Milton Keynes tech startup Metronyx AI SEO Agency plans local initiative to get kids into future tech

Metronyx AI SEO, a specialist agency headquartered in MK, has announced plans for Run Dev Run, a community-focused initiative aiming to ensure every child in the city has access to the tools and skills they need to thrive in our increasingly digital world.

The initiative, currently in its vision phase ahead of a planned 2027 launch, centres on four key pillars: providing access to hardware like Raspberry Pi kits, delivering engaging educational content, encouraging creativity through project-based learning, and creating mentorship opportunities with local tech professionals.

The driving force behind Run Dev Run is Arielle Phoenix, founder of Metronyx and an AI and SEO specialist who relocated to Milton Keynes from the global SaaS industry. Phoenix has quickly become a notable figure in the city’s thriving tech scene, building Metronyx into a leading consultancy helping local businesses navigate the rapidly changing world of AI-driven search.

Speaking about the motivation behind Run Dev Run, Phoenix emphasised that while Milton Keynes is fast becoming a recognised tech hub, not every child in the city has equal access to the opportunities that creates.

“We want to bridge that gap,” she explained. “Digital literacy shouldn’t be a privilege. It should be a foundation for every young person growing up in this city.”

Run Dev Run is designed around a creative community model. The programme plans to sell branded merchandise, including the iconic “npm run dev” t-shirt (a playful nod to a command familiar to developers worldwide), with proceeds going directly towards funding digital education kits and coding club sponsorships for local schools and community groups.

Participants will also be able to join community “runs” — virtual or physical events that bring together tech workers, families, and young learners. A live impact dashboard will track the programme’s progress, showing kits delivered and children reached across MK.

Notably, Phoenix has been upfront that Run Dev Run is still in development. The initiative is not yet a registered charity and is not currently accepting funding. This is a deliberate choice to ensure proper partnerships and accountability frameworks are in place before the first kit is delivered.

“We’re building this in public,” Phoenix said. “The tech community understands the value of transparency, and we want to make sure that when we do launch, we’ve got credible partnerships with organisations like Code Club and proper structures for tracking our impact.”

The Run Dev Run initiative fits neatly into Milton Keynes’ growing reputation as a centre for tech innovation. With one in three jobs in the city now linked to the technology sector, and major developments in autonomous vehicles, drone logistics, and AI infrastructure making headlines, the need for a digitally skilled workforce has never been greater.

Metronyx itself has carved out a niche in this ecosystem, specialising in what the industry calls Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) and Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) — helping businesses become visible not just on traditional search engines, but within AI assistants like ChatGPT and Google’s AI-powered search features.

For Phoenix, initiatives like Run Dev Run represent the social responsibility side of that success.

“Tech gave me the opportunity to build something meaningful,” she said. “Run Dev Run is about making sure the next generation has the same chance.”

Details about Run Dev Run can be found at metronyx.co.uk/run-dev-run.