Data Science

Zalando is graciously hosting us for our first Meetup in 2026. And we are doing it a bit different: we have two rooms, and two talks in parallel. This gives you the opportunity to choose between two talks, for a total of four talks. This year, we’re especially happy to welcome Amazon Web Services as the food sponsor for our meet-up. Thanks to their support, our community can enjoy great conversations over great food — making the evening not only insightful, but also delicious. Meet the AWS experts Sikandra Chaudhary, Daria Aleshkova, and Narendra Tawar. Narendra will be delivering a talk on PostgreSQL and AI, sharing practical insights and real-world experience. We truly appreciate AWS’s commitment to supporting local tech communities and helping us create a warm, welcoming atmosphere for everyone. **PLEASE BRING YOUR PHOTO ID** **USE THE MAIN ENTRANCE TO BHW ON THE SIDE OF UBER ARENA** **Agenda** Two sessions run in parallel in rooms codenamed "Auditorium" and "Festival" **18:30** \- doors open: registration\, networking\, and drinks **19:00 - 19:05** Auditorium, "Event intro" by Sergey Dudoladov, Senior Database Engineer in Zalando. **Auditorium: Track A** **19:10 - 19:55** "How we made WarehousePG Open Source (again)" by Andreas 'ads' Scherbaum, a WarehousePG Principal Engineer at EDB and a Founding Member of PostgreSQL Europe **19:55 - 20:15** Networking, Q&A, and pizza **20:15 - 21:00** "From 20 seconds to sub-second: Speeding up CloudNativePG wake-ups" by Tudor Golubenco, CTO of Xata **Festival: Track B** **19:10 - 19:55** "The Role of PostgreSQL in the AI World" by Narendra Tawar, Sr Database Specialist SA, AWS **19:55 - 20:15** Networking, Q&A, and pizza **20:15 - 21:00** "Modernizing Postgres Communication with Hackorum", by Kai Wagner, Percona **21:00 - 22:00 Networking, Q&A, and pizza** **22:00 - The End** **Abstracts** **How we made WarehousePG Open Source (again)** WarehousePG is an Open Source fork of Greenplum Database, which by itself is a fork of PostgreSQL. The project was born after the upstream project was made closed source. This talk gives a quick overview of the history of both projects, which already spans more than two decades. We then dive into the reasons for creating a fork, and all the stumbling stones we had to pass in order to make this project open source again. We also talk about the challenges of CLAs (Contributor License Agreements) and what implications the PostgreSQL and Apache Licenses have for the project. Speaker: Andreas 'ads' Scherbaum **The Role of PostgreSQL in the AI World** As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to revolutionize industries, the need for robust, scalable, and efficient data management solutions has never been greater. PostgreSQL, with its extensibility, performance, and advanced data capabilities, plays a crucial role in enabling AI-driven applications. This talk explores how PostgreSQL supports AI workloads, from managing vast datasets and integrating with machine learning frameworks to leveraging extensions like PostgreSQL ML, TimescaleDB, and JSONB for AI-ready storage and querying. Attendees will gain insights into best practices for using PostgreSQL in AI pipelines, optimizing performance for AI inference, and harnessing the power of open-source innovation to drive intelligent decision-making. Whether you're a data engineer, AI researcher, or PostgreSQL enthusiast, this session will showcase why PostgreSQL is an essential component in the AI ecosystem. **From 20 seconds to sub-second: Speeding up CloudNativePG wake-ups** CloudNativePG (CNPG) is a popular and battle-tested operator for running Postgres on top of Kubernetes. At Xata, we’ve been using CNPG and extending it in several different directions. One of them is implementing a scale-to-zero plugin: clusters hibernate when inactive and they wake up automatically when new connections are created. After adding scale-to-zero, we’ve faced the challenge that the CNPG wake-up from hibernation is rather slow.This is an optimization story about how we reduced the wake-up times from 20+ seconds to under one second. Speaker: Tudor Golubenco **Modernizing Postgres Communication with Hackorum** In 2026, the debate over whether mailing lists are still "state of the art" continues to divide developers. While some view them as relics, we cannot neglect the unique benefits of their decentralized, archival nature. Rather than fighting over platforms or ignoring the friction, Hackorum asks a simpler question: Why not just improve the user experience? Hackorum transforms the daunting mailing list "firehose" into a modern, forum-style interface without breaking the underlying email culture. It is designed to lower the barrier for new contributors while providing power tools for veterans: Seamless Integration: Real-time sync between mailing lists and daily sync of the Commitfest status. Modern UX: Per-message read tracking, tagging, and contributor profiles. Enhanced Coordination: Shared notes and mentions to streamline complex reviews. We have to stay open minded and willing to expand our horizon and as such Hackorum is rapidly evolving. While our roots are in development, we are currently expanding to include broader mailing lists like -general and -docs. Our goal is to make the entire Postgres ecosystem more accessible and usable for everyone. Join us for a demo of the latest updates and help us shape the future of Postgres communication. Speaker: Kai Wagner **About the speakers** **Andreas Scherbaum** has been working with PostgreSQL since 1997. He is involved in several PostgreSQL related community projects, member of the Board of Directors of the European PostgreSQL User Group and also wrote a PostgreSQL book (in German). Since 2011 he was working for EMC/Greenplum/Pivotal and tackled very big databases. Until 2024 he was doing the same - but with maybe even more and bigger databases - for Adjust GmbH in Berlin. Now he's working at EDB as WarehousePG Principal Engineer and is helping customers with even larger databases. **Tudor Golubenco** is the CTO of Xata, a Postgres platform with branches and zero-downtime, reversible schema changes. Before Xata, Tudor worked as a tech lead at companies like Elastic and Oracle. **Narendra Tawar** \- Sr Database Specialist SA I am accomplished database professional with 21 years of comprehensive experience across Oracle, PostgreSQL, Microsoft SQL Server, and MySQL environments, with specialised PostgreSQL expertise since a decade. Currently serving as a Senior Data Migration Specialist at AWS, I architect and execute complex enterprise migration strategies while actively expanding into Generative AI technologies to enhance migration efficiency and optimize data workflows. My core competencies include database architecture, performance optimization, migration planning, and cross-platform data integration, combining decades of hands-on experience with modern cloud methodologies to deliver scalable, reliable data solutions that bridge traditional database principles with emerging AI capabilities. **Kai Wagner** \- I’m Kai\, a Senior Engineering Manager at Percona with almost two decades of "bleeding" open source in my DNA\. From the Linux Kernel and Ceph at SUSE to leading PostgreSQL development today\, my career is built on a foundation of transparent communication and community\-driven innovation\. In my free time\, I'm a handball\, agility and movement coach for various ages and teams\, next to spending time with the family and on the house\. **Note** We will again take notes who signs up and does not show up. This information will be used to provide seats to others at future events. Plain and simple: please only sign up if you plan to attend.

Finally, it’s happening! [Value Rebels](https://www.valuerebels.com/) are thrilled to invite you to another [Product Management Night](https://productmanagementnights.com/), this time in the inspiring office of [Babbel](https://uk.babbel.com/). Under the banner “Staying Relevant: Data, innovation, and the architecture of decision-making”, we’ll explore how to stay innovative in a fast-changing environment and what it really takes to make meaningful, data‑informed decisions in a world saturated with signals. 📅 **Date**: March 5th 📍 **Location:** Babbels office at [Andreasstraße 72, 10243 Berlin](https://maps.app.goo.gl/PNNNehcW9GmBdf6T7) 🥂 Drinks & Finger Food Provided (veggie/vegan) **Timetable** 18:00 \| Doors Open: Networking over drinks and light food 18:45 \| Intro and hello from Value Rebels and Babbel 19:00 \| “Escaping the innovator’s dilemma: How established companies stay disruptive” \- An on\-stage discussion with [Diana Pulnar](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-pulnar-51781b13/) 19:30 \| Break 19:40 "What data-driven, actually means in 2026" - A talk by [Markus Kiefer](https://www.linkedin.com/in/markus-kiefer-979372388/) 20:10 \- 21:00 \| Closing & Networking (Please note: times are approximate) **Get to know our experts & speakers** 🎤 **[Markus Kiefer](https://www.linkedin.com/in/markus-kiefer-979372388/)**[ ](https://www.linkedin.com/in/markus-kiefer-979372388/)is a Tech & Data Consultant passionate about turning data into better product decisions. He works with product and engineering teams to design data-driven systems and helps organisations not just to understand their users but the systems that increasingly decide for them. 🎤 **[Diana Pulnar](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-pulnar-51781b13/)** is VP Product at Babbel, where she leads teams that translate speech technology and learner insights into concrete outcomes. She focuses on product strategies that balance data with real learner behaviour and uses experimentation to keep decisions anchored in results for learners. **Why join us?** * **Discover how to stay relevant:** explore how established teams handle innovation, trade‑offs and the tension between today’s business and tomorrow’s bets. * **Rethink what “data‑driven” means:** move from more dashboards to understanding the whole system behind your product decisions. * **Connect with peers who get it:** share experiences with senior product, tech and data people facing similar constraints and ambitions. **Who should attend?** Product Leaders & Drivers C-level & Business Leaders Experienced product contributors 🚨 Limited spots available - reserve yours only if you’re sure you can join! 📸 **📸 Please note:** We will be capturing event photos for promotional use. Let us know if you prefer not to be photographed. Photos are only taken of people who give consent on site. You can always say no or change your mind on the day or by emailing employerbranding@babbel.com 🔜 Looking forward to seeing you on March 5th

**PLEASE NOTE THE ADDRESS CHANGE! We're now at [w3hub.berlin](https://w3hub.berlin)** *[Qase](https://qase.io) is presenting the **eleventh** Meetup on Quality Engineering in Berlin.* *This time, we’re bringing you three deep-dive talks — all designed to challenge the way you think about quality, testing, and collaboration.* *As always, expect great conversations, snacks, and drinks. See you there!* **AGENDA** **1\. Mitesh Patel\, Technical Consultant \- Scientific Instruments @ Altum Solutions: *Food QA: Testing Tasting*** On this fine evening, we shall enjoy some food … and also learn why we enjoy it. Because tasting is really a form of testing for our brains — wetware QA in essence. But how do we reformulate this wetware testing into those familiar realms of software and hardware testing? It is not as simple as exchanging taste buds for test suites and bites for bytes. Just ask Big Food which spends billions on this same question: How can computers do taste tests like humans? Guided by the example of an ML/AI-powered scientific instrument for chemical analyses, namely, a spectrometer, this session addresses this question and explores the broader topic of QA in the food industry. Discover how food companies scale testing across scientific software, device hardware, and food/human wetware. So grab a spoon for this insider scoop on QA for food. **2\. Vitaly Sharovatov\, developer advocate @ Qase: *QA Myths Busting: A Practical Guide to Higher Quality*** Have you ever felt the urge to increase the amount of testing or hire more testers, thinking it would improve product quality? As a tester, have you ever been held “accountable” for quality or pressed for time, leaving you feeling helpless? Or perhaps you’ve been asked to justify quality assurance initiatives with numbers? Our industry is filled with myths: from “quality can be measured” to “more testing means higher quality” and from “QA slows down work” to “testers are responsible for quality”. In this talk, I will present the myths I once believed, explain the dangers they pose to both teams and products, and demonstrate how they should be debunked and overcome. **3\. Asya Isakova\, Co\-Founder @ TECH_Connect: 𝘌𝘢𝘳𝘯 𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵\, 𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘑𝘰𝘣** The job market is wild: it’s hard to get hired, and sometimes even harder to stay hired. In a new role (or a new team), one of the fastest ways to reduce uncertainty and accelerate collaboration is to build trust quickly. But how do colleagues and managers decide you’re trustworthy? It’s rarely just about closing Jira tickets or moving cards on a Kanban board. People assess trust through patterns of behavior: what you do, how consistently you do it, and how do you act towards others. In this talk, you’ll learn an evidence-based approach to building trust at work using three practical components: integrity, reliability, and benevolence. We’ll unpack what shapes people’s trust judgments (including context, risk, and prior experiences) and translate research into concrete behaviors you can apply immediately: especially in multicultural and cross-functional teams.

In March we welcome [Valentin Churavy](https://github.com/vchuravy) to talk about the [Julia frontend](https://julialang.org) for LLVM. Valentin is a long-term contributor to JuliaLang, JuliaGPU and EnzymeAD. He is a Research Software Engineer at [JGU](https://www.uni-mainz.de/) and Uni Augsburg, and graduated from MIT where he did his doctorate in the [JuliaLab](https://julia.mit.edu/). Julia is a high-level dynamic programming language that is widely used in technical computing. Let's explore how Julia uses LLVM to target CPUs, accelerators and even synthesize gradients. Small snacks and drinks will be available. There is always space for outside topics and discussions. If you have specific questions, please bring them. Looking forward to meeting everyone again!

Bachata (the dance of our generation) is a social couple dance like Salsa - no choreography. The community in Berlin is active daily - you will meet a lot of open-minded people and make new friends quickly! Every Thursday we have Bachata dance classes in Berlin - we are usually a group of around 20 people (95% beginners): 🕖 19:00 - class: Bachata Technique for Beginners+ (0-1+ years experience) • No partner needed (we switch). • You can start from zero in any of these classes! 📍 Adress: Klosterstraße 44 ([Google Maps Link](https://maps.app.goo.gl/5VGEqaVSy9xBCoHv9)) - near S+U Alexanderplatz • Entry: Entrance A (next to U-Bahn), code: 5928# - 3rd floor (300), then black door. • Price: 12€ per class. ✅ Dance teacher contact: [WhatsApp-group](https://chat.whatsapp.com/IWKPsid0cBDAUHCWKZNL2B) / [Instagram](https://instagram.com/mahir.bachata.berlin) 🇩🇪: Bachata (der Tanz unserer Generation) ist ein sozialer Paartanz wie Salsa - keine Choreographie. Die Bachata-Szene in Berlin ist groß und täglich aktiv - du wirst schnell viele offene Leute kennenlernen und neue Freundschaften schließen! Jeden Donnerstag findet dieser Bachata Tanzkurs statt - wir sind meistens eine Gruppe von 20 Leuten (95% Anfänger): 🕖 19:00 Uhr - Kurs: Bachata Technik für Anfänger+ (0-1+ Jahre Erfahrung) • Kein Partner nötig (wir wechseln). • Du kannst in diesen Kursen jederzeit von null starten! 📍 Adresse: Klosterstraße 44 ([Google Maps Link](https://maps.app.goo.gl/5VGEqaVSy9xBCoHv9)) - Nähe S+U Alexanderplatz • Zugang: Eingang A (neben U-Bahn), Code: 5928# - 3. Etage (300), dann schwarze Tür. • Preis: 12€ je Kurs. ✅ Tanzlehrer Kontakt: [WhatsApp-Gruppe](https://chat.whatsapp.com/IWKPsid0cBDAUHCWKZNL2B) / [Instagram](https://instagram.com/mahir.bachata.berlin) Schreib uns gerne eine Nachricht, wenn du offene Fragen hast! Wir freuen uns auf dich ❤

**How AI Agents Are Changing the Way We Work** Join us on March 5th, for an exciting session, which will aim to help you develop your skills in the world of SEO, GEO, AI and Marketing. The session will be held at the **Buzzmatic Office, Schönhauser Allee 149**, from **9:30 to 11:00**. Enjoy **free attendance,** some lovely **breakfast** and great conversation! The returning champion of our breakfast events, our CEO Raoul Schreck, will give us the full rundown on how AI Agents are changing the way we work. 2026 is the year AI agents are going from buzzword to daily workflow. Claude Code, Claude Cowork, n8n and recently OpenClaw are the tools of the hour. But what does that actually mean for SEO and marketing teams? This session cuts through the hype and shows what's real: live demos and practical workflows using Claude Code, Claude Skills, Agents and the Model Context Protocol (MCP). You'll see how autonomous agents plan, decide, and execute multi-step marketing tasks – from content production to AI visibility audits to automated reporting. **No slides, just tools, workflows, and some stuff that will blow your mind.** This session is ideal for SEOs, marketeers and anyone looking to expand their understanding of how AI is increasingly influencing these fields. In the following months we will also be hosting external speakers Nicolas Caramella and Andrés Tapia for some deepdives on related topics. We will be posting more about these events soon, so stay tuned! You can also find our events on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/agentic-seo-marketing-tickets-1983261319996 Bring yourself, a good mood and any thoughts or questions you have on the subject. We look forward to seeing you there and hearing your thoughts!

📅 **Week 7: Presentation Day!** Each 7-week cycle focuses on a small, well-defined part of a larger system—and over time, these cycles build toward a complete, real-world project Feel free to join at any week and we will catch you up. There is no need to be at the beginning of the cohort to build. Complete beginners welcomed! 📌 By the End of a Full Cycle, You should Have 🎯 A working project in your own GitHub repo 🎯 A small but real portfolio piece you can demo or write about 🧠 **Current Project** This cycle’s shared project is an **image-based knowledge extraction system**. In **Week 7**, we celebrate and present. This is our **Showcase Night**. Participants will: * Present their project (5–10 minutes each) * Demo their pipeline or flashcard system * Share challenges, lessons learned, and technical decisions * Give and receive thoughtful feedback We’ve come a long way — from raw images on our phones to a complete, working portfolio project — and this week is about learning to clearly explain your ideas, your challenges, and the technical decisions behind your work. \*\*\* **👋 Who Is This For?** 🔹 Beginners who learn best by doing — no prior experience needed 🔹 Career switchers from product, engineering, design, marketing, or other fields who want to break into data 🔹 Analysts, engineers, and PMs looking to sharpen their skills or build real-world projects 🔹 Data professionals who want a creative playground outside of work 🔹 Anyone with big questions and a love for learning through experimentation \*\*\* **BUILD. LEARN. EXPERIMENT. OVER COFFEE.** Come hang out, meet like-minded people, and work on something fun. 📍 Based in Berlin – in-person meetups only (for now!) 💻 Laptops + ☕ highly encouraged Join our Discord → [https://discord.gg/dPnmzcCP8w](https://discord.gg/dPnmzcCP8w) Check out our program resources: [Google Drive](https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/15DmZqD4bLBk2vU4zpvh1HiB3_5n09v-q?usp=sharing) \*\*\* ✨ Who’s Hosting? I’m Lindsey, a senior data scientist working on AI, causal inference, and data products. I’ve built models for fraud detection, uplift modeling, and LLM-based systems. I am always open to suggestion for different format for this meetup.

**⭐ NEW LOCATION! ⭐ PLEASE ARRIVE BEFORE 8PM! ⭐** The Creative Code Stammtisch is a casual show-and-tell for artists, makers, designers, coders, performers, learners and anyone interested in the use of computing skills for artistic expression. The event is free and open to all, regardless of age, origin, gender or experience. Beginners and first-timers should feel especially welcome! You don't have to be a coder yourself 😃 HOW TO FIND US? Find Prachtsaal Studio by crossing the courtyard next to Cafe Augusta on Jonasstr. 22, 12053 Berlin. **NOTE: NEW LOCATION!** WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT? We start with quick introductions, then open the floor to anyone who wants to present something. There are usually around six 10-minute slots available, plus time for questions from the audience. First-timers are encouraged to share their work. Topics range from net art to computational design and interactive installations all the way to wearable electronics or generative poetry. If you’re wondering whether your own project might fit, take a look at the [Stammtisch archive](https://creativecodeberlin.github.io/Stammtisch/) to see what others have shared in the past. This event is *not* just for coders! New-media artists and anyone working with technology in their art are very welcome to share. If you enjoy art and/or technology, you’ll likely have a great time, and maybe even learn something new! BEGINNERS WELCOME! If you’re new to creative coding, you can find beginner-friendly resources at [creativecode.berlin/learn](https://creativecode.berlin/learn). THIS IS YOUR SPACE We do our best to create a welcoming environment for all people regardless of race, ethnicity, color, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or genetics. People from group generally underrepresented in open-source, art, and technology fields are warmly encouraged to come by. And if you know someone who might enjoy this meetup but isn’t sure it’s for them, let them know they’ll be welcome! SAFE SPACE POLICY We support the Berlin Code of Conduct: [berlincodeofconduct.org](http://berlincodeofconduct.org/) Please read and make sure you agree with its content. ACCESSIBILITY Prachtsaal Studio is located on an easy to access ground floor. We're very sorry to say that the bathrooms are not wheelchair accessible yet. DO I NEED TO SPEAK GERMAN? We speak mostly English so international guests are more than welcome! Our team also speaks French, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Finnish and German... though language availability may vary depending on which organizers are present :) CONTACT Raphaël de Courville team@creativecode.berlin +49 (0) 176 70070572 or get in touch via [creativecode.berlin](https://creativecode.berlin/) *** The featured artwork of the month is by aBe. We'd love to feature your work on the cover for the next Stammtisch! Please send an image at team@creativecode.berlin

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

** ATTENTION: we moved to luma. please RVSP [HERE](https://luma.com/12min.me_Berlin)** # ​[12min.me](https://12min.me/) START UP is a brand new morning format for bold ideas and fresh perspectives ​Berlin Startup Community, we’re launching something new. Together with betahaus, we’re bringing the [12min.me](http://12min.me/) spirit into the morning. ​[12min.me](http://12min.me/) STARTUP is a three-part breakfast series, embedded in the well-known betabreakfast format. Instead of three speakers in one evening, we do things differently. ​One morning. One speaker. One focused impulse. ​12 minutes. One voice. Zero fluff. ​Join us for the first edition of [12min.me](http://12min.me/) STARTUP, a compact morning session for founders, operators, creatives and everyone building things that matter. ​**✔️ What to expect** * ​One inspiring startup-related talk * ​12 minutes of sharp insight * ​Curated exchange over breakfast * ​The familiar [12min.me](http://12min.me/) energy, just earlier in the day# ​ **The formula stays the same** * ​12 minutes talk * ​12 minutes of Q&A * ​12 minutes of networking ​The familiar [12min.me](http://12min.me/) energy, just earlier in the day ​** Our speakers** **Speaker 1 @March 5** **[Jonathan Hegel](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-beisiegel) from [FW Systems](https://www.linkedin.com/company/frachtwerk/)** Jonathan is the CEO of FW Systems, a specialized system house for open source solutions and IT services with a fixed-price model. After years in traditional IT, where he regularly had to work night shifts due to emergencies, he decided to do things better—for customers and for IT professionals. Today, he help SMEs transform their IT from a constant work in progress to a reliable infrastructure they can depend on. **Jonathan\`s talk: "How we are completely rethinking system administration as a service for your company"** Companies cannot possibly do everything themselves. So things like accounting, logistics, and IT are outsourced to external service providers. In the IT sector, system houses have been doing very well for themselves in recent decades! Every little thing is charged for, and if there are any errors, the customer is expected to open a ticket. We are rethinking this! We are applying the “as-a-service” concept from Airbnb, Uber, and Everstox to system administration and taking responsibility. Jonathan will show how this works in his talk. ​ **Speaker 2 @March 12** **[Anne Biedermann](https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-biedermann/), independent wealth partner for women** Anne has extensive experience across venture capital, single-family-office & HNWI investing, and early-stage operations. She works with investors who are building, inheriting, or stewarding wealth on how to allocate capital with clarity — particularly where venture capital intersects with long-term wealth strategy. Anne also invests personally, giving her a practitioner’s perspective on capital allocation decisions. **Anna\`s talk: "Not All Capital Is the Same: Decoding Investor Behavior"** Founders often assume all investors evaluate risk, timelines, and returns the same way and that assumption is costly. This session breaks down how funds, family offices, and individual investors actually make decisions, where founder–investor misalignment typically begins, and how founders can better position themselves for the right kind of capital, not just any capital. **Speaker 3 @March 19** **[Immo Ait Stapelfeld](https://www.linkedin.com/in/immoaitstapelfeld/), Co-Founder & CEO at [913.ai](https://913.ai)** **"From Legal Complexity to Practical AI. How We Help Regulated Industries Use AI Without Losing Control"** This presentation tells the story of Immo’s transition from a trained lawyer working in mass proceedings to an entrepreneur building AI products for regulated industries. His legal background, combined with hands-on experience as a founder, shaped a pragmatic view on AI. not as a disruptive replacement, but as a controlled and compliant tool. At[ ](http://913.ai)[913.ai](https://913.ai), this perspective enables conservative organizations such as insurers to enter the AI era in a way that respects regulation, responsibility, and existing teams while still unlocking real efficiency gains. ​ **The series at a glance** [12min.me](http://12min.me/) STARTUP consists of three independent sessions. Please follow the luma link for registration: * ​[March 5, 2025](https://luma.com/yo32qaud) * ​[March 12, 2025](https://luma.com/y0wytmck) * ​[March 19, 2025](https://luma.com/cucrx8is) ​Each session has its own Luma page and can be attended individually. ​**Event details for the whole series** * ​**Location**: betahaus Kreuzberg, Rudi-Dutschke-Straße 23, 10969 Berlin * ​**Time**: Doors open 9:30, Start 10:00, End 11:00 * ​**Entry**: Free entry including breakfast and drinks * ​**RSVP:** via [Lu.ma](http://lu.ma/) to save your spot as spots are limited ​**Why mornings** Because good ideas don’t only happen after work. We believe in strong insights, respectful use of time and real conversations, even before noon. ​​ Join our WhatsApp group for more details and to engage with the community - [HERE](https://chat.whatsapp.com/FWphInbgYaKJUGv7Uusum9) we go. ​We’re looking forward to kicking off this new format with you. Lots of love, Your [12min.me](http://12min.me) Berlin crew [Sandra](http://linkedin.com/in/sandrakarner), Olha, Silvana, Ben \*\*\* **Media rights (picture and video recordings):** Participants agree that photos and video recordings made during the event may be used without any claim to compensation and without any time or space restrictions. The rights to image and video material are transferred to the organiser or the representatives of the press or other parties distributing image and sound material who are present on site, without exception and without any time or place restrictions.

Ready to flex your architectural muscles… with a new twist? Join us for our first **AI-Enabled Architectural Kata**, where we'll tackle a real design challenge together, using generative AI as a collaborator in the architectural process. Small teams will work through a complex scenario, but this time each team gets a unique **AI collaboration role** that shapes how they interact with AI during the session. Expect lively debate, creative solutions, plus an honest reflection on where AI helps and where human judgement still reigns supreme. **Mark your calendars for Thu, Mar 5,** and join us at **Thoughtworks Event Space** for an engaging evening dedicated to software design and architecture. Whether you're a seasoned architect, an AI-curious developer, or just passionate about software design, this meetup is the perfect platform to share, learn, experiment with new ideas and meet passionate people. **Event Schedule** * **18:15** – Doors open for snacks, drinks, and socialization * **18:45** – Introduction * **19:00** – **AI-Enabled Architecture Kata**: Small teams' work session * **20:30** – Presentations by teams **❓ What is an Architectural Kata?** Inspired by the concept of “Code Kata,” Architectural Katas are exercises that allow architects to practice their skills in a real-world scenario. It's about honing our craft in software design through practical, hands-on challenges in small groups. Read more about Architectural Katas on [Neal Ford](https://nealford.com/katas/about.html)'s website or on the [original Katas site](https://www.architecturalkatas.com/) by Ted Neward. **What makes this one AI-Enabled?** Building on the classic Architectural Kata format, this edition adds a new dimension: **AI as a team member**. Each team receives a unique role card that defines how they collaborate with AI during the session. The goal isn't to see who can prompt the best. It's to explore together how AI changes the way we think about, discuss, and communicate software architecture. **What to bring** Please have access to at least one AI tool on your phone or laptop (Claude, ChatGPT, Gemini, or similar). We'll provide a short prompting cheat sheet for architectural AI collaboration to get you started. No prior experience with AI for architecture work is needed! **Venue** **Thoughtworks Event Space**, Revaler Str. 31, 10245 Berlin *(Please note that this is a different entrance from the Thoughtworks office located at Revaler Str. 29)* **Sponsored by Thoughtworks** A big shout-out to [Thoughtworks](https://www.thoughtworks.com/) for sponsoring our event and supporting our mission to foster a tight-knit community of software design practitioners. **Code of Conduct** We adhere to the [Berlin Code of Conduct](https://berlincodeofconduct.org/) to ensure a welcoming and respectful environment for all participants. **Spread the Word** We believe the more, the merrier! If you think this meetup resonates with your friends or colleagues, please feel free to share this event with them. Your personal recommendation would not only enrich our community but also enhance the overall experience for everyone involved. You can easily share this event by forwarding this invitation or sharing our event link on social media. Let's grow our community together and make this inaugural meetup a memorable and valuable experience for everyone! **Hosting and Sponsorship Opportunities** Interested in hosting or sponsoring future events? Check out our [Sponsor proposal](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tXMpuB3L0x1lQKsDgO2YftWx6LATfMZADwrZwP2Ylg0/edit?usp=sharing).

# 🚀 Algorand Builders Berlin: x402 Payments Ideathon 📅 **March 5th \| 14:00–18:00** 📍 **42 Berlin, Harzer Strasse 42, 12059 Berlin (Auditorium, ground floor)** 🧑‍💻 On-site event 🌍 Remote pitches may be accepted (at least one of the team members has to be Berlin-based and available to pitch on-site - please apply in advance) All pitches and workshops will be available live in Google Meets: [https://meet.google.com/zfh-jbfp-frq](https://meet.google.com/zfh-jbfp-frq) *** ## 💡 About the Event Join us for an interactive ideathon focused on **x402 payments** — an emerging standard for internet-native payments designed for the age of AI and autonomous agents. This event is all about exploring **how x402 payments can solve real-life problems**. It serves as the official warm-up to the: **[Algorand Builders Berlin: x402 Payments Hackathon](https://luma.com/agentic-commerce-hack) (April 10–12)** The ideathon is your opportunity to: * Develop and refine your idea * Find teammates * Create a short pitch deck * Validate your concept * Win prizes * Prepare to build your solution at the April hackathon Whether you already have an idea or want to discover one during the event — you’re welcome. *** ## 🏆 Prize Pool **$1250 USD (USDC) prize pool** will be awarded to the most promising ideas: **$1000 USD (USDC) in cash** **$250 USD in GoPlausible AI credits - [https://goplausible.com/](https://goplausible.com/)** Winning teams will be **fast-tracked to the April x402 Hackathon**, giving you the perfect launchpad to turn your validated idea into reality. *** ## 🗓 Event Schedule 1️⃣ **Welcome & Event Kickoff — 5 minutes** Intro to the x402 “Payment Required” Ideathon and the upcoming Agentic Commerce x402 Hackathon — *Michael Rizhakov, Community Advocate, Algorand Berlin* 2️⃣ **Continuing to Build on Algorand — 5 minutes** Ecosystem opportunities and support for builders — *Ram Srigiri, Algorand Growth Lab* 3️⃣ **x402 Payments on Algorand: Technology & Use Cases — 15 minutes** Deep dive into x402 payments and real-world applications — *Marco Podien, Senior DevRel, Pera Wallet* 4️⃣ **How to Craft a Strong Pitch Deck — 10 minutes** Practical guidance on structuring and delivering a compelling pitch — *Ram Srigiri (Algorand Growth Lab) & Victor Estival (Head of Product Marketing, Algorand Foundation)* 5️⃣ **Team Formation & Ideation — 2.5 hours** Find teammates, refine your concept, and build your pitch deck. 6️⃣ **Pitch Competition — 1 hour** Each team presents a 2–3 minute pitch to judges and fellow builders. 7️⃣ **Pizza & Networking 🍕 — Open Ended** Connect with the community, exchange ideas, and meet potential hackathon teammates. ## 👩‍⚖️ Mentors & Judges Mentors and judges will be available during the whole event to help you guide you and refine your pitch and idea * **Marco Podien** — Senior DevRel, Pera Wallet * **Michael Rizhakov** — Community Advocate, Algorand Berlin Community * **Ram Srigiri** — Algorand Growth Lab * **Victor Estival** — Head of Product Marketing, Algorand Foundation * **MG** — Founder of GoPlausible, author of x402 implementation for Algorand * **Gulsah Yurdakal** — Head of Marketing Growth, Algorand Foundation *** ## 🎒 What to Bring * Laptop * Curiosity * Your ideas No technical background required. *** ## 🔒 Important Your ideas remain your intellectual property. We’re here to help you develop and validate them. This is primarily an **on-site event**. Remote pitches may be accepted (at least one of the team members has to be Berlin-based and available to pitch on-site - please apply in advance) *** Come build at the frontier of AI-native payments 🚀 Please join our community Telegram: [https://t.me/+GUyxFWJbL582ZjAy](https://t.me/+GUyxFWJbL582ZjAy) Some upcoming initiatives: * [Technical workshop for x402](https://algorand.co/developers/workshops) (March 4th, remote) * [Algorand x402 payment hackathon](https://luma.com/agentic-commerce-hack) — 10–12 April (on‑site, 42 Berlin) * [Algorand Web3 Masterclasses](https://algorand.co/web3-masterclasses) (10 March - 2 April, remote) * A series of sessions to help builders onboard technically, ideate, and ship before the hackathon, plus support afterward. ## Want to Build the Next Big Thing on Algorand? You don’t need to be a developer to start a business on blockchain. Algorand gives you robust infrastructure so you can plug in your ideas and make them more efficient, whether you’re working on DeFi, social apps, prediction markets, or AI‑native services. For developers — Algorand supports native Python development (with full TypeScript support coming soon) via tools like AlgoKit, which streamline full‑stack development. For entrepreneurs, dedicated programs and opportunities will help you go from idea to startup, including accelerators, upcoming startup challenges, and hackathons. Everyone is welcome to: * Join the [Algorand Developer Discord](https://discord.com/invite/algorand) * Explore [AlgoKit](https://algorand.co/algokit) * Dive into [YouTube tutorials ](https://www.youtube.com/@algodevs)to start building on Algorand ## Resources for Builders ​**📚 Learn the basics** * [Algorand learning hub](https://algorand.co/developers/learn): intro to blockchain, Algorand, smart contracts, and more ​ **🧰 Explore AlgoKit** * [Getting Started with AlgoKit](https://dev.algorand.co/getting-started/algokit-quick-start/): quick‑start resources for the core development toolkit. ​ **🎓 Join a workshop** * ​[Intro to AlgoKit 3.0 (Python and Typescript)](https://algorand.co/algokit-workshops): online workshops to build hands‑on skills. **​*🚀 Post-Hackathon Opportunities*** * ​💡 [Algorand Accelerator](https://algorand.co/2025-accelerator-application): (up to $50k funding) * 🛠 [Startup Challenges](https://algorand.co/startup-challenges): (coming soon) * ​🛠 [Upcoming hackathons](https://algorand.co/hackathon): (coming soon) * ​🎓 [Web3 Masterclasses](https://algorand.co/web3-masterclasses): (coming soon)

Great to see how much interest and engagement there was around our last session on the Convertible Loan Agreement – thanks to everyone who joined and asked so many thoughtful questions 🙌 Given that momentum, I’d love to continue the series with another practical, founder-focused meetup in Berlin in \~4 weeks: 🍕 Pizza & 🍺 beer & 🍷wine 🤝 relaxed networking 🎓 a 30-minute practical intro session: **“Anatomy of a Term Sheet (Seed / Pre-Series A)”** (no legalese, no theory – just what actually matters in practice) We’ll look at questions like: – valuation vs. real economics – liquidation preference & participation – option pool mechanics – control rights, vetoes, and board setup – common red flags and negotiation traps After the short session, plenty of time to hang out, meet people, and exchange war stories. Looking forward to seeing many of you in person again soon. 🚀

**Google Analytics Alternatives** Is it finally time to make the switch away from Google Analytics? Two-and-a-half years ago Jason Packer asked this question at Columbus Web Analytics Wednesday. Since then: Google’s Universal Analytics has been sunset, we’ve changed our name to Columbus Data & Analytics Wednesday, and Jason has released two editions of his book “Google Analytics Alternatives”. Fresh off the release of the 2nd edition of his book, we thought it was time to re-open this conversation. While people love to complain about it, GA’s market share has remained relatively constant (at least in the United States). Why is that? You won’t find any complaints about GA4 in this talk, but rather an overview of what’s currently available in the market and how to frame your decision-making process. We’ll also be giving out some free copies of Jason’s book! So even if you’ve got a “GA4Lyfe” tattoo (no judgement), there’s free books to go with the free pizza and beer. 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)

Window functions have nothing to do with the Windows operating system but provide a “window” to a result set when used in SQL queries. They are powerful, set-based methods to view data in unexpected ways. Window functions provide easy, set-based solutions to solve some common problems: * Using running totals * Performing operations in intervals * Identifying data gaps and islands * Performing aggregates without losing detail Many people are confused by window functions and do not know how to use them properly. This session will explore window functions, how they work, and how to use them. Demonstrations with several examples will solidify how window functions can simplify queries and make them more powerful.

**New Dojo Location!** **Draft Day Columbus** 1130 Dublin Road Columbus, OH 43215 We're going to try a new dojo location for a few weeks and see how it works Dojos are informal Python group study sessions where everyone interested in Python gathers to learn about Python, help others with Python, or just hang out. Everyone is welcome from Python beginners to experts. Bringing a laptop is encouraged (we'll have extension cords and power strips). If there's something you want to learn leave a comment on this invite so we can plan ahead. We're looking for topic suggestions and people interested in presenting at our monthly meetings. To this end we've set up a survey form at [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/15eBKF1nQQ2XS5gzD4rvhVRHMBEj7lJtHuA9wXupS3Uc](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/15eBKF1nQQ2XS5gzD4rvhVRHMBEj7lJtHuA9wXupS3Uc)

Discover Kiro, AWS’s innovative development environment that adapts to your workflow. Whether you prefer specification-driven development or a more intuitive, vibe-based approach, Kiro empowers you to build applications your way. In this session, speakers will explore Kiro’s core functionality and its evolution through re:Invent 2025, along with demonstrations of prompts used to create APIs, hooks, and steering documents. In the latter part of the session, watch as we build a complete example from scratch, showcasing Kiro’s agentic AI workflow in action for spec-driven development and vibe coding. What You'll Learn - Core Kiro concepts and development philosophy Feature evolution: pre and post re:Invent 2025 Practical examples: API creation, hooks, and steering docs Live coding demonstration with real-time problem solving Who Should Attend - Developers, solutions architects, and technical leaders interested in modern AWS development tools and AI-assisted coding workflows. **Speakers Bio:** Matthew Jorat: Matthew Jorat is a Customer Solutions Manager at AWS with nearly three decades of expertise in AI, cloud transformation, migration, modernization, IT, technology, and business. His career spans infrastructure engineer, solutions architect, security auditor, customer success director, support and services director, and operations officer. He was an early adopter of AWS services as a customer, and his current role at AWS uniquely blends his technical and business skills as he partners with executive teams to translate strategic priorities into measurable business outcomes through cloud adoption, AI implementation, and operational excellence. Matt leads end-to-end AI initiatives for enterprise customers, identifying high-impact use cases and maintaining relentless focus on measurable ROI. He holds eight AWS certifications and serves as Adjunct Professor at Franklin University teaching cloud computing and AWS architecture. His expertise encompasses GenAI, agentic AI systems, migration, modernization, and optimization strategies that drive transformation at scale. [https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattjorat/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattjorat/) Girish Bhatia: Girish Bhatia is a seasoned technology delivery leader with deep expertise in cross-domain program management. He holds multiple AWS certifications, including AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate, AWS Certified Developer – Associate, and AWS Generative AI Practitioner, and is also an AWS Community Builder. Girish brings over two decades of experience in the information technology industry. Throughout his career, Girish has led major technology-driven business transformation from modernizing on-premises applications to driving large-scale cloud migrations. His work includes API-based integration platforms, data-center and mainframe modernization, and enterprise cloud adoption initiatives. Based in Columbus, Ohio, Girish works at a tech-forward fintech company. He is passionate about AWS serverless architectures, Generative AI and emerging cloud technologies. An avid learner and builder, he continues to explore and apply the latest innovations in AWS to help organizations accelerate their digital transformation. https://www.linkedin.com/in/girishbhatia/[https://www.linkedin.com/in/girishbhatia/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/girishbhatia/) **THANK YOU** *Franklin University* for hosting our meetup! To learn more about *Franklin University*, please visit their website: https://www.franklin.edu/ **DIRECTIONS** Franklin University Fisher Hall 300 E. Main St, Columbus, OH 43215 Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/jxjBA2hUmS5qrvhq8 Parking is FREE! Please park in Lot C in front of Fisher Hall. See attached map. NOTE: Map the address only. When mapping with Google Maps it may use the Fisher Hall at OSU, which is NOT correct. **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

**Details:** This talk reviews the fundamental academic research literature in financial economics, distilling key findings with rigor while debunking suboptimal investing decisions. It draws on decades of empirical research and statistical analysis with the aim of guiding how to think about sound investing. **Audience Takeaway:** Attendees will gain a practical, research-based approach to assessing investments, interpreting risk, and making choices that support long-term financial independence, informed by decades of published financial studies. **Zoom: This is a *hybrid* event. To attend online, join us on Zoom here at 6pm:** https://iit-edu.zoom.us/j/87434065239?pwd=mK8gkDO6FTL2NBCXrgnViDwVJU14YT.1 Meeting ID: 874 3406 5239 Passcode: 826532 **Sponsor:** **[Tegus by AlphaSense](https://www.tegus.com) will provide the meeting site, as well as pizza and soft drinks for the onsite participants.** * **Address:** 200 N. LaSalle Street. Suite 1100. Chicago, IL 60601 * **Tegus by AlphaSense's Overview:** Tegus by AlphaSense is the leading market intelligence platform for key decision makers. We power some of the world’s most well-respected institutional investors, corporations, and consultancies through the largest and most comprehensive database of primary and market information. Our products and services enable clients to discover unmatched insights and answers to the most challenging questions they face to help them make better informed decisions. We are an end-to-end investment intelligence and research platform that modernizes the research processes. With an ecosystem that combines at-cost, on-demand expert calls with a 55K+ transcript library; quantitative financial workflows that streamline research across company disclosures, management presentations, earnings calls and filings; and 4K+ fully-drivable financial models and company benchmarking data, including every KPI and comparison that matters, Tegus by AlphaSense enables investors to move faster, gather deep research and surface high-quality insights to drive better decisions. The company serves customers worldwide, including investment analysts, portfolio managers and key decision makers across public and private businesses in markets of all sizes. * **Logistics**: To access the Tegus by AlphaSense building, we require **first and last names** of those who RSVP'd by Mar 18. Attendees will then present their **IDs** when they arrive at the front desk (right when they enter the building). They will be sent up in the elevator to the 11th floor where we will be.

We will show a variety of methods for building agents that run in Microsoft Foundry. This covers the different types of agents: Prompt, Multi, and Hosted, as well as the development lifecycle using evals and traces.

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