This workshop introduces business operations and its importance for Green Tech businesses. We’ll explore the four key pillars of People, Process, Tech, and Information, offering practical insights and strategies to optimise each area. Each session will combine expert insights, real-world examples, Q&A, peer discussions, and hands-on exercises. Participants will have ample opportunities to apply the concepts directly to their businesses.
*Spaces are limited to a maximum of 30 individuals per workshop.
Learning Outcomes
Following participation in the Workshop, participating companies will benefit from:
- Understanding the core components of efficient business operations
- Optimising People, Process, Tech, and Information to scale sustainably
- Gaining practical skills in process mapping and tech evaluation
- Developing strategies to improve efficiency and accelerate growth
- Learning how to integrate automation and AI for smarter operations
Agenda
We’ll include 5-10 minute breaks every 1.5 hours to keep energy levels high.
9:30 AM – 10:00 AM | Arrivals & Networking
10:00 AM – 10:10 AM | Opening remarks (Optimo, madeby.studio & Sustainable Ventures)
10:10 AM – 10:30 AM | Topic Introductions
10:30 AM – 1:00 PM | Operational Pillars: Strengthening Your Business
- Why business operations matter in GreenTech: Aligning operational efficiency with sustainability and growth
- People: Structuring for success – Create clear roles, improve team motivation, and boost productivity
- Process: Streamlining workflows – Identify inefficiencies and optimise processes for smoother operations
- Tech: Maximising your tools – Assess your tech stack to ensure it supports, rather than slows, business growth
- Information: Using data to drive decisions – Monitor key metrics to track progress and improve performance
- Credibility boosters that encourage users to take action
- Optimising user journeys, making a purchase or enquiry effortless
- The importance of accessibility as a business advantage
1:00 PM – 2:00 PM | Lunch Break
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM | Automation & AI
- Explore how automation can increase efficiency and reduce time spent on manual tasks
- Understand the business benefits of AI and how it can improve decision-making and operational performance
- Gain insights from real-world examples of companies using automation to scale effectively
- Learn how to reduce financial and technical overheads while maintaining high performance
Hosts
The Workshop will be delivered by the following three Optimo and madeby.studio experts.
- Danielle Heward: Founder of Optimo and Co-Director. With 16+ years in operations, project management and business transformation, Danielle specialises in optimising organisations. As Founder of Optimo, she drives positive change by supporting impactful businesses. Her experience spans healthcare, financial services, sustainable construction, green tech, higher education, and waste management. Danielle helps leaders focus on their strengths, ensuring teams, processes, and technology operate efficiently – Optimo enables exactly that.
- Vicky Heward: Co-Director of Optimo. With 18 years’ experience in business analysis, operations leadership, and tech delivery, Vicky works across the third sector, green tech, and healthcare. A business mentor and EDI advocate, she empowers newcomers and champions inclusivity. As Co-Director at Optimo, she helps purpose-driven businesses enhance operations and tech, seamlessly bridging people, processes, and technology while advocating for balanced workplaces and women in tech.
- Matt Wheeler: Co-Founder & Digital Director of madeby.studio. Matt has spent the last nine years building, deploying and optimising websites which are accessed by tens-of-millions of visitors per year. As a recognised Linux Foundation Green Software Practitioner Matt also has insights on sustainable software engineering techniques reducing emissions from digital infrastructure.
Delivery Partners
- madeby.studio is a digital agency specialising in crafting sustainable websites and applications that are good for the planet and your bottom line. They have delivered solutions for global organisations priding themselves on their commitment to technical excellence, building digital solutions with sustainability & accessibility ingrained at every step of the process. madeby.studio is also recognised by the Green Web Foundation as one of the 52 registered green hosting specialists.
- Sustainable Ventures, Europe’s leading climate tech ecosystem, has supported over 800 climate tech startups, brings extensive experience in scaling businesses through investment, workspaces, and venture support. To date, the firm has attracted over £1.1 billion in private and public sector investment and contributed to the creation of 6,500 green jobs.
- Bruntwood SciTech is the country’s leading developer of city-wide innovation ecosystems, and the largest dedicated property platform for the UK knowledge economy. Alongside a 50-year track record in the property industry, we bring a wealth of experience in creating and developing strategic partnerships with UK regional cities, universities and NHS Trusts.
- Optimo is a B-Corp-certified business based in Leeds specialising in operational improvements for change makers. They support trailblazing organisations leading positive change and they are passionate about organisations that exist to make a positive change. They do this by working together to identify and execute opportunities to improve people, processes, technology, and information. When all four of these areas within an organisation are functioning in the best way possible, its leaders have more time to focus on the future. Ultimately, this enables innovation, sustainable growth, and increased impact.
The GreenTech Gathering Workshops project is being delivered by madeby.studio and is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). In West Yorkshire, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority leads the implementation of the Fund as part of the Mayor’s ambition to make West Yorkshire the best place to work, learn and live.
