Nimans held its 2026 Nimans Live Event in Birmingham recently, where the focus was firmly on AI and how it is going to have an increasing influence on communications and the wider channel – and therefore how it needs to be embraced by resellers.
Edgbaston Stadium is undergoing a transformation. Huge cranes loom overhead as workers below busy themselves on construction work for a new stand that will increase the capacity of the ground, but also open up new commercial opportunities.
Warwickshire Cricket Club, owners of the ground, understand that constant development is required to keep the ground and club at the forefront of English cricket.
There are certain similarities between the ground and the communication channel currently – the latter too is undergoing a period of change and construction, as AI has an increasing influence and businesses operating in the channel need to understand it if they are to remain at the forefront of the channel.
AI was a central theme at Nimans Live 2026, which was held at Edgbaston on June 2. The event was back for a third time, and this was the biggest yet, in terms of attendance and number of vendors present, and the ambitions outlined in it.
Nimans Live brought together technology vendors, channel partners, resellers and industry professionals for a day of networking, innovation and insight into the latest developments across communications, networking, collaboration, AI and security technologies.
The event provided attendees with the opportunity to engage directly with some of the industry’s leading manufacturers and service providers, explore new solutions, and gain valuable market knowledge to help support business growth and customer success.
Keynote presentations
A highlight of the event was a series of expert keynote presentations focused on the growing impact of AI across the technology channel and wider business landscape.
In the morning, attendees heard from Professor Andy Pardoe, honorary professor at Warwick University and founder and head of AI practice at Informed, an AI consultancy on ‘AI and The Future: Navigating the Digital Decade Ahead,’. In his wide-ranging talk, Andy explored how AI is moving from experimentation to large-scale business adoption.
He argued that AI is a transformational technology and has the potential to solve some of the biggest challenges in the world, such as climate change, as well as helping businesses to go to the next level.
Addressing the question of whether AI is a boom or a bubble – something there has been speculation about recently – Andy argued that current investment levels remain sustainable and are being supported by strong revenue growth, increasing enterprise adoption and continued innovation. He highlighted that while challenges remain around monetisation and infrastructure investment, AI is set to become a defining technology of the next decade rather than a short-lived trend.
Also speaking at the event was Cameron Hutchinson of VCA Technology, who showcased real-world intelligent surveillance solutions powered by AI. His session demonstrated how advanced video analytics are transforming security, operational efficiency and customer insights across a wide range of sectors.
Together, the keynote speakers highlighted the significant commercial opportunities AI presents for channel partners, providing guidance on how businesses can identify, develop and monetise AI-driven solutions to create new revenue streams and deliver greater value to customers.
This means that channel partners need to be fully immersed in AI so they can take advantage of the opportunities it brings to their own business, but also to be able to be the trusted advisor that end customers want.
Strong relationships
Among the exhibitors at Nimans Live, there was also plenty of talk about the impact of AI and how it was influencing the sector and things like product design – certainly more than there had been at the 2025 edition of the event.
The event highlighted Nimans’ ongoing commitment to supporting the channel through strong vendor relationships, expert guidance and access to market-leading technologies. Throughout the day, attendees benefited from face-to-face discussions with manufacturers, networking opportunities with industry peers, and insights into the latest innovations shaping the technology landscape.
“Nimans Live continues to be an important opportunity for our partners to connect with leading vendors, discover new technologies and strengthen valuable business relationships,” says Matt Smith, head of marketing at Nimans. “The keynote sessions from Professor Andy Pardoe and Cameron Hutchinson provided particularly valuable insight into the practical and commercial opportunities that AI presents for our channel partners.
“We were delighted to welcome so many attendees to Edgbaston Stadium and would like to thank all of our exhibiting partners for helping make the event such a success.”
Attendee feedback
Nimans Live was well attended, with many attendees staying throughout the day to take advantage of the networking opportunities and speak with vendors about their products.
“Technology continues to move at pace, and our industry is constantly evolving, but events like this are a great reminder of the value of getting together, sharing ideas, strengthening relationships, and learning from one another,” Simon Fogal, Head of UC and Connectivity at Alfonica, posted on LinkedIn after the event.
Meanwhile Aonix Limited posted on Instagram that it was a “pleasure” to visit various stands. “Beyond the tech, the highlight was definitely catching up with connections and making new ones across the industry,” the post concluded.
Experts on hand
There was a strong line-up of vendor partners that exhibited throughout the day at Nimans Live, which included: EPOS, Jabra, VewSonic, HikVision, Yealink, Intermedia, Zen Internet, Shokz, tp-link, Aten, Mitel, Cellhire, Boom, Yeastar, Talkative, DrayTex and BTech.
