Amazon Web Services

The Data Science Speakers Club is a Toastmasters International club enabling the current and next generation of Data Scientists to improve their Public Speaking Skills. This is a HYBRID Meeting! So join us Online via ZOOM or In-Person. Joining the Data Science Speakers Club means joining a supportive environment to build your confidence in public speaking and to practice speaking in front of an audience. You will also gain the opportunity to receive feedback on your speeches in a friendly environment, including what you have done well and guidance on the areas you can improve upon. We also run a mentorship program where an experienced mentor supports you on your public speaking journey. Meeting Theme: **TBC** Tentative Schedule: 18:30 - President's welcome 18:40 - Prepared Speeches (3 prepared speeches with evaluation) 19:25 - Guest introduction 19:30 - Break 19:40 - Table Topic 20:30 - Wrap up, awards, announcements End of Meeting The theme is to do with exploring various aspects of power, including how it is distributed, challenged, and transformed in different contexts. In the first part, there will be speeches. In the second half, we will have impromptu speeches preparation in groups called Table topics where guests can participate. We meet on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Mondays of each month from 6:30 pm online. Each meeting is a mixture of prepared speeches by our members, speaking roles, and impromptu speaking challenges by members and guests. Our meetings are free to attend and you only have to speak if you want to. For in-person attendance, snacks will be provided. Entrepreneurs, Innovators, and Mathematical and Logical Thinkers aiming to focus on their communication and leadership development are always welcome to attend our meetings, to increase their self-confidence, become better speakers, and become better leaders. TEAMS LINK: [https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/34253735270413?p=PeWH6cxHBjtbviTKo3](https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/34253735270413?p=PeWH6cxHBjtbviTKo3 "Meeting join") FACEBOOK: [https://www.facebook.com/datasciencespk/](https://www.facebook.com/datasciencespk/) LINKEDIN: [https://www.linkedin.com/company/data-science-speakers-club](https://www.linkedin.com/company/data-science-speakers-club) TWITTER: [https://twitter.com/datasciencespk](https://twitter.com/datasciencespk) INSTAGRAM: [https://www.instagram.com/datasciencespk/](https://www.instagram.com/datasciencespk/)

Join me for a fun Drama class every Monday evening from 6:30 pm- 8:30pm at the Omnibus Theatre in Clapham Common. The class helps with confidence, developing awareness of yourself and others, connecting and to simply having fun. No experience is needed. We'll do relaxation exercises, games, improvisations, storytelling, and a bit later on we'll start working on character and text. There will be a little showcase at the end of the year. £10 pounds for the trial class to be paid before or after class. Different payment options if you decide to join. In order to reserve a place, please contact me at catherine@thebrightdaycompany.net. For more info: https://www.thebrightdaycompany.net/about I look forward to seeing you!

**SPACES ARE LIMITED – BOOK YOUR TICKET BEFORE THE EVENT:** **[https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1983445862969?aff=oddtdtcreator](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1983445862969?aff=oddtdtcreator)** Step into the vibrant world of artificial intelligence and machine learning at our exclusive London AI & ML Network Mixer. This event caters to innovators, thinkers, and investors in the AI and ML spheres, providing a unique opportunity to connect with industry leaders, discover cutting-edge projects, and explore potential collaborations. **Who Should Attend:** * **Emerging AI and ML Startups:** Showcase your innovations and seek partnerships or funding in a focused setting. * **Investors:** Find pioneering startups within the AI and ML domains that align with your investment criteria. * **AI and ML Professionals:** Network with peers, discuss advancements and industry challenges, and potentially find your next career move. * **Students and Academics:** Immerse yourself in the industry environment, gain insights, and connect with potential mentors and collaborators. **Why This Event is a Must:** * **Effective Networking:** Tailored specifically for the AI and ML communities, this mixer facilitates targeted networking, helping you build meaningful connections that can lead to collaborative projects or ventures. * **Opportunity for Exposure:** Startups can gain visibility by presenting their projects during one-minute pitches, directly communicating their value to an audience that includes potential investors and collaborators. * **Insight into Industry Trends:** Keep up-to-date with the latest research and commercial opportunities in AI and ML through conversations with industry insiders and thought leaders. * **Career Opportunities:** Professionals looking to advance in the AI and ML fields can discover new opportunities and expand their networks in a dynamic, supportive environment. Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with the forefront of AI and ML innovation. Whether you’re looking to invest, collaborate, or just learn about the next big thing in tech, our London AI & ML Network Mixer is the place to be. Secure your spot today and be part of shaping the future of technology! **AGENDA OF THIS NETWORKING EVENT IN LONDON** 7:00 pm - 7:30 pm: Meet and greet. Upon arrival, ask the receptionist about the business networking event, and they will guide you to our designated area. 8 pm - 8:30 - Presentations 8:30 pm -10 pm: Informal networking Dress code: business smart casual. **Register now - space is limited to 50 attendees only!** **P.S. Click Follow for future event alerts!**

* *Please note: TO OBTAIN THE LINK FOR JOINING OUR MEETINGS, PLEASE MESSAGE ME, CAPRICE JACKSON, THE GROUP ORGANISER. We will send you a few simple questions first, so please allow enough time.* *** **A very big welcome to our friendly Queer and inclusive writing group!** **We meet every week on Monday evenings (UK time) and have been going since 2018.** **Here's the schedule of the group:** 7.30-9.00 Say hi and personal writing time 9.00-9.30 Discussion\* The aim of the group is to provide a shared and safe space for people who regard themselves as part of the Queer community to write together. It is intended for you to work on your own writing, whatever form that takes. You can drop in and drop out as you wish. \* The discussion is open and can take different directions. Typically, it focuses on writing: sharing of work, asking and answering questions, and so on. Taking part is optional. Very best wishes, Caprice Photo is of *Queer Lives, Queer Morley* exhibition for LGBT+ History Month curated by Caprice

**SPACES ARE LIMITED – BOOK YOUR TICKET BEFORE THE EVENT:** **[https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1983612787244?aff=oddtdtcreator](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1983612787244?aff=oddtdtcreator)** Building a successful startup requires the right mix of **vision, strategy, and technology**. This event brings together **business founders, CTOs, and technical experts** who are looking to collaborate, share insights, and form strategic partnerships. Whether you're an entrepreneur in search of a **technical co-founder**, a CTO exploring new opportunities, or a tech expert looking to work with innovative startups, this is the perfect space to connect. ### **What to expect?** **Find the Right People** – Engage with **startup founders, CTOs, engineers, and product leaders** all in one place. **1-Minute Elevator Pitches** – A chance to introduce yourself, highlight what you’re working on, and share what you’re looking for—whether it’s a co-founder, a new role, or business collaboration. **Build Your Tech Team** – Connect with experienced developers, engineers, and tech leads who are open to new ventures. **Explore Startup & Investment Opportunities** – Investors, entrepreneurs, and technical experts will have a chance to **network, discuss ideas, and explore partnerships**. **Industry Trends & Collaboration** – Learn about the latest innovations in **SaaS, AI, fintech, blockchain, and emerging tech sectors**. ### **Who Will Benefit from This Event?** * **Startup Founders** – If you’re building a tech company and need a strong technical partner, this event will help you find the right match. * **CTOs & Tech Leaders** – Whether you’re looking for new startup ventures, potential co-founder roles, or networking with like-minded professionals, this is the place to be. * **Software Engineers & Product Experts** – Get in front of startup founders and explore opportunities to collaborate on exciting projects. * **Investors & VCs** – Connect with promising tech startups and **top-tier technical talent** to explore investment opportunities. * **Growth & Strategy Experts** – Meet tech teams and business leaders looking for insights into scaling, fundraising, and entering new markets. * ### **Why You Should Attend** * **Expand Your Professional Circle** – Meet potential **co-founders, CTOs, engineers, and investors** in a setting designed to foster high-value connections. * **Gain Insights & Opportunities** – Whether you’re looking for a **startup to join**, a **tech partner to help scale**, or just want to connect with the ecosystem, this event delivers. * **Make Meaningful Introductions** – Skip the cold outreach and **meet people who are actively looking for collaboration, investment, or tech solutions**. **Attendance is limited—reserve your spot today and take the next step in growing your startup, career, or investment network.** What to join this event and all our future events for **FREE**? Join **The Business Minds Membership** to unlock free entry to all our 290+ yearly networking events, plus exclusive networking opportunities. Learn more: [https://thebusinessminds.co.uk/membership](https://thebusinessminds.co.uk/membership "https://thebusinessminds.co.uk/membership"). **AGENDA OF THIS NETWORKING EVENT IN LONDON** 7:00 pm - 7:30 pm: Meet and greet. Upon arrival, ask the receptionist about the business networking event, and they will guide you to our designated area. 8 pm - 8:30 - Presentations 8:30 pm -10 pm: Informal networking Dress code: business smart casual. **Register now - space is limited to 50 attendees only!** **P.S. Click Follow for future event alerts!**

This seminar is for improving your communication skills, so you can achieve greater success in life. We will especially focus on a life tool that you can easily learn and use to improve your: - \- Interviews \- Public speaking \- Communication with strangers \- Connection with co\-workers \- Comfort with various social situations\. \- Handling upsets \- Getting along with others better\. \- Meeting new people\. This seminar invites your feedback and input. You could learn some new skills and we would love for you to be able to practice this also. You will learn an amazing life tool that you can put into practice right away! We also offer free one-to-one appointments to be made after the seminar if you require a bit of extra coaching or tips. From the Scientology Life Improvement Centre

**PLEASE MAKE SURE TO BOOK YOUR TICKET IN ADVANCE TO ATTEND THE EVENT. YOU CAN RESERVE YOUR SPOT HERE. [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1983445862969?aff=oddtdtcreator](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1983445862969?aff=oddtdtcreator)** Join us in the heart of London for a focused networking event tailored for entrepreneurs, startups, and professionals immersed in the fields of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. This event provides a unique platform to connect, share insights, and explore collaboration opportunities without the typical distractions of larger conferences. **Event Highlights:** **One-Minute Presentations:** A rapid-fire session where AI and ML startups can pitch their innovations and business ideas directly to a curated audience of peers and potential investors. Each presentation is limited to one minute, emphasizing clarity and impact. **Structured Networking Opportunities:** Engage in meaningful discussions with fellow innovators and industry leaders. This event is designed to foster connections that lead to collaboration, investment, and growth. **Who Should Attend:** **AI and ML Entrepreneurs and Startup Founders:** Ideal for those looking to showcase their innovative solutions, seek funding, or find potential co-founders. This event provides a platform to pitch your projects to an audience that includes potential investors and partners, maximizing exposure and opportunities for growth. **Investors Specializing in AI and ML:** Venture capitalists and angel investors interested in the latest developments in AI and ML will find a pool of potential investment opportunities. This event offers a streamlined way to identify emerging talents and innovative projects worth backing. **AI and ML Professionals:** Data scientists, machine learning engineers, researchers, and other professionals working in the AI and ML fields should attend to network with peers, discuss industry trends, and explore potential career advancements or collaborative projects. **Technology Enthusiasts and Students:** Those passionate about AI and ML technologies, including students and academic professionals, will benefit from direct interaction with industry leaders and innovators, gaining insights into the practical challenges and opportunities in the field. **Reasons to Attend:** **Networking Opportunities:** This event is specifically designed to facilitate direct connections among attendees, making it an excellent venue for networking with other professionals and industry leaders in a focused setting. **Knowledge Exchange:** Engaging with fellow professionals and industry experts allows for a valuable exchange of ideas, updates on industry trends, and discussions about the future directions of AI and ML technologies. **Career Advancement:** Professionals looking to advance their careers can find opportunities by connecting with potential employers and learning about new openings in the field. **Educational Value:** Students and tech enthusiasts can learn more about the real-world applications of AI and ML, understand the industry demands, and meet potential mentors who can guide their career paths. This event is a must-attend for anyone involved in or interested in the AI and ML sectors, providing a unique opportunity to engage with the community, discover opportunities, and foster collaborations that can shape the future of technology. The event will be held in a sophisticated and vibrant venue, adorned with modern decor and equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to ensure your comfort and convenience throughout the day. Get your tickets now and join us for a day that will shape the trajectory of your professional journey! How our event works: 7.00pm - When you arrive your name will be checked off the guest list, the host will direct everyone to the reserved area and explain how the event will work. 7.30pm – Event starts, you will be introduced to each other in a nice relaxed environment in the semi private reserved area. 10 pm - Event ends, all guests are welcome to stay and enjoy chatting with each other. This event will be hosted till 9pm; the key to making the most of speed friending is to follow up with your contacts over time to develop friendships. Dress code is either business or office attire or smart casual, no T-shirts, no trainers. If you have any questions email contact@thebusinessminds.co.uk or call Elena on 07762038437 Ticket for 1 person allows 1 person to enter the venue from 7pm Please Note: **Tickets need to be bought online and are not available at the door.**

We're excited to be heading to Civo Tech Junction for our March meetup. We'll have some great talks, detailed below, and drinks and food for everyone. **We are short of volunteers so please get in touch if you can help with logistics on the night**. **6:00pm - Arrival** **6:45pm - Introductions** **7:00pm - The Talks** **Building Secure CI/CD for Multi‑Cloud: An AWS Builder’s Perspective - Alam Ahmad** “Shift left on security” sounds simple until you’re juggling AWS and Azure, Terraform templates, and CI/CD pipelines moving faster than you can keep up. In this talk, AWS Community Builder Alam Ahmed shares how he brought practical, automated cloud security to life across multiple cloud environments without slowing delivery. Through real‑world stories and live demos, Alam shows how to embed policy‑as‑code tools like Checkov and Trivy into GitHub Actions, GitLab CI, and Jenkins pipelines. Expect working examples you can drop into production and see how open‑source tools (Terraform, Prowler, Trivy, and more) can help teams catch misconfigurations before they ship. You’ll learn how to bridge security patterns between AWS and Azure, apply Security‑as‑Code that actually works, and harness the open‑source ecosystem to move faster while staying compliant. Alam Ahmed began his career in a Network Operations Center before shifting into cloud security and automation. He’s an AWS Community Builder in Security, a regular meetup speaker (Elastic London, Yorkshire DevOps, Cloud Native London), and an open‑source contributor pursuing opportunities as a Junior Cloud Engineer or Application Support Engineer. His talks connect hands‑on ops experience with actionable security automation for the real world. **Into the Agentic Mud Fight: Surviving the Shift from Scripts to Vibes - Ivan Pedrazas** We started with Copilots, then the AI IDEs arrived. Then the Terminal took the spotlight with Claude Code, which was nice... until the OpenClaw landed, and now we're knee deep in an "Agentic Mud Fight", and the DevOps community is caught in the crossfire. While AI Agents promise a future of self-healing infrastructure and autonomous deployments, they introduce a radical paradigm shift. We are moving from deterministic, script-based automation to probabilistic, goal-oriented autonomy. DevOps was built on the comfort of "if this, then that," but Agents operate on the principle of "this is likely the best next step." Suddenly, we’re wondering if an ever-mutating pipeline is actually the way to go (or just a very fast way to break things). In this light-hearted journey through the trenches, we’ll look at the three pillars of our new daily reality: security, observability and reliability. With two decades of experience in distributed systems, Ivan Pedrazas has spent the last year at the forefront of the AI evolution. He is currently building the next generation of developer tooling, integrating AI agents and MCP servers to create seamless workflows between LLMs and (non-deterministic) production environments. **Participate in a future Meetup** If you'd like to speak at a future meetup, or if you are able to host or sponsor the event, please fill in this [form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1FYGHEWTeBb5vVztGGg2YoUJmKR03o9mZaFIghf6vjzo/viewform?edit_requested=true) and we'll get back to you.

Script Reading, Improvisation, Voice Projection, Games, Public Speaking and Audition Techniques will be some of the points covered over the coming terms. Drama is ideal for building confidence, helping with articulation and developing presentation skills. ***It is also a lot of fun!*** The classes have built up over the last ten years and are run by Mario Renzullo, who was an original member of the famed Anna Scher theatre and made his professional debut in 1970 and went on to have many lead TV, Film and Theatre roles. Mario founded the theatrical agency Smart Management, which has been running for over twenty-five years. The classes are open to a wide age range and welcome both newcomers to acting and those with professional acting experience. **Typically, between 12 and 20 people join us each week, creating a lively and engaging group dynamic.** **Venue:** **The Angel Church, Chadwell Street EC1R 1XA** **Five minutes’ walk from the Angel tube station.** **Thursday evenings at 7.00 pm – 8.30 pm.** Fee: £10.00 cash per session. For more information, please email your contact details to: smartmanagement@btconnect.com

Welcome to our second London meetup of 2026, where we discuss Gen AI and Kubernetes! Details below: **Location:** Civo Tech Junction, First Floor, 32-37 Cowper St, London EC2A 4AW **Time:** Doors open at 6PM **Drinks, snacks, talks, and networking.** We’re excited to invite you to our second in-person **DevOps Society Meetup** of 2026, proudly **sponsored by Cast AI**. This event is focussed around Gen AI and Kubernetes, with two really exciting speakers lined up for this one in Carly and Kunal. Format of the Meetup: 6:00pm – 6:30pm — Networking on arrival, with food and drinks provided by CastAI 6:30pm – 7:10pm — First speaker + Q&A 7:10pm – 7:20pm — Break for refreshments and networking 7:20pm – 8:00pm — Second speaker + Q&A 8:00pm onwards — More networking at the venue, then at a nearby pub. *Timings can vary slightly depending on Q&A.* We’re excited to welcome everyone to our next DevOps Society London meetup, where we’ll be diving into two incredibly relevant topics in modern infrastructure: observing GenAI applications in production and optimising Kubernetes clusters. We’ll be joined by two brilliant speakers from the ecosystem who are working at the forefront of developer tooling and cloud infrastructure. As always, expect a relaxed evening of technical learning, discussion, and networking with fellow engineers from across the London tech community. *** ## 🎤 Speaker 1 - Carly Richmond **Developer Advocate Lead @ Elastic** ### Observing AI Applications with OpenLit and OpenTelemetry Observability is the ability to measure the current state of a system. With the rapid emergence of LLMs and GenAI applications moving into production, teams now need deeper insight into how these systems behave in real-world environments. In this talk, Carly will explore best practices for observing production AI applications, covering how engineers can capture logs, traces, and metrics to better understand how LLMs interact within their application ecosystem. She’ll walk through a real example of instrumenting an AI agent application written in TypeScript, using OpenLit to generate OpenTelemetry signals. The session will show the types of telemetry data teams can capture to identify usage patterns, detect errors, and troubleshoot issues commonly seen in production GenAI applications. ### About Carly Carly Richmond is Developer Advocate Lead at Elastic, based in London. She’s a UI developer who also writes backend services, a keynote speaker, and a tech writer who is passionate about helping developers build better systems. Outside of tech, Carly enjoys cooking, photography, drinking tea, and chasing after her young son. *** ## 🎤 Speaker 2 - Kunal Kushwaha **Senior Developer Advocate @ CAST AI** ### Optimizing Kubernetes and Unlocking Blockers with Container Live Migration Kubernetes promises automation, yet most clusters run at around **10% CPU utilisation**, leaving large amounts of infrastructure sitting idle. With endless instance types, constantly shifting prices, and the complexity of modern workloads, maintaining efficient clusters can quickly become a full-time job. In this talk, Kunal explores the real-world challenges teams face when running Kubernetes in production. He’ll cover where Kubernetes automation works well, where it falls short, and why optimisation remains difficult for many teams. Topics include: * Why most Kubernetes clusters are underutilised * The realities of autoscaling in production environments * Challenges around instance types and Spot capacity * Common mistakes teams make with HPA and VPA Once these challenges are laid out, Kunal introduces Container Live Migration as a way to overcome some of these long-standing blockers. To bring the concept to life, he’ll run a live technical demo where Pods running a small video game are migrated across nodes in real time, while the audience participates. The game continues running without downtime, demonstrating how live migration can improve cluster efficiency without disrupting workloads. Please register below to secure your spot. Spaces are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. We’re really looking forward to getting the community back together again for our first event of 2026. [Our slack community](https://join.slack.com/t/devopssociety/shared_invite/zt-3mswuylw7-MhJg1IZ70rX_GpJTluG2Cw) \- join in and introduce yourself\! [Our Youtube Channel ](https://www.youtube.com/@DevOpsSociety)for regular podcasts with DevOps professionals + more DevOps content. [Website](https://thedevopsociety.com/) [To partner with us](https://thedevopsociety.com/partnerships) CAST AI website - https://cast.ai/ Thanks! From the DevOps Society team [Ben](https://www.linkedin.com/in/benwhitmarsh/) and [Vytas](https://www.linkedin.com/in/vytasdevops/)

Join me for a fun Drama class every Wednesday evening from 6:30 pm- 8:30pm at the Omnibus Theatre in Clapham Common. Acting helps with confidence and awareness. In a fun and relaxed atmosphere, you will meet new people and learn all about Acting. No experience is needed. We'll do relaxation exercises, games, improvisations, storytelling, and a bit later on we'll start working on character and text. The year ends with an exciting Showcase where friends and family come and see how all your hard work has paid off :) £10 pounds for the trial class to be paid before or after class. Different payment options if you decide to join. In order to reserve a place, please contact me at catherine@thebrightdaycompany.net. For more info: https://www.thebrightdaycompany.net/about I look forward to seeing you!

**Stop Experimenting. Start Delivering. Go from Proof-of-Concept to Production.** We continue with **Part 2** of our **AI Ops with Databricks** series, where we explore how to move from AI experimentation to real, production-scale value. In this session, **Wynand Jordaan** and **Matthew Thomson** will unpack the practical steps, architecture patterns, and operational best practices for delivering **AI at scale** using Databricks. We’ll discuss: * How AI Ops bridges the gap between data science and production systems * Leveraging Databricks to operationalise machine learning workflows * Building robust monitoring, observability, and governance for AI models * Expert heuristics, tips, tricks and rules of thumb for building reliable agentic systems * Real-world examples of accelerating AI delivery and reducing time-to-value Whether you’re a data engineer, data scientist, or tech leader looking to scale AI impact, this session will give you actionable insights and a roadmap to production success. **Speakers**: * **Wynand Jordaan** – AI & Data Engineering Specialist, passionate about scaling intelligent systems in production. * **Matthew Thomson, PhD** –Director for Architecture, Consulting and Enablement for UK&I at Databricks, focused on helping customers build and deploy Apache Spark and machine learning models at scale. Join us to learn, share ideas, and connect with others shaping the future of AI operations.

Hi folks! Welcome to our April Cloud Native London meetup! Join us to hear from our three great speakers and network with your fellow techies over pizza and drinks, or alternatively chat and following along on Youtube or LinkedIn! 6:00 Pizza and drinks 6:30 Welcome 6:45 Meghan McGowan, Cloudsmith (Talk TBC) 7:15 Ole Lensmar, Testkube (Talk TBC) 7:45 Break 8:00 Mauricio Salatino, Diagrid (Talk TBC) 8:30 Wrap up See you there! Cheryl (@oicheryl) *Check out [https://www.oicheryl.com/cloudnativelondon](https://www.oicheryl.com/cloudnativelondon) if you're interested in speaking or sponsoring.*

Thank you to everyone who has joined the Agentic community so far and thank you to those who attended the launch event in January! Its exciting times as we now gear up for the 2nd meet up of the year once again hosted by the wonderful team over at Vorboss LTD! We have a stellar line up for you again so please RSVP and join us on 1st April! **Odhran O'Donoghue \| Co\-Founder & CTO @ Magentic** **Making AI with Enterprise-level Reliability** Making AI work in critical business use cases requires superhuman-level reliability. Achieving this with AI is non-trivial, and even advanced developers can find themselves chasing the wrong paths to success. This talk covers how to build genuinely reliable generative AI to meet the needs of the world's largest customers, drawing from learnings on real-world deployments covering billions of dollars in spend. Odhran O'Donoghue is CTO of Magentic, the AI agent platform for the world’s supply chains. The company is backed by Sequoia Capital, used across a range of Fortune 500 manufacturers. Odhran has previously worked with OpenAI and NASA, and led research at the Francis Crick Institute - Europe’s largest scientific centre. **Anastasia Kundush \| Head of Product @ Alpic** **Beyond the Chatbot: rethinking user flows in the agentic era.** Imagine apps that live directly inside ChatGPT or Claude. Instead of clicking buttons, you interact with agentic interfaces. We'll examine novel use cases where models seamlessly adopt complex roles and merge interactive visualizations with conversational insights. You'll learn how to design for this new paradigm and what doesn't work. Alpic provides the infrastructure and tools to turn your product into an AI-native experience. Our all-in-one MCP hosting platform offers easy one-click deployment, as well as MCP-specific evaluation, analytics, authentication, transport and security. A huge thank you to Odhran and the team at Magentic for sponsoring pizzas and also a big thank you once again to Vorboss for hosting and supplying drinks for all attendees on the night :)

Topic to be announced! **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

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

Want to be a speaker? submit your talk to our Call for Presenters!!! https://sessionize.com/azure-cbus-2026/

**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.

Pay attention! We’re delaying a week for those of you who may be on Spring break and/or celebrating the holiday. Ok, no pancakes, but waffles-a-plenty. Join the local UX and Digital Design community for a casual monthly breakfast. Look for us upstairs!

**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 Data-Driven Brand: Using Analytics to Shape Perception** Can you use analytics to improve tacos? This being CBUSDAW, we think the answer is probably “yes”, but we’re not sure how to implement or test this theory. For our April meetup we’ve got Sara Kear, CMO of Condado Tacos, to investigate this delicious question. Sara will explore how she blends quantitative data and qualitative customer feedback to shape brand positioning and drive business decisions. We all know that marketing and analytics go way beyond attribution. Sara will show how Condado uses customer insights to inform product and pricing strategy. She’ll also highlight how Condado leverages customer feedback at scale to influence operational priorities, positioning marketing as the voice of the customer across the organization. In the last 12 years Condado has gone from one location in Columbus to 52 locations across 10 states, so we’re guessing there’s more to that growth than really good guac (though the guac probably helps). Ultimately, this talk focuses on the intersection of art and science—using data to inform creativity and build a brand that resonates with customers in a measurable way. **About Our Speaker** Sara Kear is Chief Marketing Officer at Condado Tacos, where she oversees brand, restaurant design, menu and pricing strategy, off-premise including catering, and customer data strategy. Since joining in 2021, she has helped grow the brand from 19 to 52 locations while building a data-driven marketing organization focused on loyalty and customer insights. Condado has since been named to the Inc. 5000, recognized as Breakout Retailer by Chain Store Age, and consistently ranked among FastCasual’s Top 100 Movers & Shakers. Thanks to our 2026 sponsors: [Clarivoy](https://www.clarivoy.com), [What Box Consulting Group](https://www.whatboxconsultinggroup.com), [Conductrics](https://www.conductrics.com), and [Piwik PRO](https://piwik.pro) More info at [cbusdaw.com](https://cbusdaw.com)