Consultants

For our May meetup, we're delighted to be back at the fabulous Accurx offices. We have two amazing talks lined up and the agenda will be: * 6:30pm - arrive, drinks, networking * 7:00pm - Welcome & Housekeeping * 7:15pm - **Talk** **1: "A practical guide to inner sourcing your IDP"** Bridging the gap between developers and platform teams is hard. Scattered documentation, fragmented language and hidden knowledge leave developers frustrated, while platform teams struggle to understand what devs really need. Treating platforms as products is a start, but treating them like open source projects unlocks real collaboration, allowing developers to contribute and maintain features. In her roles as Developer Advocate and platform engineer, Lian has years of experience working with highly bureaucratic organisations helping to improve developer experience and adoption. In this talk, she’ll share concrete steps to identify contribution opportunities, set up maintainable processes, and measure engagement. You’ll leave inspired with ideas to boost adoption, reduce friction, and turn your platform into a collaborative, thriving ecosystem. **Speaker:** Lian Li, Cloud Native Human *Lian always wanted to save the world. After leaving law school, she decided to work with computers instead. While in Web Dev, she started attending tech events, and soon fell in love with the community. In her roles as Consultant and DevRel, Lian combined technical knowledge with a focus on the human side.* *Currently, Lian works as freelance Platform Engineer in Amsterdam and is the Chief Karaoke Officer for Kuberoke, the first and only Kubernetes Karaoke Community. She also enjoys performing in musical improvisation theatre and standup comedy shows.* * 7.45pm - food, more drinks & networking * 8.00pm - **Talk** **2: "The Humans Behind the Platform: Structuring Teams for Culture and Capability**" It’s easy to focus on the tech when building a Platform team, and that’s tremendously important, but it’s often the people and how they work together that determine success. Over the past couple of years, Claire has led a Platform Engineering Team through different formations, migrations, and tooling adoptions. Whatever shape the team has taken, whatever they're working on, the constants have been a need for clear purpose and a culture where people can thrive, this takes work, and has sometimes been tricky to get right. In this talk, she’ll share what she's learned from shaping and supporting platform teams: what’s worked (and what hasn’t) when it comes to team composition, balancing seniority, and supporting career growth. Collaboration is central to how to operate, so she’ll talk about how her team works with and supports internal customers, and what’s helped to navigate complex, knotty migration projects. She’ll also cover how they built a culture that gives engineers space to lead. We want engineers at every level to feel confident taking ownership, and that takes deliberate effort. If you’re figuring out how to shape your platform teams to enable others as well as deliver, this talk will offer practical ideas, and maybe a few things to rethink. **Speaker:** Claire Reckless, Engineering Manager *Claire is an Engineering Manager and leads a Platform Engineering Team. With a background spanning Tech Support, Testing, and QA across sectors like Finance and Security, she brings a deep appreciation for resilient systems and collaborative teams. Claire is passionate about learning and development, and she’s especially proud of her past work coordinating an apprentice programme, an initiative that’s helped build a more diverse and sustainable pipeline of engineering talent. She’s energised by helping engineers at all levels grow their confidence, take ownership, and shape the future of their teams.* * 8.30pm onwards - drinks and networking. So, please come and join us, we look forward to seeing you there. The LOPUG team. * Food and drinks provided * Good time will be had by all

**Kindly note that this is a paid event and the average number of attendees for our events is 60-70 people. You can register on [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/international-trade-connector-global-trade-business-networking-event-tickets-1988226778817?aff=meetup](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/international-trade-connector-global-trade-business-networking-event-tickets-1988226778817?aff=meetup)** Connect with global trade experts at our London International Trade & Business Networking event. Build partnerships & grow your business **The Business Networking Event for Global Ambition** The International Trade Connector® is the ultimate networking event for entrepreneurs, business professionals, and solution providers who are ready to think beyond borders. ✈️🌐 Whether you're exploring new international markets, navigating cross-border operations, or offering services that support global expansion, this event connects you with the right people to accelerate your success. 🤝 ### **Sponsored by APGB Boutique Consultancy** APGB is a specialised London-based advisory firm connecting UK investors with development projects across Portuguese-speaking African countries. 🇦🇴🇲🇿🇨🇻 They also support businesses from Africa and the UK in securing investors, entering new markets, and scaling internationally. 📈 Expect meaningful conversations, practical insights, and high-value connections to help you build partnerships, discover solutions, and expand your global footprint. 🌏✨ **Join us to connect with like-minded professionals and build the bridges you need to thrive internationally.** 🌉 ## **👥 Who Is This Event For?** Ideal for professionals involved in global growth and international business, including: * 🚀 **Entrepreneurs, Startups & SMEs** expanding abroad * 🌐 **International Trade Specialists** * ⚖️ **Legal & Compliance Experts** * 💼 **Tax & Accounting Professionals** * 🧭 **Market Entry & Localization Consultants** * 🚚 **Logistics & Supply Chain Experts** * 🎯 **Marketing & Branding Agencies** * 🌎 **Recruitment & HR Professionals** * 🏢 **International Real Estate & Infrastructure Advisors** * 💳 **Financial Institutions & Fintech Providers** * 💻 **Technology Companies** enabling cross-border operations * 🏛️ **Government & Trade Bodies** * 💸 **Investors & Venture Capitalists** * 🎓 **Education & Training Providers** * 📰 **Media, PR & Communications Professionals** * 🤝 **Network Builders & Global Community Leaders** A diverse, high-energy environment designed to inspire collaboration and global opportunities. ## **📱 Exclusive WhatsApp Networking Group** All confirmed attendees receive access to a dedicated WhatsApp group, opened **24 hours before the event**. Inside the group, you can: * 👋 Introduce yourself early * 💬 Discuss your goals and challenges * 📅 Plan who you'd like to meet in advance A simple way to maximise your networking success. ## **🎙️ Meet the Host** **Alice Santos**, founder of **APGB**, a market-entry consultancy specialising in Lusophone countries (Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, Guinea-Bissau). APGB connects professionals, projects, and opportunities — supporting compliance, partnerships, and sustainable growth. 🌱🌍 ## **🎉 Complimentary Access to London Connector®** Your ticket includes **free entry** to the London Connector® event from **6pm**. Two synergistic events, **one ticket** — double the connections, double the opportunities! 🔗✨ ## **📲 WhatsApp Group** On the day of the event, attendees will receive an email invitation to join the exclusive Ukrainian Connector® WhatsApp group to continue conversations before and after the event. ## **👔 Dress Code** Business attire or smart casual. No T-shirts or trainers. ## **ℹ️ Refund Policy** Advance tickets are discounted and non-refundable but may be reassigned to another person if you are unable to attend. ### **Event Disclaimer 📸** Photos and videos may be taken during the event for use across social media and promotional materials. * [United Kingdom Events](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom/events) * [Greater London Events](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom--greater-london/events) * [Things to do in London](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/ttd/united-kingdom--london) * [London networking](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom--london/networking) * [London Business networking](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom--london/business--networking)

We're delighted to announce an exciting LSCC event on Wednesday 13th May, in partnership with our friends at Zopa Bank! Join us at the Zopa Canary Wharf office in London for this session and get the chance to flex your architectural design muscles! "So how are we supposed to get great architects, if they only get the chance to architect fewer than a half-dozen times in their career?" — Ted Neward. This quote highlights the need for practice, which is what our LSCC architecture katas provide: a safe, repeatable way to hone your software architecture design skills by simulating architectural challenges. **What's the format?** You'll be split into groups and have a business problem to solve. You'll be tasked with designing a technical architecture to meet that problem context. As with real-life you'll have to manage various trade-offs in your design and interact with a Product Owner to clarify your questions. At the end of the task each team will showcase their architecture and technology choices back to the wider group as part of a group discussion. Whether you're a seasoned coder, software architect or new to the scene, you're invited to share insights, discuss best practices, and learn from fellow participants. No prior session attendance or architecture knowledge is required – just bring your enthusiasm. No laptop is required for this session, we'll provide each group with paper, pens and sticky notes to support the activity. Thank you to the Codurance team that will run the event at Zopa Bank's office. Find out more at https://www.codurance.com/ Food and drinks will be provided with vegetarian, vegan and non-alcoholic options available - thanks to Zopa Bank for sponsoring refreshments and hosting in their great office. **About Zopa** Founded in 2020 with a full banking licence and backed by some of Silicon Valley’s most iconic investors, digital bank Zopa is building the Home of Money. This is a place where financial products deliver good value and managing money is made effortless; deep and long-lasting relationships mean customers are left confident about their choices. One of the UK’s highest rated and most celebrated financial brands, Zopa has been recognised with over 10 British Bank Awards, holds a Trustpilot rating of 4.6/5, and has one of the highest customer satisfaction scores in the industry. Zopa Bank Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. https://www.zopa.com/ We look forward to seeing you soon!

**Kindly note that this is a paid event and the average number of attendees for our events is 60-70 people. You can register on [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/african-connector-london-africa-focused-networking-event-tickets-1988226075714?aff=meetup](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/african-connector-london-africa-focused-networking-event-tickets-1988226075714?aff=meetup)** African Connector® London: curated networking for Africa-focused professionals, founders & investors. Build partnerships and opportunities. ### **What is African Connector®?** African Connector® is a **carefully designed business networking experience** in London for professionals, founders, investors, and advisors connected to African markets. It brings together a **relevant mix of people with aligned interests**, creating an environment where conversations are more meaningful and introductions more valuable. The focus is on quality over quantity—encouraging discussions that can lead to partnerships, investments, and long-term opportunities. There are no panels or presentations—just a **natural, professional setting** where conversations flow and connections develop organically. **Who should attend?** * Founders and entrepreneurs working in or with Africa * Investors (Angel, VC, Family Offices) exploring African opportunities * Corporate professionals, consultants, and advisors * Anyone interested in Africa-focused business, trade, and innovation **Why attend?** In London, the best opportunities come through the right introductions—not chance encounters. African Connector® creates a space where conversations are intentional, relevant, and commercially valuable. ## **Event Details 🕒** 📅 **Date:** 13th May ⏰ **Time:** 17:00 – Event Start 📍 **Location:** 2 Chesham Hotel, Belgravia, London ✔️ Fully hosted ✔️ Free-format networking (no panels or presentations) ✔️ Curated guest list for quality connections ## **What to expect** * High-level networking with like-minded professionals * A relaxed but purposeful atmosphere * Conversations that can lead to partnerships, investments, and new opportunities ## **Bonus Access** Your ticket also includes entry to **London Connector®**, taking place later the same evening—expanding your network across a broader professional audience. ## **📲 WhatsApp Group** On the day of the event, attendees will receive an email invitation to join the exclusive Ukrainian Connector® WhatsApp group to continue conversations before and after the event. ## **👔 Dress Code** Business attire or smart casual. No T-shirts or trainers. ## **ℹ️ Refund Policy** Advance tickets are discounted and non-refundable but may be reassigned to another person if you are unable to attend. ### **Event Disclaimer 📸** Photos and videos may be taken during the event for use across social media and promotional materials. * [United Kingdom Events](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom/events) * [Greater London Events](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom--greater-london/events) * [Things to do in London](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/ttd/united-kingdom--london) * [London networking](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom--london/networking) * [London Business networking](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom--london/business--networking)

Something's shifted. The people who've spent years deep in data - the analysts, the engineers, the consultants - are building with AI agents now. **And it's the most exciting thing in a decade.** New tools. New workflows. Whole new ways of thinking about what data work even means. Everyone's experimenting. Everyone's learning. **Nobody's done this before.** We couldn't find a community in the UK for people doing this work. So we're starting one. In pubs, with laptops, sharing what's actually working. No slides. No pitches. No lanyard energy. Just people who build things, showing each other what they've built. **Bring your terminal. Bring your questions. Bring the thing that's half-working and you can't figure out why.** More at [swarm.org.uk](https://swarm.org.uk/)

**Kindly note that this is a paid event and the average number of attendees for our events is 60-70 people. You can register on [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/business-networking-london-where-entrepreneurs-meet-by-london-connector-tickets-1988170587748?aff=meetup](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/business-networking-london-where-entrepreneurs-meet-by-london-connector-tickets-1988170587748?aff=meetup)** Meet entrepreneurs, angel investors & startup founders at London's premier business networking event. Build real connections in Belgravia. **Join London Connector® for a premium business networking event at the prestigious 2 Chesham Hotel, Belgravia — bringing together entrepreneurs, startup founders, investors, company directors, and professionals ready to build meaningful connections in the heart of Central London.** London Connector® hosts premium **business networking events across Central London** — including **Belgravia, Mayfair, Soho, and the City** — connecting **entrepreneurs, founders, expats, investors, and professionals** looking to grow their London network. With more than **100 events hosted every year** and a vibrant international community, London Connector® is one of the city's most trusted and active **business networking platforms**. Whether you are an **aspiring entrepreneur**, an **established business owner**, a **startup founder**, or an **investor** — this **London business networking event** offers the perfect premium environment to meet the right people, explore new opportunities, and build lasting professional relationships. **💼 Why Attend This London Business Networking Event?** The London Connector® series has built a strong reputation for bringing together **ambitious entrepreneurs, company directors, angel investors, innovators, and professionals** from a wide variety of industries across London. The goal is simple: to connect **like-minded business professionals** who are serious about **collaboration, growth, and creating opportunities** in a relaxed, welcoming, and stylish environment. At this **Belgravia business networking event**, you can: * Meet **entrepreneurs and company directors** looking to expand their London network * Connect with **angel investors and professionals** from diverse sectors and industries * Explore **partnerships, collaborations, joint ventures, and client opportunities** * Enjoy a stylish and relaxed **social mixer** setting ideal for both business and social networking * Build genuine, long-term professional relationships with **like-minded entrepreneurs and business leaders** **✨ Event Highlights** * Informal **open networking** with introductions facilitated by our host and the London Connector® community * A warm, welcoming, and **inclusive networking environment** where conversations naturally lead to opportunities * **Networking from 6:00 PM until 10:00 PM** — plenty of time to meet new people and build lasting connections * Access to an **exclusive WhatsApp networking community** for pre-event and post-event connection * One of Central London's most consistent and well-attended **business networking events** **👥 Who Should Attend?** This **London business networking event at Belgravia** is designed for: * 🚀 **Entrepreneurs & Startup Founders** — looking to showcase ideas, find mentors, or attract strategic partners and investors * 🏢 **Business Owners & Company Directors** — interested in building partnerships, meeting potential clients, or discovering innovative business solutions * 💰 **Angel Investors & Advisors** — seeking exposure to exciting ventures, forward-thinking entrepreneurs, and professionals across industries * 💼 **Professionals from SMEs & Corporates** — aiming to grow their personal network, generate leads, or explore collaborations outside their immediate field * 🧠 **Consultants & Service Providers** — in marketing, finance, legal, HR, tech, or sustainability, looking to connect with decision-makers and companies in need of their expertise * 💻 **Innovators & Tech Enthusiasts** — eager to stay ahead of trends in **digital, fintech, AI**, and other high-growth sectors * 🌐 **Expats & Professionals New to London's Business Scene** — looking for a welcoming **entrepreneur community in London** where professional introductions are natural, warm, and meaningful **📍 About the Venue — 2 Chesham Hotel, Belgravia** Located in the heart of **Belgravia, Central London**, the 2 Chesham Hotel provides an elegant, stylish, and professional setting perfectly suited to London's most ambitious **entrepreneurs, investors, and business professionals**. A premium venue for a premium **London networking event**. **🎟️ Spaces Are Limited — Book Early!** Spaces are strictly limited and this event may sell out in advance. To avoid disappointment, we strongly recommend **booking your ticket early**. Reserve your place today and be part of an evening where **business meets opportunity** in the heart of Belgravia — one of Central London's most iconic and prestigious locations. **📲 Exclusive WhatsApp Networking Group** On the day of the event, you will receive an email invitation to join our **exclusive attendee WhatsApp group** — allowing **entrepreneurs, founders, investors, and professionals** to start connecting, arranging meetings, and building relationships before and after the event. **📸 Event Disclaimer** Photos and videos may be taken during the event for use across our social media channels, marketing materials, and promotional campaigns. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. * [United Kingdom Events](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom/events) * [Greater London Events](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom--greater-london/events) * [Things to do in London](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/ttd/united-kingdom--london) * [London networking](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom--london/networking) * [London Business networking](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom--london/business--networking)

**Bites & Bytes #1 - DevOps Talks, Networking & Snacks** Join us for the first **Bites & Bytes**, a casual DevOps-focused community evening in central London. This event brings together engineers, tech leads, and anyone interested in DevOps to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and connect with others in the space. **What to expect** * Practical technical talks * Real-world DevOps experiences and demos * Opportunity to network with other engineers * Food and relaxed atmosphere **Confirmed speakers** 1\. Moustafa Mneimneih \- Shift Down to Speed Up 2\. James Williams \- Syonara Ingress Nginx **Who should attend** * Engineers working with DevOps, cloud or platform engineering * Tech leads and engineering managers * Anyone interested in modern software delivery practices.

\#\#\#\# Step 1: TAKE THE TEST The Oxford Capacity Analysis identifies 10 vital personality traits that influence your entire future. It is a factual, scientific analysis taken from your answers, and it takes about an hour to complete. \#\#\#\# Step 2: GET YOUR RESULTS After you complete the test, your personality analysis is generated and displayed. Within minutes your analysis will highlight your strengths and weaknesses—which personality traits to take advantage of and which need help. \#\#\#\# Step 3: CONSULTATION While the analysis graph shows distinct personality traits, it is the interrelationship of these traits that provides the greater picture of your personality. We provide a complimentary consultation with one of our trained staff, who will give a detailed evaluation of your personality analysis. In this one-on-one consultation, you gain a better understanding of your personality strengths and weaknesses, and establish the recommended path to your fast and lasting success.

**The Unscented Transform: theory, extensions and practical application to Bayesian inference** We are delighted to have John Whitamore back at the Bayesian Mixer. Please register here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/bayesianmixer/2154878 **Abstract:** How can we perform Bayesian inference without resorting to slow random sampling methods? Isn't there a nice, pragmatic way to use the geometry of a problem to use only a very small number of samples, placed deterministically? Isn't there a good, straightforward way to implement Bayesian models in practical settings? This talk explains the real-world problems that can be solved by the Unscented Transform. It begins with an intuitive introduction to Bayesian methods, discusses the Unscented Transform and connects the ideas to geometry, finite elements analysis and deep learning. **Bio:** John Whitamore is a Senior Data Scientist at Simply Business, a leading UK InsureTech firm. He has previously served as Head of Data Science for a leading food retailer, as Head of Trading and Systems for an investment management company and as Global Head of Convertible Bond Trading for a European investment bank.

MCP is changing how developers build with AI, but we're just scratching the surface. Join us for an evening of talks that go beyond retrieval to explore what's actually possible when you give agents real tools, real constraints and real APIs. **Agenda** ​6:00 PM - Doors open, registration and networking ​6:10 PM - Welcome (Upsun & Cloudflare) ​6:20 PM - MCP: Context is Everything! - Carly Richmond, Elastic ​6:45 PM - Sandboxes: how to limit agents so we can use them more - Patrick Dawkins, Upsun ​7:00 PM - Break (Food & Drinks) ​7:30 PM - Cooking with MCP in VS Code - Liam Hampton, Microsoft ​7:55 PM - Efficient tools with MCP code mode - Confidence Okoghenun, Cloudflare ​8:15 PM - Open networking and drinks ​9:00 PM - Close 🗣️ ​**Talks** ​**MCP: Context is Everything! - Carly Richmond (Developer Advocate Lead, Elastic)** ​MCP is a powerful tool for giving LLMs capabilities to not just retrieve information, but to automate key actions based on relevant data. Let’s see how it can be used for retrieving relevant context and other activities such as observability. ​**Efficient tools with MCP code mode - Confidence Okoghenun (Senior Developer Advocate, Cloudflare)** ​Traditional MCP approaches choke on context windows: Cloudflare's 2,500+ endpoint API would require 1.17 million tokens. Code Mode flips the script by having LLMs write code against typed APIs instead of making direct tool calls, achieving 99.9% token reduction. Come learn how code mode works and how to optimize your MCP tools with it. ​**Sandboxes: how to limit agents so we can use them more - Patrick Dawkins (Principal Engineer, Upsun)** ​We want our agents to run longer and use more tools, but we're hampered by constant prompts for approval. Sandboxes are the practical middle ground: isolate the agent so you can stop watching every command and let it work. This talk covers what "sandbox" means, who provides them today and the Linux primitives that let you build one yourself. ​**Cooking with MCP in VS Code - Liam Hampton (Senior Cloud Advocate, Microsoft)** ​In this session Liam will show you how VS Code is fully supporting the MCP spec, from MCP Apps to sandboxing and elicitations. 📅 **Date and Time:** Thursday, May 14, from 6:00-9:00 PM 📍 **Location:** Cloudflare Address: 6th Floor, County Hall/The, Riverside Building, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 7PB, UK 👉 You can also register here: https://luma.com/eb8j6lhu ⚠️ Please make sure you provided your full name (no nicknames or abbreviations will be allowed) and to bring your ID card as it will be mandatory to show it upon check-in to security. Entry will be first come, first served. We recommend arriving early to make sure you get in. **⚡️ Interested in giving a talk? ⚡️** Have you ever considered presenting on your Elastic use case? We welcome 5-10 minute lightning talks, 45-minute deep dives, and everything in between. If you're interested, please submit via our [CFP](https://sessionize.com/elastic-meetups/) or send us an email at [meetups@elastic.co.](http://meetups@elastic.co./)

Shaping our future with AI. Creating opportunity through AI fluency, connection and community. No jargon. No hype. No confusing terminology. NOTE: This event will be focussed on the changing shape of software development. Everyone is welcome to attend but the content will be somewhat technical. **Join us for our next in-person meetup in London on Thursday May 14th.** Our theme for this meetup is **Reimagining Software Development with AI.** We're going to take a step back and think about the role we, the humans, play in the software development process now that coding agents have arrived. This event provides a small glimpse of the future, from the innovators who are challenging everything and rebuilding the process of software development from the ground up, with humans at the centre! **Where and When?** * Thursday, May 14th * Doors open at 18:00 * Talks start at 19:00 * AutogenAI, 123 Pentonville Rd, London N1 9LG **Talk 1: The Validation Gap: We Need A Better Way To Review AI Generated Code** (Robert Werner, Co-Founder & CTO Leapter) AI coding is fast. We're generating more code than ever. But more code means more code to verify, and agentic workflows are scaling that gap faster than review processes can keep up. The bottleneck didn't disappear. It moved from writing code to verifying logic. For most generated code, you can ship, test, and iterate. But what if we need to be sure? What about the code that runs our financial systems or decides if you qualify for a loan? It has to be right. Hope is not a strategy, we need to better ways to review code. In this talk Robert will share his recent innovations, experiments and insights with you. **About Robert:** Robert Werner is the CTO of an AI startup dedicated to shaping the future of AI-native software development. He has over 20 years experience focussed on Software Engineering, Developer Experience and Transformational Platform Engineering, across Fortune 500 companies and FinTechs. **Talk 2: Narrative Engineering: What Cognitive Science Actually Tells Us About Building with LLMs** (Sal Kimmich, Security Architect at Gadfly AI) We keep treating LLMs like search engines that hallucinate. That is the wrong category, and it produces the wrong engineering. LLMs are narrative generators. They do not retrieve facts or execute logic. They complete stories. That distinction is not philosophical. It determines what kind of system you can build with them and what kind you cannot. Neuroscience has been studying probabilistic, distributed, narrative-generating systems for decades. Most of the LLM engineering field is ignoring that work. This talk walks through cyberneutics, an open source methodology and repository built on the premise that we need a new engineering discipline for narrative computing the way software engineering emerged from symbolic computing. The theoretical foundations come from second-order cybernetics, distributed cognition, and Minsky's Society of Mind. The empirical validation comes from 2025 mechanistic interpretability research showing that reasoning models internally simulate multi-agent dialogue to reason better. The practical techniques come from iterative practice: adversarial committees, pipeline algebra with formal quality propagation, observer-aware interaction design. Three real lessons for practitioners building agentic systems: reliability is a property of the pipeline, not the prompt; repetition is latent space exploration, not failure; and if you want auditable AI reasoning, you need to externalise the dialogue structure, because the transcript is the explainability artifact. The discipline does not exist yet. This is what building it looks like. **About Sal:** Sal is a developer advocate for open source and passionate about helping engineers, ethical hackers and digital enthusiasts understand the complexity of modern software development. With over a decade of experience as building cloud-native machine learning pipelines in the healthcare and tech for good sectors, their work is now focused on filling the cracks in the open source software supply chain to build a better digital future for all of us. **Thanks!** We'd like to thank our sponsors [Leapter ](http://leapter.com/)and AutogenAI for making this event possible. **Code of Conduct** This event has a code of conduct that you can [review here.](https://aifortherestofus.live/code-of-conduct) By joining the community and registering for this event you agree to abide by our code of conduct. **Providing Your Name and Email** To register for this event you'll be asked to provide your email address. After the event you will be automatically subscribed to the newsletters from *AI for the rest of us* and Leapter GmbH. You can unsubscribe at any time (But why would you? They are really very good!)

**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.

AI has changed how we write code. Now the bigger question is: how does it change engineering itself? At [Sahaj Software](https://www.linkedin.com/company/sahajsoftware/)'s upcoming Devday in London, [Jyoti Singh](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jyotisingh7/) and [Ash Shakrani](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ash-shakrani/) will explore how AI assistants are being used across the software delivery lifecycle, from story refinement and solution design to implementation and code reviews. The session will also unpack: 🎯 Where should engineers rely on AI? 🎯 Where should they slow down? 🎯 And how do teams avoid handing over too much? 🗓️ **Save the Date:** 14th May, 2026 📍 **Location:** Sahaj Software, 1 Quality Court, London, WC2A 1HR 🕕 **Time:** 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM (BST) 🔗 [https://lnkd.in/ggWCTuKn](https://lnkd.in/ggWCTuKn) Curious about Intelligent Engineering? The 5 iE principles explained in under 3 minutes: Watch here- [https://lnkd.in/gPfyagri](https://lnkd.in/gPfyagri)) DevDay is a tech community event hosted to foster tech conversations, idea exchanges, and deep-dives in cutting-edge tech. The evening will feature: 🎤 **One engaging talk** with Q&A 🤝 **Plenty of time for networking** over free pizza and non-alcoholic drinks Don’t miss this chance to learn, connect, and share with fellow tech enthusiasts. 👉 Please click the link below to register. https://sahaj.ai/events/ai-coding-agents-more-than-a-code-generator/

When: Thursday, May 14, 2026, 5:30 – 8:30 Location: Lost Rhino, 21730 Red Rum Dr, Ste 142, Ashburn, VA 20147 Come network with other local GovCon Executives and enjoy a few free beers on us and engage with our sponsors and Industry speakers. Speaker: Advanced Technology International (ATI), Tom Bailey – Director of Strategic Engagements. Largest Consortium Management firm, will discuss collaborations and Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs) – allows agencies to enter into agreements for research, development, prototyping, and sometimes production of new technologies or capabilities. Will provide overview of these collaborations with discussions and Q&A. Please register here for your spot and please enter full name and company so a badge will be waiting for you. If you would like your company logo to appear on the digital board, please message the logo to me. Feel free to pass along to another colleague or GovCon Executive in your network. Co-Sponsorships: Insperity, Pinnacle Financial Partners

Some expert speaker (or panel) will be telling us about some subject, or maybe we'll hold a roundtable discussion, or whatever. Please bring your questions, ideas, etc., and a friend or three who might be interested in our Meetup. Approximate Schedule: 6:00 pm: people arrive, network, mingle, and order dinner/drinks/whatever 6:30 pm: presentation, discussion, or whatever, begins 7:30 pm: presentation/whatever is over; we network, mingle, and go home PLEASE RSVP YES IF COMING, AND CHANGE IT TO "NO" IF YOU THEN WON'T COME AFTER ALL. DO NOT MAKE US WASTE TIME WAITING FOR YOU. DO NOT DEPRIVE OTHERS OF A SPACE BY BOGARTING ONE. DO NOT MAKE ME THINK UP AN APPROPRIATE PENALTY FOR NO-SHOWS. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ADJUST THE PICTURE. DO NOT TAUNT HAPPY FUN MEETUP ORGANIZER. This will be a joint meeting with the DC Computer Consultants (https://www.meetup.com/dc-computer-consultants).

Attendance is $35 (cash, credit/debit card, or ApplePay - paid at the door), which includes water/soda/coffee, bread, choice of a plated lunch entrée, and a dessert assortment. Parking is also validated in the Reston Station garages (3 hours of validation). Join one of Northern Virginia's most successful business networking groups (part of BNI). Open to the public and is typically attended by business owners, business developers, and entrepreneurs. Meetings are typically attended by 30-40 members and guests. \*\*\*PLEASE RSVP here: [REGISTER HERE](https://square.link/u/0WvC6Eir) \*\*\*If you do not register on the BNI website, there may not be a seat available for you.

## **1 Million Cups Loudoun – Resource Presentation** **What You Really Need to Know from an HR Professional** **Presented by Donna Giarratana** **Wednesday\, May 27 \| 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM** **Venture X Loudoun** Join us for a practical and insightful resource presentation designed to help small business owners navigate one of the most critical — and often overlooked — areas of growth: **Human Resources**. *** ## **About the Session** As your business grows, so do the complexities of managing people, processes, and compliance. Many entrepreneurs wait too long to think about HR — and by the time they do, they’re already reacting instead of planning. In this session, **Donna Giarratana** will break down what small business owners *really* need to know about HR — in a way that is clear, actionable, and relevant to your stage of growth. This conversation is designed to help you move from uncertainty to confidence when it comes to building and managing your team. *** ## **What You’ll Learn** * When it’s the right time to hire * How to set your business up for success before bringing on employees * Why HR matters — even for small businesses * Common pitfalls and how to avoid them * The foundational HR knowledge every business owner should have *** ## **Who Should Attend** * Entrepreneurs preparing to hire their first employee * Small business owners currently managing a team * Founders looking to strengthen operations and compliance * Anyone who wants to build a business with a strong, scalable foundation *** ## **Why Attend?** * Gain clarity on one of the most important aspects of business growth * Learn how to avoid costly mistakes before they happen * Ask questions and get real-world insight from an HR professional * Walk away with practical knowledge you can apply immediately *** ## **About 1 Million Cups** 1 Million Cups is a national program that brings entrepreneurs and communities together to learn, connect, and grow through presentations and discussion. Loudoun’s chapter meets on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays each month. Join us on **May 27** for coffee, connection, and a conversation that will help you build your business the right way from the inside out. We look forward to seeing you there.

Welcome to Sunday Connection, a monthly **movement class and community potluck**. Join master teacher Ann Kite **in person on Sundays at 1:00 PM** at Carderock Springs Swim & Tennis Club. Dance is both an individual and shared experience. You’re welcome to interact as much or as little as you’d like. Please arrive with heartfelt respect for yourself and everyone on the floor. **Potluck** Bring a dish to share, plus a plate, fork, and cup to keep it simple and low-waste. If bringing food isn’t easy this week, just bring yourself. Your presence is the real nourishment. **Purchase tickets here:** https://www.annkite.com/sundays

**ProductTank NoVA is back!** After a brief hiatus, we are relaunching the chapter with a format that cuts out the fluff and gets straight to the reality of building. Every product feed is flooded with AI hype right now, but what does it actually look like on the ground? Instead of a polished keynote, we are hosting **0 to 1 with AI: Real Product Talks**—a "Show & Tell" featuring 3–4 lightning talks focused on the intersection of AI and product. The framing for the talks is simple: *"Here is what I'm building, and here is what I'm stuck on."* We want to look at the messy, 0-to-1 reality of integrating AI into your workflows and products. *(Want to share what you are working on? Reach out! The bar is low-pressure, just 10–12 minutes to talk about a real AI problem you are trying to solve.)* **Agenda:** * **5:30 PM - 6:00 PM:** Doors open, networking, & name tags * **6:00 PM - 6:10 PM:** Welcome + Chapter Relaunch Intro * **6:10 PM - 7:30 PM:** Lightning Talks (Three 12-min talks + 5 mins Q&A each, with a 5-min stretch break) * **7:30 PM - 8:00 PM:** Open networking * **8:00 PM:** Soft close **Location & Logistics:** Herndon Fortnightly Library (Extended Hours Meeting Room) 768 Center St, Herndon, VA 20170 * **Parking:** We'll meet at the library, located just behind the Herndon Municipal Center. There is plenty of free public parking available around the municipal center. * **Metro & Bus:** Take the Silver Line to Herndon Metro Station, then connect via Fairfax Connector Route 921 or 950 to Historic Downtown Herndon. * **Driving (via VA-267/Dulles Toll Rd):** Take Exit 10 North (Centreville Rd, which becomes Elden St). Turn left onto Station St or Lynn St. * **Driving (via VA-286/Fairfax Co Pkwy):** Take the Elden St West exit. Turn right onto Lynn St. Looking forward to seeing everyone again and getting back to building!

If you’re trying to grow in marketing right now, guessing isn’t a great strategy. This event gives you direct access to how marketing leaders actually think. Join DC Marketing Tech Talks on May 19th in Tysons for a live **CMO Ask Me Anything** — a candid, open conversation with experienced marketing leaders who have built teams, driven revenue, and led at the highest levels. This is your chance to ask: * What skills actually matter right now? * What gets someone promoted vs. passed over? * What does it take to become a CMO today? * How are marketing teams and roles changing? * How do you connect brand to real business growth? Just real answers from people who have done the work. Whether you’re looking to move up, switch roles, or sharpen your edge, you’ll leave with a clearer sense of what to focus on next. As always, this event is free and open to the public thanks to our sponsors, SalesIntel. Food, drinks, networking, and a room full of marketers who care about getting better at what they do. Come with questions. Leave with direction.