On Jul7 19, the Aero team had an inspiring day away from the office as we attended the Middlesbrough Front-End Conference, the biggest tech conference in Teesside and a standout event in the UK digital calendar. With speakers and attendees travelling from across the world, including Amsterdam and Portugal, the energy in the room was incredible.
As a platform committed to staying lean, modern, and ahead of emerging digital trends, events like this are invaluable. They give us the opportunity to learn from global experts, connect with our agency and partner network, and ensure Aero continues to deliver the fast, efficient ecommerce performance retailers rely on.
Knowledge-packed talks from global industry leaders
The lineup did not disappoint. The talks were varied, insightful, and packed with ideas shaping the future of front-end development:
Simeon Griggs – on why content, not components, should guide digital experiences.
Obinna Ekwuno – exploring a creative and technical journey “Up Up and Away with Astro.”
Sarah Heward – bridging the gap between tech and education.
Jo Franchetti – sharing delightful DX (developer experience) stories, including her passion for long lines.
Eddie Jaoude – inspiring attendees to accelerate their careers through Open Source contributions.
Richard Thanki – demonstrating how thoughtful engineering enables humanitarian impact.
Sophie Koonin – showcasing how she built a virtual synthesizer with JavaScript.
Phil Hawksworth – emphasising the importance of render time for seamless user experiences.
Gift Egwuenu – exploring the future of authentication beyond passwords.
Jake Archibald – bringing page transitions to life with a deep dive into modern web techniques.
The audience was completely hooked from start to finish.
Connecting with agencies, partners, and friends
We also had the chance to meet and reconnect with some of our incredible Aero agencies and partners — including Surge, The Digital Gene, Alt Labs, and Salesfire. These in-person conversations deepen the collaboration at the heart of Aero’s ecosystem.
A huge thank-you goes to the event sponsors and partners who helped make the day possible: bigbite, File Sanctuary, LeadByte, CEF, Flok, Alt Labs, Algolia, xDesign, StackUp Digital, Blend, and Middlesbrough Digital.
Proudly rooted in the North East — connected to the world
Although Aero collaborates with agencies, partners, and retailers globally, we are proudly headquartered in the North East of England, an increasingly influential hub for digital innovation. Events like the Middlesbrough Front-End Conference showcase just how much talent and creativity exists within the region.
With next year’s date already confirmed, we’re excited to return.
Looking ahead
The conference was a powerful reminder of how quickly the digital landscape evolves, and why staying ahead matters. The Aero team left feeling energised, inspired, and ready to push our platform even further.
Our commitment remains the same: to build a high-performance ecommerce platform that evolves with the industry and empowers agencies and retailers to thrive.
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