RNIB formed Technology in Learning and Employment (TiLE) in 1999 and held a series of meetings for staff to share technology developments. In 2000 TiLE hosted the first internal Techshare conference in Sheffield. Following this successful event Techshare became an annual conference, as there were no similar UK events for technology in this field.
Techshare 2002, held in Birmingham, was opened to other organisations and attendance at the Techshare conferences started to increase.
Techshare 2003 was the first to be supported by a major international sponsor, Microsoft, and attracted interest from presenters and delegates around the world.
In the following year RNIB developed Techshare 2004 further by working with a number of partner organisations such as AbilityNet, Action for Blind People, British Computer Association of the Blind (BCAB) and Guide Dogs.
Microsoft again sponsored Techshare 2005, at which Apple US gave a keynote presentation.
After a break in the conference schedule in 2006 the steering group decided the scope should be broadened further to include more of the disability sector, rather than focussing specifically on sight problems. The aim was to develop Techshare into a pan-disability digital technology conference.
In 2007 RNIB hosted the first pan-disability Techshare, which was held in conjunction with the DAISY International Conference. As the scope, and therefore size, of Techshare had evolved it was necessary to find a larger venue for Techshare 2007 and the event moved to central London.
In 2008 RNIB worked with BarrierBreak Technologies to hold Techshare India 2008, India's first conference and exhibition dedicated to accessibility and assistive technologies. This success was followed by a series of Techshare India Roadshows throughout 2008.
Building on the first pan-disability Techshare in 2007, Techshare 2009 developed this theme further and moved to an even larger venue: the ExCeL London conference and exhibition centre - the host of the 2012 Paralympics.
Techshare Mobile 2010 was a smaller one-day event held alongside Vision UK 2010 in Birmingham. Meanwhile, Barrier Break Technolgies hosted Techshare India 2010. For information on these two most recent events, read about our previous events.
The Techshare conferences have included an excellent selection of key speakers representing high profile and relevant organisations including Microsoft, Vodaphone, W3C, European Parliament, Apple US, Tesco, Nokia, RIM, Intel Corporation and the NHS.