News25 June 2026
We kicked the festivities off with an inspiring keynote from Layla Dillon, CEO and Founder of XSAIA, who also sits on the Ada Board of Governors. Despite a record-breaking 38-degree heatwave, Layla’s speech was FULL of energy and passion as she shared her journey from student to CEO.
A core message throughout her talk was that the world changes consistently and rapidly. We can never fully predict the next major global event or the next wave of emerging technology, and that unpredictability can have a massive impact on both our career journeys and personal lives. Because no amount of preparation can completely future-proof you, Layla stressed how important it is to remain flexible. We have to be open to change, keep learning, and never be afraid to pivot or try a completely new pathway later in life.
Layla is the perfect example of this, having pivoted several times herself:
- She dreamt of being an astrophysicist and successfully achieved her PhD.
- Just as she graduated, the global economy collapsed. Job applications were pulled due to a lack of funding.
- Instead of giving up, she reinvented herself as a coach, business owner, and entrepreneur.
- When the AI boom arrived, she pivoted again, retraining as a data scientist.
- She eventually became a recognized thought leader and Head of Data Science and AI.
- Never losing her initial calling for astrophysics, she combined her passions and became the CEO and Founder of XSAIA!
Before wrapping up, she left our students with five crucial pieces of advice to carry forward:
- I was not expected to be here
- I built bridges from whatever I had
- The world broke the plan more than once
- The pattern only made sense later
- Now the world is changing again. Each next step can help you build your bridge earlier.
Following the keynote, students had the opportunity to anonymously submit and vote on questions for our panel of industry volunteers.
(A massive thank you to Amy Stuart-Box, Maria Santizo Iturb and Micheal Nestor (Bank of America), Ilker Tufan (King games) and Biliana Draganova (Tata Consulting Services) for sharing your real-world tech experience!)
And don’t worry, we didn’t forget about lunch! We know the true key to a happy student is good food, and there was plenty to go around. We feasted on pizza while our industry volunteers mingled with the students, helping them practice their networking skills and start building those all-important LinkedIn connections.
Fuelled by pizza, the group then headed to the Sports Hall for a masterclass in Effective AI Prompting.
Students were tasked with putting their new skills to the test, working in teams to develop creative solutions to specific prompts using AI. The workshop then culminated in final presentations, with goodie bags and special awards handed out for the Most Sublime Solution, Best Presentation, and Top Teamwork.
At 3pm, the DigiFest Fun began! The campus transformed into a festival space complete with a popcorn machine, pick-and-mix sweet stations, ping pong, gaming areas, table football, and a photobooth. Some students battled it out in pairs, while others teamed up for chaotic games of “round the table” ping pong. To help everyone cool down, ice pops were handed out across the campus, and every single student went home with a personalized Ada keychain to remember the day.
Events like this don’t happen without an incredible team. A huge thank you to our current Year 12 student volunteers for coming in to help out (and for finishing off the leftover pizza ;)), our dedicated industry volunteers for sticking it out in the 38-degree heat, our brilliant speaker Layla, and all the Ada staff who brought the day to life!
We had an amazing time, and we can’t wait to see all of our offer holders officially join us in September!
Don’t forget to keep an eye out on our socials, and event pages to see what events are coming up next!