National Small Business Association

Easter Monday still free? Come join us for a walk between two of Utrecht's most beautiful castles! 🏰 We start from the bus stop Haarzuilens, Kasteel de Haar and make our way through nature to Slot Zuylen, two stunning spots that are worth a visit any time of year. The walk is around 2,5-3 hours and there will be plenty of time to explore both castles and take a break in between. A nice way to spend a hopefully sunny day, get some fresh air, and meet some new people along the way.

If you are living in The Netherlands, by now, you may well have noticed the amount of open water. If you enjoy cycling in the city, you may wish to feel safer as you navigate the bridges and canals. And you may also want to get ready for visiting the beach, pools or the many lakes this summer. Learning how to swim takes approx 1 year and it all starts with the very first lesson. New comers enroll via our website and pay € 30,50, this is the first lesson and a goody bag. After the class you agree with the personal swim coach how to continue to obtain your final objectives. Enrolling is only possible via [www.your-personal-swim-coach.nl ](https://www.your-personal-swim-coach.nl/)hence a rvsp via meetup is not enough.

A great ride along the Vecht and Gein rivers. You will love this route. Please ride single file along the winding river as there can be cars around each corner. **Route:** https://connect.garmin.com/modern/course/441606271 GPX: https://drive.google.com/file/d/17-T_pT_GH3QKSFcH1WWgfArvxSdAkVzO/view?usp=sharing **Afterwards:** Drinks at Polder https://maps.app.goo.gl/tbt5DDG7YLU3uWvaA **Rules:** \- Download the route to your cycling computer so you can always find your way home \- Make sure to arrive on time \- Before you ride\, decide as a group how you want to ride: you can split up in a fast and a slow group or stay together\, but make sure to discuss what pace you are going to ride and whether you are going to wait if someone is slower than the group\, or not\.

Samen sporten, gewoon voor de fun, elke week een divers programma, met allerlei verschillende sporten. Je hoeft niet de beste te zijn, maar wel zin hebben om samen te spelen en te leren. Tijdens een training doen we verschillende spelletjes, basketbal, voetbal. volleybal, spikebal, honkbal. Kom je ook, de bal ligt bij jou!! Eerste keer meedoen is altijd gratis, daarna kan je beslissen of dit voor jou is, of niet!! Dus kom een keer proberen. Kan je niet op deze dag, we sporten ook op andere dagen nl Zondag om 9:30 of Maandag om 20:30 Stuur mij een berichtje als je op die dagen een keer wil proberen! The amount of people rsvp'd to this game doesn't match the real number of people at the event, as Meetup is only used for promotion purposes.

New Year, New Sport! 🏐 ​Whether you've never played volleyball before or it’s been many years since you last hit the court, you are very welcome to join our Beginner Group! ​We train every Monday at 9 PM at Gymnasium Bibian Mentel in Zeeburgereiland. ​Come learn the basics, get moving, and meet new people in a fun, relaxed environment. ​Get more info here: ​WhatsApp Group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/EnPEK1bHLiTGdpqz6Vtbm4 ​Instagram: @brazucavolley

We’ll go for a relaxed 45-minute walk through Amstelpark, following the designated paths. With spring in full bloom, the park is looking especially beautiful—perfect for a refreshing stroll and good company. 🌸 🌷 🌹 🪻 🌿 After the walk, we can grab a drink at the mini golf & pancake restaurant, which is also the meeting point🥞🍹 Please bring comfortable shoes and only sign up if you are really joining. Looking forward to seeing you there!

Join this INNOVATE A.I. XL Meetup and learn about the latest groundbreaking innovations in A.I. in the Arnhem-Nijmegen region! More information and registration via: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/tickets-innovate-ai-meetup-2026-xl-edition-1981929859562?aff=oddtdtcreator

Get your ticket for only 7,50! Click the link below to secure your spot via Eventbrite: [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1981929859562/?discount=INT26](http://www.eventbrite.com/e/1981929859562/?discount=INT26 "http://www.eventbrite.com/e/1981929859562/?discount=INT26") **The main programme will take place from 20.00 - 21.30 in the Muzenzaal. It will be in English entirely and feature 6 speakers:** **Read hear for more information:** A.I. seems to be developing both at lightspeed and on a global scale - revolutionary breakthroughs make news headlines almost every day. Generative AI applications like Chat GPT and Midjourney have made the technology accessible for a worldwide audience. But even though these applications seem impressive, they are just the tip of the AI-iceberg. INNOVATE was wondering, how are the AI innovators in the Lifeport Arnhem-Nijmegen region doing? And what are they up to? Well, we did the research and it turns out our region holds some absolutely amazing innovations and stories we can't wait to share with you! So: bring your friends, colleagues, or fellow students and join us for this INNOVATE AI MEETUP - XL Edition and get inspired by the latest breakthrough innovations in AI. Learn how AI innovations from our region add to the development of A.I. as a technology, globally. Let entrepreneurs, designers and innovators in health + high tech + energy + creative demonstrate how they use AI to make impact on scale. **Speakers:** **1.Where is AI in it's development right now, and where is it going from here?** Prof. dr. **Pim Haselager** (Radboud University / Principal Investigator - Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour) mentioned during his previous presentation at INNOVATE a few years ago: ''Humanity and AI are somewhat like a child playing with a chainsaw'' ... How are we handling that right now, and where should we be going from here? **2.Can AI help save hundreds of lives per day?** Every day, around 700 women die from preventable pregnancy-related complications, most of them in low- and middle-income countries where access to ultrasound and trained sonographers is limited. To address these barriers to antenatal screening, **Delft Imaging**, in collaboration with **Radboudumc**, initiated the development of **BabyChecker**, an AI-enabled system that supports novice users in acquiring standardized ultrasound sweeps with a low-cost device and automatically identifying high-risk pregnancies. **Sofia Sappia** is researcher in AI for Medical Imaging at Radboudumc and one of the driving forces behind the Babychecker technology, she will tell us everything about her life saving application of AI. **3.Could an AI-powered app provide a new way to look at businesses?** Arnhem-based creative multi talent Sil van der Woerd (co-founder & creative director, [Studio Birthplace](https://www.studiobirthplace.com/ "https://www.studiobirthplace.com/")) pleads for *a revolution of kindness* with his work. His activistic short films and commercials for organisations like Woolmark and Greenpeace have reached audiences all over the world. Right now he is working on an AI powered app, *Reveal*, that could be a game changer in how we look at businesses worldwide. **4.How can AI turn a congested power grid into a flexible energy system?** Luc Nies (Principal Researcher Artificial Intelligence at Alliander) works at the forefront of the energy transition, where digitalisation is key to keeping the lights on. With the Dutch electricity grid under extreme pressure—long waiting times for new connections, growing risks of overload and blackouts—he explores how AI can help transform our 'old school powergrid' into a 'flexible energy system'. From smart forecasting and energy management systems to new tariff models, Luc shows how hospitals, schools and businesses can remain resilient in an increasingly electrified world. **5.How can AI radically accelerate software development?** Stefan Jansen (Lead, AI Experience Room at Avisi) shows how AI is transforming the way software is built. Where developing a software product once took a year, teams can now go from idea to market in a matter of weeks—or even days. Drawing on real-world projects, Stefan explores how AI-powered tooling reshapes the entire software lifecycle: from requirements and development to testing, deployment and cloud hosting. The result: faster innovation, shorter time-to-market, and a new reality where software teams must rethink what’s possible—and how fast they dare to move. **6.When AI leaves the cloud, what happens next?** As a global leader in semiconductors, NXP Semiconductors is enabling the next wave of AI—where intelligence moves from centralized data centers to *the edge*. From smart edge computing to AI running directly on devices, NXP builds the hardware that makes AI faster, safer and more energy-efficient. With change accelerating at unprecedented speed, this session explores the latest breakthroughs in edge AI—and the strategic choices companies must make now, as intelligence becomes embedded everywhere and waiting is no longer an option. **7.How can the Lifeport region help shape the future of AI in the European Union?** Alexandra van Huffelen, Chair of the Executive Board of Radboud Universiteit and Chair of The Economic Board Arnhem Nijmegen – Lifeport, brings together academic leadership, regional strategy and national policy experience. As former State Secretary for Digitalisation, she offers a unique perspective on how AI can drive innovation while safeguarding public values. In her closing remarks, she reflects on the role of AI in strengthening the Arnhem–Nijmegen region as a leading Lifeport ecosystem—and the choices we must make today to shape that future responsibly. The main programme will be moderated by **Eva Eikhout** (BNN/Vara)

Join us for a fun session of improv theatre in English! A great opportunity to meet new people in Utrecht and learn something new with [Improv Utrecht](https://improvutrecht.nl). Everyone can partcipate, you don't need any experience in theatre nor fluency in English. In this session you will: * Meet fellow international and local players. * Learn the basics of improvisation, a 21st-century skill that is useful in many aspects of life. * Get out of your head. * Enjoy failing. * Play funny and moving theatre games. * Laugh a lot, while surprising yourself and others. Doors open: 19:50-20:00, come in with the others ([SIDE entrance, at the Troelstralaan](https://maps.app.goo.gl/ntLDUqbkDxMHjp7B7)). After 20:01 the door may be closed, but you may find a participant who knows the door code. Workshop: 20:00-22:00 Every Friday except in school holidays Afterwards we have drinks at [O'Leary's](https://maps.app.goo.gl/gL878K1MZf8v5fpm7) pub together ### How to sign up Full details about how to sign up and any other questions you may have can be [found on our website](https://www.improvutrecht.nl/drop-in-workshops/). An RSVP in this Meetup event is not enough! We track attendance by counting the attendants in GrasshopperSignup. If you flag yourself as attending and can no longer make it, please delete your x in the sheet so that someone else can take your spot. If you leave your contact details at the Signup form we will contact you if there is a problem with a drop-in you are scheduled to attend. We also have a WhatsApp group with a variety of members from across Utrecht where we share events and updates. You can find our courses and shows on [our website](https://www.improvutrecht.nl). Participation is pay-what-you-can, but we suggest a donation of €10-20 by cash or Tikkie to help cover costs (location, travel) and show your appreciation for our professional trainers who dedicate their Friday to promoting improv.

It's time for a new Dutch PowerShell User Group in-person edition. This continues our community events, bringing people together around DevOps, PowerShell scripting, and automation in the Netherlands. Hosted at Rubicon in Leusden, the evening will be a chance not only to learn but also to reconnect with fellow community members. **Speakers** As part of this restart, we have opened a [Call for Papers](https://sessionize.com/dupsug/) to give both new and experienced speakers the opportunity to contribute. The full program will be announced soon. **Agenda** The event will take place on the 8th of April, 2026. All times are listed in CET. * 17:30 – 18:00 Arrival * 18:00 – 18:45 Dinner * 18:45 – 19:00 Welcome from Rubicon / Organizers * 19:00 – 19:45 First Session * 19:45 – 20:15 Break * 20:15 – 21:00 Second Session * 21:00 – 21:30 Networking **Speaker Information** With the restart of DuPSUG, we are opening the stage for both familiar names and new voices. The [CFP](https://sessionize.com/dupsug/) is currently live, and speakers will be announced shortly. **Sessions** As we restart our events, sessions will continue to focus on advanced topics in automation, scripting, and DevOps. ### 1\. Keep secrets away from AI Assistants: Secure Secrets Management with PowerShell \- Jev Suchoi *More often than not, today’s engineering happens inside AI-assisted development environments (IDE's). While this boosts productivity, it also introduces a new risk: secrets leaking into prompts, suggestions, logs, or chat history. This session shows how to set up a local engineering environment using PowerShell so secrets never end up in code, source control, or an IDE’s AI assistant.* *The session starts with pragmatic local engineering patterns: separating configuration from code, structuring local secret files, and using .gitignore correctly to prevent accidental exposure. From there, it moves to a secure-by-default approach using the PowerShell SecretManagement and SecretStore modules. Encrypted vault registration, safe unlocking, and runtime secret consumption are covered without leaking sensitive values into scripts, terminals, AI prompts or sharing them with AI Assistants lurking in your development environment.* *As a demo, secure authentication to Azure and Azure DevOps is demonstrated using PowerShell without exposing credentials to environment variables, clipboard history, or AI tooling. The focus remains on habits and patterns that scale from solo engineers to professional engineering teams.* ### 2\. Modern Powershell module development \- Marko Stanojevic *Demonstrate powershell module template with built in versioning, labeling, CI/CD, devcontainer, VS code settings, built in tasks, Github Copilot and agents instructions, pull request labeling and release notes automatic generation.* *[https://github.com/WarehouseFinds/PSScriptModule](https://github.com/WarehouseFinds/PSScriptModule)* **Location** We are in-person at: Rubicon Leusderend 36 3832 RC Leusden Participation is free, and you are encouraged to attend in person. **Tickets** We kindly ask you to register your attendance through Meetup. Our events are made possible through sponsorship, and accurate attendance numbers help us secure continued support. Please make sure to register if you plan to attend, and update your RSVP if your plans change.

#This meetup is around a third-party organizer (Lux Nijmegen): you need to purchase your ticket online before # **Curious about the best short films of the moment? Go Short is back at LUX Nijmegen!** Since the festival schedule is huge, I picked out two blocks from the European Competition for the meetup. **Here is the plan:** * **19:15 – 20:45 \| Block 1: EU Comp 3** https://www.goshort.nl/en/festival-program/block?programId=2982&viewingId=5093 * **21:15 – 22:45 \| Block 2: EU Comp 4** https://www.goshort.nl/en/festival-program/block?programId=2983&viewingId=5102 Feel free to drop in for just one of the blocks, or stay for the double feature. **Ticket Info:** Tickets must be purchased online in advance. Be aware that the EU Competition blocks tend to be popular and might sell faster! If you want to join for both blocks, I highly recommend getting a **Day Ticket**. Otherwise, you can just book a single ticket for the specific block you want to see. **Tickets: https://www.goshort.nl/en/tickets** **Meeting point:** I will be at LUX right by the entrance, from 18:30 and during the break between the two screenings so we can meet before each block starts. **More info**: https://www.goshort.nl/en/go-short-festival-2026 Hope to see you soon!

The Alliance is part of the Greater Central Ohio Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society. We are an all-voices chorus dedicated to providing an inclusive environment for all those who love to sing, regardless of their race, gender identity, sexual orientation or musical background. The Alliance is the first and only all-voices barbershop chorus in Central Ohio. **Who:** Anyone with a passion for singing at a high level. Previous barbershop chorus/quartet experience not required. **When:** The Alliance rehearses weekly on Thursdays from 7pm-10pm. **Where:** Lord Of Life Lutheran Church: 2480 W Dublin Granville Rd, Columbus, OH 43235 To become a full member of The Alliance, we welcome you to start by visiting us for a few rehearsals to experience the group and sing with us! Then, you may begin the 2-part audition process for membership: the assessement, and audition. We strive to make our auditions as stress-free as possible to help you let your best singing self shine.

Bring your business cards and network in person with other business professionals! Gold Star Referral Clubs is one of the most established professional networking organizations in the country, with multiple groups in central Ohio. Join us!

**Confidence & Connection: Using Your Authentic Truth to Find Your People** Confidence isn’t just about believing in yourself, it’s about knowing where you belong and who you can grow alongside. In this April Confidence Lab Happy Hour, we’ll explore how living in your authentic truth helps you find your people, build meaningful collaborations, and create spaces where vulnerability is met with respect rather than risk. Together, we’ll reflect on what it looks like to advocate for yourself with clarity and care, and how confidence deepens when it’s rooted in connection rather than comparison. Featured speaker **Lachandra Baker**, founder of **[LBB Edutainment](https://www.lbbedutainment.com/)** and author of *Your Own Biggest Cheerleader*, will share reflections on authenticity, psychological safety, and the power of community over individual achievement. Drawing from personal stories—including the significance of turning 53—Lachandra will invite us into a conversation about showing up fully, being seen, and choosing relationships that support who you truly are. Expect a warm, welcoming atmosphere with space for reflection, shared insight, and intentional connection—plus drinks, light bites, and the kind of conversations that remind you you’re not meant to do this alone. Come as you are. Leave feeling clearer about your voice, your people, and the confidence that grows when both are aligned. **What is Confidence Lab?** Confidence Lab is a monthly community experience for bold, thoughtful leaders building confidence from the inside out. Whether you’re launching a business, leading a team, navigating change, or simply striving to show up more fully—you belong here. Our work demands clarity, courage, and conviction—but the pace of daily life can erode our sense of self. Confidence Lab creates space to reflect, reconnect, and grow with others doing purpose-driven work. It’s designed for entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, creatives, corporate professionals, activists, and anyone ready to lead with authenticity and impact. ***Please note:*** *All are welcome! If cost is a concern, please use promo code PUBLIC to access a free ticket—we want you to join us.*

At Evolve Synergy Sessions, you'll be part of a supportive mastermind where we share challenges, brainstorm solutions, and inspire one another to take bold steps in our businesses. Grow your network, gain fresh perspectives, and build meaningful relationships with like-minded women who are committed to success. Whether you’re looking to move the needle in your business or simply need a space to connect and recharge, this is the perfect place to fuel your entrepreneurial journey. [Add Event to Calendar](https://evolvecolumbus.eventcalendarapp.com/) \*\* Please note, we will be arriving around 8:15a for open networking! Get there early and get connected! Contact Alexis Morley at [alexis.morley@edwardjones.com](mailto:alexis.morley@edwardjones.com) or Terri Lawson at [terri.lawson@e-merge.com](mailto:terri.lawson@e-merge.com) for more information.

**Connected Westerville Night of Networking** *April Edition: The Introduction Economy* You've been to the networking events. You've done the small talk. Collected the cards. Forgotten the names. And walked out feeling like you just wasted two hours of your life. The problem isn't you. It's the format. Most networking events put you in a room and tell you to figure it out. So everyone defaults to elevator pitches and business talk, and nothing real gets built. Here's the truth about networking that most people miss: Your network isn't just who you know. It's who thinks of you when they're talking to someone else. *That's* The Introduction Economy. And it only works when relationships are real. There's a reason people who come once keep coming back. It starts with seven minutes that feel nothing like networking. Then we open it up. Free networking. More conversations. More momentum. This is a room full of corporate professionals, entrepreneurs, business owners, creatives, and career builders in the Westerville and Columbus area. The mix is the magic. You might never do business with everyone you meet tonight. But someone in this room will think of *you.* **By name**. So, the next time someone needs exactly what you do, you get the recommendation. **April 14th. RSVP now.** **When:** Tuesday\, April 14th \| 6:15 PM \-\- 8:00 PM **Where:** Vineyard Community Center \| 6000 Cooper Rd\, Westerville\, OH 43081