Amazon Web Services

Elixir London Meetup; February 2026 edition. All are welcome. **Session 1: Anton Borisov - Distilling Kafka's Binary Protocol into Elixir** We'll trace a produce request to show what any Kafka client has to get right. In the BEAM ecosystem, erlkaf wraps librdkafka, brod implements the protocol in Erlang, and [kafka_ex](https://hex.pm/packages/kafka_ex) goes pure Elixir. Kafka_ex's approach is to generate serializers at compile time from Kafka's own schema definitions: plain structs, pattern matching, structural boilerplate isolated from the logic you actually think about. That design is what let us jump two major versions ahead and adapt to significant protocol changes. Let's dig into the idea, the code, and the tradeoffs. **Session 2: Evadne Wu** **\- JavaScript Execution Strategies in Elixir\-based Agent Frameworks** We'll look at integration points between elixir agents (in the AI fashion) and JavaScript execution, and all the foot guns involved. *The event is kindly sponsored by* [Fresha](https://www.fresha.com). **Time** Doors open at 18, start at 18.30. **Venue** Fresha The Bower, 207-211, Old St, Tower, London EC1V 9NR **Refreshments** Food and drinks will be provisioned on the day. **IMPORTANT**: **If you wish to take photos and post online during the event, please notify organisers first, so that attendees can opt-out from being in photos.**

We are going to the 8:10pm showing of The Drama at Odeon Chelmsford! If you fancy joining me, I'm in seat F14. I'll be in the cinema foyer from 8pm beforehand!

We are back! This is going to be a monthly IN PERSON meet up in London. A very big thank you goes to Accurx who is hosting us in their amazing Shoreditch offices. This will include access to facilities including coffee! 😻☕️ **Want to know more? 👇** As with all CoffeeOps, this is an interactive, chatty, build your own adventure type of meet-up. Instead of booking in experts to *learn* *from*, we gather a group of practitioners to ***learn*** ***with***. We have been running for over 4 years now and often get feedback that this is the most useful meetup people join! The event is approximately 90 minutes and always starts by brainstorming topics to discuss. The group then votes on the most relevant/interesting to them and we then cycle through the topics trying to discuss each deeply, but in a time bound slot. To get an idea of topics, you can check out our remote board [here](https://easyretro.io/publicboard/h404NF84Uje4tCcxpJdHr4Ycs9B3/a4a35d2b-181b-409b-832e-a729be1af79c). The general gist is anything is fair game, though we tend to revolve around software delivery and definitely lean towards the more Ops-y or DevOps-y side of things.

Hi friends, Off to a great start! Our first event made one thing clear, we got together because we all agree it’s surprisingly hard to meet others in our field outside of work or a commercial conference. As a smaller group, we make meaningful connections with like-minded actuaries and quants. Lifelong friendships are forged along the way! Whether you're a veteran, a rising star, or simply new in town and want to expand your social circle, get into the insurance and banking space, or see a friend you know, this is the place to be! No guest speakers nor rigid agenda, just a casual meetup and lots of fun conversation! 🥳 We're also on Luma, so please follow us there too! [https://luma.com/friendly-actuaries](https://luma.com/friendly-actuaries) See you soon! NOTE: Please remember to bring your ID with you, as all guests must be of legal age to enter the venue. **About Us** We're a sister group of [The Friendly Data Meetup London](https://www.meetup.com/the-friendly-data-meetup/?eventOrigin=home_groups_you_organize), a bootstrapped 2000+ person group (and still maintains that small cozy vibe!). This one is focused on actuaries and quants :D 🤗 Welcome actuaries, quants and friends! Sometimes, it can be difficult to make friends within the field, and that's what we're all about! We're a group of like minded individuals who understand the highs and lows of working in finance and insurance. ✅ Our primary goal is to have higher quality conversations that are more meaningful, with smaller groups so that we get to spend more attention on each individual. 💯 If you're already reading this, you're definitely welcome! We welcome everyone, whether you're already in the field, looking to get started or just curious! 🗨️ Bring your friends, bring your plus ones, we're all just here to have a good laugh and a good chat about the world, even if it isn't always about our work. **Our values:** 📖 Openness - We welcome everyone 🤝 Trust - Build long-lasting friendships together 💝 Care - Be kind to others and help each other out **Who it's for:** \- Life Actuaries \- Non\-Life Actuaries \- Health Actuaries \- Pensions Actuaries \- Reinsurance Actuaries \- Quantitative Analysts \- Quantitative Traders \- Investment Bankers \- Portfolio Managers \- Financial Engineers \- Entrepreneurs\, Contractors \- Anyone who works with Insurance\, Pensions\, Hedge Funds\, Investment Banks\, Asset Managers etc\. \- Anyone looking to get into the space \- Friends **How to Make the Most of the Meetup** The Friendly Meetup for Actuaries and Quants has one simple purpose: meaningful connections. We're not just a community of people, we're friends who get invested in each others lives. We check in on our friends regularly, and personally. So come and join us, more than just once or twice! **Code of Conduct:** The Friendly Meetup welcomes all genders, nationalities, ethnicities, backgrounds, identities etc. There is a strict no discrimination policy in adherence to our code of conduct and our guiding principles. We maintain a zero-tolerance policy for hateful or antisocial behaviour. In short, be kind to others. Do not insult or put down others. Behave professionally, don't make others uncomfortable. Remember that harassment and sexist, racist, or exclusionary jokes are not appropriate for The Friendly Meetup.

The Databricks London Meetup is back after a short break, and we’re looking forward to bringing the community together again for another friendly, in-person evening of data, AI, and good conversation. Join us for a relaxed meetup where data and AI professionals can swap ideas, hear a couple of practical talks, and meet others working with Databricks in the real world. Whether you’re deep into the platform already or just keen to learn from the community, this is a great chance to pick up something useful and meet some excellent people along the way. This session will include the latest Databricks updates, a practical talk from the Advancing Analytics team on how they used Lakebase to power AI projects, and time for questions with the Databricks team before we round things off with pizza and networking. **17:30 - 18:00:** Arrival & Networking **18:00 - 18:10:** Opening Remarks & Introductions **18:10 - 18:30** What’s New in Databricks - Simon Whiteley **18:30 - 19:00** Building Better AI Projects with *Lakebase* \- Toyosi Babayeju from Advancing Analytics **19:00 - 19:15** Q&A with the Databricks team **19:15 onwards:** Pizza, Drinks & Networking *Join us for a fantastic evening of learning and networking at the London Databricks meetup!*

**Please register on [Eventbrite](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ljc-meet-up-at-tessl-java-and-gen-ai-jvm-agents-with-embabel-tickets-1985712292922) to join in-person.** **About this event** vJUG Connect is teaming up with the London Java Community for a special evening exploring the future of Java in the age of Generative AI. Join us both online and in London for a deep dive into how JVM developers can lead the next wave of innovation with agent-based systems. We’re excited to host Rod Johnson, creator of Spring, as he introduces Embabel, a new framework designed to push Java and Kotlin to the forefront of agentic AI. From building safe, testable, and enterprise-ready AI agents to rethinking how Java fits into the Gen AI ecosystem, this session will give you a front-row seat to what’s next. Whether you join us virtually or in person at Tessl HQ, expect an evening of cutting-edge ideas, practical insights, and great conversations with the Java community. Can’t make it in person? Join us virtually, register here: [https://luma.com/s9rp5nem](https://luma.com/s9rp5nem) **Agenda:** ​6:00pm – Doors open (live stream begins on YouTube with vJUG) ​6:45pm - Kick off and message from our partners ​7:00pm – Session kicks off Java and Gen AI: JVM Agents With Embabel by Rod Johnson (Spring Creator) (live stream ends) ​8pm – Networking 9pm – Wrap-up **​Java and Gen AI: JVM Agents With Embabel by Rod Johnson (Spring Creator)** Since the emergence of Gen AI, it's become obvious that agents will be a big part of our future as both technologists and citizens. Building predictable, safe, manageable, testable agents that integrate with existing enterprise systems is critically important to us all. ​In this session, Rod Johnson will show how JVM developers can be central to unlocking the business value of agentic AI, using the Embabel agent framework: [https://github.com/embabel/embabel-agent](https://github.com/embabel/embabel-agent) Embabel is an innovative framework for Java and Kotlin developers, seamlessly integrated with Spring. Built in Kotlin, it aims not to play catchup with Python frameworks like Crew AI, but to leapfrog them to be the best agent framework, period. ​Embabel innovates in several ways. It introduces a planning step that maximizes autonomy while maintaining determinism and safety. It is type safe, ensuring excellent toolability and avoiding errors in prompts. It enables developers to use a rich domain model, defining not just types but behavior exposed to user code and to LLMs as tools. ​ Read more about the [vision](https://medium.com/@springrod/the-embabel-vision-967654f13793?utm_source=luma); and also the call to action for Java developers in recent Devoxx keynote: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbx1_P7W1DM](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbx1_P7W1DM&utm_source=luma) **​Rod Johnson, Creator of the Spring Framework and Embabel Agent Framework** ​ Rod Johnson is a developer, author, entrepreneur and advisor. He is the creator of the Spring Framework and Embabel agent framework. ​Twitter: [https://x.com/springrod](https://x.com/springrod) ​LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnsonroda/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnsonroda/) Huge thanks to our friends at Tessl for sponsoring this event and supporting our community. This event is organised by [RecWorks](https://recworks.co.uk/) on behalf of the London Java Community. The London Java Community is sponsored by Hazelcast, Neo4j, Redis, and Discover You can see our latest jobs [here](https://recworks.co.uk/java-developer-jobs-london/) You can see our privacy policy [here](https://recworks.co.uk/privacy-policy/) Continue the conversation at our Slack Group: [https://londonjavacommunity.slack.com](https://londonjavacommunity.slack.com/) Sign up here if you're not a member: [https://bcrw.typeform.com/to/IIyQxd](https://bcrw.typeform.com/to/IIyQxd)

**Update: full for all instruments (spot remains for vocals)** *Please only sign up if your instrument (or vocals) is not indicated above as full for this session.* full list of scheduled sessions: https://www.meetup.com/Practice-Jazz-Jam-Sessions/events/ **What is it** The novice rehearsal sessions provide an opportunity for people who are relatively new to jazz, to play in a friendly, low-pressure environment. With a short set list that attendees can prepare in advance, it becomes a little less daunting to play and get the most out of practising in a group. See below for this week's setlist. Please sign up before attending. Already full for your instrument? Please check back every other Wednesday, when new sessions go live. If you keep not being able to get a spot, please message the organiser (Xie). Location: Vortex upstairs **Who's it for** Anyone who has practised following the forms (chord progressions) of jazz tunes - maybe on their own at home - and would like to build up playing experience, expand repertoire and practice performing with other musicians. There are various introductions on how jazz jams work - see e.g. https://jazznightschool.org/pages/jam-session-basics You don't need to get all these details right for these novice practice sessions. The set list format should offer opportunities for those at different levels of developing their playing. While at the beginning one might struggle to follow/comp the chords or play through the melody, it gets easier over time and one can start to develop approaches to improvisation, harmonise lead lines, add intros/endings, work on communication between band members, and even listen to recordings together and pick up specific arrangements. Bass players are expected to be able to play a walking bass line on swing tunes, and simple bossa lines for bossa novas. Playing the melody, or "head" - the responsibility is shared between horns players (e.g. sax, trumpet, violin), guitar and piano. Feel free to discuss among the group before each song - different parts of the head or the starting / ending heads can be played by different players. Some melodies will better suit several voices at the same time, whereas others are sensitive to variations in how they are played and may prefer a single instrument at a time. **What it's like** A relaxed and welcoming atmosphere - please put aside any worries of making mistakes if you’re thinking of joining us for the first time. To ensure the group is accessible for those at different levels, I ask that each novice session should work on only the below four songs of the set list, unless each and every attendee feels they prefer to move on. Each novice session is limited to up to: 1 drummer, 2 bass, 2 keys, 2 guitar, 3/4 lead instruments. Always use the top of the description to see if there is an available slot for your instrument - please do not try to work this out yourself by looking at the other attendees' instruments. **Tunes this week (Sat Apr 11)** * All of me in C (warm up) (Sonny Stitt) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psUdIsccV9M * Little Sunflower in Dm (Ray Blue) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLu-rl2hNgo * Girl from Ipanema in F (Garbis Dedeian) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UM3pp8bEPFE * Too close for comfort in C (Getz, Mulligan) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1LFemXQ2sI (try harmonising lines) Everyone is encouraged to listen to a variety of recordings for each song, but please ensure you are familiar with the recording provided as a primary reference. (Note the recordings provide stylistic reference, but may not be in the key listed, with the latter based on common real books) **Tune preview - next novice session (Sat Apr 18)** * Freddie freeloader in Bb (warm up) (Dexter Gordon) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiLuG_PFsfI * Song for my father in Fm (George Benson) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo6C2OkOVGY * Adam's Apple in Ab (learn comping riff) (Wayne Shorter) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wnu1Y7lTVc * Just friends in G (Cohen, Bartley) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq4pW6GgIMQ **Preparing for the session** The chordal form of each song follow the iReal Pro app as a common reference, or you can use sheet music from Real Books. Resource for sheet music: https://www.seventhstring.com/fbindex.html http://therealbook.info/ Try to immerse yourself in the songs by listening to recordings by different artists on youtube, spotify etc. Learn the head (main melody) of the song if you can. Don't hesitate to let the band know you can play it so you can start things off **Playing well together** The rehearsal groups are often quite large for a jazz ensemble setting. Please follow the below arrangements, which are designed to help the group be mindful of each other's volumes, and to build good habits for playing as a group * Every tune should be played at least twice. Swap the bass, piano and guitar players between the two renditions (if there are two attending) * Only one guitarist should comp - i.e. play chords - for each rendition (both guitarists can solo, and comp without amplification) * After each rendition of the warm up tune, the whole group should take a moment together and help each other to check on volumes, including: \*\* Can everyone hear themselves? \*\* Are the drums too loud? \*\* Can everyone hear the bass? \*\* Is the guitar comping too loud? \*\* Is the piano loud enough? (staff at the office can turn this up) \*\* Feel free to revisit volumes after subsequent songs * For any song, if at least two people in the group feel it would be better, the guitar and piano should share the choruses for comping (instead of comping together) - e.g. guitar comps the first time through the head, then piano, then guitar, etc. **Equipment** there is a piano, drum kit (no cymbals or high hat clutch), bass and guitar amps, stands, and microphones. Drummers: please bring cymbals (none available for rental) and hi hat clutch **Percussion** Percussionists are welcome to join with their instruments, alongside the drummer. Feel free to sign up to any session, even one that says "full for all instruments" at the top, unless it explicitly mentions "full for percussion". **Vocalists** Singers are welcome, however please note that the songs have fixed keys, and some of the repertoire are likely not in the right key for your range. If you are an experienced singer, it may be possible to arrange sessions with repertoire catered to you - to explore this, please first come to the "Afternoon Open Jams" so I can get a sense of your singing. **Observing** Would you like to attend a session without playing/singing, to get an idea of the format or to get a sense of what to practise first at home? You can sign up as usual to any novice session, and send me a message that you'd like only to watch the session. When you feel ready, the fee paid can be carried over toward any future session where you join to play or sing at the rehearsal. **Cancellation policy** Please try to make it to any session you sign up to, as the jams are organised around a particular mix of instruments. However, if things do come up and you can no longer make a session, please send a message to the organiser, Xie, as soon as possible. Places are non-refundable if your plans change, but if you provide over 1 week notice it may be possible to carry over the fee for a future session. \-\-\-\-\- any questions do get in touch!

**Update: full for all instruments (spot remains for vocals)** *Please only sign up if your instrument (or vocals) is not indicated above as full for this session.* full list of scheduled sessions: https://www.meetup.com/Practice-Jazz-Jam-Sessions/events/ **What is it** The novice rehearsal sessions provide an opportunity for people who are relatively new to jazz, to play in a friendly, low-pressure environment. With a short set list that attendees can prepare in advance, it becomes a little less daunting to play and get the most out of practising in a group. See below for this week's setlist. Please sign up before attending. Already full for your instrument? Please check back every other Wednesday, when new sessions go live. If you keep not being able to get a spot, please message the organiser (Xie). Location: Vortex upstairs **Who's it for** Anyone who has practised following the forms (chord progressions) of jazz tunes - maybe on their own at home - and would like to build up playing experience, expand repertoire and practice performing with other musicians. There are various introductions on how jazz jams work - see e.g. https://jazznightschool.org/pages/jam-session-basics You don't need to get all these details right for these novice practice sessions. The set list format should offer opportunities for those at different levels of developing their playing. While at the beginning one might struggle to follow/comp the chords or play through the melody, it gets easier over time and one can start to develop approaches to improvisation, harmonise lead lines, add intros/endings, work on communication between band members, and even listen to recordings together and pick up specific arrangements. Bass players are expected to be able to play a walking bass line on swing tunes, and simple bossa lines for bossa novas. Playing the melody, or "head" - the responsibility is shared between horns players (e.g. sax, trumpet, violin), guitar and piano. Feel free to discuss among the group before each song - different parts of the head or the starting / ending heads can be played by different players. Some melodies will better suit several voices at the same time, whereas others are sensitive to variations in how they are played and may prefer a single instrument at a time. **What it's like** A relaxed and welcoming atmosphere - please put aside any worries of making mistakes if you’re thinking of joining us for the first time. To ensure the group is accessible for those at different levels, I ask that each novice session should work on only the below four songs of the set list, unless each and every attendee feels they prefer to move on. Each novice session is limited to up to: 1 drummer, 2 bass, 2 keys, 2 guitar, 3/4 lead instruments. Always use the top of the description to see if there is an available slot for your instrument - please do not try to work this out yourself by looking at the other attendees' instruments. **Tunes this week (Sat Apr 11)** * All of me in C (warm up) (Sonny Stitt) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=psUdIsccV9M * Little Sunflower in Dm (Ray Blue) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLu-rl2hNgo * Girl from Ipanema in F (Garbis Dedeian) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UM3pp8bEPFE * Too close for comfort in C (Getz, Mulligan) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1LFemXQ2sI (try harmonising lines) Everyone is encouraged to listen to a variety of recordings for each song, but please ensure you are familiar with the recording provided as a primary reference. (Note the recordings provide stylistic reference, but may not be in the key listed, with the latter based on common real books) **Tune preview - next novice session (Sat Apr 18)** * Freddie freeloader in Bb (warm up) (Dexter Gordon) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiLuG_PFsfI * Song for my father in Fm (George Benson) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo6C2OkOVGY * Adam's Apple in Ab (learn comping riff) (Wayne Shorter) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wnu1Y7lTVc * Just friends in G (Cohen, Bartley) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rq4pW6GgIMQ **Preparing for the session** The chordal form of each song follow the iReal Pro app as a common reference, or you can use sheet music from Real Books. Resource for sheet music: https://www.seventhstring.com/fbindex.html http://therealbook.info/ Try to immerse yourself in the songs by listening to recordings by different artists on youtube, spotify etc. Learn the head (main melody) of the song if you can. Don't hesitate to let the band know you can play it so you can start things off **Playing well together** The rehearsal groups are often quite large for a jazz ensemble setting. Please follow the below arrangements, which are designed to help the group be mindful of each other's volumes, and to build good habits for playing as a group * Every tune should be played at least twice. Swap the bass, piano and guitar players between the two renditions (if there are two attending) * Only one guitarist should comp - i.e. play chords - for each rendition (both guitarists can solo, and comp without amplification) * After each rendition of the warm up tune, the whole group should take a moment together and help each other to check on volumes, including: \*\* Can everyone hear themselves? \*\* Are the drums too loud? \*\* Can everyone hear the bass? \*\* Is the guitar comping too loud? \*\* Is the piano loud enough? (staff at the office can turn this up) \*\* Feel free to revisit volumes after subsequent songs * For any song, if at least two people in the group feel it would be better, the guitar and piano should share the choruses for comping (instead of comping together) - e.g. guitar comps the first time through the head, then piano, then guitar, etc. **Equipment** there is a piano, drum kit (no cymbals or high hat clutch), bass and guitar amps, stands, and microphones. Drummers: please bring cymbals (none available for rental) and hi hat clutch **Percussion** Percussionists are welcome to join with their instruments, alongside the drummer. Feel free to sign up to any session, even one that says "full for all instruments" at the top, unless it explicitly mentions "full for percussion". **Vocalists** Singers are welcome, however please note that the songs have fixed keys, and some of the repertoire are likely not in the right key for your range. If you are an experienced singer, it may be possible to arrange sessions with repertoire catered to you - to explore this, please first come to the "Afternoon Open Jams" so I can get a sense of your singing. **Observing** Would you like to attend a session without playing/singing, to get an idea of the format or to get a sense of what to practise first at home? You can sign up as usual to any novice session, and send me a message that you'd like only to watch the session. When you feel ready, the fee paid can be carried over toward any future session where you join to play or sing at the rehearsal. **Cancellation policy** Please try to make it to any session you sign up to, as the jams are organised around a particular mix of instruments. However, if things do come up and you can no longer make a session, please send a message to the organiser, Xie, as soon as possible. Places are non-refundable if your plans change, but if you provide over 1 week notice it may be possible to carry over the fee for a future session. \-\-\-\-\- any questions do get in touch!

**Dead Product Society \| After Work Drinks** Come along, bring a friend/colleague or two and join us for a relaxed evening of informal product and tech chats over a few drinks and doughnuts. We aim to connect everyone without awkwardness or LinkedIn spiel, and value good conversation over boring presentations. **Who is welcome?** Product Managers, CEOs, UX/UI Designers, Developers, Scrum Masters etc. We welcome anyone who works in, with or wants to break into product. *Note: We intentionally keep our After Work Drinks on the smaller side to allow for more in-depth conversations.* **The Bike Shed** We'll be hanging out in the lounge area (behind the area with all the tables, next to the store). \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **Dead Product Society** Dead Product Society is a collective of like-minded professionals sharing real-talk and joining forces to navigate the twists and turns of the product world. Our down-to-earth community is for anyone who works in, with or wants to break into product teams regardless of their background or experience. **Our Sponsors** Shout out to our generous sponsors at Waggel Pet Insurance; Lifetime pet insurance, simplified. With their support we are able to host these events for you and create a space for those important, honest conversations.

Do you want to relax and socialize in a quiet bar while watching some movies or tv series together? Do you dislike loud and smelly places like pubs? Have you been cooped up by yourself for too long and wants a change of pace? This is the event for you. Join us for a laid-back Netflix watch party at XP Tavern— perfect setup with big screens, solid sound, and plenty of space to spread out. The bar has Netflix, Amazon Prime, Now TV, Youtube Prime etc. Expect good vibes, cold drinks, bar food, maybe some discussions during breaks, and zero pressure to stay quiet — react, laugh, scream, all welcome. How many people are attending? The venue has a capacity limit of 50 guests, and due to the popularity of our events and the unique ambiance of the location, we anticipate this event will reach full capacity quickly. On the day of the event, you will experience a relaxing atmosphere with a hospitable and encouraging community. Feel free to come with friends or by yourself. Most people come alone and make new friends at the event. When we arrive in the first hour, we will socialize, get some drinks and talk about what movies/tv series we love. Afterwards we will vote on which show to watch for each group. Then we will settle into the watch booths and enjoy a cinematic experience for the rest of the evening. If you want to socialize and get drinks, the event is free. If you want to participate and watch with the group, you gotta pay £12 per two hours.

**Looking for a high-quality business networking event in London** to connect with founders, entrepreneurs, and professionals? Join us in the elegant **Sycamore Bar at the 5-star Middle Eight Hotel, Covent Garden,** where real business connections happen\*\*.\*\* Co-hosted by London tech startups **GMax Card, Ciitab and Getshop Today.** **Why Attend?** * A more polished, higher-quality alternative to typical casual networking events * Build valuable business connections in a premium environment * Exchange ideas and uncover new opportunities **Who You’ll Meet:** * Founders and entrepreneurs * Tech, digital, and product professionals * Business owners, consultants, and senior decision-makers * Professionals in finance, banking, and investment * International professionals based in London **Hosted by founder-built tech startups:** * **[GMax Card](www.gmaxcard.com)**[ - premium digital and contactless business cards](www.gmaxcard.com) for modern networking * **[Ciitab](www.ciitab.com)**[ - AI-powered LinkedIn networking](www.ciitab.com) and outreach * **[Getshop Today](www.getshop.today)**[ - UK-built ecommerce platform](www.getshop.today) for independent online stores **What to Expect** Expect a relaxed, high-quality atmosphere with space for natural introductions and open business networking. Hosts are available on arrival to help facilitate introductions. **Venue** **Sycamore Bar, Middle Eight Hotel**
 A refined, design-led bar inside the 5-star Middle Eight Hotel.
Located in the heart of Covent Garden, within walking distance of Holborn, Covent Garden, and Tottenham Court Road stations. **Note re contactless cards:** Free RSVP includes event access only. [Contactless GMax Cards](http://www.gmaxcard.com/shop) are included with paid tickets (when available). **Dress Code:** Business / smart. This is a business networking event in a 5-star hotel rather than a fully informal gathering in a local pub. **Important Details** * **Age & ID: 18+.** ID may be required for bar purchases. * **Photos & Video:** The event may be filmed or photographed by [CineEye Audiovisual Production](www.cineeye.co.uk) for promotional use. Please inform the organisers on arrival if you do not wish to appear. * **Dress Code:** Smart or business attire only. * **Contactless Cards:** Free RSVP does not include a contactless business card. * **Liability:** Attendance is at your own risk. Organisers and venue do not accept any responsibility for loss, injury, or damage to you or your property. **Limited spaces available - early booking recommended.** You’re also welcome to join [our Meetup group](https://www.meetup.com/london-entrepreneur-startup-network-tech-business-ecommerce/) and [follow us on LinkedIn](http://linkedin.com/company/gmax-card) for future events.

PHP London Pub Social – April 9th, Jack Horner, Tottenham Court Road Join us for an informal PHP London pub social at the Jack Horner on Tottenham Court Road! We've got a reserved space from 6:30pm to 8:30pm on Thursday 9th April - a mix of seating and standing with a few tables. This is a relaxed, no-agenda evening — just good conversation with fellow PHP developers over a drink. Whether you're a long-time community regular or coming along for the first time, all are welcome. Places are limited.

Join us for **Ben Frain**'s talk ... Ben's book "Responsive Web Design With HTML5 and CSS" caught my attention (and should interest you as well). Find it here: [https://rwd.education/](https://rwd.education/) ***Bring your laptop and expect to write some (non-AI generated) code!*** Food and drinks will be available. **LOCATION:** 6515 Longshore Loop, Suite 300, Dublin, OH 43017 **FREE PARKING:** 6725 Longshore Street, Dublin, OH 43017

Topic to be announced. **CALL FOR SPEAKERS** Learn more: https://www.awscolumbus.com/get-involved/ **THANK YOU** *VEEAM* for hosting our meetup! To learn more about *Veeam*, please visit their website: https://www.veeam.com/ **DIRECTIONS** 8800 Lyra Dr #450 · Columbus, OH go to 4th floor. **Want to sponsor the pizza and/or bar tab?** Please contact me if you would like to sponsor this meetup's pizza and/or bar tab: angelo@mandato.com

We will cover metadata-driven approach to building and operating data pipelines at scale on AWS. Discuss architecture, design trade-offs, and lessons learned from running a unified pipeline across multiple customers using configuration-driven workflows. **Presenter: Dilshad Nasirov** Seasoned Software Architect and cloud practitioner with 20+ years of experience building scalable systems and data platforms. Specializes in AWS, with deep expertise in data lakes, serverless architectures, and real-time data processing. Has led the design and delivery of enterprise-grade solutions across industries, helping organizations improve performance, reduce costs, and unlock data-driven insights. https://www.linkedin.com/in/dilshad-nasirov-4538431/ **CALL FOR SPEAKERS** Learn more: https://www.awscolumbus.com/get-involved/ **THANK YOU** *Leading EDJE* for hosting our meetup! Leading EDJE specializes in helping organizations innovate and solve complex problems. EDJE does this with their "A" player team of professionals using agile methodologies and SCRUM management techniques to give organizations a competitive advantage that sets them apart. Learn more at https://www.leadingedje.com/ **THANK YOU** *Amazon Web Services* for sponsoring pizza! Learn more at https://aws.amazon.com/. **DIRECTIONS** 6515 Longshore Loop, Suite 300 Dublin, OH 43017 (3rd floor) **FREE PARKING** at the Endres Garage across the street, 6540 Riverside Dr, Dublin, OH **Want to sponsor the pizza and/or bar tab for a future meetup?** Please contact me if you would like to sponsor this meetup's pizza and/or bar tab: angelo@mandato.com

Join the CONNECTED Westerville Mastermind Group for a dynamic afternoon of B2B networking! This event is perfect for professionals looking to expand their business connections, share insights, and foster collaboration within the community. Whether you are a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out, this event offers a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas, build relationships, and grow your network in a supportive environment. Connect with like-minded individuals, explore potential partnerships, and discover new opportunities for professional growth. Don't miss out on this chance to enhance your business network and take your career to the next level with CONNECTED Westerville Mastermind Group! We meet the 4th Monday of every month from 11am-1pm. Welcome and general networking from 11am - 11:30am with core meeting 11;30 - 12:30 and a final round of networking from 12:30 - 1pm.

We're bringing the community together for a casual happy hour with ServiceNow-themed trivia, food and drinks, and great conversation. Details coming soon - for now, save the date and plan to join us for connection and fun.

**PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING IMPORTANT NOTES:** 1. The dates listed for this series are about 95% reliable. We are completing our 2026 schedule as we speak, so minor adjustments are still occurring. 2. Each class in this series has an attendance fee, though this first offering is free on a first-come, first-served basis. 3. Each class, from BOTH a sign-up and fee perspective, is a separate entity. **Introduction:** HTML5 is the foundational technology for modern web development, serving as the standard markup language for structuring and presenting content on the World Wide Web. Developed through a collaboration between the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and the Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group (WHATWG), HTML5 provides a robust system of elements (tags) that tell a browser how to display text, images, and multimedia in a clear and meaningful way. It works in concert with Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) for presentation and JavaScript for interactivity, forming the core technology stack for virtually all websites and many web applications today. One of the significant advancements of HTML5 is the introduction of powerful new features and elements designed to improve functionality and simplify development. Key additions include native multimedia support via the \ and \ tags, allowing developers to embed media without third-party plugins. It also offers new form controls for better user input, such as date and email types, and introduces web storage capabilities to store data offline for enhanced performance. These features streamline the process of building rich, interactive web experiences. A significant focus of HTML5 is enhanced semantics and better structural organization of content. New semantic elements like , , , , and \ provide meaningful structure to documents, which aids in search engine optimization (SEO) and improves accessibility for assistive technologies. These elements define different parts of a webpage (e.g., a header for the top, a nav for navigation links, a footer for the bottom), making the code more readable and understandable for both developers and machines. This emphasis on clear structure helps in creating more logical and maintainable websites. Developing websites in today's competitive environment requires taking advantage of every technique you can to get the maximum exposure possible. Our HTML5 class will not only show you what's new in the HTML specification, but also the best way to develop optimized web pages that get the attention your client and/or company requires. **The breakdown of the four-class series is as follows:** **Class 1: Introduction to Web Structure and Basic HTML5** This class introduces the core concepts of web development, the history of HTML, and the fundamental structure of an HTML5 document. * **Topics**: * **Web Architecture Overview**: How browsers, servers, and web pages interact. * **HTML Fundamentals**: Understanding elements, tags, and attributes. * **Basic Document Structure**: Using !DOCTYPE html, html, head, and body. * **Text Formatting**: Headings (h1 to h6), paragraphs (p), and text-level semantics (e.g., strong, em, br). * **Lists and Links**: Creating ordered (ol) and unordered (ul) lists, and linking between pages using anchor tags (a). * **Activity**: Students create a basic personal webpage containing text, a list of hobbies, and a link to an external website. **Class 2: Semantic HTML5 and Multimedia Integration** Class 2 focuses on modern HTML5 elements that provide meaning (semantics) to content, improving accessibility and search engine optimization. It also covers adding images and multimedia. * **Topics**: * **Semantic Elements**: Understanding and implementing elements like header, footer, nav, section, and article. * **Images**: Adding images using the img tag and attributes like src, alt, width, and height. * **Multimedia**: Embedding audio and video content using the audio and video tags. * **File and Folder Structure**: Best practices for organizing project files and managing file paths. * **Activity**: Students refactor their Class 1 project to use a proper semantic layout and add an image and a link to a video file. **Class 3: Forms and User Input** This session is dedicated to building interactive HTML5 forms, which are essential for capturing user data and input. * **Topics**: * **Form Basics**: Using the form element, action and method attributes. * **Input Types**: Exploring various input types (e.g., text, password, checkbox, radio, date, submit). * **Form Elements**: Utilizing label, textarea, select, option, and button. * **Client-side Validation**: Implementing HTML5 validation attributes like required, minlength, and pattern. * **Activity**: Students build a complete contact form with different input fields, radio buttons, and basic HTML5 validation. **Class 4: Introduction to CSS3 and Basic Styling** The final class introduces Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) to style the HTML content and make the web pages visually appealing and accessible. * **Topics**: * **CSS Fundamentals**: The role of CSS, selectors, properties, and values. * **Integrating CSS**: Using inline, internal, and external style sheets. * **The Box Model**: Understanding margin, padding, border, and content for basic layout. * **Basic Styling**: Changing colors, fonts, and text alignment. * **Accessibility Basics**: Identifying principles of web design usability and accessibility, including ARIA labels. * **Activity**: Students apply an external CSS file to their Class 3 form project to style the layout, colors, and fonts, culminating in a well-structured and styled webpage.

The global Azure community is coming together again, and Columbus is officially on the map. View the session lineup and speakers at [Global Azure Columbus 2026](https://coazure.github.io/cbus-global-azure-2026/) On **Saturday, April 18, 2026**, the Azure Columbus Meetup, DevOps Meetup, and Code and Coffee Meetup are hosting our local edition of Global Azure 2026. This is a free, community-driven event packed with learning, networking, and all things Microsoft Azure. Whether you’re building modern cloud-native apps, experimenting with AI agents, deploying containers, automating infrastructure, or just beginning your Azure journey, this event is for you! **What to Expect** * Engaging technical sessions * Real-world Azure architecture & cloud-native patterns * AI, agents, automation, and modern DevOps * Food and drinks (because learning burns calories) * Time to connect with fellow engineers, architects, and cloud enthusiasts **Who Should Attend?** * Software engineers (any language, any stack) * Cloud architects * DevOps engineers * Data professionals * AI explorers * Platform builders * Anyone who loves solving hard problems with great tools If you build, deploy, automate, scale, monitor, or optimize in Azure, you’ll feel right at home. **Why Global Azure?** Global Azure is a worldwide community event where Azure user groups host learning sessions on the same day across the globe. It’s grassroots. It’s technical. It’s practical. And it’s powered by people who genuinely love sharing what they’ve learned. And yes, it’s free to attend!