Macc September Meetup: VC vs Bootstrapping & The Agentic Coding Panel
We're back after the summer break. Come along to the Bollington Brewery Tap on Thursday, September 3rd for the next Macc XYZ meetup.
We have a great lineup for our return, featuring a fireside chat with a heavily backed local founder, followed by a panel discussion on the reality of AI-assisted software engineering.
Fireside Chat: Jonathan Lloyd (Founder & CEO, CGHero)
Jonathan is the founder of CGHero, a global marketplace connecting businesses with specialist 3D, CGI, and VFX talent. His platform has delivered over 2,000 projects for brands like Epic Games, NVIDIA, Disney, and Netflix.
Having successfully navigated both bootstrapping and raising significant venture capital (including a £4m Series A), Jonathan joins us to discuss the realities of building a business. We will cover bootstrapped vs VC funding, exiting, the US vs UK mentality, and the ruthless discipline required to stay alive and scale.
Panel: The State of AI Agentic Coding
Chaired by Rachel, this panel will examine what agentic coding actually means for founders and the future of the craft. We'll skip the hype to discuss how AI is actively changing how we design, build, and ship software right now.
The panel features:
Chris Drury: Tech Lead at Modern English, building AI and experiential tech for global superstars and brands.
James Carroll: Founder of Tailfin Digital, delivering fast, AI-assisted development for blue-chip institutions.
Jonathan Lloyd: Founder & CEO at CGHero.
Chris Garrett: Founder of C8VA and Macc XYZ.
The Schedule
19:00 - Doors open, grab a drink and say hello
19:30 - Fireside Chat: Jonathan Lloyd
20:00 - Break for drinks
20:30 - Panel: The State of AI Agentic Coding
21:30 - Drinks and socialising for the rest of the night
Event Details
Date: Thursday, September 3rd
Time: 19:00 onwards
Location: Bollington Brewery Tap, Parker St, Macclesfield
Tickets are free, but capacity is quite limited. Please RSVP to secure your spot and help us plan accurately with the venue.