What we’re about
This is group for technologists in Charlottesville that primarily serves as the hub for some of Charlottesville's most interesting technology events, including beSwarm, beCraft, First Wednesdays, and others.
Contact the organizers if you have any questions!
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Cville AI Explorers (CvAIEx) - September Meeting #7Studio IX, Charlottesville, VA
Guest Speaker: Doug Turnbull - Search Expert & Technologist
Talk Title: What AI Teams Get Wrong about Vector Search
Vector search is everywhere—from RAG to recommendations—but most AI teams treat it like a magic box. Doug reveals the biggest misconceptions, like over-relying on embeddings or ignoring time-tested search principles, and shows how to build vector-driven systems that are both practical and reliable. If you think “embeddings + cosine similarity” is the whole story, this talk will change your mind.
About Doug: Doug is a recognized leader in search technology, co-author of Relevant Search, and creator of multiple tools and frameworks that push the boundaries of information retrieval. He’s spent years helping teams design search systems that blend classical IR with modern AI. https://softwaredoug.com/
Schedule
5:30 PM - Setup begins
6:00 PM - Doors Officially Open
Feel free to bring your own snacks or grab something from nearby eateries.
6:30 PM - Doug Turnbull
7:30 PM - "Breakout Track" Reports and 3-Minute Pitches
Continuing from our last meeting, if you have an idea for a side-series under the CvAIEx umbrella that you would like to lead, this is a chance to pitch to the group and organize the breakout track:- Nish Tahir: Technical deep dive into Stable Diffusion
- Mike Powers: Book Club
- Other Ideas? Contact Owen to have your pitch added to this list before the meetup.
7:45 PM - Open Forum
Topics or questions for group discussion:- Share your personal/group project
- Have an open discussion about [X]
- Share something interesting you saw or read recently
- Other: Contact Owen (via Meetup, Cville Slack, or LinkedIn) to add something to the list in advance, or raise an ad-hoc point at the meeting.
8:00 PM - Wrap Up
Organizers
Owen Zanzal - https://www.linkedin.com/in/owenzanzal/
Mike Powers - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-powers-4262033/
Chat with us on Cville Slack #cvilleaiexplorers
If you aren't a member of Cville Slack, DM me your email, and I'll send you an invite.Sponsors
Studio IX
Coworking space in downtown Charlottesville, Virginia, designed for freelancers, entrepreneurs, and remote workers.
Studio IX offers a flexible shared office environment with options for open workspaces, dedicated desks, and private offices. The space fosters a collaborative community through weekly events and mixers, featuring a 'warm industrial' atmosphere with ample natural light.
Amenities include high-speed internet, soundproof phone booths, conference rooms, and premium coffee. Studio IX is staffed by a community manager on weekdays and provides 24/7 access for members.
Tours of the space are available; interested individuals can contact them via:- Email: COWORK@STUDIOIX.CO
- Phone: 434.260.3803
- Website: https://www.studioix.co/
- BeCamp 2025: Friday Night Pitch Night - November 14 ( 5pm - 10pm )IX Art Park, Charlottesville, Charlottesville, VA
# BeCamp 2025: Friday Night Pitch Night
📅 Date: Friday, November 14, 2025
🕓 Time: 6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
📍 Location: The Looking Glass Art Bar, Ix Art Park — 522 2nd St SE, Charlottesville, VA***
### What’s Pitch Night?
BeCamp kicks off with Pitch Night — an open, community-driven evening where you set the agenda for Saturday.
Here’s how it works:- Socialize & network over food and drinks.
- Pitch ideas for sessions you’d like to see (no expertise required).
- Vote on your favorites.
- We’ll use those votes to build Saturday’s schedule.
It’s casual, creative, and the heart of what makes BeCamp special.
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### Important: Registration Required
👉 Please register at https://be.camp to attend.
Meetup RSVPs alone will not hold your spot.- Friday Pitch Night capacity: ~100 people
- Saturday Sessions (Nov 15 @ StudioIX): limited to ~60 people
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### Who Should Come?
- Developers, designers, entrepreneurs, and community builders
- Folks curious about tech, startups, and creative problem solving
- Anyone who likes the idea of learning from peers in an informal, collaborative environment
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### Sponsors
Big thanks to our Premier Sponsors who make this possible:
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🔗 Register now at https://be.camp to secure your spot.
***
### What is BeCamp?
BeCamp is Charlottesville’s annual unconference for technologists, creatives, and community builders.
Unlike a traditional conference, BeCamp has no set agenda, no panels, and no keynotes. Instead, it’s built by the people who show up:- On Friday night, attendees gather for Pitch Night — a casual evening of food, drinks, and idea sharing. Anyone can propose a topic, from deep technical dives to broad conversations about startups, design, or community. Everyone votes, and the most popular ideas become Saturday’s sessions.
- On Saturday, the community-built schedule comes to life. Sessions are informal and participatory — think whiteboards, discussions, demos, and collaboration instead of PowerPoint decks.
BeCamp is grassroots, free to attend, and thrives on the energy of the Charlottesville tech and creative community. It’s a space to share what you know, learn something new, and connect with others who care about building and creating.
