Garfield AI CEO Speaks at Future Fit Manufacturing Cohort on AI and Automation

Garfield AI CEO Addresses Manufacturing Leaders on How AI Can Support SME Growth and Business Resilience

Birmingham, 8 October 2025 – Philip Young, CEO and co-founder of Garfield AI, spoke at the Future Fit Manufacturing Cohort event focused on "Automation and AI," addressing West Midlands manufacturing business leaders about technological transformation and its role in supporting SME growth. The event, organised by Investment Readiness and Oxford Innovation Advice held at Barclays at Snow Hill in Birmingham, forms part of a critical investment readiness programme offering support to manufacturers navigating funding challenges and business planning.

Supporting West Midlands Manufacturing SMEs

The Future Fit Manufacturing Cohort is a fully-funded, four-session series designed to help West Midlands manufacturing SMEs "unlock investment and prepare for future growth." The programme has taken on additional significance as it offers an assistance lifeline to manufacturers, including JLR suppliers affected by recent cyber-attack challenges.

The 8 October session brought together business owners, directors, and decision-makers from manufacturing companies planning to invest in growth over the next 12-24 months, seeking both funding support and practical strategies for technological transformation.

Critical Support During Challenging Times

As reported in The Manufacturer, the Investment Readiness programme addresses urgent needs facing West Midlands manufacturers. Following disruptions that affected JLR suppliers, the programme offers:

Financial Advice and Support

• Financial advice for businesses facing cash flow challenges
• Access to loan facilities (one pressings manufacturer secured a £150,000 loan through the programme)
• Guidance on government loan guarantee schemes
• "Meet the Funders" events connecting businesses with financing sources

Investment Planning Assistance

• Business planning support
• Investment case development
• Practical strategies for securing £50,000-£250,000 investments
• Focus on machinery, automation, energy efficiency, expansion, training, and exports

Automation and AI Session

Philip Young joined speakers from Made Smarter and SWAI to explore how automation and artificial intelligence can help manufacturers invest in innovation and prepare for sustainable growth.

Regional Economic Impact

Philip's participation in the Future Fit Manufacturing Cohort reflects Garfield's commitment to supporting regional SMEs beyond the London-centric focus of much legal technology.

West Midlands Manufacturing Heritage

The West Midlands has a proud manufacturing heritage, and supporting the sector's technological transformation is crucial to regional economic prosperity.

Supply Chain Resilience

The recent challenges facing JLR suppliers demonstrate the importance of supply chain resilience. The Investment Readiness programme helps manufacturers build financial resilience to weather disruptions.

Supporting Job Creation

Manufacturing SMEs are major regional employers. Helping these businesses grow and invest in automation supports job creation and skills development across the West Midlands.

Broader Economic Benefits

Thriving manufacturing SMEs contribute to the broader regional economy through employment, supplier relationships, and community investment.

The Investment Readiness Programme

The Future Fit Manufacturing Cohort represents a comprehensive approach to supporting manufacturing SMEs:

Four-Session Series

The programme covers critical topics across four sessions:

1. Decarbonization - Supporting environmental sustainability
2. Digital Skills Transformation - Building workforce capabilities
3. Automation - Improving efficiency and productivity
4. Artificial Intelligence - Leveraging advanced technologies

Practical Focus

Rather than theoretical discussions, the programme provides practical solutions and actionable strategies that businesses can implement.

Networking Opportunities

Bringing together manufacturers facing similar challenges creates opportunities for peer learning, collaboration, and mutual support.

Expert Guidance

Speakers from organizations like Made Smarter, SWAI, and Garfield AI provide specialized expertise across different aspects of technological transformation.

Garfield's SME Focus

Philip's invitation to speak at the Future Fit Manufacturing Cohort reflects Garfield's core mission: supporting small and medium-sized businesses.

The platform was inspired by Andy, Philip's brother-in-law and a self-employed plumber near Sheffield who struggled to recover unpaid invoices from customers who occasionally refused to pay. This deeply personal connection to SME challenges informs Garfield's approach and commitment to serving businesses throughout the UK, not just in major urban centers.

Building Business Resilience

The event's timing, following disruptions affecting major regional manufacturers, underscored the importance of business resilience. While Garfield operates in legal services rather than manufacturing, the principles of building resilient, adaptable businesses apply across sectors:

• Financial resilience through effective cash flow management
• Operational resilience through technology and process improvement
• Strategic resilience through planning and scenario preparation
• Network resilience through strong relationships with suppliers, customers, and advisors

Looking Forward

The Future Fit Manufacturing Cohort represents exactly the kind of regional SME support that strengthens local economies and builds sustainable business growth. Philip's participation demonstrated how expertise from one sector, even one as seemingly unrelated as legal technology, can provide valuable solutions for businesses in other professions and industries facing their own challenges.

As West Midlands manufacturers invest in automation and AI to remain competitive and grow, addressing challenges like unpaid invoices becomes increasingly important. The capital trapped in outstanding debts could fund the technological transformations discussed at the event.

Learn More

More information about the Future Fit Manufacturing Cohort and Investment Readiness programme is available at investment-readiness.co.uk.

The Manufacturer's article about the programme is available at themanufacturer.com.

About Garfield AI Garfield AI is the world's first AI-driven law firm, approved by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. The platform helps businesses across the UK, including manufacturers and other SMEs, recover small debts through automated processes that make legal services accessible and affordable. Founded by senior City litigation lawyer Philip Young and quantum physicist Daniel Long, Garfield is transforming access to justice while helping SMEs recover the cash flow needed for growth and investment. Visit garfield.law to learn more.

Media Contact: Philip Young, CEO - philip@garfield.law Daniel Long, CTO - dan@garfield.law