Decentralized Systems & Applications

Happy 2026! Our first meetup of the year will be back at Zühlke's offices near Old Street, with Guillaume Faas talking about better ways to handle exceptions, Jenny Martin talking about taming complexity with OOPSI, plus the usual drinks, snacks, and plenty of time to chat. Doors 18:30, the first talk starts at 19:00 and we'll be done and heading to the pub at 21:00 to continue the conversation. **Guillaume Faas: Throw exceptions... out of your codebase** Throwing exceptions is often used to handle errors, validations, and other specific use cases. It is considered by many to be the standard way of indicating a failure and providing feedback to the caller. However, this approach can cause significant issues like being hard to detect, obfuscating the flow or leaving the system invalid. In this talk, I want to show you a faster alternative that offers more transparency and predictability. We will see how to integrate ideas from the Functional paradigm, such as "Monads", into an Object-Oriented codebase using a real-life project: Vonage's open-source .NET SDK. This talk will be the perfect opportunity to show you what they are and how easy they are to use. **Guillaume Faas** is a Senior .Net Developer Advocate at Vonage, based in Thionville, France. In recent years, Guillaume has focused on sharing my experience through mentoring, public speaking, and open-source contributions; all aimed at helping teams grow and build sustainable software. With nearly 15 years of experience in .NET development, he's worked across industries as an engineer, coach, and now developer advocate. His current focus is on developer experience: building SDKs, writing approachable technical content, and speaking at conferences around the world. **Jenny Martin: OOPSI: Making Sense of Complexity** OOPSI stands for outcomes, outputs, process, scenarios, inputs. It’s a flexible, easy-to-use collaboration framework that helps agile and product development teams cut through complexity and focus on value. OOPSI is timely because it maximises the intrinsically human aspects of effective delivery, helping teams understand how and when to collaborate, while producing lean, example-driven artefacts that clarify scope and intent so both people and automation can work more effectively. In this talk, you’ll learn how to apply OOPSI to strengthen shared understanding, clarify assumptions, and support testable delivery, using a detailed, end-to-end example. **Jenny Martin** is a practitioner, facilitator, and product discovery specialist with over 25 years’ experience working at the intersection of technology, delivery, and human behaviour. She has spent more than 15 years working with Agile and modern product development teams, helping them make sense of complexity and build shared understanding. Known as The Collaboration Coach, Jenny focuses on practical collaboration that supports effective delivery. She is currently writing a book on OOPSI.

**Join Our Free Public Speaking Class in Central London** * Are you struggling with public speaking or experiencing anxiety about it? * Attend our in-person public speaking class, suitable for beginners to advanced speakers, absolutely FREE as a guest! *You don't need to speak - just observe and learn, or participate if you feel ready.* **Why Attend Our Public Speaking Class?** * **Overcome Public Speaking Fear** Central London Toastmasters is the premier weekly public speaking club, offering a relaxed and supportive environment. Practice in a safe space where no one judges you, and start your journey to becoming a confident speaker. * ✨ **Become a Charismatic Speaker** Enhance your public speaking skills and develop the charisma you've always wanted. Impress your colleagues with smooth, polished presentations and wow your friends with newfound confidence and storytelling abilities. * **Improve Business Speaking Skills** Our meetings are friendly and informal, making them the perfect starting point for building confidence in public speaking. Many of our members began with anxiety, but now speak with total confidence. As a guest, you’ll see firsthand how warm and welcoming our club is, and you can chat with members about their experiences. * **Develop Leadership Skills** Public speaking is not just about presenting; it's also about leading. Our club provides opportunities to take on leadership roles, helping you to develop crucial skills like team management, decision-making, and strategic thinking that can benefit your personal and professional life. **Location and Time** * Location: Cittie of Yorke pub, Holborn * ⏰ Time: 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM (Feel free to arrive late and quietly take a seat) **What to Expect at Our Meetings** * The meeting is divided into two halves, each lasting approximately 50 minutes, with a 10-minute break. * First Half: Members participate in impromptu speeches, and guests are invited to introduce themselves by name. * Second Half: Members deliver prepared speeches followed by evaluations. * After the meeting, we enjoy drinks and informal chats, providing a great opportunity to network and learn more about the club. ️ **Interested in Becoming a Member?** Membership includes access to our online course, Pathways, guiding you step-by-step through your public speaking journey. A full year’s membership, covering 50 weekly meetings, is just £168, plus a one-time £30 registration fee. ** Testimonials from Our Members** * **“Toastmasters transformed my life!”** "I went from fearing public speaking to leading meetings at work. This newfound confidence even earned me a promotion!" – **Alexander** * **"A warm and supportive club!"** "From the first meeting, I felt welcomed. The constructive feedback boosted my confidence both in public speaking and daily life." – **Sarah** * **"Overcoming my fear was easier than I thought."** "The support here made my sales presentations more impactful and less stressful. It's been a game-changer for me professionally." – **David** * **"A fun and rewarding experience."** "I look forward to every meeting. The sessions are engaging, and I love the socializing afterward." – **Lucy** * **"I've grown as a speaker and leader."** "Taking on roles in the club has sharpened my leadership skills, making me more effective at work." – **James**

We're welcoming back the legend that is Dave Whitney after a covid time lapse of years. Your chance to catch one of the best tech speakers in the UK software community! \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- It's a tough time to be a technology professional. We're simultaneously being told that AI will change everything we know about the world, while simultaneously being told that the bubble is going to burst. Everyone is going to be redundant! AI will fail! AI will ruin the internet! AI can't do anything! It's disorienting and stressful trying to work out what a reasonable strategy should be to move forwards with this technology that appears to shift it's goalposts almost daily. In this session, we'll talk about understanding what AI really is, how to form a reasonable, governance friendly strategy around it, and what the sensible bets for the future are in the space. We'll do a deep dive into ethics, the human cost of content moderation, and having to be confronted by the reality of technical change in real-time. A survival guide to getting the most from the most controversial technology in a decade. An AI moderates warts and all deep dive into surviving as technology changes, without giving in to the hype during times of technology innovation and change. BIO: David is the Director of Architecture for NewDay, and the founder of Electric Head Software. Focusing on iterative software delivery, developer mentoring and cultural change - mostly working with London-based organisations. He speaks about software design, culture, and ethics in technology - rounded out by an assortment of talks about software that probably doesn't need to exist but makes the world a little more fun. David has previously served as the chief coding technical architect for JustGiving and helped market-leading organisations including JUST-EAT, Trainline and Vodafone improve their technical capabilities. David is a Microsoft MVP, has been part of the OpenUK Honours list for open-source advocacy, and is a twice bestselling author of children's books about programming. You can find his open-source projects on NuGet, npm and GitHub, follow him on Twitter @david_whitney, or check out his technical blog at [http://www.davidwhitney.co.uk/Blog](http://www.davidwhitney.co.uk/Blog). [http://www.electricheadsoftware.com](http://www.electricheadsoftware.com/) [http://www.davidwhitney.co.uk](http://www.davidwhitney.co.uk/)

***The Fitzroy Tavern Edition*** ALTERNATIVE PLATFORM FOR BOOKINGS: **EVENTBRITE** (link below) Start your public speaking journey with us. Like a lot of people, we’ve had our own battles with public speaking. That’s exactly why this group exists. It’s for anyone who wants a place to start, people who want to keep practising, and those who just need a friendly audience to try things out. We grow at our own pace and build confidence in a relaxed, safe and supportive space. You’ll meet like-minded people, make new connections, and steadily get more comfortable speaking in front of others. There’s no judgement here. It’s just space for people to be themselves. We know there’s no single “right” way to speak in public. Whether you’re prepping for presentations, interviews, a best man speech, handling social situations, or simply getting more comfortable saying what you think, you’re welcome to explore your own style and find what feels natural to you here. PS Free event. Groups are kept small so everyone gets plenty of stage time, usually no more than 10–15 people. The pub kindly lets us use their space, so if you fancy it, feel free to grab a drink (or just a soft drink ) while you’re here. It’s a nice way to say thanks and helps us keep the space for future sessions. Eventbrite link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/public-speaking-with-authenticity-reps-not-rules-tickets-1980278600602?utm_experiment=test_share_listing&aff=ebdsshios&sg=44d6d68e9a6562610839867fc9177e5b1d319685453f7cbd5502deb615049586b7e092be26e1ecfe0679502e35d905a0559ee449358ed8b5a17242d1abf6a83846e04015227bdfed111e8f519a62

We're back to our usual format of 3 speakers + Q&A followed by networking. 18:30: Doors open 19:00 Welcome by Alexandra Deschamps-Sonsino (organiser since 2011) 19:10 Rob Poll, membot, 'A Tale to Two Products: how the wisdom we gained from Line-us helped develop [membot](https://www.membot.net/)' 19:30 Rob Hallifax, [Windfall Energy](https://www.windfallenergy.com/), 'How to start a hardware startup' 19:50 [Andrew Delamare](https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-delamare-79a4111/), AWS Solutions Architecture Manager 20:10 Networking 21:00 End of event and move to a nearby pub There will be drinks (including non-alcoholic) and nibbles. **About our sponsors:** [Green Custard](https://www.green-custard.com/) is an award-winning AWS IoT specialist consultancy that helps organisations design, build, and scale secure cloud-connected products and solutions. With deep expertise across IoT architectures, data lakes, ML and agentic AI our IoT expertise spans from product innovation to smart factory innovation. We have full stack capability from embedded & mobile to cloud-native development. Green Custard partners with clients to deliver on their business outcomes whether modernising legacy devices, unlocking new value from existing data, or accelerating the delivery of production-ready solutions. Customers trust Green Custard for its technical excellence, pragmatic delivery, and we are proud of our customer success. [Aqua Libra](https://aqualibra.com/pages/flavour-tap) is redefining sustainable hydration through innovative, low-impact dispensing technology. Beyond its zero-sugar infused drinks, the brand has pioneered solutions such as the Aqua Libra Flavour Tap, a digitally controlled dispensing system that delivers chilled, filtered water with natural flavours on demand. By removing the need for single-use bottles and reducing transport emissions, the Flavour Tap enables offices, venues, and public spaces to offer great-tasting drinks with a dramatically smaller environmental footprint. Aqua Libra’s approach blends sustainability, smart technology, and convenience to meet the growing demand for healthier, greener beverage options.

**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/startup-networking-event-london-featuring-live-elevator-pitches-tickets-1982275830370?aff=meetup]( https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/startup-networking-event-london-featuring-live-elevator-pitches-tickets-1982275830370?aff=meetup)** Network with startups, founders & investors at Founders Connector® 15th Edition – grow, pitch & connect in London Join the **19th edition of Founders Connector®**, London’s leading **startup and entrepreneur networking event** designed for **founders, business owners, directors, and investors**. This exclusive event helps you **build connections, find funding, pitch ideas, and grow your business** in today’s competitive landscape. **This is your chance to:** * **Fuel your entrepreneurial spirit:** Be inspired by success stories and cutting-edge ideas. * **Gain a competitive edge:** Develop your business acumen and refine your strategies. * **Expand your network:** Connect with key players in the business ecosystem. * **Find funding:** Meet with potential investors and learn how to secure capital. This event isn't just about inspiration (although there'll be plenty of that!). It's about equipping you with the tools and connections to **turn your business dreams into reality**. **Entrepreneurs & Aspiring Business Owners:** * **Validate your idea:** Get valuable feedback from experienced founders and investors. * **Develop a winning business plan:** Learn how to craft a compelling roadmap for success. * **Find your tribe:** Network with like-minded individuals who share your passion and vision. The format of the evening is pure networking. 24 hours before the event, we will create a whatsapp group so that you can start interacting with other attendees of the event. We strongly recommend early booking for this event, which we expect to be sold out in advance. ### **Event Host** ### The event is hosted by [Jim McLaughlin](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-mclaughlin-b227975/ "https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-mclaughlin-b227975/"), a successful entrepreneur with 35+ years of experience building and exiting multiple businesses, is hosting this event as an FSB Membership Advisor to share insights and showcase the essential support services available to help fellow business owners and entrepreneurs thrive. The [Federation of Small Businesses](https://www.fsb.org.uk/ "https://www.fsb.org.uk/") (FSB) is the UK's leading business organisation providing essential membership benefits including networking, legal protection, business insurance, financial expertise, and advocacy support, helping over 165,000 small businesses and self-employed individuals across the UK grow and succeed. ### **Event Details** * **6:00 PM**: The event starts with free format networking, the event is fully hosted. * **7:00 PM:** Elevator pitches and then more free format networking * **WhatsApp Group**: Enhance your connections before and after the event by joining our exclusive attendee WhatsApp group. To join, send a WhatsApp message to 07789740193 with your full name after purchasing your ticket. **Event Disclaimer** Please note that photos and videos may be taken during this event. These may be used on our social media channels and promotional materials to showcase our events. If you prefer not to appear in any photos or videos, please inform the event host upon arrival, and we will ensure your preference is respected. 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/) * [#investor](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom--london/%23investor/) * [#startup](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom--london/%23startup/) * [#entrepreneur](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom--london/%23entrepreneur/) * [#networkingevent](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom--london/%23networkingevent/) * [#founders](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom--london/%23founders/) * [#businessnetworking](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom--london/%23businessnetworking/) * [#business_growth](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom--london/%23business_growth/) * [#startup_business](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom--london/%23startup_business/) * [#startup_event](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom--london/%23startup_event/) * [#startup_networking](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom--london/%23startup_networking/)

**This event is open to current university students only. Unfortunately, non-students will not be admitted. Thank you for your understanding.** Join **AWS Cloud Club** for an exclusive deep dive with **Viola Harperath**, Software Engineer at **Trainline**! We’re peeling back the curtain on how one of the world’s leading travel platforms leverages AWS to power seamless travel for millions. Whether you’re interested in cloud architecture, the current tech industry outlook, or just want to hear from someone crushing it in the field, this is for you. * **When:** Tuesday\, Feb 24th \| 6 PM \- 7 PM * **Where:** Clerkenwell Campus (Exact room TBA on the day!) * **Bonus:** We’ve got **AWS Cloud Club Merchandise**! Don't miss out on the chance to network and level up your cloud knowledge. See you there!

In February, we are taking a look at what is happening with agentic AI and data pipelines Join us in lively Hoxton as we learn from Carmen's and Laura's learning from real-world experiences with agentic AI systems in data pipelines. We are running this event in collaboration with **[Sahaj Software](http://www.sahaj.ai)**. **6pm:** Doors Open **6:30pm:** Talks Start ️The Speakers️ ***Beyond the Hype: Practical AI for Real-World Data Engineering Time Sinks*** ***Carmen Mardiros, Solution Consultant at*** ***[Sahaj Software](https://www.sahaj.ai/)*** ***([Carmen's LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmenmardiros/))*** ***Abstract*:** While the world is obsessed with agentic self-healing ETL pipelines, data engineers everywhere still spend hours upon hours on the same tasks as before -- debugging failing tests, exposing new fields into pipelines, navigating schema changes, QA-ing data and business logic. In this session we'll look at some practical examples from the trenches around how to shrink those time sinks using AI coding assistants so that you can spend more time on what really matters. Examples are dbt-based and Claude Code but accompanied by core tenets applicable to any stack and any coding assistant. ***Carmen's Bio:*** Carmen Mardiros has worked around analytics and data for 15 years. Her experience covers areas such as Data architecture design and implementation and has worked in roles that cover Data Strategist, Lead Data Engineer, Data Warehouse Architect, Tracking Developer, Product/Project Manager, Technical BA, Insight Analyst, Data Modeller. ***Agentic AI for Data Pipelines: Our Good, Bad, and Ugly Learnings*** ***Laura Bogaert, Co-Founder and COO at [Tracer.cloud](https://www.tracer.cloud/)*** ***([Laura's LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-bogaert/))*** ***Abstract:*** As teams move from single models to agentic systems, data pipelines present a uniquely hard production challenge: failures are distributed, context is fragmented, and root-cause analysis is slow. This talk shares practical learnings from building agentic AI systems for troubleshooting real-world data pipelines, including what worked, what didn’t, and why data ontology and context management are critical. Attendees will leave with concrete insights into designing agentic architectures that actually hold up in production. ***Laura's Bio:*** Laura is a co-founder of [Tracer.cloud](http://tracer.cloud/), where she works on building agentic AI systems for alert investigation in production data pipelines across industries. She started her career at McKinsey as part of the fintech and biopharmaceutical team working on AI strategy and M&A. She holds a BSc from University College London and a MSc from Oxford University. **8pm:** Talks finish. We have the space for networking until 9pm. There will be a short break between the talks. Afterwards, we may head to a pub to continue chatting. You can sign up by subscribing to this event **IMPORTANT**: Please make sure to have a ***valid form of ID***. See you all on the 26th February Happy Networking **About our collaborators**: [Sahaj](https://www.sahaj.ai/) is an artisanal technology services company crafting purpose-built AI and data-led solutions for our clients. By attending this event, you agree to abide by our rules of conduct: * Respect others' opinions which may differ from your own. * Keep it appropriate - no harassment of fellow attendees will be tolerated. * If you see something or have a complaint, please reach out to one of the organisers on LinkedIn or email events@dataengineerslondon.com.

## DevOps Society Meetup with EDF **Location:** EDF UK, Nova North, 11 Bressenden Place London, SW1E 5BY **Time:** Doors open at 6PM **Drinks, snacks, talks, and networking.** We’re excited to invite you to our first in-person **DevOps Society Meetup** of 2026, proudly **sponsored by EDF**. This event brings together the DevOps, SRE, and cloud engineering community for an evening of honest conversations, real-world lessons, and networking with people who’ve actually done the work. A huge thank you to **EDF** for sponsoring the event and for providing the venue, refreshments, and support for our community. *** ## ️ Format of the Meetup: 6:00pm – 6:30pm — Networking on arrival, with food and drinks provided by EDF 6:30pm – 7:10pm — First speaker + Q&A 7:10pm – 7:20pm — Break for refreshments and networking 7:20pm – 8:00pm — Second speaker + Q&A 8:00pm onwards — More networking at the venue, then at a nearby pub. *Timings can vary slightly depending on Q&A.* *** We’re delighted to welcome **two fantastic speakers** to this EDF-hosted DevOps Society meetup. *** ## SPEAKER 1 – Steve Bowerman **Principal Software Engineer, EDF** ### Bio Steve is a technologist and thought leader with **25 years in the industry**, including **20 years in the utilities sector**, spanning startups through to large, established enterprises. Since stepping into the role of **Principal Software Engineer at EDF**, Steve has played a key role in reviewing and overhauling EDF’s approach to software engineering - bringing critical capabilities in-house and aligning teams with modern **DevOps and SRE principles**. His work focuses on long-term, sustainable transformation rather than tooling churn, helping large organisations evolve how they build, operate, and scale software. *** ### Talk Title **Rebooting the Enterprise: The DevOps Way** ### Talk Intro Building a DevOps mindset in a startup is relatively easy - it’s often the default DNA of modern engineering teams. Doing the same in a **large enterprise** is a very different challenge. In this talk, Steve will take you through **five years of transformation in 15 minutes**. He’ll share how EDF approached enterprise DevOps adoption, where things failed (and why), what ultimately worked, and the lessons learned along the way. Spoiler: **technology was the least difficult part**. This session is ideal for engineers, platform teams, and leaders working in complex organisations who want a realistic view of what enterprise DevOps transformation actually looks like. *** ## SPEAKER 2 – Matteo Emili **Director of Software Engineering, Avanade** **Bio** Matteo Emili is a Director of Software Engineering at Avanade UK and Ireland, leading the talent in Software Engineering and always looking at new ways of applying technology to solve business problems. He is a passionate Agile advocate and a technologist at heart, a Cloud Architect who is always driven by using technology as a vehicle for change and continuous improvement. A Microsoft MVP since 2010 (currently in the Azure DevOps and GitHub category), he enjoys sharing back as much as he can with the worldwide technical communities – especially within Agile and DevOps. He has founded several User Groups around Europe and he is a regular speaker at meetups and conferences. ### Talk Title **From Vibe Coding to Agentic Engineering: A Step-by-Step Guide** ### Talk Bio AI-augmented software development is evolving. What started as *“vibe coding”* \- intuition\-driven\, creative experimentation with AI \- is now moving toward **agentic engineering**, a more governed and intentional approach where AI agents actively collaborate with developers while enforcing best practices and organisational standards. In this session, Matteo explores how teams can transition from unstructured AI experimentation to **agentic workflows** that balance creativity with accountability. You’ll learn how agentic engineering enables: * Faster development without sacrificing quality * Built-in governance and standards * AI collaboration that scales across teams * A practical path from experimentation to production-ready AI-assisted engineering This talk offers a clear, pragmatic view of how AI will reshape software engineering in the years ahead - and how teams can adopt it responsibly. *** Please **RSVP to secure your spot**. Spaces are limited and available on a **first-come, first-served** basis. We’re really looking forward to getting the community back together again for our first event of 2026. [Our slack community](https://join.slack.com/t/devopssociety/shared_invite/zt-3mswuylw7-MhJg1IZ70rX_GpJTluG2Cw) \- join in and introduce yourself\! [Our Youtube Channel ](https://www.youtube.com/@DevOpsSociety)for regular podcasts with DevOps professionals + more DevOps content. [Website](https://thedevopsociety.com/) [To partner with us](https://thedevopsociety.com/partnerships) EDF website - https://www.edfenergy.com/ Thanks! From the DevOps Society team [Ben](https://www.linkedin.com/in/benwhitmarsh/) and [Vytas](https://www.linkedin.com/in/vytasdevops/)

## Applied Improvisation - An Introduction to Status! [CLICK HERE TO BOOK](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/applied-improvisation-an-introduction-to-status-tickets-1983156873594) This two-hour practical workshop offers a focused introduction to status as articulated by Keith Johnstone, one of the most influential figures in modern improvisation and theatre training. Status, in Johnstone’s framework, is not about social class or fixed hierarchy. It is the constantly shifting set of behavioural signals—physical, vocal and psychological—that shape relationships moment by moment. In this session, participants will explore how status transactions operate beneath everyday interactions, influencing confidence, tension, humour, authority and connection. Through structured exercises, you will investigate how subtle changes in posture, eye contact, tempo, gesture and language alter perceived status. Designed for everyone interested in human interaction, the workshop combines experiential practice with concise analytical reflection. Expect a relaxed atmosphere, plenty of laughter, and practical takeaways. If you’re curious, open-minded, and up for trying something different, you’ll fit right in. **No experience needed. Just bring yourself.** **COST:** £15.00 (inclusive of Eventbrite Booking Fee) [CLICK HERE TO BOOK](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/applied-improvisation-an-introduction-to-status-tickets-1983156873594) **VENUE:** Old Diorama Arts Centre, 201 Drummond Street, Regent's Place, London, NW1 3FE **NEAREST STATIONS**: Warren Street, Euston Square, Great Portland Street This session will be led by **Dave Bourn** founder of Sprout Ideas who teaches improvisation, devising, and creativity at University & Drama Schools.

Join us **the night before Elastic{ON} London** for an exclusive meetup, a perfect warm-up to the big day ahead! This is your chance to connect with the Elastic community, mingle with fellow attendees, and get energized for a full day of presentations at Elastic{ON} London. Don’t miss out! Register for the meetup and make sure you’ve also signed up for [Elastic{ON} London](https://www.elastic.co/events/elasticon/london) as well to experience a full day of learning and networking! **Date and Time:** Wednesday, February 25, from 6:00-8:30 PM **Location:** Davidson Building Address: 1st floor, 5 Southampton St, London WC2E 7HA Note: please use Exeter St entrance as the main entrance is closed after 6pm **Agenda:** * 6:00 pm: Doors open; say hi and eat some food * 6:30 pm: #Talk 1 - Re-thinking significant term discovery Mark Harwood - Ex-Elastic Core Developer and Lucene committer * 7:00 pm: Q&A * 7:10 pm: #Talk 2 - From Specs to Play: How I Built a Generative AI Game with Elastic + Microsoft AI Mike Richter - Principal Partner Solution Architect at Microsoft * 7:30 pm: Q&A * 7:40 pm: Networking and event wrap-up * 8:30 pm: Event close If you’re a long-time Elastic user or just starting your journey, this is the perfect opportunity to share ideas, meet new people, and get inspired. Invite your friends and RSVP on this page! **⚡️ 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./)

Join us on February 25th for talks from engineers at **Nebius, Fireworks AI,** **Together AI** and **Cerebras** \- four companies working on distinct approaches to AI infrastructure\, from cloud\-native training platforms to custom silicon\. Topics: * **Nebius** \- Tips and tricks for Training High\-Performance Speculators by Filipp Fisin * **Fireworks AI** \- LLM evaluations and closing the benchmark\-to\-production gap by Shaunak Godbole * **Cerebras -** Technology underpinning the fastest inference by Dmitry Gaynullin * **Together AI** \- Road to 5M Sequence Length: Breaking Memory Barriers in Context Parallelism by Max Ryabinin If you’d like to give a talk or become a partner for one of the upcoming meetups, message [https://www.linkedin.com/in/fedorshabashev/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/fedorshabashev/) or [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirzharov/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kirzharov/) In the meantime, you can watch the previously recorded talks: [https://youtube.com/@londonpytorchmeetup](https://youtube.com/@londonpytorchmeetup) Please subscribe to our channel! ❤️

**\# London Agentic AI Meet\-Up \#5 \- February** **Hosted by Doubleword** **Register now to secure your spot — spaces are limited and will go fast!** Following our successful events with Deliveroo, V7 Labs, and Zilch we have our 2nd episode of 2026 in Feb. Join us on Wednesday 28th for the #5 episode of London's Monthly Agentic AI Meet-Up with another two fantastic guest speakers. **Venue:** 16 St John's Ln, London EC1M 4BS, UK **Doors open:** 6:00 PM **Talks begin:** 6:30 PM **Wrap-up:** \~8:00 PM (networking continues at the venue or nearby pub) **Speakers** **1) Meryem Arik - Co-Founder/CEO @ Doubleword: *Async Agents in Production: Failure Modes and Fixes*** **2) Sangram Reddy - Director of AI Technology @ Intent HQ: *Agent Design Principles: Lessons learnt from building production grade Multi-Agent system for Marketing*** This event is for **AI practitioners, product builders, researchers, entrepreneurs, and curious minds** who want to understand how agentic AI is shaping the future of products, businesses, and society. Expect lively discussions on: * Building and deploying agentic AI systems * Productisation challenges and success stories * Emerging tools, frameworks, and research * Real-world adoption and impact **About the London Agentic AI Meet-Up** Hosted by **Xcede & Rod Rivera**, this monthly community brings together thought leaders, engineers, and innovators to share insights, demos, and discussions at the frontier of AI. **Come for the learning, stay for the connections — and help shape the future of Agentic AI with us.** Connect with us here: [Bailey Snow (LinkedIn)](https://www.linkedin.com/in/bailey-snow-84010b22/)

**Be part of the next Londroid event on Thursday, 26th February 2026, hosted by Vonage.** Spend the evening enjoying Android talks, conversation and community. Expect engaging sessions, the chance to meet others working in Android, and an opportunity to speak with the Vonage team. After the event, we’ll head to **The Fox** for post-event drinks and further conversation. **Tickets:** We have 100 tickets available. Don’t miss out. Follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn for updates. **Schedule:** 18:00 – Doors open & registration 18:30 – Welcome from Londroid and Vonage 18:45 – Zachary Powell - *Beyond the Smartphone: Android’s Identity Crisis in 2026* 19:30 – Nicola Corti – *What I Learned from Publishing Libraries to Maven Central for 10 Years* 20:15 – Q&A and socialising 20:30 – Drinks at The Fox **Our Hosts and Sponsors** **Vonage** Vonage is a cloud communications platform that enables developers to integrate voice, video, and messaging into their applications using communication and network APIs. Whether you’re building video calls, creating a chatbot, or working with programmable phone numbers, Vonage provides the tools to make it happen **Novoda** Novoda is a digital product agency dedicated to building high-quality software. Their team of engineers helps companies scale, modernise and improve their development practices to deliver exceptional digital experiences. Join us for an evening of learning, collaboration and community. We look forward to seeing you there.

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

In this local meeting, you will discover knowledge that you can use to get over the past. The key to improving your personal motivation, self-confidence, and happiness is to get over your painful memories. When you become free of your past, you will be free from stress, anger, anxiety and depression. Studies show that negative emotions can affect your health. By being free of negative emotions, believe it or not, you will most likely even look younger, feel more energetic, and become healthier! Be sure to click on the red "Attend" button below to come to this local event. We look forward to seeing you there. This group is brought to you by the Dianetics and Scientology life improvement center.

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.

Join the Columbus AI community for our quarterly gathering — a casual, community-focused evening where everyone has a chance to share, learn, and connect. These open mic–style events give anyone in the community up to **5 minutes** to present a project, share a tool, pose a question, or offer a perspective on the evolving AI space. No slides required — just a welcoming space to exchange ideas and keep the local AI conversation moving. If you’d like to take the stage, message **Chris (the organizer)** with a **title and short description** of what you’d like to share. Whether you’re deep in the field or just getting curious, come connect with others building and exploring AI in Columbus. Sponsored by [Transform Labs](https://www.transformlabs.com/services)

Some trained COUNT volunteers work together once a month at RMH (http://www.rmhc-centralohio.org/volunteer.php) as Housewarmers (usually on the 1st Sunday from 1 – 5 PM). Some schedule other shifts at their convenience. You may try this out with less fuss by following a "Fast track" or go through the normal process. Fast track • Arrange a time to shadow a COUNT volunteer. Call Dave Nohle at 614-268-9558 (cell). • Show up and try it out. • Complete application, etc. later. Normal process • Complete an online application (http://rmhc-centralohio.org/volunteer/). • Attend orientation in advance. • At orientation you will complete forms agreeing to keep family/patient info private and allowing a background check and tour the facility. • Complete one training shift. Daily shifts are: morning 9 AM - 1 PM, afternoon 1 - 5 PM and evening 5 - 9 PM. • Schedule shifts online using the on the RMH scheduling system (http://www.volgistics.com/ex/portal.dll/?FROM=32895). The Ronald McDonald House (RMH) provides housing and meals for families with sick children. The Columbus RMH is the largest in the world with 137 rooms. COUNT has been volunteering there since May 2014. Housewarmers work with RMH guests to provide a home-like environment - greet, assist with family needs, answer phones, give tours, assist with checkin/checkout, prepare guest rooms after checkout, clean facility, laundry, restock supplies and staff the front desk. RMH Housewarmers volunteer at least one four-hour shift a month. All Housewarmers must complete an application and agree to a background check before they can be full fledged volunteers.

**Important time note:** Please plan on arriving between 5:30 and 6:00 as the elevators lock after 6 and you'll need to message us and we'll need to come get you. The building address is 4450 Bridge Park The entrance is 6620 Mooney St, Suite 400 You will need to scan your ID at the door to get a visitor badge. **Abstract** *Spec-Driven Development with GitHub Spec-Kit: From Intent to Implementation* Spec-driven development flips the traditional workflow on its head: instead of code being the source of truth, the specification becomes the backbone of design, collaboration, and delivery. In this session, we’ll explore how GitHub Spec-Kit enables teams to treat specifications as first-class artifacts—living documents that drive architecture, implementation, and verification. You’ll learn how Spec-Kit helps teams clearly express intent using structured, version-controlled specs that live alongside code. We’ll walk through a practical workflow that starts with defining system behavior and constraints, then progressively refines those specs into testable, automatable outcomes. Along the way, we’ll show how specs can reduce ambiguity, improve cross-functional collaboration, and make design decisions explicit before a single line of production code is written. This talk will cover: --What spec-driven development is (and what it isn’t) --How GitHub Spec-Kit fits into modern developer workflows --Using specs to align product, engineering, and AI-assisted development --Real-world examples of turning specs into implementations with confidence Whether you’re building greenfield systems, integrating AI into your stack, or trying to reduce costly rework, spec-driven development offers a scalable way to move faster without sacrificing clarity. Attendees will leave with concrete patterns and a clear mental model for adopting GitHub Spec-Kit in their own projects. **YouTube Link** TBA