Engineering

**Generative AI for Developers Meetup 2026** ***Building AI Applications with Agentic AI, GenAI Workflows & Multi-Agent Systems*** Join the **genAI for Developers** community for an evening of **developer-first learning**, demos, and networking - focused on what it actually takes to build and ship with GenAI and agentic workflows. Each month we push deeper into practical patterns for **Agentic AI**, **RAG**, **tool-using agents, evaluation/observability, and workflow engineering** \- with real code\, real trade\-offs\, and real lessons learned from production\-minded builds\. **What we’ll cover (typical themes)** \* Agentic workflows: planners, routers, tool use, memory, and guardrails \* RAG done properly: retrieval, chunking, reranking, citations, and grounding \* Multi-agent systems: roles, coordination, failure modes, and cost control \* Model ecosystem updates: OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, DeepSeek (and what’s actually useful) \* Demos + notebooks: follow along with Jupyter + GitHub style examples \* New developments: OpenClaw, Hermes, TurboQuant and more \-\-\- **📅 AGENDA — March 31, 2026** **6:00 – 6:20 PM** \| Arrival\, socialising & networking **6:20 – 6:40 PM** \| Community updates \+ latest GenAI & Agentic AI news **6:40 – 7:10 PM** \| 📊 **Anthropic's 2026 Agentic Coding Trends Report** A deep dive into 8 trends reshaping how software gets built in 2026: * Where engineering teams are seeing the greatest productivity gains today * Why effective AI collaboration still requires active human judgment * How non-technical teams are building tools without engineering support * Eight trends reshaping how software gets built in 2026 **7:10 – 7:25 PM** \| 📊 **OpenClaw Walkthrough with Gaurav Caprihan** Learning about this new craze sweeping the agentic world. **7:25 – 7:45 PM** \| 🎵 **Creative GenAI: Song to Music Video — Instructor-Led Walkthrough** An end-to-end creative AI session: song idea → lyrics → full track → music video using modern generative AI tools. * Prompting & iteration in **Suno** (structure, hooks, tone, vocal style) * Building a consistent visual narrative in **VidMuse** (storyboard, scenes, pacing) * 🎥 Watch the final clip we'll unpack: https://youtu.be/bAbIiy6jE6I?si=D_rVhtp775HsnCLF **7:45 – 8:00 PM** \| Q&A \+ closing networking **8:00 PM** \| 🍻 Optional: head to a nearby pub for dinner *** 🌍 **Live-streamed globally** — YouTube link shared on the day (EU + US welcome!) \-\-\- **Why attend?** If you’re building (or about to build) agentic AI systems, this is the room where you’ll pick up reusable patterns, avoid common traps, and meet others shipping in the same space - developers, data folks, founders, and technical leaders. RSVP here: https://www.meetup.com/genai-for-developers/

*Get to L19, which then allows you to get to Level 21* *If the lift access is limited after-hours we'll have a PwC Employee to take you to the event.* The **GitHub Copilot Dev Days** is a learning series designed to help developers fully leverage GitHub Copilot within **Visual Studio Code** and **GitHub Codespaces** while connecting with community experts. In this edition, we are introducing in-person workshops led by tech communities. The event, which will take place on **March 31 2026**, is open to **developers of all levels** and focuses on leveraging **AI-assisted coding** with **GitHub Copilot**. The full agenda and session info: 1. **Zero to Hero with GitHub Copilot:** **What happens when a non-developer starts shipping code** by [Loryan Strant](https://www.linkedin.com/in/loryanstrant/) 2. **Spec Driven Development using GitHub Copilot** by [Dylan McCarthy](https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-mccarthy-181199ab/) 3. **Agent Orchestration using GitHub Copilot** by [Nilesh Gule](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nileshgule/) 4. **Vibing the Indie with GitHub Copilot** by [Venura Athukorala](https://www.linkedin.com/in/venura9/) 5. **GitHub Actions 101: From Zero to Your First Automated Workflow** by [Ahmed Muhi](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ahmedmuhi/) **Venue**: PwC Melbourne, Level 21, 2 Riverside Quay, Southbank. Doors open at 5.00 pm. Drinks and food will be provided. 😀

Join us for a fun-filled evening of English country dance at our class in Melbourne! Whether you're a seasoned dancer or new to the world of English country dancing, this event is perfect for all skill levels. Our experienced instructor will guide you through various English dances. Get ready to connect with fellow dancers and embrace the joy of movement in a friendly and social atmosphere. Don't miss this opportunity to get some exercise and learn new dance patterns. Meet new friends, enjoy charming music, and experience the sense of community that comes from dancing together. Come solo or bring a partner - everyone is welcome! Let's celebrate the beauty of English country dance together in Melbourne. The class is held every week, alternately Tuesdays in Bennettswood, and Fridays in Surrey Hills.

Visitors and newcomers are very welcome, please see https://hackmelbourne.com/newcomer-faq/ for more details. COVIDSafe restrictions are also in place, please see https://hackmelbourne.com/covid-19-restrictions/ for the latest. Short walk from Glenferrie train station. Car parking at Hawthorn town hall. Bring a laptop and a project you are working on. There is also a number of group projects that you are welcome to join in. We have starter kits for Arduino, a couple of 3D printers, various tools and equipment available for use. Typically our sessions run from 6:45pm till later in the evening (depending on our members' availability to close) but if you're new please come early.

Come along and join in a relaxed evening of dev and tech talk, drinks and dinner.

Jewellers can hire a desk in our workshop to make or finish off their own pieces. This workshop is self run, you need to attend a health and safety induction before working daily unattended. Basic jewellery making tools are provided and some consumables such as flux, borax, tumbling polish, lathe polish and some drill bits. Aprons and safety glasses are provided, tie up loose hair, wear enclosed shoes. Please email claw.creative.studios@gmail.com for any questions or inquiries. Clara Carija, Director CLAW CREATIVE.

We invite you to come and practise your English with people from all over the world in a friendly environment. We are open to all levels from beginner to advanced. We have classes in small groups and you will be placed in one of these groups according to your level of English. Our free conversational English classes are every Thursday evening (except term breaks). If you are coming for the first time, please come on time for registration. Please note: English Corner is for non-native speakers. Our team of facilitators is really looking forward to having a wonderful time speaking English with you! **Please scan the QR code upon arrival to register your attendance.** If this is your first time, we recommend arriving a bit earlier to complete your initial registration. In case you aren't able to join us face to face we have an Online Alternate English Conversation Thursday class option too! Sign up for this on Meetup.

It's DDD but \***lightning**\*. The evening will be a hybrid event hosted by the DDD Melbourne crew and consist of short & sharp presentations of fifteen minutes in length on a dev related subject. Venue space is limited, we cannot accommodate more than **90 people**. First come first served! **ONLINE ATTENDANCE** You can join us online, we'll aim to get the call started somewhere around 6pm before we have our introductions and first speaker. Remote audience link --> **TBA** You can ask questions of our speakers via Slido. We'll try to ask your questions as they come through on Slido, but we may not get to all of them. **TALKS** **Elmer Rokerick Niem Bool** neurUL: Duplicateless Databases Using Biomimicry In this talk, Elmer will present neurUL (neurUL Universal Language), a new neurobiological programming language, inspired by computer science, neuroscience, cognitive science, linguistics, and philosophy, that can enable a highly efficient and flexible method for data storage. Using neurUL, developers will be able to solve the ""unavoidable redundancies"" problem, wherein, despite the introduction of database normalization more than half a century ago, relational databases with their current limitations, are still plagued by costly, ever-growing redundancies across columns, rows, tables, as well as in schema definitions **Suyogya Taneja** CQRS in Modern .NET: Clean Architecture, Vertical Slice, Microservices, and AI-Assisted Development with Claude Code The talk will explore implementing CQRS in modern .NET applications across Clean Architecture, Vertical Slice Architecture, and Microservices, along with demonstrating how AI-assisted development using Claude Code can help accelerate building CQRS-based features such as commands, handlers, and tests. **Anderson Santos** Automate Work and Build Tools with No-Code Repetitive tasks are everywhere, copying data between systems, updating records, processing documents, and managing manual workflows. In this talk, Anderson will show how no-code automation platforms like Make allow anyone to connect systems, eliminate boring work, and build powerful workflows without writing code. He will also briefly explore how the same approach can be used to create internal tools and even launch small SaaS products. **Ben Taylor** Building MCP Servers is Surprisingly Easy The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is changing what is possible with LLMs and enabling general purpose agents. It turns out building MCP servers is super easy. Ben will talk about what an MCP is, some background around the security considerations involved, how to build one, and what you could use it for. **SCHEDULE** **5.45pm** Open doors, food served **6.10pm** Intro and three talks **7.30pm** Break for networking and drinks **8.00pm** Two more talks **8.45pm** Close **CODE OF CONDUCT** All DDD events are subject to the DDD Code of Conduct available at https://www.dddmelbourne.com/code-of-conduct/ **VENUE AND FOOD SPONSOR** [Luminary](https://www.luminary.com/) **FUTURE EVENTS** Are you interested in speaking at a future DDD by Night? That's awesome, we'd love to have you! We take speakers of all experience levels and offer training too. [Fill out this form](https://forms.office.com/r/12c0CvLwQk) and we'll be in touch. **FEEDBACK** Feedback, whether it's good or constructive, helps us grow and improve these events and so we'd love for you to fill out the form here --> https://forms.office.com/r/MB8WGKv9Bi

Friendly, Relaxed, Supportive. Join our welcoming English conversation club for international students! Practice speaking, learn new vocabulary, and make friends in a relaxed, judgment-free environment. Sessions are led by a qualified English teacher and hosted by a caring Christian community. Everyone is welcome, and no beliefs are imposed — just good conversation and a great place to belong.

**Register now to attend! =>** [https://konfhub.com/ksug-au-2026-04-01](https://konfhub.com/ksug-au-2026-04-01) **<=** **Latest promotions** discovered by our community! * Request [60% OFF Kubestronaut](https://forms.gle/tpAizfSUy94SMAW9A) bundle code * **20%** OFF **[FinOps](https://ksug.ai/finops)** Certs Code: **KSAI_20** * Missed **75%** off [LF / CNCF](https://lf.ksug.ai/)? [Get Notified](https://ksug.ai/?notify&ref=meetup) for next BIG drop! We're excited to welcome you to the upcoming **KSUG.AI Australia Meetup** — happening both in-person at at Amazon and online via [Zoom](https://linktr.ee/ksug.ai)! 🎉 We're actively seeking more awesome K8s and AI topic speakers! 👉 [https://speaker.ksug.ai](https://speaker.ksug.ai) **Agenda and topics preview:** * Food, drinks and Socializing * Welcome / Introductions by the Organizers @**[KSUG.AI](https://ksug.ai/?ref=meet)** * **Topic 1:** Future of **SRE** with AI by **[Jay Desai](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaydesai83/)**, Senior SE @**[Datadog](https://www.datadoghq.com/)** * **Topic 2:** Revealing **Data** Achitect Technics and how to Containerize a ELT solution by **[Rodrigues Lopes](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rodrigueslopesdataarchiect/)**, Data Architect, @D2i Consulting * **Topic 3:** **DGX** Spark Live: Nemotron 3 Super running **OpenClaw** for free by **[Thiago S S Ramos](https://www.linkedin.com/in/thiago4go/)**, Cloud Engineer, DNX Solutions * **Quiz time:** nice swags giveaways Food and drinks will be provided between **5.30 and 6 pm** on a first-come, first-served basis. This is a great opportunity to learn and network with our peers. Thanks to our sponsors @**[Amazon](https://aws.com/)**! **[Register here](https://konfhub.com/ksug-au-2026-04-01) to secure your spot!** See you all there! **Location:** Amazon MEL12, Level 13.304 [555 Collins St, Melbourne VIC 3000](https://maps.app.goo.gl/Kbi13GZqj2zDqDz2A) 👉 Join our [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/Rp9WzYyKua) and [WhatsApp](https://chat.whatsapp.com/D9a9IDiCS7U4cqQ0Sh60cz?mode=gi_t) for latest update! 🔖 𝐎𝐧𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐬: ☸ 30% OFF **[Kubernetes](https://lf.ksug.ai/)** Certs - Code: **30K8SUG** ☸ 20% OFF **[FinOps](https://ksug.ai/finops)** Certs - Code: **KSAI_20** 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐖𝐞 𝐃𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬: ✅ Learn 𝐅𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 ⚡ ✅ Certify 𝐒𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐑 💰 ✅ Grow 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐑 💪 𝟐𝟎𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎+ follow **[KSUG.AI](https://ksug.ai/?ref=meet)** 🔥 [linktr.ee/ksug.ai](https://linktr.ee/ksug.ai) *By registering, you consent to the management of your personal information in accordance with KSUG.AI Meetup's [Privacy Policy](https://k8sug.ai/privacy). Additionally, you agree that our sponsors may contact you.* **[KSUG.AI](https://ksug.ai/?ref=meet)** is an independent community and not affiliated with or endorsed by CNCF. Kubernetes, K8s, Kubestronaut are registered trademarks of The Linux Foundation.

## 🇯🇵 Progressi部: Japanese-English Language & Culture Exchange 🇦🇺 **"Serious Study, Authentic Community" — 本気で学び、本気で交流する。** Join us for our weekly exchange designed for those dedicated to practicing Japanese and English. This is a space to improve your language skills, share cultural insights, and make new, like-minded friends in a respectful environment. ### 🎯 Who This Group Is For We welcome individuals who are here to **actively practice their Japanese or English**. Whether you are looking for a study partner or want to learn more about culture, this is a community for focused and meaningful interaction. **✅ 受付方法 / Event Check-in (Strictly Required)** 到着の際、必ず主催者に以下の提示をお願いします / Upon arrival, please present the following to the organizer: * **Meetupの参加申し込み（RSVP）画面をご提示ください。** / Show your Meetup RSVP confirmation screen. * **予約なし（No RSVP）での参加はお断りしております。** / No walk-ins permitted without a confirmed RSVP. * **Participation Fee: $3 CASH** Non-Japanese citizens. ### 🚫 Conduct & Safety Policy To ensure a high-quality experience for all members, we maintain a strict standard of behavior: * **Immediate Ban:** Any individual found guilty of misconduct or creating "trouble" will be banned from the group immediately.**.** * **Organizer Authority:** The Organizer reserves the right to remove any member at their sole discretion to maintain the safety and integrity of the community. * **Respectful Interaction:** All members are expected to be polite and mindful of others. Do not make fellow participants feel uncomfortable or pressured. * **Privacy:** Please respect the personal boundaries of others. Do not pressure members for private contact information. **If any member makes you feel uncomfortable, please report it immediately to the organizers: Shin, David, or Ray.** *** ### 📝 Event Details * **Time:** Saturday, 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM * **Arrival:** Please arrive **10–15 minutes early** due to limited seating. * **Entry Fee:** **$3 CASH** (Non-Japanese citizens). This contribution covers monthly meetup hosting fees. * **Photography:** Photos will be taken during the event for our community archives. ### 🇯🇵 日本語でのご案内 メルボルン市内のカフェで、本気で学べる日英言語文化交流会を主催しています。 * **目的:** 日本語・英語の練習、そして同じ目標を持つ友人作りを目的としています。 * **参加費:** 日本国籍以外の方は $3ドル（現金のみ）。 * **ルール:** 迷惑行為やトラブルを起こす方の参加は一切禁止です。主催者の判断により、即座に退会・出入り禁止の措置を取らせていただきます。 * 困ったことがあれば、すぐにオーガナイザー（Shin, David, Ray）までお知らせください。 ### 🔗 Connect With Us * **Facebook:** [facebook.com/groups/progressibu](https://www.google.com/search?q=http://www.facebook.com/groups/progressibu) * **X (Twitter):** [twitter.com/progressibu](https://www.google.com/search?q=http://twitter.com/progressibu)

[REGISTER HERE] ( https://luma.com/seab43vn ) Australia is entering a new era of AI, one where sovereignty, infrastructure, and local capability matter more than ever. ​Join our Foundational Models Meetup, where for our first event in the series, we’re excited to host **[Simon Kriss](https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonkriss/), CEO of Sovereign Australia AI**, for a short talk on what it actually takes to build foundational models here in Australia. ​ While much of the global AI conversation is dominated by US and Chinese players, Sovereign Australia AI is working to develop foundational models locally, contributing to Australia’s capability in this rapidly evolving space. ​**Live demonstrations** We’ll also feature 2–3 short live demonstrations from local builders working directly with foundational models. ​These will be practical walk-throughs of what teams are actually building. Each demo will be concise, technical where relevant, and focused on real-world insight. ​ **What you'll learn:** * ​Why AI sovereignty is becoming a strategic priority * ​What it really takes to build foundational models * ​The challenges of infrastructure, capital, and talent in Australia * ​Lessons learned from building at the frontier * ​Where Australia fits in the global AI landscape ​This event is designed for engineers, researchers, founders, and builders who want a grounded perspective on what’s happening beneath the surface of the AI boom. ​Join us at Melbourne Connect for an evening of practical insights, honest reflections, and thoughtful discussion on the future of foundational AI in Australia. ​ **Who should attend:** * ​AI engineers and researchers * ​technically minded founders * ​people working on model infra, tooling or data * ​students and academics curious about foundational models ​**About SMEC AI** ​SMEC AI is an initiative of Boab AI in partnership with Artesian, Cremorne Digital Hub, University of Melbourne, RMIT, La Trobe University, Victorian Medtech Skills And Devices Hub, TNG and Rockwell. ​SMEC AI focuses on the agriculture, clean energy, medical and enabling capabilities industries as defined by the National Reconstruction Fund priority areas. ​ The SMEC AI project and activities has been funded by the Australian Government Department of Industry Science and Resources AI Adopt program and is aimed at enhancing the adoption of artificial intelligence by small to medium enterprises in Australia.

Welcome to Elixir Melbourne's monthly meetup. Where we go over Elixir ecosystem news, listen to great talks, and socialise with other Elixir developers of all levels. We’re rebooting the meetup after a hiatus with new (and old) organisers, a new venue and emphasis on more time to socialise. There are still speaking spots open. If you want to talk about anything Elixir related, get in touch. **Agenda** * 6:00pm - Arrive, socialise * 6:30pm - Welcome; introduction; “who’s hiring” pitches. * 6:45pm - Talk 1 (speaking spot open!) * 7:15pm - Food, socialise * 7:45pm - Maybe another talk (speaking spot open!) * 8:15pm - Finish up and head to Saint & Rogue (down the street from SuperAPI at 582 Little Collins St, Melbourne) **Sponsor** Huge thanks to [SuperAPI](https://superapi.com.au/) for catering and venue.

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

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

We meet to learn and practice American Sign Language and to grow our familiarity with Deaf culture. Facilitated by hearing folks (with a connection to a professional interpreter) using Deaf-created content. People of all ASL skill levels are welcome! As we learn, we hope to connect more with the Deaf community in Central Ohio. Join us as you're able! Come regularly or just once - whatever you're looking for! Each meetup will explore different topics related to ASL/Deaf culture, and will feature time to practice conversation with one another. Just bring yourself and a willingness to learn!

Central Ohio Radio Enthusiasts—CORE—is an informal community for anyone enthusiastic or curious about radio—whether you're new to radio and want to learn or you've been tinkering for years and want to share. Ham radio operators, GMRS users, Meshtastic fans, software-defined radio nerds, makers, and technical and non-technical folks are all welcome. No experience required or expected. This month we have **WiFi HaLow: Introduction and Practical Use** with **Alex Barbur**. Details are are [core.radio](https://core.radio).

**Presenter:** All of Us **Time:** Pizza at 6:00, Presentation Starts at 6:30pm Eastern **Location:** Theoris, 9000 Keystone Crossing, Suite 230, Indianapolis Let's have a fishbowl discussion about AI. Has it replaced you yet? Have you replaced it? Somewhere in between? How is AI impacting your career as a software engineer? Looking forward to seeing you there! ### What is a Fishbowl Discussion? [A ](https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=00b4b265baa395dc4ad7b262d4d6e3b7b7c31b2195941076e51d2eca252c2d02JmltdHM9MTc2MjgxOTIwMA&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=4&fclid=0e60c23d-2dbf-642d-0fd7-d4512c2b6597&psq=fishbowl+discussion&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly9lbi53aWtpcGVkaWEub3JnL3dpa2kvRmlzaGJvd2xfKGNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbik&ntb=1)**[fishbowl discussion](https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=00b4b265baa395dc4ad7b262d4d6e3b7b7c31b2195941076e51d2eca252c2d02JmltdHM9MTc2MjgxOTIwMA&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=4&fclid=0e60c23d-2dbf-642d-0fd7-d4512c2b6597&psq=fishbowl+discussion&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly9lbi53aWtpcGVkaWEub3JnL3dpa2kvRmlzaGJvd2xfKGNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbik&ntb=1)**[ is a structured format for dialogue that typically involves two groups: an inner circle (the "fishbowl") and an outer circle. The inner circle consists of a small number of participants who actively discuss a topic, while those in the outer circle listen and observe. This format encourages participation from all members, as individuals from the outer circle can join the inner circle by taking an empty seat when they wish to contribute.](https://www.bing.com/ck/a?!&&p=00b4b265baa395dc4ad7b262d4d6e3b7b7c31b2195941076e51d2eca252c2d02JmltdHM9MTc2MjgxOTIwMA&ptn=3&ver=2&hsh=4&fclid=0e60c23d-2dbf-642d-0fd7-d4512c2b6597&psq=fishbowl+discussion&u=a1aHR0cHM6Ly9lbi53aWtpcGVkaWEub3JnL3dpa2kvRmlzaGJvd2xfKGNvbnZlcnNhdGlvbik&ntb=1)

Bring your Raspberry Pi, Arduino, microcontroller, or any other electronic project and join fellow electronics makers for a night of creativity and collaboration! This session is open forum to share your current projects—whether complete or in progress, it’s all interesting! Whether you’re deep into embedded systems, exploring new ideas, or just getting started, you’ll find a welcoming space to collaborate, share, and get inspired. **New to electronics or curious about tinkering?** You’re absolutely welcome. If you’re a beginner and want to experiment, I’ll have a couple of starter kits available so you can try things out—whether that’s blinking your first LED, putting something on a display, or experimenting with simple sensors. No pressure and no experience required—just an interest in learning and building. While we continue to pursue a more permanent venue for this Meetup, we’ll be using public library facilities based on availability. This session will be at the Worthington Park Library in the Olentangy Meeting Room.

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