Firewalls

We’re back at **Storeroom** for another casual night of tech talk, beer, and great people. Join **Malta’s tech community** for drinks, networking, and a sharp session from **Wallarm** on how GenAI is reshaping both software *and* security. 📍 **Where:** Storeroom – [Google Maps](https://maps.app.goo.gl/dCvn2GDe9SmnVBGVA) 📅 **When:** March 18th, 2026 🕖 **Doors open:** 19:00 \| **Talk starts:** 19:40 🎙️ **Talk: The API Attack Surface – How AI-Led Development Is Increasing Security Risks** Agentic AI is changing how we build apps — and how attackers exploit them. James will break down insights from Wallarm’s latest **ThreatStats Report**, highlight new API vulnerabilities, and share battle-tested security practices for the AI age. 👥 **Who’s coming?** Developers, DevOps, Security engineers, Product managers, AI & data folks — and anyone driving tech forward in Malta. Expect real conversations, new connections, and ideas worth stealing. 💡 **About Wallarm** Wallarm is the API security platform that is the fastest, easiest, and most effective way to stop API attacks. Customers choose Wallarm to protect their applications and AI agents because the platform delivers a complete inventory of APIs, patented AI/ML-based abuse detection, real-time blocking, and an API SOC-as-a-service. 🔗 [wallarm.com](https://www.wallarm.com/) 🔗 [ThreatStats Report](https://www.wallarm.com/reports/2026-wallarm-api-threatstats-report) A relaxed, tech-heavy evening with good people and good beer. See you there. 🍺 📸 *Photos may be taken during the event for social channels — let us know if you prefer not to appear.*

Another bear market is around during turbulent times. A long, short strategy might be a new approach to navigate the market. Daniele Bernardi, CEO of [Diaman Partners](https://www.diamanpartners.com/), a Management Company focus on Crypto assets management, will speak about, how to create stable returns with perpetual futures. Come and learn about what’s next and join the discussion.

🎤 Sing your favorite songs, laugh together, and meet new people at Wednesday Karaoke Night — a fun, relaxed midweek evening in a welcoming international atmosphere. Whether you love singing or just enjoy cheering others on, you’ll find a relaxed and friendly environment where it’s easy to join in and feel part of the group. Many guests come solo, and our team is always there to help you connect, join a group, and feel comfortable from the very beginning. You can expect a great mix of karaoke performances chosen by the guests, an energetic international crowd, upbeat vibes, and a cozy venue that’s perfect for singing, laughing, and socializing. 📅 Every Wednesday, from 19:30 till late 📍 The Room by Jungle Joy, St Julian’s 🌎 Who joins: Internationals, students, travellers, expats & locals 🎟️ Entry: 7€, including: – A free welcome drink – Full access to the event – Friendly team support to help you connect and meet new people 👉 No booking needed — just show up and enjoy the night. The earlier you come, the easier it is to sign up for songs and join the fun. We look forward to welcoming you! Links: [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/english_cafe_malta/) [Website](https://englishcafemalta.com/)

Bring the Boardgame that you like, or join a game that others bring! It will happen in Sliema, at St. Gregory Club Lounge on the Triq Mons. G. Depiro! Link to the location on Google Maps: [https://maps.app.goo.gl/3FSTsLZ9LsC2XtsC8](https://maps.app.goo.gl/3FSTsLZ9LsC2XtsC8?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExdzlxWW0ydHR4VTBIYlhUWnNydGMGYXBwX2lkEDIyMjAzOTE3ODgyMDA4OTIAAR7QdS7_as7KomonOrpkpREIZ26IwcJLjp7uq2H8wGrV1sVQSWOOBcgHm57nzg_aem_8rHeZxd7t45p2U7R-Azmbg) There are NO FEES! But it would be nice if you order a cold or hot drink from the cafe at which the group meets.

🔔 Meet new people easily, enjoy great conversations, and experience Malta’s social life at Thursday Social Mixer - our weekly international meetup. Whether you come alone or with friends, you’ll find a friendly and open atmosphere where connecting feels natural. Many guests arrive solo, and our team welcomes you from the start, introducing you to a small group so you can begin chatting right away. The evening features our fun group-rotation icebreaker, the “Bell Speed Friendship” — every few minutes the bell rings and groups change, giving you the chance to meet many different people in a fun way. Expect an international crowd, great energy, and a beautiful venue perfect for socializing. 📅 Every Thursday, from 19:30 till late 📍 Surfside, Sliema 🌎 Who joins: Internationals, students, travellers, expats & locals 🎟️ Entry: 7€, including: – A free welcome drink – Full access to the event – Friendly team support to help you connect and meet new people 👉 No booking needed — just show up and join the experience. The earlier you arrive, the easier it is to join the first groups and make the most of the night. We look forward to welcoming you! Links: [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/english_cafe_malta/) [Website](https://englishcafemalta.com/)

If you're living in Malta and want to meet other digital nomads and location-independent founders/entrepreneurs, this meetup is for you: Friday Coffee Meetup @ San Ġiljan 📍 **[Lot 61 Coffee Roasters](https://maps.app.goo.gl/Y9QGynCxtGdVTF3WA)** (Spinola Park, San Ġiljan) ⏰ 20 March 2026, **11:00 AM** ☕ For WFH and remote workers who want a real coffee chat 🤗 Everyone is welcome! Whether you're new in Malta, working remotely, or just looking to meet new friends, this is a relaxed, no-agenda hangout. Here’s what to expect 👇 1.⁠ ⁠Meet people living or working in Malta. 2.⁠ ⁠⁠Share stories, experiences, or travel tips. 3.⁠ ⁠⁠Make new friends in a warm, easygoing environment. **4.⁠ ⁠⁠Feel free to bring your laptop if you want to co-work after. 👩‍💻** Open to everyone: expats, locals, digital nomads, freelancers, and anyone who wants to connect. If you’re looking to expand your circle and enjoy good coffee, join us! 🎉

💃 Meet, play, and dance under the stars at Friday Social Fiesta, our weekly rooftop party where internationals come together in one of Malta’s most vibrant Friday night atmospheres. The night starts social and playful, with fun games and easy connections, then gradually turns into a high-energy Latin party with reggaeton beats, dancing, and unforgettable rooftop vibes. Whether you come alone or with friends, it’s easy to blend in and enjoy the night your way. Expect a lively international crowd, rooftop views, great music, flowing drinks, and a feel-good party atmosphere that builds as the night goes on — from relaxed social vibes early on to full-on dancing later. 📅 Every Friday, from 21:00 onwards 📍 Marco Polo Rooftop, St Julian’s 🌎 Who joins: Internationals, students, travellers, expats & locals 🎟️ Entry: 6€, including: – A free welcome shot or soft drink – Full access to the rooftop party – Beer Pong Tournaments – Until 22:30: friendly team support to help you meet new people, if you like 👉 No booking needed — just show up and join the party. Arriving earlier means easier connections and better drink deals before it gets busy. Bring your best energy — the weekend starts here 💥 Links: [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/english_cafe_malta/) [Website](https://englishcafemalta.com/)

🎵 Dance, socialize, and celebrate the weekend under the stars at Saturday Rooftop Party, a vibrant international night on one of Malta’s favorite rooftops. Set at the welcoming Marco Polo Rooftop, the night blends relaxed social vibes with an energetic party atmosphere. Whether you come solo or with friends, it’s easy to blend in, enjoy the music, and let the night unfold naturally. With two rooftop levels, you can choose your vibe — head upstairs for relaxed conversations and lounge energy, or stay on the main level for music, drinks, and dancing as the party builds throughout the night. 📅 Every Saturday, from 21:00 till late 📍 Marco Polo Rooftop, St Julian’s 🌎 Who joins: Internationals, students, travellers, expats & locals 🎟️ Entry: 6€, including: – A free welcome shot or soft drink – Full access to the rooftop party – Glow-in-the-dark face painting – Until 22:30: friendly team support to help you meet new people, if you like 👉 No booking needed — just show up and enjoy the night. Arriving earlier means easier connections and better drink deals before it gets busy. Bring your best energy — Saturday night is for celebrating ✨ Links: [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/english_cafe_malta/) [Website](https://englishcafemalta.com/)

🌊 Explore one of Malta’s most iconic natural wonders on our Comino & Blue Lagoon excursion, an experience combining scenic cruising, Comino exploration, and free time in the famous crystal-clear waters of the Blue Lagoon. Travel by private bus and boat to Comino Island, where turquoise seas, rugged cliffs, sea caves, and Mediterranean landscapes create a truly unforgettable setting. The experience includes a short walk across Comino to discover the island’s landscapes, followed by extended free time at the Blue Lagoon to swim, relax, take photos, or simply enjoy the unique atmosphere. If you like, it’s easy to connect with other international participants along the way, through shared views, conversations, and the journey itself. 📅 Every other Saturday 🕚 Meet at 09:30, departure at 10:00 📍 Meeting point: McDonald’s, Sliema 🚌 Return: around 17:00, same location 🌎 Who it’s for: Internationals, students, travellers, expats & locals 🎟️ Online ticket required (limited spots), starting from €20, including: – Private bus transportation to and from Ċirkewwa – Round-trip boat ride to and from Comino – Short guided walk on Comino – Full team support, coordination, and logistics 👉 Spots are limited due to transport — advance online booking on our website is required. LINK A full day of sea, nature, and unforgettable Mediterranean scenery awaits you! Links: [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/english_cafe_malta/) [Website](https://englishcafemalta.com/)

Join us for a fun and engaging social exchange meetup in Malta. Whether you're practicing English or any language, a beginner or advanced, this event welcomes you. Meet like-minded locals, expats, internationals, and fellow wanderers eager to share stories, explore cultures, and build friendships in a relaxed vibe. This is ideal for new residents, exchange students, and travelers immersing in Malta's island life and community. Don't miss your chance to connect over casual eating, drinking, and chats—expand your network while embracing the nomadic spirit! 🌍👋

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

[The Board Walks](http://www.theboardwalks.com/) are for curious people who love deep conversations. If that sounds like you, **bring a thoughtful topic** and join us for a 5-mile walk (10,000+ steps!). **HOW IT WORKS** **Step 1: Bring a topic** Before you arrive, think of **one** topic you want to explore. A question. A thought that's been on your mind. An obsession you want to geek out on. This is your ticket to the event. **Step 2: Circle up & share** We gather in a circle. Your friendly walk host gives a speech to set the tone. Everyone shares: your name, what you're grateful for, and your topic. That's it. 60 seconds. **Step 3: Walk, talk & float** We walk 5 miles. You naturally drift into conversation with 2-3 people at a time, pulled by topics that spark your curiosity. When you're ready to move on, just say: "I'm going to float!" **Step 4: Feel more alive** Two hours flies by. You're back where you started — but you feel different. More alive. More energized. More connected to yourself and others. That's why regulars join 20+ times. *For more details, read our [Orientation Guide.](https://www.theboardwalks.com/orientation)* **HOW TO BRING A GREAT TOPIC** A great topic = something you're genuinely curious about. Recent topics include: * "What are you passionate about right now?" * "What makes a good friend?" * "What's a belief you used to hold that you've completely changed?" * "How do you want to be remembered?" * "What would you do if money wasn't a factor?" Think of your topic like the dish you're bringing to our conversational potluck. If everyone brings an A+ dish (i.e. energizing, uplifting, expansive), we'll all walk away feeling lighter and brighter. **WHAT TO EXPECT** This isn't a fitness event with casual chitchat. It's a walking think tank where we explore life's big questions together, beyond small talk. *If you're looking for light banter or a standard networking event, this probably isn't the right fit.* But if you crave depth, genuine connection, and conversations that make you feel alive? You'll love it here. **FAQ** * Wear casual athletic attire and sneakers. It's a long walk! * We have multiple first-timers at each event. We work hard to create a welcoming, inclusive, clique-free space. * We welcome people of **all** ages, backgrounds, and industries who align with the [intention](https://www.theboardwalks.com/ground-rules) of this space. * Rain or shine, we've been out here nearly every week since July 2022. If the event is cancelled, we'll let you know. * Dogs, babies in strollers, parents, and friends are welcome — please text/email them the event link so they can RSVP and prepare a topic! **LOGISTICS** * If you'll arrive over 10 minutes late, we suggest skipping the event. It's hard to find us once we start walking, and your host can't answer messages during the event. * This walk is designed for everyone to *move together at the same steady pace* (about 20 min/mile). This format works best when the whole group moves in unison. If you have mobility limitations, we kindly encourage you to find an event better suited to your needs. * Read our [Orientation Guide](https://www.theboardwalks.com/orientation) for full details. * If you enjoy the event, send **[this](http://www.theboardwalks.com/)** to a friend or sign up for our **[newsletter](https://theboardwalks.beehiiv.com/)**. We're in multiple cities with more on the way. 🤠👋 **IF YOU WANT TO GO DEEPER...** [The Board](https://stan.store/ellebeecher/p/the-board) is the next step: a high-trust collective for renaissance people devoted to creating, connecting, and building lives that light us up. * This is a global HQ for people who crave big talk, deep connection, and dream collaborations with people across industries. If the walks feel like a spark... The Board is the fire. Apply [here](https://stan.store/ellebeecher/p/the-board).

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

**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 **Abstract** Web Forms gave .NET developers a powerful abstraction for building reusable UI controls long before design systems were a thing. Web Components finally bring that same idea to the browser natively. This session explores how the Web Forms mindset translates into Custom Elements, Shadow DOM, and HTML templates. We’ll examine how Web Components enable design systems that work across frameworks, how they differ from server‑driven controls, and why they’re becoming a foundational layer for modern UI. Whether you’re maintaining legacy apps or building greenfield projects, you’ll leave with a practical understanding of how to apply familiar patterns in a modern, standards‑based way. **YouTube Link** TBA

This will be the first ever Book Club Meet up for this group! * We will be discussing Dating After the End of the World by Jeneva Rose (if you would like a free EPUB copy of this book to read on kindle, message me & I can send you the ebook) * ***Changed the book from Daggermouth due to it being independently published and hard to find in print**** * Feel free to attend even if you haven't started or finished the book ◡̈ ! * Small snacks will be provided. You’re welcome to bring your own snacks & drinks too! * Even if the meetup event shows full, you are welcome to come. If you can no longer attend the event, no worries, just please try to update your status on meetup for it.

OpenClaw, NemoClaw, personal assistants, 24/7 agents. What does it all mean? How does it all work and what should we know about it? 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)