to fruition alongside the event’s headline sponsors Options Technologies, AirPOS Pay, Infinity 21, The Alchemists Forum, Morrow Communications and media partner Excalibur Press.

This year’s BarCamp will feature 17 sessions across two stages, covering topics as diverse as how to retire in ten years, using AI in PR, accessibility in design, generative coding, neurodiversity and email marketing.

Among those confirmed is South Belfast entrepreneur Katie Willoughby, founder of ProTech, who will deliver Ctrl+Alt+Communicate: Soft Skills in Tech. Katie, who is launching her business to provide soft skills workshops for the tech sector, will argue that empathy and communication are not “nice-to-haves” but critical drivers of innovation. Her talk will challenge attendees to rethink the value of human skills in a sector dominated by tools and automation.

Lisburn’s Connor McAuley, founder of Move at Pace, will lead How to Retire in 10 Years or Less. Connor works with agency owners to help them scale and exit their businesses and his talk will set out the information and actions people need to achieve financial freedom within a decade.

Dermot Beattie, originally from Castlewellan and now based in Belfast, will speak on Accessibility in Design. Having experienced vision loss during university, Dermot will share his lived experience of using digital products and highlight the impact poor design has on people with disabilities. He is the founder of The Dandelion Group, which supports individuals with acquired disabilities and this year the organisation has also been named as the official charity partner of BarCamp Belfast.

Dublin marketing trainer Liz Maguire, founder of Litir Marketing, will bring her trademark humour and energy to Email Isn’t Dead. Liz will show how email remains one of the most effective ways to build communities and brands and why it offers real value compared to the unpredictability of social media platforms.

And flying in virtually from Kansas City, USA, Doug Jackson, founder of consultancy 2md, will lead The Increased Need for Critical Thinking in the Age of AI. Doug will draw on his experience as a business analyst and enterprise architect to explore when AI can add value and when human-led reasoning is essential, offering practical tools for decision-making in complex transformations.

Jennie Wallace, co-organiser of BarCamp Belfast, said: “BarCamp is about creating a space where anyone can contribute, learn and share. This year, we are covering everything from ‘How to Retire in 10 Years’ to ‘AI Disasters in PR’. We want to ignite ideas in all kinds of creatives. For us, it is about learning, collaboration and fun.”

Following last year’s success, BarCamp Belfast has returned with an eclectic mix of founders, developers, creatives and industry experts sharing their knowledge in an open, informal environment. Admission is free, with attendees encouraged to drop in throughout the day, listen to talks, or even deliver one themselves.

For more information about #BelfastBarCamp2025 and to register for the September 26 event, go to barcampbelfast.com