Following The Curve to Connect Sheffield's Tech Community
Where Tech Meets Trust in the Heart of Sheffield
“The future is already here—it’s just not evenly distributed.”
— William Gibson
Something Exciting is building in Sheffield
Last night, I found myself at Bubba Bar in Kelham Island, a space known more for craft beers and conversation than cutting-edge technology. But for one evening, it became the pulse point of possibility. Hosted by The Curve, the IoT Summer Showcase brought together a vibrant mix of engineers, artists, entrepreneurs, and community organisers for an evening that was less about flashy tech and more about meaningful connection.
There were chips on plates, but no chips on shoulders. No hard sell. Just soft power—the kind that emerges when people feel seen, curious, and inspired to build something better together.
Community Spotlight: The Curve’s Unlikely Alchemy
What unfolded was refreshingly unpolished and profoundly human. Conversations spilled from the stage into every corner of the room. Whether you were working on AI-integrated infrastructure or simply wondering how your elderly neighbour might benefit from smart sensors, there was space to share.
The Curve isn’t just another innovation hub. It’s a Sheffield-grown platform where technology is designed with, not for, people. In a world where data is often extracted and exploited, this gathering was a reminder that digital tools can be used to amplify dignity - not diminish it.
Speakers brought ideas that felt both urgent and grounded. Alan Ward, creator of Goal Wrangler, challenged us to rethink the hidden costs of poor decision-making in businesses and public systems alike. His message? That structure, far from stifling creativity, can actually unlock it - especially when it helps align our goals, values, and actions across teams and communities.
What if we could map purpose the way we map code?
What if we treated strategy not as a static document, but as a living system that adapts through dialogue?
What if decision-making frameworks like Goal Wrangler became tools for community groups too - helping us navigate complexity with clarity, and build together with shared intent?
These aren’t just business tools. They’re civic tools in disguise—offering communities a chance to build not only smart homes, but wise neighbourhoods.
Then came Paul Ridgway, Co-Founder and Director of The Curve, who grounded us firmly in the practical. Sharing the story of one small side business, importing smart lighting components and automating operations with AI tools. Paul revealed a different kind of inspiration: not high concept, but high utility. He showed how accessible technology, applied with purpose, can level the playing field for everyday entrepreneurs. AI wasn’t a buzzword in his hands, it was a screwdriver.
What if small businesses across Sheffield could harness automation without the jargon?
What if the next industrial revolution didn’t come from London or Silicon Valley, but from back bedrooms and cafés across S3 and S7?
What if tech stopped being a gatekeeper and started becoming a gateway?
Rounding off the evening, Jordan Swinney spoke on behalf of Sedulo, one of the event’s sponsors. With a calm and confident presence, Jordan reminded us that the role of professional services is evolving—from oversight to insight, from gatekeeping to enabling. Sedulo’s involvement was a signal: that Sheffield’s creative and tech communities deserve backing not only in spirit, but in structure.
Together, Alan, Paul and Jordan painted a vision not of “tech for tech’s sake,” but of tools that serve clarity, purpose, and people. Their stories reminded us: Sheffield doesn’t just make steel. It shapes futures.
Insights and Lessons: IoT with a Soul
The Curve’s Summer Showcase reflected the spirit of Project Ignite in motion:
Connection over control.
Local voices over imposed agendas.
Tech as tool, not master.
This wasn’t an expo. It was a call to build better. To design not for the loudest, but the least heard. To turn Sheffield into a city where kindness and creativity are as embedded in our code as they are in our conversations.
What You Can Do This Week
Turn up: The Curve hosts regular sessions and gatherings. Show up curious. You don’t need to speak tech—just speak human.
Share your voice: Whether you’re a baker, builder, or busker, your insight matters. Tech works best when it's shaped by everyone.
Bring someone along: Especially someone who thinks technology has nothing to do with them. They might be surprised.
Sheffield’s Quiet Revolution
There’s a new kind of leadership stirring in Sheffield - not in boardrooms, but in bars like Bubba’s. Not in headlines, but in heartlines. The Curve is helping us reimagine a city where innovation starts with empathy, and where the smartest systems are the ones that deepen our sense of belonging.
This is how we tilt the floor: not through sweeping declarations, but through small, intentional shifts that make connection easier, safer, and more joyful.
And isn’t that the world we all want to live in?
Your Invitation
We’re on a journey through Sheffield, spotlighting places where connection is transforming what’s possible. If you’ve got a story to share, or someone we should meet, let us know. This isn’t just a newsletter - it’s a movement.
Let’s wire a better world, together.
Warmly,
Brian Mosley
Founder, Love Sheffield & Project Ignite
Author of "Uniting Hearts, Igniting Change"