Aerospace Engineering

Wir bieten allen Interessierten die Möglichkeit, mit Elektronik zu basteln. Workshops und Vorträge zu verschiedenen Themen rund um Elektronik und Software sind willkommen. Von Arduino bis zu komplett selbst entwickelten High-End Schaltungen sind wir für alle kreativen Ideen offen. Wir haben auch Gruppen rund um das Nähen, Programmieren, Retro Computer. Wir treffen uns immer am Dienstag und am Freitag ab 18:00 Uhr. Egal ob Anfänger oder Profi – hier seid Ihr jederzeit Willkommen. Ihr könnt mit anderen fachsimpeln oder auch mit unserer Hilfe Eure ersten elektronischen Gehversuche starten. Wenn zeitgleich in den vorderen Räumen Workshops oder Vorträge stattfinden, kann hinten Werkstattbetrieb stattfinden.

*Please note, this event is free but please sign up here so we can inform the venue of your attendance: [https://uxdx.com/community/community-berlin-2026-02-10/](https://uxdx.com/community/community-berlin-2026-02-10/)* Design is changing — both in what we build and how we build it. This month we’ll explore how teams are designing more local, trust-driven experiences that connect online and offline behavior, and how AI is reshaping the way designers move from idea to working prototype. Together, these perspectives show how design is evolving at both the strategic and execution levels: from what we build for people, to how quickly and effectively we can build it. **AGENDA:** **6:00 PM:** Registration and networking **6:20 PM:** Welcome from UXDX Berlin **6:30 PM:** Talk: *"From Marketplaces to Neighborhoods"* with **[Yihui Liu](https://www.linkedin.com/in/yihui-liu-b98627121/),** Product Design Lead, eBay An exploration on how eBay uses design to shift their experience from a global marketplace to a more local, human, and connected ecosystem. **7:00 PM:** Talk: *"3 Months to 2 Weeks: Using AI to Build MVPs in a Single Design Sprint"* by **[Behrad Mirafshar](https://www.linkedin.com/in/behradmirafshar/),** CEO, Bonanza Studios Practical walkthrough of how they've compressed the design-to-working-prototype cycle using tools like Claude Code + Figma Make. What works, what doesn't, and where the hype falls short. **7:30 PM:** Closing Remarks **7:40 PM:** Networking Thank you [Delivery Hero](https://www.deliveryhero.com/) for supporting the event. See you there!

¿Te apetece pasar una tarde agradable jugando a juegos de mesa y conociendo gente nueva en un ambiente relajado y cercano? Este encuentro está pensado precisamente para eso: socializar, conectar y pasarlo bien, sin importar si ya conoces los juegos o si es tu primera vez en el grupo. 🎲 ¿Qué tipo de juegos jugamos? Elegimos juegos accesibles, dinámicos y sociales, no solo juegos largos o complicados. Por ejemplo: Juegos rápidos y ligeros como 6 nimmt!, Love Letter o Sushi Go Juegos de interacción y risas como Codenames, Dixit o Exploding Kittens Juegos de deducción social como The Resistance, Salem o Werewolves Y, si apetece, algún juego un poco más estratégico, siempre explicado con calma 👉 No importa si es tu primera vez en el grupo: explicamos las reglas y elegimos juegos accesibles para que todo el mundo se sienta cómodo desde el principio. El juego es solo la excusa para socializar y conectar de forma natural. 🌱 Un espacio seguro y diverso Solemos ser un grupo diverso, abierto y con muy buen rollo, donde se respeta a todo el mundo. Queremos crear un entorno amable, sin juicios, en el que cualquiera pueda sentirse a gusto. 🗣️ En español (o para practicarlo) Si hablas español o te apetece practicarlo en un entorno amable y natural, estarás más que bienvenida/o. El grupo suele estar formado por personas de distintos orígenes y niveles, y la comunicación fluye de manera relajada. Si te apetece conocer gente de forma tranquila, sin presión y con los juegos como punto de encuentro, este plan es para ti. ¡Te esperamos! 😊

A Berlin meetup bridging Product, UX, Design, and Dev to build better products, faster. A collaboration between UXDX Community and UX Gym. This is our first event of the year, and it's in person. Throughout 2025, we'll host more events and partner with conferences to bring you exclusive discounts. **[Registration Link](https://uxdx.com/community/community-berlin-2026-02-10/)** **From Marketplaces to Neighborhoods** An exploration of how eBay uses design to shift its experience from a global marketplace to a more local, human, and connected ecosystem. [Yihui Liu](https://www.linkedin.com/in/yihui-liu-b98627121/)[,](https://uxdx.com/profile/yihui-liu/)Senior Product Design,eBay **3 Months to 2 Weeks: Using AI to Build MVPs in a Single Design Sprint** Design tools come and go. The craft stays. Over the past year at Bonanza I've been testing where AI actually fits into how we work. Not as a replacement for thinking, but as a way to show up to a design sprint with something tangible. We now walk into day one with a working prototype. Clients see real interactions, not wireframes. Conversations shift from "imagine this" to "try this." That compression changes everything downstream. On February 10th, I'm breaking down our process at the UXDX Community event in Berlin. How we use Claude Code and Figma Make to go from brief to functional MVP in two weeks. What worked, what flopped, where the hype doesn't hold up. If you're a product leader or designer trying to figure out where these tools actually fit, this one's practical. [Behrad Mirafshar](https://www.linkedin.com/in/behradmirafshar/)[,](https://uxdx.com/profile/behrad-mirafshar/) CEO,Bonanza Design

Erlerne Meditations- und Entspannungsverfahren kennen und sorge damit für mehr Bewusstheit und Stressreduktion in deinem Alltag.

It's all about getting to know new people from your favorite industry. So if you are interested in Motion Design, 2D or 3D Animation, CGI, Illustration or any related field, feel free to join us. Grab a beer in a relaxed atmosphere, have a nice chat about key frames or discuss your next project! Beginner or expert – wir freuen uns auf dich!

**Topic: How to decouple from US tech?** With the current US government, it become obvious that many big US tech-companies are exactly that: US-companies, which are political players and will pick a side. Therefore, the question is not if we should decouple from those companies but of how we can achieve that. **What to Expect:** * A concise, 5-10 minute expert presentation introducing us to the nuances of the topic. * Engage in insightful discussions with fellow participants in breakout groups, exploring diverse experiences and practices. * Dive into prepared questions designed to challenge and expand your perspective on the topic. * A fantastic opportunity to network with like-minded professionals and enthusiasts passionate about software development and team building. *** **Broadening Our Discussions:** We explore a wide range of topics, including Extreme Programming (XP), agile management methods, lean theory, career management, programming katas, and other areas related to software development. Whether you're new to software, a seasoned practitioner, or an expert, your insights and experiences are valued here! *** **Event Details:** We'll gather from 7:00 PM, officially start the session at 7:15 PM, and take a break at 8:30 PM to decide the topic for our next session. Don't miss this chance to learn, share, and connect!

Welcome to Sunday Tech Coffee. This is a **networking** event for those in the tech industry in Berlin. We are usually inside and to the right. Ask the barista/bartender if you can't find us.

Meet other people in the Berlin tech industry in a low key, no expectations setting. We all have to eat, so don't eat alone! Rules: 1\. Register 2\. Show up \(we have limited seats\) 3\. Meet people 4\. Be nice and enjoy dinner\! There are no other expectations :)

Empowered in Tech, in collaboration with Fraunhofer IPK, come together to invite you to a new **FLINTA Talk Night**: an event designed to explore and address career progression challenges, offering a space for FLINTA\* professionals to reflect, learn and connect. ⏰ **Agenda** **18:00 – Doors Open** **18:30 – Welcome and Intro by Empowered in Tech** **18:35 – Talk by** **Fraunhofer IPK: *Equal Opportunities Are Essential to Innovation*.** Facilitated by Ruth Asan and Dr. Maiara Rosa Cencic. Researchers need the space to develop their full potential in order to have the groundbreaking ideas that drive us forward. A diverse, inclusive working environment for all is not just a noble goal, but also a competitive advantage. * Ruth Asan explains the approaches and programs we use at Fraunhofer IPK to implement fair career and development opportunities, specifically for FLINTA. * Building on this, Dr. Maiara Rosa Cencic will introduce the technologies developed by Fraunhofer IPK – from digital twins that connect engineering, simulation, and real-time shop-floor data to decentralized data spaces. Together, we will demonstrate that equitable opportunities unlock people’s potential and that our technology turns that potential into measurable impact for industry — smarter, more sustainable, and more human. **19:05 – Break** **19:15 – Talk: *The Hidden Half of the Job.*** Facilitated by Anastasiia Kudriavtseva. A practical guide on the thinking, explaining and negotiating that happens before and after the code, and quietly defines your career, and how to get better at it without losing your mind. In this talk participants will learn: ✔️ How AI changes what “good engineering work” looks like ✔️ How to adapt your message to reach different target audiences ✔️ Tackling daily standups and complaining in retrospectives (correctly!) ✔️ Tracking your work with a WTF-notebook and progress notes ✔️ How to ask for and use feedback without combusting ✔️ How to manage your energy on good and bad days **19:45 – Open Networking Round** (Hosted program concludes) 🍴 **Food & drinks** We’ll have water, coffee, and tea available. **Food won’t be provided**, so feel free to bring something to eat. 👋 **About Empowered in Tech** We are a local community in Berlin dedicated to empowering FLINTA (women, lesbians, intersex, non-binary, trans and agender) people to excel in their tech journey. Our events offer study groups, technical workshops, hackathons, networking events, panel discussions, lightning talks, and social events.Stay in touch with the community! Join our Slack: [https://bit.ly/EmpoweredInTechSlack](https://bit.ly/EiTSlack) **✨ About Ruth Asan** Ruth Asan is the equal opportunities officer at Fraunhofer IPK and the deputy equal opportunities officer of Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. She has a background in political communication and has been working as an expert for digital communication at Fraunhofer IPK since 2018. **✨ About Dr. Maiara Rosa Cencic** Since 2024, she has been leading the department of Extended Reality at Fraunhofer IPK. She has around 10 years of experience as a researcher, with focus on developing innovative smart services and data-oriented business models. **✨ About Anastasiia Kudriavtseva** Frontend Engineer with a focus on React, and experience UI/UX design, with a background in robotics and computer systems. Worked across biopharma, publishing, and defence tech. Originally from Ukraine, now based in Berlin. 📍**Host** This evening will be kindly hosted by Fraunhofer IPK, a research and development institution in the field of production technology. They are located in Berlin-Charlottenburg, at Pascalstr. 13 – 14 10587 Berlin. Learn more: [Fraunhofer IPK](https://www.ipk.fraunhofer.de/) **☂️ About the FLINTA label** This event is labeled as FLINTA (women, lesbians, intersex, non-binary, trans and agender) as we make it a mission to empower women and other underrepresented minorities in the tech community. That being said, we don't exclude anybody! Cis men are welcome to join, just bear in mind that the topics will be discussed from this perspective. 😊 💗 **Code of Conduct** We are dedicated to providing a safe and welcoming experience for everyone who participates in our events. Our events aim to empower diverse women and we welcome everyone who identifies as a woman or another underrepresented group in tech or an ally.We follow the Berlin Code of Conduct for our events: [https://berlincodeofconduct.org/](https://berlincodeofconduct.org/) 📸 **Media Consent** We may be taking photos of this event for social media posts. If you do not want to be photographed, please let the organizers at the event know. We will make sure to respect your privacy.

Our friend **Dmitri Katz**, a 10 years+ long time friend and huge supporter of **STEM4Health**, **G4A**, **Digital Health**, and every **Innovation in Healthcare**, is organizing this event. I highly recommend to attend. Please register at https://luma.com/m47avlhj. AI is offering new opportunities to address persistent, high-impact societal challenges. In domains where social and human stakes are high, practical value will depend not only on technical performance, but on how well AI systems are aligned with ethical, institutional, and operational realities. Addressing this need requires sustained, cross-disciplinary collaboration grounded in real-world practice. To this end, **ÆTHOS Berlin** is building an interdisciplinary community of founders, researchers, practitioners, domain experts, and policymakers. ​In this workshop, we will discuss real-world care challenges and the constraints that shape responsible AI use. Participants are invited to contribute practical perspectives. ​**What we aim to produce:** ​The workshop will produce Challenge Briefs: short documents that describe (a) a concrete care problem, (b) its real-world impact, and (c) the key institutional, ethical, and practical constraints involved. Where it emerges naturally, the briefs may also note open directions for work, such as further research or approaches for AI implementation. The briefs will be published publicly after the event and shared as reference material for future research and innovation. ​**Workshop format (2 hours):** * ​Short, problem‑focused inputs from care‑domain experts, early‑stage startups, and other workshop attendees. * ​Small, mixed working groups * ​Each group drafts one brief using a simple structure: Problem · Impact · Constraints · Directions * ​Sharing and discussion ​**Why your participation matters:** * ​Help ensure that actual constraints shape how AI problems are defined * ​Bring institutional, ethical, and operational realities into the discussion early * ​Contribute to challenge definitions that shape the community’s future focus * ​Be acknowledged as a contributing participant in this first workshop ​ **What participation could involve:** * ​Share a real-world care‑domain challenge * ​Contributing to the drafting group * ​Bring a laptop if possible. ​This is an ÆTHOS community initiative. Participants are welcome to share what they are working on, but the focus will remain on problem framing rather than product pitching. If you have questions or would like to help with the workshop, please let us know. Warm Regards, Dmitri Katz ÆTHOS Initiative team [dmitrikatz23@gmail.com](mailto:dmitrikatz23@gmail.com) Place: Æthos Station, 3rd Floor, Lohmühlenstraße 65, Kreuzberg, Berlin

✨ A Stand-Up Comedy Show about fixing ourselves, our parents, and our dating life… ANOTHER DAY!✨ 🌟This stand-up comedy show features the wildest stories and observations about the Berlin party life, his parents, and his dates…sometimes all at once🌟 The show will end around 22:00, so there will still be plenty of time to hit the bar and club scene afterwards. **🎟️ Get your Tickets here:** [https://fienta.com/fixmelater120226](https://fienta.com/fixmelater120226) 🕗**Times:** **12th of February** Doors open: 19:30 Show Start: 20:00 Show ends: 22:00 **📍Location:** **SaliGari** Simplonstraße 23, 10245 Berlin **🎟️ Tickets:** **Standard Admission:** 15€ **Student Admission:** 12€ Tickets for students with valid student ID **Walk-Ins:** €17 at the door (subject to availability) **❓FAQ:** **How funny is it going to be?** Very funny! It will be a mix of clean, dark, and emotional jokes and maybe even some dirty jokes, so whatever your style of comedy is will be part of the show. **How relatable are the jokes?** Like we grew up together! Ludwig was born in Bavaria and is based in Berlin now, which means that whether you come from a village or the big city, you will find the struggles more than relatable. **Should I bring my friends?** Comedy is always best with great company, so yes! Bring your friends and laugh together! **Can I bring my kids?** The show is meant for an audience of at least 16+. **What do audience members say about the show?** Hilarious! - Marcus, Austria 🇦🇹 Great show! - Jenny, Australia 🇦🇺 So funny and weird in a great way! - Josephine, USA 🇺🇸 **More about me:** **LUDWIG BENECKE (CH/GER)** Ludwig Benecke, the relentlessly funny and charming "nice guy" of stand-up comedy! For the past three years, he has been tirelessly showcasing his wit and humor to audiences all over Europe and the United States. As a Swiss-German nice guy navigating the unpredictable world of comedy, Ludwig hilariously recounts his journey from a life as an economic engineer to pursuing a creative career. His material covers everything from dating miseries and his upbringing to sharp observations about his former corporate job, offering a unique and relatable perspective on life's challenges. He is now based in Berlin and has been described by various people as “funny.” **IG @Ludwigcomedy**

Welcome to our cosy Godot Engine Community Meetup! This is not a structured meeting, but rather a friendly get-together. We will hang out, chat and maybe show some of our current projects! 🦜 Regardless if you are an artist, designer, programmer, beginner, hobbyist, professional or anything in between: join us for sharing knowledge, creating art together, coding together, joining game jams together and having fun! 🌼 This meetup will happen at [c-base](https://c-base.org), Rungestraße 20, 10179 Berlin. 🛰️ You can also join us on [our Discord Server](https://discord.gg/Sm3CgrqqQa). ☎️ Follow us on [Mastodon](https://mastodon.gamedev.place/@GodotUserGroupBerlin) for updates. 📢 Also check out [our website](https://godot.berlin). 🌐 Please be [excellent to each other](https://godotengine.org/code-of-conduct/)! 🕊️

Welcome to the PyData Berlin February meetup! We would like to welcome you all starting from 18:00. There will be food and drinks. The talks begin around 18.30 and the doors will close at 18:45. **Make sure to arrive on time!** Please provide your first and last name for the registration because this is required for the venue's entry policy. If you cannot attend, please cancel your spot so others are able to join as the space is limited. **Host**: **GetYourGuide** is excited to welcome you to this month's version of PyData. \*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\*\* The Lineup for the evening **Talk 1: How Data (Science) is Transforming Professional Sports** **Abstract**: From Moneyball's linear regression revolution to AlphaGo's Move 37, data science has fundamentally reshaped how we understand and play sports. This talk explores three key dimensions of this transformation: first, how analytics revolutionized scouting and training—from the Oakland Athletics' 20-game winning streak to Liverpool FC ending their 30-year championship drought through data-driven player selection. Second, how machine learning and real-time tracking systems have changed gameplay itself, making the mid-range jump shot obsolete in basketball and revealing chess strategies that had eluded grandmasters for thousands of years. Finally, we'll examine the darker consequences, including how ML-powered microbetting has transformed sports gambling into a $149 billion industry that resembles slot machines more than traditional wagering. This talk offers insights spanning baseball, soccer, basketball, chess, and Go - demonstrating how data science doesn't just optimize existing strategies, it fundamentally questions the assumptions entire sports were built upon. **Speaker**: Kaan Isik **Bio**: Kaan Isik is a Data Scientist at GetYourGuide where he works on the Activity Ranking team. As a member of this team, he focuses on developing and optimizing the learn-to-rank deep learning model that powers real-time activity recommendations for millions of travelers worldwide. His work directly impacts how users discover activities across GetYourGuide's platform, making their travel planning more personalized and efficient. **Talk 2: Can Foundation Models outperform classic ML on structured data? Hands-on experience with TabPFN** **Abstract**: LLMs excel at generalising over text data, but cannot reliably predict outcomes from spreadsheets and databases, which drive most critical decisions across medicine, finance, science and virtually all industries. In this talk, we will showcase how TabPFN, Tabular Foundation Model developed by Berlin-based Prior Labs, successfully generalises over structured data problems, beating classic ML with win rates ranging from 100% to 87%. **Speaker**: Diana Kriuchkova **Bio**: Diana is leading Product at Prior Labs. She is a part of the team developing TabPFN, a foundational model for tasks on structured data. TabPFN was published in the 2025 issue of Nature journal, and has shown to beat classic ML methods like XGBoost in >80% of cases. Diana's former background is in machine learning, and she spent last years leading product at developer-focused startups in Berlin. **Lightning talks** There will be slots for 2-3 Lightning Talks (3-5 Minutes for each) between the two main talks. Kindly let us know if you would like to present something :) \*\*\* NumFOCUS **Code of Conduct** THE SHORT VERSION Be kind to others. Do not insult or put down others. Behave professionally. Remember that harassment and sexist, racist, or exclusionary jokes are not appropriate for NumFOCUS. All communication should be appropriate for a professional audience including people of many different backgrounds. Sexual language and imagery are not appropriate. NumFOCUS is dedicated to providing a harassment-free community for everyone, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, or religion. We do not tolerate harassment of community members in any form. Thank you for helping make this a welcoming, friendly community for all. If you haven't yet, please read the detailed version here: https://numfocus.org/code-of-conduct \*\*\*

Members of the public are invited to view the wonders of the universe through the telescopes of NOVAC volunteers at the Smithsonian's Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA. You do not need to be a member of the club or own any astronomical equipment to attend. Telescopes will be provided by the Smithsonian and pre-approved members of the NOVAC. No other personal telescopes are permitted at the event. The event will take place on the bus parking lot of the museum. **Please park your vehicle at the south end of the main visitors lot and follow signs and red lights to the observing site. As a reminder, parking during the event is free.** Have a cosmic question? One of NOVAC's astronomers or museum staff will be happy to help you. As the sky gets dark, be prepared to enjoy the wonders of the night sky! Don't forget to dress warmly. Please check the weather forecast. For lighting, cover a flashlight in red cellophane (the darker the better). Bring along water to keep hydrated. Note: This outdoor event is weather-dependent and may be cancelled because of significant cloud cover or precipitation.

**Agenda :** * 4.30 to 4.45 PM ET: Food and Networking * 4.45 to 5.30 PM ET: "Practical Applications of Model Context Protocol (MCP) (Feb 2026 Edition)" Hello Everyone! Please join us for our Feb 10th edition of the AI-ML MeetUp. **Please note this is an in-person meeting and light refreshments/food will be provided.** **Title:** Practical Applications of Model Context Protocol (MCP) (Feb 2026 Edition) **Description:** This session explores how the Model Context Protocol (MCP) can be used to connect AI models with real-world tools and data. Attendees will learn practical patterns for implementing MCP in production workflows and applications. Through examples and use cases, the session highlights how MCP enables more capable, context-aware AI systems. **Location:** The meeting will be hosted in the Applied Information Sciences ( AIS ) office in Reston, at 11440 Commerce Park Dr # 600 · Reston, VA. The location is also right off the Silver Line metro's Wiehle-Reston Metro Station. **Parking:** Parking is paid and can be validated at the AIS office reception. We will meet in Room Lake Anne. We hope to see you all there!!!!

Please **[Click here](https://online.innerengineering.com/en/program-details/inner-engineering-in-person-cityprogram-the-highlands-at-germantown-maryland-us-feb-26-2026)**[ ](https://online.innerengineering.com/en/program-details/inner-engineering-total-cityprogram-unity-village---conference-center-missouri-us-may-09-2024)to learn more and register. **This is a paid program** Program Fee USD 375, Early Bird Pricing USD 330 (Expires on January 26th, 2026) Inner Engineering Total is offered as a 4-day in-person program designed by Sadhguru. The course combines the tools from Inner Engineering and the transmission of **Shambhavi Mahamudra Kriya**, a 21-minute life-transforming practice. This format contains powerful meditative processes and practice support through personalized corrections. Additionally, a **free introductory talk** will be offered on **Thursday from 6:00pm to 7:00pm** (**[RSVP](https://online.innerengineering.com/en/event-details/21468)**) This session is open to all - feel free to bring your friends, family or anyone who may want to come with you. The program will resume after a short break, during which attendees will still have an opportunity to register. This program is offered through an Isha Yoga instructor trained by Sadhguru. No prerequisite or physical agility required. **Program Guidelines & session information** Programs are on Thursday and Friday evenings for 3 1/4 hours and continue all day on Saturday and Sunday. Vegetarian lunch is provided on Saturday; Vegetarian breakfast & lunch on Sunday. **Program Date and Timings:** Thursday, February 26th, 6:00 PM - 9:15 PM Friday, February 27th, 6:00 PM - 9:15 PM Saturday, February 28th, 8:30 AM - 7:00 PM Sunday, March 1st, 7:30 AM - 7:00 PM **Attendance to all sessions is mandatory.** **Open to ages 15 years and above.** **For ages 15 - 17, please [Register Here](https://online.innerengineering.com/en/minor-registration/8766)** Learn more about Inner Engineering on **[Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9-WwLCy8XY).**

Join us on **Tuesday, February 10, 2026,** for our next **Loudoun CyberTech Event** at **Honor Brewing Company** at **42604 Trade West Dr, Sterling, VA 20166**! Want a custom name tag to enhance your networking opportunities? Register here and yours will be ready at the door: https://share.hsforms.com/1nxjC-D1RQISSo6DBxjhJ4wdwxz1 Please join us for an evening with **David Beabou**t to explore what success actually looks like in a cyber community! Expect a lively, interactive conversation grounded in real world experience, shared learning, and practical insights. With over 17 years in cybersecurity and national security, **David Beabout** brings a rare blend of operational depth and executive leadership, currently serving as **Deputy Global CISO at NTT Security Holding**s, with prior experience at **Deloitte, Booz Allen**, and **U.S. Army Counterintelligence.** He has advised C-Suite leaders and government partners to rearchitect threat intelligence across 900+ companies worldwide and actively gives back through board service with **NightDragon** and as an advisor to **The Cyber Guild.** Bring your ideas, your perspective, and your energy for an engaging February session! **Agenda** 5:30 Social hour and networking begins 6:00 Welcome 6:15 Conversation with **David Beabout** 7:00 Open Mic & Networking Continues 7:30 Adjourn

IMPORTANT PLEASE RSVP @ https://www.meetup.com/washington-dc-elastic-fantastics/events/312487028/?eventOrigin=group_upcoming_events \*\*\* **Date and Time:** Tuesday, February, 10th from 5:30-7:30 pm EDT **Location:** Elastic Arlington Office - 4100 Fairfax Drive, Ste 500, Arlington, VA 22203 **Agenda:** * 5:30 pm: Doors open; say hi, grab a seat, and eat some food. * 6:00 pm: "Streaming Context: Powering Semantic Search with Kafka and Elasticsearch", by Sandon Jacobs, Developer Advocate at Confluent * 6:30 pm: Q&A * 6:40 pm: "Agent Builder: Providing Relevant Context for Data Driven Agents", by Joe Gentsch, Senior Solutions Architect at Elastic * 7:10 pm: Q&A * 7:20-7:30 pm: Networking & refreshments **Talk Abstracts:** **"Streaming Context: Powering Semantic Search with Kafka and Elasticsearch"** As the de facto platform for event streaming, we’ve seen how data from Apache Kafka can easily empower basic keyword search. But let's be real, modern semantic search applications need *context* to interpret the real meaning and intent of a user's query. We could wait around for the next batch job to kick off and provide that context... *or* we could serve it up in near real-time right from our data streams. In this talk, we'll discuss how to leverage data streams from Kafka to power much smarter semantic search with Elasticsearch. We’ll follow a simple event from a Kafka topic and see how it transforms into a powerful vector embedding. Then, we’ll see this whole flow in action using a k-Nearest Neighbor search to instantly find similar items in milliseconds. While my code examples will be in Java or Kotlin using the Spring Boot and Spring AI ecosystem, FEAR NOT! The core concepts—getting data into a vector format via a stream—are totally language agnostic. Join us to grab a few practical ideas you can take and use in your next project! **"Agent Builder: Providing Relevant Context for Data Driven Agents"** What are agents? What is context engineering? Join us as we dive into the importance of context engineering for providing relevant information to agents, and how to build grounded agents using Elastic Agent Builder. **Parking:** * The building’s parking garage is operated by Colonial Parking and is located off N. Randolph Street * Book a spot on[ SpotHero](https://spothero.com/search?kind=address&latitude=38.8818514&longitude=-77.1095268&search_string=4100+Fairfax+Dr+%23500%2C+Arlington%2C+VA+22203%2C+USA) * A Metro Station is located across the street

**Title**: Powering AI Through Data Modernization: Modernizing ETL with Databricks & Unity Catalog In this session, we will discuss how enterprises are modernizing their data platforms by migrating from legacy ETL tools (such as Informatica and traditional data warehouses) to Databricks Lakehouse architecture, and how Unity Catalog enables enterprise-grade governance, security, and discoverability across data and AI assets. We will start with food and drinks at 6pm and then move into the presentation at 6:30pm. The session will cover: * Why traditional ETL platforms are becoming a bottleneck for scale, cost, and AI adoption * How Databricks changes the data engineering and analytics operating mode * The role of Unity Catalog in centralized governance * How this foundation enables AI and Gene.AI use cases on trusted data * Q&A Our speaker for this event is **Hirenkumar Dholariya**. Hirenkumar Dholariya is a Senior Data Engineering Architect with 18+ years of experience modernizing enterprise data platforms for global Fortune 500 organizations, delivering up to 40% system performance improvement and 20–35% infrastructure cost reduction through large-scale migration from legacy ETL platforms to cloud-native Lakehouse architectures. He specializes in Databricks-based data engineering, Unity Catalog–driven governance, and building scalable, secure, and real-time analytics platforms. He has led multiple enterprise-wide transformations from tools such as Informatica and traditional data warehouses to Databricks, establishing governed data foundations using Unity Catalog and enabling advanced analytics and AI use cases on top of trusted data platforms. His leadership focuses on architecting durable data platforms, enabling teams to move faster with confidence, and translating data and AI investments into measurable business outcomes. *

## **1 Million Cups Loudoun Special Event: Mentor–Mentee Business Matchmaking** **Tuesday\, February 11 \| 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM** **Venture X Loudoun** Join us for a special edition of 1 Million Cups Loudoun designed to spark meaningful connections and accelerate business growth. Our **Mentor–Mentee Business Matchmaking Session** brings together entrepreneurs seeking guidance with experienced professionals ready to share their knowledge, insight, and real-world perspective. This live, interactive session is intentionally structured to help foster relationships that extend far beyond the meeting room. Whether you’re navigating a new stage of business, facing a challenge, or simply looking for trusted advice, mentorship can be one of the most powerful tools in your entrepreneurial journey. **What to Expect:** * Facilitated mentor–mentee introductions * Purposeful conversations focused on business growth * Opportunities to exchange ideas, experiences, and strategies * A supportive environment built on collaboration and community **Who Should Attend:** * Entrepreneurs looking for guidance and fresh perspective * Business owners ready to give back as mentors * Leaders who value connection, collaboration, and community-driven growth At 1 Million Cups Loudoun, we believe entrepreneurs grow stronger together — and this session is designed to help make those connections happen in real time. Come ready to connect, learn, and take the next step in your business journey.