The event, hosted by the venture capital firm Creandum, featured a surprise one-hour "hack" session. Attendees were tasked with building products using Lovable credits, highlighting the growing trend of non-engineers using software tools to create functional applications.
George Harsini and an associate developed Suru, an app named after the Japanese word for "to do" or "to make." The tool allows users to capture audio, video, or photos to generate news stories. It includes a journalism integrity check and editing features to facilitate fast, on-the-go publishing for local events.
The creators stated that the project was motivated by the decline of local news coverage. They noted that many communities are losing consistent reporting on local government, schools, and neighborhood planning decisions due to difficult industry economics.
Organizers and attendees, including Sophia Nabil Gustafsson, Michelle C., and Naomi Kellner-Read, noted the high energy of the gathering. Participants described the current environment as a significant time for building new technology within the London ecosystem.