Membership criteria.
Circles work because everyone in the room runs a real business and signs off real decisions. Here's who we're looking for.
Who we're looking for
Members lead established, profitable businesses: firms with a team, real software spend and decisions to make about AI. Most are more high street than Silicon Valley. Accountancy and law firms, recruitment agencies, estate agents, dental groups, the trades, consultancies, brokers, architects, vets and similar.
- An established, trading business, typically from around ten staff up to a few hundred
- Authority to decide on AI spend, tools and ways of working
- A willingness to share real numbers with peers, and to act on what you hear
You should qualify in at least one of the categories below.
Roles that qualify
Owners and founders
- Founder, owner or co-owner of the business
- Majority or significant shareholder who is active in running it
Partners and managing directors
- Managing partner, equity partner or senior partner in a partnership or LLP
- Managing director, CEO or general manager of the business
Senior leaders
- A director or C-level leader (for example COO, CFO or operations director) who owns the AI agenda, with the owner's backing
- Second seats are open to a number two nominated by a member
Who it isn't for
- Anyone joining to sell: software vendors, agencies, implementers and consultants looking for clients
- Early-stage startups that are not yet trading, or tech companies whose product is AI
- People exploring AI on their own, without a business or a team to bring it to
- Anyone who can't attend most monthly sessions or isn't ready to share numbers
What we ask of members
- Come to the monthly session and bring your AI P&L
- Make one commitment a month and report back on it
- Keep what you hear in the room, under the Chatham House rule and our confidentiality terms
- Be honest about your business, so we can match you well and apply the seat rule: one seat per sector per region
How we review
We read every application. If it looks like a fit, we arrange a short call, then match you to a circle by size, AI maturity and focus. We may ask for more information to confirm your role or business, and we may decline an application without giving a reason. Meeting the criteria doesn't guarantee a seat, as seats in each circle are limited.
Not sure you qualify? Ask us, or apply and we'll tell you. Pricing and payment are covered in the FAQs.