From Ignite Labs to Innovation: How AI-Powered Holograms Can Transform Education and Business
Over the past few months, I had the incredible opportunity to participate in the Ignite Labs: Digital Innovation programme a transformative initiative designed to empower Further Education (FE) colleges to become hubs of innovation for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). This experience has not only broadened my perspective on digital innovation but has also allowed me to collaborate with some of the brightest minds in FE and business.
This 6-week programme, spanning from November 2024 to February 2025, was a further education institution’s transformative roadmap. Armed with tools, resources, and expert guidance, it empowered the colleges that took part to explore and expand our offerings to businesses.
"AI and holographic technology are not here to replace educators, they're here to empower them. By integrating immersive digital tools, we can enhance learning experiences, make expertise more accessible, and create opportunities that were once unimaginable.
The future of education isn’t about choosing between humans and technology—it’s about bringing them together to drive meaningful change."
Dr. Sage Lal, Innovate Consultant
Bridging the Gap Between FE Colleges and SMEs
One of the key takeaways from the Ignite Labs programme was the critical role FE colleges play in fostering business growth and innovation. SMEs often struggle with access to cutting-edge technology, digital transformation, and workforce upskilling.
However, through partnerships with FE colleges, these businesses can leverage expertise, research, and training to stay ahead in an increasingly digital world. The programme emphasized how colleges can serve as incubators for innovation, helping businesses test, develop, and scale new ideas. With Rosie Peacock championing the role of FE Colleges in local innovation ecosystems, and exploring the benefits of Ignite Labs for the sector - the results of this pilot were inspiring.
"Innovation thrives when education and business collaborate. The Ignite Labs programme has shown how FE colleges can be powerful drivers of change, using AI and emerging technologies to support both learners and SMEs. By embracing design thinking and digital transformation, we can create solutions that are not just visionary but truly impactful."
Conrad Taylor, Business Learning Technology Head | City of Wolverhampton College
Colleges from around the UK pitched great diverse ideas, from whole-system and whole-college approaches to Hologram AI-driven learning and business growth support, all tested and refined through the programme. With Ian Heywood and Laine Neucom's guidance.
Participants saw firsthand how overlooking design principles leads to common pitfalls, reinforcing the importance of thoughtful innovation. If I had been in a Dragons Den I'd be broke. Debbie Johnson Head of Innovation Talent & Skills Innovate UK
The Power of AI and Holograms in Learning & Business
Throughout the programme, we explored various digital innovation strategies, but one concept that truly stood out was the potential of AI-powered holograms. Imagine a world where students can interact with virtual Albert Einstein to learn about relativity or where SMEs can train employees through immersive, AI-driven holographic simulations. This is no longer the realm of science fiction, it’s a reality we can build today.
By integrating holograms and AI, we can..
? Enhance student engagement by creating interactive, immersive learning experiences.
? Bridge the skills gap by providing SMEs with cost-effective, scalable training solutions.
? Improve knowledge retention through AI-driven adaptive learning models.
? Offer businesses an innovative edge by transforming customer engagement and product training.
Turning Ideas into a Winning Pitch
The Ignite Labs experience culminated in a final pitch session, where I had the chance to present a project on AI-powered holograms for education and corporate training. This was the perfect opportunity to apply design thinking which I have completed with IBM, business modeling, and technology innovation strategies I had learned throughout the programme and show the great work of the Media Digital group through the work we have been doing with each other.
The Hologram project is designed with a holistic understanding of the educational ecosystem, ensuring it integrates seamlessly into existing learning environments while enhancing accessibility, engagement, and scalability.
The grand finale where I got an opportunity to present our project to a panel of senior stakeholders, share insights, and celebrate the transformative journey. It will also be a chance to network and reflect on the collective impact of the programme.
Thanks to the judges and their feedback... Meha Hindocha TPXImpact, Mick Card Innovate UK Business Connect, Debbie Johnson Head of Innovation Talent and Skills Innovate UK , @Peter Karnet Digital Catapult
The pitch focused on how AI-powered holograms can:
? Solve engagement challenges in FE and corporate training.
? Make expert-led training more accessible and scalable.
? Enable SMEs to leverage cutting-edge technology without high costs.
? Seamlessly integrate into existing learning and business frameworks.
The biggest challenge in education and workforce training today is engagement, accessibility, and personalization. Traditional learning methods struggle to keep pace with diverse learners, and many schools, colleges, and SMEs lack access to top-tier expertise. Passive teaching formats fail to captivate modern audiences, while businesses struggle to deliver cost-effective, scalable training solutions.
During the Ignite Labs: Digital Innovation programme, we explored how emerging technologies could bridge this gap. The solution? AI-powered holograms—a tool to bring world-class experts into any classroom or workplace, delivering interactive, personalized, and immersive learning experiences. By combining AI-driven conversations with lifelike 3D projections, we can make education more engaging, training more effective, and learning more accessible than ever before.
AI in UK Classrooms: Key Stats
Student Use of AI
Teacher Adoption
Concerns & Regulation
AI in education is growing rapidly, but human oversight remains crucial.
Sources: Guardian, Literacy Trust, Gov.uk.
This idea took shape through collaboration with FE colleges, SMEs, and digital innovators, proving that when education and business work together, real transformation happens. Now, the goal is to take this concept forward, turning innovation into impact.
"The future of education and workforce training lies in immersive, AI-driven experiences. At Media Digital Group, we see holographic and AI-powered learning as a game-changer—bridging the gap between knowledge and real-world application. Innovation like this is exactly what SMEs and FE colleges need to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving digital landscape."
Gary Director, Media Digital Group
The response was overwhelmingly positive, reinforcing the belief that FE institutions are key enablers of business innovation and that AI-driven solutions can revolutionise how we teach, train, and interact.
As AI and holographic technology enter education and workforce training, ethical considerations and the role of human educators must remain a priority. The Judges on the panal were keen to make the point... Technology should enhance, not replace teachers and trainers, acting as a tool to support learning rather than eliminating jobs.
The goal is to bridge knowledge gaps, improve accessibility, and make training more engaging, not to remove the human connection that is vital to education. By ensuring AI is used responsibly, we can empower educators with better tools, freeing them from repetitive tasks so they can focus on mentorship, creativity, and critical thinking, the aspects of learning that technology can’t replicate. Ethical deployment means striking a balance between innovation and humanity, creating a future where AI supports, rather than replaces, skilled professionals.
What’s Next?
The Ignite Labs programme has been a game-changer. Moving forward, the focus will be on working with FE colleges, SMEs, and industry leaders to take this project from pitch to pilot. By securing funding and forming strategic partnerships, we can make AI-powered holograms a staple in education and corporate learning not replacing trainers or teachers but aiding them.
By considering the full educational and workplace ecosystem, our hologram system will ensure practicality, usability, and long-term impact, driving meaningful change in learning and professional training environments. We are keen to do more research.
To anyone in the FE sector, business, or tech innovation. Let’s connect! Collaboration is the key to making these ideas a reality. If you're interested in how AI and digital innovation can transform your institution or business, let’s start the conversation.
Lets Talk
Dr Sage Lal | INNOVATE CONSULTANT| [email protected]
https://www.wolvcoll.ac.uk/employers/
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#DigitalInnovation #IgniteLabs #AI #Holograms #FEColleges #SMEInnovation #FutureOfLearning Innovate UK Innovate UK Business Connect Midlands Creative mediagroupdigital City of Wolverhampton College ThirdWaveICT
Lead Specialist - Innovation Skills - Innovate UK
1 周Thanks for being involved Sage, and for the fab presentation!
Executive Vice President. TeamOptix, LLC.
2 周I love the way these kind of experiences ‘hook’ learners and provide a layer of depth to the learning that might not be possible with traditional methods. However, long lasting impact comes through the way an educator facilitates learning, questions and takes learners on a connected learning journey built on the foundation of a strong relationship. It’s important to embrace new technologies and keep our traditional skills sharp! What do you think?
Meta-Skills in Business EI >Creativity Innovation >Neuroscience in AI >Systems Leadership >Scenario Planning >Wellness Advocate MIND >EY Coach for Global Entrepreneurs >Energy, Education, Healthcare, Humanity & Wellbeing
2 周At the risk of being controversial, love what you are doing, this approach offers a fresh and intriguing method of learning. However, what value do advancements in technology hold if our methods of thinking and learning remain anchored in the past, perpetuating condition-driven thought processes? We must be thoughtful in this regard. Having said that, this represents the journey towards truly innovative thinking. I fully support these initiatives and will happily introduce them into my network. Well done Sage.
Embedding Greater Manchester's Further Education Colleges within the Innovation Ecosystem (secondment)
2 周Great to meet you Sage Lal -I look forward to keeping in touch. I agree, it was a great process & final day. Best wishes
Media Group
2 周An excellent and informative post Sage, well done ??