Beta Programs: The Good, The Bad, and The Buggy

February 19: Doors open at 5:30 p.m. | Talk starts at 5:45 p.m. | Free Event

Beta programs are everywhere in tech—but what separates the good from the bad and the ugly? Join us for an open discussion and tech talk on what beta programs are, what makes them successful, and hear real stories about software testing. Whether you're just curious about software testing, have been in a beta program before, or want to network and enjoy some free food, you're welcome to join us. We haven't seen many meetup groups (if any) in the Twin Cities tech community tackle this topic, so we're excited to start this conversation!

Bring your experiences, questions, insights, and beta horror stories; this Meetup is designed to be conversational.

What We'll Cover:

• What Makes a Great Beta Program? We'll talk about the key elements that drive engagement and valuable feedback.
• The Nagios Beta Program: An inside look at how we've outlined our beta program and what our goals are for testing software.
• Industry Examples: The good, the bad, and the ugly from beta programs across the tech industry.
• Open Discussion: Share your experiences: what's worked, what hasn't, and what you wish companies did differently. And if you haven’t participated in a beta program before, feel free to bring your questions!

Agenda:

• 5:30 p.m. – Doors open, networking with pizza and beverages.
• 5:45 p.m. – Intros, presentation, & discussion begin.
• 7:00 p.m. – Event wrap-up.

Who Should Attend: IT professionals, software developers and engineers, product development techs, QA testers, or anyone looking to get into tech. There's no Nagios experience required—we'll be discussing beta programs across the tech industry.

What's Included: Free admission, food, and beverages.

Location: Nagios Enterprises
1295 Bandana Blvd N, Suite 310
St. Paul, MN 55108
Enter through the main entrance of the Atrium Office Building, and you can find us on the third floor, Suite 310 (look for the Nagios "N").

Parking: Free parking in our lot—use any non-reserved or "Nagios" spot. Overflow parking is available in the ramp.

February 19, 2026 | 5:30 – 7 p.m. CT.

Learn more about Nagios Meetups.