Build with AI 2026 – CHARLOTTE

🌐 SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: Build with AI 2026 – CHARLOTTE
Greetings, Programs. We are GDG Charlotte.

The next evolution of our developer community is here with Build with AI 2026 - Charlotte. Join us for a high-impact experience featuring expert-led talks and hands-on demonstrations designed to elevate your technical skills and expand your understanding of the modern AI landscape.

Led by renowned Googlers, Google Developer Experts, and industry leaders, this event is where you will witness the power of technology unfold and acquire the tools to shape the future of tech.

💻 CORE DATA TRANSFER // EVENT STRUCTURE
Event Title: Build with AI 2026 - Charlotte

Location: Dubois Center (Uptown Campus) Access Points: Rooms 1102 & 1105 (320 E 9th St, Charlotte, NC 28202)

Community Hub: https://gdg.community.dev/gdg-charlotte/

This cycle, Build with AI 2026 features a specialized focus on the next evolution of artificial intelligence. Prepare your hardware for high-bandwidth sessions:

Agentic AI Workshop Tracks: We are hosting hands-on workshops at both Introductory and Advanced levels. Choose your difficulty and master the deployment of autonomous agents.

Vertex AI & AI Studio Access: Interface with professional-grade developer tools to build custom prompts, manage datasets, and deploy generative features at scale.

Emerging Trends Protocol: From architectural blueprints to groundbreaking advancements, stay at the forefront of the ever-evolving tech landscape.

Expert panel: Our Keynote will feature 4 technology leaders in a Q&A session. Bring your questions!

Speakers will be announced each week leading up to the event!

🥇 PRE-AUTHENTICATION: THE GAIL PROTOCOL
To maximize your system's performance during our hands-on workshops, we recommend obtaining the Google Cloud Generative AI Leader (GAIL) Certification prior to arrival.

Visual Briefing: Watch this Introductory Video from Google to understand the landscape.

Data Archives: Review the "Become a GAIL" event recordings from our September sessions via the GDG Cloud Boston YouTube Channel.

🗺️ SYSTEM NAVIGATION PROTOCOL: UPTOWN SECTOR
To successfully sync with the community, follow these coordinates to our Uptown Charlotte mainframe.

The Physical Address:

320 E 9th St, Charlotte, NC 28202

Access Instructions:

Navigate to the Dubois Center at the UNC Charlotte Uptown Campus.

Enter the facility and proceed to the 11th floor.

Our specialized protocols will be active in Rooms 1102 and 1105.

// END OF LINE: INITIALIZE YOUR BUILD
The Grid does not build itself. It requires your code, your logic, and your vision. Ensure your registration is authenticated via our community portal to secure your seat in the workshop.

We await your arrival. Let the build begin.

Agenda

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Speakers

Drew Burdick - StealthX, (Founder)

Drew Burdick is the Founder & Managing Partner of StealthX, where he helps mid-sized companies build exceptional, AI-powered digital experiences. He brings deep experience across strategy and technology, having held senior leadership roles at Slalom, AIG, and Red Ventures. Throughout his career, Drew has partnered with organizations to drive product innovation, modernize digital platforms,…

Ian Cromie - Breeez, Inc (President)

Formely at Adtrak (a UK-based digital marketing agency with 100+ employees), Ian was the director and strategist for their UK office. Early on in this role, he saw the potential to bring Adtrak's unique marketing technologies to the US. Now, he runs Breeez's Charlotte office. He oversees the digital marketing agency to boost the online presence of companies across the U.S.

Stefan Friend - Tabbris (Executive Director)

Stefan Friend is a product leader and startup advisor with deep experience building and scaling digital platforms. He has led product strategy and complex platform initiatives across fintech, SaaS, and regulated enterprise ecosystems, helping organizations translate ambitious ideas into clear roadmaps and shipped products. Known for his ability to connect technical execution with business outc…

Mohamed Shehab - UNC Charlotte (Professor)

Mohamed Shehab is an associate professor in the Department of Software and Information Systems, College of Computing and Informatics, University of North Carolina at Charlotte. He is the director of the Lab of Information Integration Security and Privacy. His research interests lie in network and information security, especially in the design and implementation of distributed access-control pr…

Steve Whitby - Cabin Consulting (Head of Strategy)

Steve solves complex business problems by keeping the focus where it belongs: on people. As a leader at Cabin, an innovation shop known for high-stakes design and engineering, he builds the tools and experiences that transform companies.

Mrinal Jain - Lowe's (Software Engineer)

Mrinal Jain is a software engineer and Flutter developer based in Charlotte, North Carolina, currently working at Lowe’s. He has over 8 years of experience building scalable web and mobile applications across industries including OTT, fintech, and consumer platforms.Previously, he worked as a Senior Software Developer at STAGE OTT, a regional streaming platform featured on

Charles D'Andrea - 1shot Labs & Pattern50 (Founder)

Charles helps product visionaries transform ideas into functional software that delivers immediate value. As a Co-founder and Managing Partner at Pattern50, he specializes in bridging the gap between ambitious vision and technical reality, leveraging modern AI tooling and agentic development to accelerate the path from concept to launch.
With over 15 yea…

Hosted By

Miguel Avila, Organizer

Miguel is a first-generation college graduate from a low-income, immigrant family, an Alum of UNC Charlotte and the Stanford Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative. A Venture For America Fellow, and the Co-Founder of Daily View Pools LLC. A swimming pool contractor building outdoor spaces that inspire time together.

Outside of work, Miguel is a startup mentor at UNC Charlotte's 49er Foundry and runs the Google Developers Charlotte where he hosts events . He is the Organizer for Google Developers Group Charlotte, and a Global Shaper in Charlotte at the World Economic Forum.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lambertoavila
https://dailyviewpools.com/

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Partners

College of Computing and Informatics (https://cci.charlotte.edu/)

School of Data Science - Charlotte (https://sds.charlotte.edu/)

Daily View Pools LLC (https://dailyviewpoolsllc.com/)

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Complete your event RSVP here: https://gdg.community.dev/events/details/google-gdg-charlotte-presents-build-with-ai-2026-charlotte/.