Design Groups Toronto

Intro presents - Queer Desi Dating Mixer

Please note that access to this event is exclusive to those you register using the link below. Thu May 28th, 7-10 pm, Good Fortune Bar. You asked for it and we heard you! Intro's first Toronto Queer Desi Mixer. What to expect? \~Ice Breaker hosted by Harsh, cue cards and fun little games! ​\~Socialize with Queer Desis, maybe you'll find someone to go on a Sunday sunset date <3 ​\~A sundowner with drinks and a fun jolly vibe. ​\~Attire - Casuals, or whatever makes you feel confident and sexy ;) Please [CLICK HERE](https://luma.com/vbsh9shh) to book! See you soon!

Introduction to Systemic Design

**Learn to see the system, not just the problem** ​Complex challenges rarely live in one place; they span teams, touchpoints, and invisible connections. ​This session is a hands-on introduction to systemic design: an approach that combines systems thinking and design to help us better understand and work within complexity. In this interactive, learning-by-doing session, you’ll explore how systems thinking and design come together to tackle complex organizational challenges. Instead of jumping straight to solutions, we’ll step back to see the bigger picture - uncovering relationships, identifying patterns, and finding leverage points where thoughtful design can create meaningful impact. ​You’ll work through a practical case, collaborate with others, and leave with new ways of thinking about problems that don’t have simple answers. **👉 To secure your spot, please register via [Luma](https://luma.com/lqfccdiw):** https://luma.com/lqfccdiw (*Meetup RSVPs don’t guarantee a seat*) ​**What you’ll learn** * ​Core principles of systemic design (interconnectedness, leverage points, human-centered thinking) * ​How to map systems and uncover underlying dynamics * ​How to identify patterns and opportunities for intervention * ​How to move from complexity → clarity → action ​**Who this is for** * ​Designers who are tired of surface-level problem solving * ​People who jump to solutions (you know who you are) * ​Anyone curious about how ideas *actually* come together * ​Professionals who want to nerd out, experiment, and learn by doing ​ ​**Format** ​This is a **hands-on workshop**, not a lecture. Come ready to participate, think visually, and collaborate with others. We’ll have pizza and pop — come hungry :) ​ **Agenda** ​5:30 – 6:00 pm \| Arrival \+ settle in ​6:00 – 7:30 pm \| Workshop session ​7:30 pm onwards \| Stay back and connect **Location** ​Career Centre Lounge (Room 287), Rotman School of Management ​105 St. George Street, Toronto ​**In collaboration with Rotman’s Business Design Initiative (BDI)** ​Led by [Emma Aiken-Klar](https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-jo-aiken-klar-phd/?utm_source=luma), with Service Design Drinks Toronto ([Shivika Sood](https://www.linkedin.com/in/shivika-sood/?utm_source=luma)), this session explores systemic design in a hands-on, practical way. [Service Design Drinks Toronto ](https://linkedin.com/company/sddtoronto?utm_source=luma)is a community of practice - a space to learn, experiment, and connect through service design in an open, accessible way.

TechTO Summer Social | May 27

BEAUTY & FASHION w/ ALIA

Toronto Alpha Community Event: Capture. Create. Collaborate.

Toronto's Third Annual Sony Alpha Community Event! IMPORTANT: YOU MUST ALSO REGISTER AT THIS LINK: [Capture, Create, Collaborate with Sony! An Alpha Community Event Toronto Tickets, Saturday, May 23 • 12 PM - 6 PM | Eventbrite](https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/capture-create-collaborate-with-sony-an-alpha-community-event-toronto-tickets-1987308814160?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl) **Calling all photography and filmmaking enthusiasts!** Join us on **May 23, 2026 at 12:00 PM (Eastern Time)** for an awesome day at the **Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Rogers Communications Centre**! Whether you're into photography, videography, or just love Sony gear, this event is your chance to engage with industry professionals and learn how to **capture** stunning moments, **create** cool content, and **collaborate** with fellow Alpha enthusiasts. Don’t miss out on the fun and inspiration! **Expert Panels:** Gain insights and wisdom from industry leaders in photography and filmmaking. **Engaging Seminars:** Learn new techniques and tricks to enhance your craft. **Interactive Workshops:** Dive deep into the world of Sony imaging technology through immersive workshops. **Industry Professionals**: Interact and Network with a diverse community of creators and collaborators. **Experience New Technology:** Experience the latest advancements in Sony imaging technology. There will be a limited number of Sony cameras and lenses to try but we suggest bringing your gear. Don't miss out on this one of a kind experience to learn from the industry professionals

GrafanaCON Local meetup: Toronto

A taste of [GrafanaCON](https://grafana.com/events/grafanacon/) is coming to **you**! Join your local observability community for an evening of open source inspiration, real-world stories, and meaningful connections - all in a laid-back, meetup-style setting. This event will feature a recap of the GrafanaCON keynote, combined with fresh voices from your own community with an AI twist. There is so much noise these days about AI. Actually, isn’t everything about AI these days? We'll be focusing on actually useful uses of AI in the observability space, and how to add observability in your organization for all things people do with AI. You’ll walk out with best practices that you can apply wherever you work, or for your own use cases, especially since running AI workloads costs so much on many levels. Whether you’re building dashboards, scaling Kubernetes, contributing to open source, or just getting started - this meetup is for you! 🎟 Free to attend 🍕 Pizza + soft drinks provided 🤝 Built for connection 💡 Real talks from real practitioners **Agenda:** Exciting talks about Actually Useful AI *Note that by registering for this event you consent to related event & product communications from Grafana Labs and agree to our [code of conduct](https://grafana.com/events/events-code-of-conduct/).*

FASHION & FITNESS w/ VLAD

Panel Discussion: Intellectual Property in the Era of Vibe Coding

When code becomes commoditized, what actually gets protected? This is an in-person panel discussion hosted at a Dipchand Law office, bringing together experts from legal, AI, and strategy domains to explore how intellectual property is evolving in the age of AI-assisted development and “vibe coding.” **Why this matters:** AI tools are rapidly commoditizing software development. The barrier to building products is dropping, shifting the focus from writing code to owning ideas, data, and systems. This creates new challenges around ownership, licensing, and long-term defensibility. **Key discussion areas:** * Whether code still holds value as intellectual property * Ownership of AI-generated code and outputs * What developers and companies should protect beyond code (data, workflows, architecture) * Enterprise risks including compliance, governance, and data exposure * How organizations build defensibility when building becomes easy **Speakers:** **Stephano Salani** Intellectual Property Lawyer, Dipchand LLP **Yulia Pavlova, PhD** Applied AI and Governance Leader, RBC Borealis AI **Mohit Rajhans** AI Consultant, ThinkStart.ca **Event details:** Date: May 20, 2026 Time: 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM EDT Location: Dipchand LLP Office, Toronto, ON **What to expect:** Panel discussion, networking, and Q&A session **RSVP** - [https://luma.com/0ktn86g3](https://luma.com/0ktn86g3)

Make connections with relaxing conversations and art

Welcome! Join us at the North York Centre to colour and chat. You can bring your own colouring books and colouring pencils. There’s a Dollarama across the street to buy them. If you’re coming empty handed no worries you can borrow some pencils and paper from others. You can do other art related projects such as sketching, crochet etc. As long as you bring your own materials :) Please keep your DM options open for updates. We’re meeting at the lomg table inside North York Centre food court by 5:55pm. Please reach out to me if you have trouble finding the place, or have any other questions. Hope to see you soon:)

TiEQuest Summit 2026 | May 25, 2026

🎟 **This is a paid event. Tickets must be purchased on Luma.** **Get yours: [https://luma.com/tiequest-2026](https://luma.com/tiequest-2026)** **\#\#\#\# TiEQuest Summit 2026 \- Building in Canada for the World** A morning built for founders who are done thinking small - and ready to hear how the best in Canada actually went global. **🧠 What to Expect** Sharp talks and practical insights from founders, operators, and investors who are actually doing the work. No fluff, just the real story of what it takes to scale ambitious companies from Toronto to the world. **🤝 Who's in the Room** Founders at every stage. Operators building something meaningful. Investors looking for what's next. If you're shaping the future of Canadian tech, you belong here. **📍 Where** U of T Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus, one of Canada's most exciting hubs for tech and entrepreneurship. **📅 Monday, May 25, 2026** **⏰ 8:30AM – 12:30PM** **📍 108 College St, Toronto, ON**

Indoor Draw & Sketch Hangout - MaRS Discovery District

Hi everyone! We're doing an afternoon sketching hangout at the MaRS Building food court tables- Enter MaRS from Collage Street where the statue of two men are sitting by the glass doors. Turn left and head down the escalator. Turn left at the bottom of the escalator and head down the hall past another escalator and Foosball table the event will be held at the far end of the food court. **First time meeting us and still not sure about the vibe?** Check out photos from **[past in-person events of 2023](https://www.meetup.com/artsrecto/photos/34212927/)** Please bring your art supplies. Digital tablet, dry mediums, watercolour set, really anything that doesn't smell and is non toxic and easy to clean up. Please be considerate and leave the space as clean as it was before. Feel free to grab a drink or snack if you'd like. *Note the food court is closed but there are a couple of coffee shops in the area at street level. **Where to meet exactly?** MaRS Discovery District at 2pm **How to get there?** \- Public transit \- get off at Queens Park subway station\, walk East along Collage you should see glass doors with a statue of two men sitting at a table outside\. Instructions stated above Looking forward to meeting you all :) ================ **Support This Group 🥰🤩** We hope you're enjoying the Arts & Rec events! If you'd like to give support, please consider making a small Ko-fi donation of $5-10 USD at [https://www.ko-fi.com/artsnrectoronto](https://www.ko-fi.com/artsnrectoronto.) . This helps cover meetup and miscellaneous expenses with hosting events! For more inquiries, please PM me for more info! Thank you all so much!

Plan before you build: Deterministic planning patterns for AI agents

Can your agents scale without bankrupting your API quota or your compute budget? Join this session to explore a production-ready architecture that uses the LLM Council pattern, Google’s Agent Development Kit (ADK) for Java and Spring AI, all deployed on Cloud Run. And discover how replacing probabilistic reason-and-act (ReAct) loops with LLM Council enable goal-oriented action planning (GOAP) creates agents that are not only smarter but also significantly lighter and faster – making them the perfect workload for serverless execution. **About the venue** Free Times Cafe has bistro-style seating and a full food and drink menu. Please consider helping to support the venue by planning to have supper during the talk. **Speaker Bio** Dan Dobrin is an App Architect in Google Cloud, helping customer teams adopt modern AI technologies, cloud-native patterns, practices and technologies in GCP. Dan focuses on building GenAI applications, adopting AI coding assistance tooling with Gemini, Native Java Images, Spring AI, event-driven architectures, production-readiness and performance optimization. Prior to joining Google Cloud, he has built highly scalable, low-latency, frameworks for technology, security and financial services organizations.