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Yes! Check out founders events happening today here. These are in-person gatherings where you can meet fellow enthusiasts and participate in activities right now.
Discover all the founders events taking place this week here. Plan ahead and join exciting meetups throughout the week.
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Founders Events Today
Join in-person Founders events happening right now
Offenes Training
Durch das offene Training schaffen wir einen regelmäßigen Ort zum gemeinsamen Improvisieren.
Hier können alle mitmachen - es ist keine Vorerfahrung notwendig und wir begeben uns nach einem Kennenlernen und Aufwärmen in die Welt der Impro Szenen und Kurzformate. Es ist sowohl ein Platz zum Ausprobieren für neue ImprospielerInnen als auch zum Üben und Weiterentwickeln für erfahrene ImprospielerInnen.
Eintritt: Freie Spende!
For Improv in the english language please have a look at the International Improv Community in Vienna ([IICV](https://www.meetup.com/de-DE/International-Improv-Wien/)) on meetup!
Wenn intelligente Agenten außer Kontrolle
**Agentic AI trifft Cybersecurity – Wenn intelligente Agenten außer Kontrolle geraten**
**Die nächste Evolutionsstufe der künstlichen Intelligenz ist bereits da:**
Agentic AI Systeme, die eigenständig planen, Entscheidungen treffen und handeln – oft ohne menschliche Kontrolle. Doch was passiert, wenn genau diese Autonomie zur Gefahr wird?
KI-Agenten, die täuschend echte Phishing-Angriffe erstellen, Sicherheitsmechanismen in Echtzeit umgehen oder Netzwerke wie digitale Schläfer infiltrieren – das ist keine Zukunftsmusik mehr. Es passiert bereits heute.
Bei diesem exklusiven Abend-Event diskutieren zwei Experten an der Schnittstelle von AI und Cybersecurity über die Risiken, Chancen und die Realität autonomer KI-Systeme.
**Dr. Jeannette Gorzala**, Gründerin und CEO von ACT AI NOW sowie Vice Chair des AI Boards der österreichischen Bundesregierung, engagiert sich aktiv für AI Literacy, den European AI Act und die verantwortungsvolle Gestaltung von Künstlicher Intelligenz in Europa. Darüber hinaus bringt sie ihre Expertise als Mitglied der GPAIM Working Groups des EU AI Office der Europäischen Kommission in die europäische KI-Strategie und Regulierung ein.
NEOB Technology GmbH Gründer und CEO **Ed Prinz** gibt Einblicke in moderne Agentic-AI-Architekturen – von autonomen Tools und Multi-Step-Reasoning bis hin zu realen Anwendungen im Bereich Voice AI und Business Automation. Dabei geht es auch um die entscheidende Frage: Wo verschwimmt die Grenze zwischen hilfreichen und potenziell gefährlichen KI-Agenten?
CyberTrap CEO **Adi Reschenhofer** zeigt, wie moderne Deception-Technologien Angreifer in die Falle locken – mit Honeypots, Decoys und KI-gestützten Täuschungsmechanismen. Wenn KI gegen KI kämpft, verändert sich das Spielfeld der Cybersicherheit grundlegend.
Gemeinsam sprechen sie über Themen, die Unternehmen und CISOs zunehmend beschäftigen:
• Kann man einem KI-Agenten vertrauen, den man nicht selbst entwickelt hat?
• Wie verteidigt man sich gegen Angriffe, die lernen und sich weiterentwickeln?
• Ist die Cybersecurity-Branche schnell genug – oder sind Angreifer bereits voraus?
## Event Details
📅 **Datum:** 3\. Juni 2026
🕔 **Einlass:** ab 17:00 Uhr
🕕 **Start:** 18:00 Uhr
📍 **Location:**
Boston Consulting Group
Address: Postgasse 10, 1010 Wien
Sprache: Deutsch
🎟 **Eintritt frei**
⚠️ Begrenzte Plätze – First Come, First Served.
Drinks & Snacks sind vor Ort vorhanden.
Französisch für die Reise
Du würdest gerne mal nach Paris fahren, aber sprichst kein Wort Französisch?
Komm in meinen Kurs und dein Problem ist gelöst!
**Wenn du noch GAR KEIN Französisch kannst, bist du hier GENAU RICHTIG!**
Der Kurs ist super für EINSTEIGER und vermittelt einige Basiskenntnisse auf Niveau A1.
**Es gibt 9 voneinander unabhängige Module zu je 2 Stunden.**
Wer möchte, kann auch nur einzelne Termine besuchen.
**Mittwoch 29.04., 06.05., 13.05., 03.06., 10.06., 17.06., 24.06., 01.07., 08.07.**
* **03.06.: *Einkaufen in kleinen Läden***
*Dies ist KEIN normaler Sprachkurs - sondern ein lockeres Spielen mit Worten, das dir erst einmal Appetit macht auf die Reise!*
*Du wirst am Ende des Kurses NICHT perfekt Französisch sprechen, aber vermutlich in der Lage sein, ein Baguette zu kaufen oder ein Getränk zu bestellen, nach dem Weg zu fragen und auch die Antwort zu verstehen...*
**Kurssprache ist Deutsch, mit Übersetzung auf Englisch, wenn erforderlich.**
Ich halte diesen Kurs zum ersten Mal, deshalb ist die **Teilnahme kostenlos.**
Doch ich bitte um eine **freiwillige Spende für das Nachbarschaftszentrum,** in dem der Kurs stattfindet. Das Nachbarschaftszentrum ist eine unabhängige soziale Einrichtung, die durch Spenden finanziert wird
[Nachbarschaftszentrum 15, Wien](https://www.nachbarschaftszentren.at/angebote/selbsthilfe/1/34244-franz%C3%B6sisch-f%C3%BCr-die-reise-mittwoch,-03-06-2026,)
Shut Up & Write!® Wednesdays @Vienna Mosaik
**Join us** for free writing sessions with tea and treats and find the accountability, focus, and structure you need to achieve your goals.
Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done!
**SCHEDULE:**
18:00 - Quick Session intros.
18:15- Timer starts
20:00 - end/chat/ take off/.
Vienna Mosaik closes at 20:15
OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING before and after the session.
BEING LATE IS OKAY: just show up and join us!
**What Should I Bring?**
-Whatever you need to be able to write!
-Bring earbuds/earplugs if you want to block out music or sounds.
**Other Important Details:**
TRAVEL / PARKING: 65A to Laxenburger Straße/Troststraße; O tram or 11 stop Arthaberplatz; Reumannplatz U-Bahn; Parking is Kurzparkzone.
**INTERNET:** Yes
**FOOD/DRINKS:** Light snacks, tea and coffee available. Donations optional
**Open seating:** writing room is separate next to the entrance room.
**Other info:** Click on the meetup you want to attend and then click on the red button "Teilnehmen" or "Attend". Otherwise, you can attend the writing session anyway. :)
*Happy writing and I look forward to seeing you at Vienna Mosaik!*
Find Us on Google Maps: [Vienna Mosaik](https://maps.app.goo.gl/1FsrkiXaw6D7y6pK7?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy)
Improv Open Session by IICV
**Our next show:** [next improv Show](https://www.iicv.at/improvshow)
**Leader of the session:** [IICV Calendar](https://www.iicv.at/event-calendar)
**What is it ?**
An open improv session for all experience levels. Come play, explore, and have fun in a supportive, low-pressure environment.
**How to register ?**
Meetup registration opens on **Sunday 13:00** for the following Wednesday meetup.
Should your plans change, we kindly ask you to **cancel.** For security reason, you cannot join the session if you did not registered.
**How much ?**
Free for IICV members\*
10 Euros for everybody else.
You can pay contactless or cash.
\* go to [iicv.at](https://www.iicv.at/) to become a member (13EUR per month until you cancel your membership).
**Anything to report?**
Please give us an anonymous [feedback](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1oidbMUMs_Zz-rSQ9O4HcR_axPG_zvUb1dc1ssG5IWaw/edit)
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**Meetup priority**: Please do not enroll to meetup priority!!! You can enroll to any open session without having it (just close the adv. window). **Being meetup priority will not give you any advantage in the waiting list** neither as we will insure to respect the real order of priority.
**Photograph policy**: Please be aware that photos will be taken during the open session for social media and newsletters. Before any photos are taken, we ask participants for their consent and provide an opportunity to opt out.
**Code of Conduct**: We are a Vienna-based international community seeking to explore, play, practice, and perform improvised arts in a group setting. In treating this space with integrity and professionalism, we are committed to facilitating a harassment-free space for all persons regardless of cultural background, disability, gender, sexual orientation, race, etc.
Therefore, the IICV will not tolerate any inappropriate behaviour as per our [Code Of Conduct](https://www.iicv.at/code-of-conduct). Repeated violations of our guidelines can and will result in warnings, removal from sessions, or cancelation of membership.
The **International Improv Community in Vienna** IICV e.V. ZVR Nr:1236421179
Get Together: Photographers & Artists
**Get Together: Photographers & Artists**
Join us for a relaxed creative meet-up on **Wednesday, 03/06/2026**, from **18:00–20:00** at **WienMitte Photography Studio**.
This bi-weekly event is for photographers, artists, creatives, and anyone who wants to connect, share ideas, talk about projects, and support each other in a friendly atmosphere.
Come for a drink, bring your ideas, meet like-minded people, and get inspired for your next creative project.
**Duration:** 2 hours
**Drinks:** not included
**Location:** WienMitte Photography Studio
DM to join the next get-together.
Founders Events This Week
Discover what is happening in the next few days
Founders Running Club :: Vienna
**Founders Running Club** (FRC) brings founders, investors, tech, creative people and startup enthusiasts together for weekly easy runs and networking. We like to be comfortable when we run and finish with coffee and conversations. Choose your pace or follow a pacer—pets, friends, family, are welcome.
🗓️ Launched in San Francisco, July 16, 2022
🌍 Now in 35+ cities
📅 Running + Networking events + Community
**Join the community** [http://foundersrc.com/chats](http://foundersrc.com/chats)
You can drop your layers, bags & whatever else at Café Brenner before the run.
📍 Meeting point:
09:55 at Café Brenner (https://share.google/YQ03QVDuYaga5AFRm) – drop your stuff, say hi.
👟 10:00 warm-up starts outside of the building (Superbude)
➡️ Then we head off on the \~5K Prater loop.
☕ Post-run: coffee back at Café Brenner.
❗️🔒 The storage room at Café Brenner will be locked during the run – but please note: Neither Founders Running Club nor Café Brenner does assume any liability.
**Stay updated**:
Instagram [http://instagram.com/foundersrc/](http://instagram.com/foundersrc/)
Podcast [http://podcast.foundersrc.com/](http://podcast.foundersrc.com/)
LinkedIn [http://linkedin.com/company/foundersrc/](http://linkedin.com/company/foundersrc/)
Strava [http://strava.com/clubs/foundersRC](http://strava.com/clubs/foundersRC)
Website [http://foundersrc.com/](http://foundersrc.com/)
START Hack Vienna '26
**24 hours. 4 real cases. 100 builders. One weekend that hits - apply on Luma:** https://luma.com/sp3ivels
On June 6 and 7, **START Hack Vienna '26** takes over Vienna. You, your laptop, your team - and four challenges from leading tech companies. Code freeze is Sunday at 14:00. Until then: build, debug, pitch, win.
Who's in:
🎙️ **[fonio.ai](https://www.fonio.ai/de)** \- Voice AI Infrastructure
🛡️ **[techbold](https://www.techbold.at/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=767953138&gbraid=0AAAAADi2E3GNKvho9R78moM6jpNWhJaDZ&gclid=CjwKCAjwtvvPBhBuEiwAPMijr2G_eUd8qy1SVORJdzxIs9kwdvsLoYjwskQUiCClw300Rh8kPwEn8xoCVp0QAvD_BwE)** \- B2B IT & Automation
🎯 Plus two more case partners, coming soon
🛠️ Powered by **[Lovable](https://lovable.dev/)** and more tool partners to come
🏠 At **[Home of Innovation](https://homeofinnovationx.com/)**, Vienna
***
**What you get:**
🎯 4 real challenges from real companies, no toy problems
🧠 Live mentoring from case partners and industry experts
🛠️Premium tool access with credits from our partners
🍕 24h catering, food truck, coffee on tap
🏆 10,000+ EUR prize pool plus a Community Award and the Overall Winner trophy
🌍 A public GitHub portfolio piece - MIT-licensed, ready for your CV
***
**Who should apply:**
Builders, students, engineers, designers, PMs, founders, operators - junior to senior. If you ship things and want to join great people, you're in the right place.
Solo? That works, we'll match you on-site.
***
**The basics:**
📅 June 6-7, 2026
📍 Home of Innovation, Vienna (Arsenalstraße 11)
💸 Free
👥 Teams of 2-4
🌐 English
🎟️ \~100 builders on-site
***
**How it works:**
Teams pick their case preferences. We match. 24h of hacking. Each case partner picks a Track Winner. The 4 Track Winners pitch in front of an external jury of VCs, founders, and tech leads - and one of them takes home the **Overall Winner** trophy.
While the jury deliberates, the **Community Award** runs on the main stage - open mic, 2-minute pitches, live crowd voting.
***
Applications are rolling. Apply early, hear back fast.
**Powered by START Vienna** \- Vienna's community for entrepreneurial talent\. Part of the global START Network\.
Evening Sound Meditation
A gentle space to slow down and unwind at the end of the week.
This session is designed to help you release stress, calm the nervous system, and transition softly into the weekend through guided relaxation and subtle live sound.
No experience needed.
Just come, lie down, listen, and rest.
Open to everyone.
Thursday Morning Co-Working Session – Get It Done Together
This is a structured coworking session for people who want to follow through and get it done. To join, please register here (takes 1–2 minutes): [https://nocrastination.space/](https://nocrastination.space/)
**We like a touch of mystery!** **The exact location will be sent to you by email 24 hours before the session. Please make sure to register in advance.**
Join our [WhatsApp group](https://chat.whatsapp.com/K6LidaoQhe16wZ0Se9pNM6?mode=gi_t). Follow us on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/nocrastinationclub/)
You just haven’t been able to follow through. You start things, lose momentum and find yourself starting over again. You’re not alone.
Most people get support at the beginning. And applause at the end. But the part that actually matters? The middle. The quiet, repetitive, sometimes frustrating part where nothing feels exciting, and everything depends on showing up. **That’s where we are.**
At NoCrastination, we don’t meet for hype. We meet to **show up and finish something, together.** Not perfectly. Not magically. Just consistently.
**What this really is**
This is a space for people who are:
* building something
* figuring things out
* or simply trying to stay on track
**without doing it alone**
You don’t need to be an entrepreneur. You just need something you want to move forward.
**What happens here**
You bring something you’ve been putting off. We sit down together. We focus. And you leave with something done. That’s it. And that’s everything.
**Why people keep coming back**
* “I finally follow through on what I plan”
* “I leave with real progress every time”
**Time and Location**
🕐 **Time:** 9:30 AM – 12:30 NOON
💻 **Bring:** Your laptop, journal, or anything you’ve been avoiding
**Hosted by**: NoCrastination. See you across from the ground floor bar ✨ you will see us sitting at the long table with our laptops
☕ Please do order something from the local host, so as to keep us in their good graces!
**Please arrive on time or during the break windows to avoid interrupting the focus sessions** 😊
**Focus schedule:**
9:30 AM – 10:20 AM → Focus Block 1
10:35 AM – 11:20 AM → Focus Block 2
11:35 AM – 12:25 PM → Focus Block 3
**If you expect to arrive late, please come during one of these break windows:**
10:20 AM – 10:35 AM
11:20 AM – 11:35 AM
12:25 PM – 1:00 PM for Lunch + Pitch
Simple structure. Real progress.
**This is for you if:**
* You keep starting but don’t finish
* You feel stuck working alone
* You want structure — without pressure
* You want to express yourself AND move forward
**What you’ll get**
Not motivation. Not a productivity hack.
**You’ll get: ONE THING DONE.**
And then you come back, and do it again.
**This is how it starts**
You don’t need to commit to anything big. Just come once. Pick one thing.
Finish it. We’ll be there. As we’re growing and improving the experience, we’re moving to a more structured system. Registration is part of participating.
**Stay connected**
Join our [WhatsApp group](https://chat.whatsapp.com/K6LidaoQhe16wZ0Se9pNM6?mode=gi_t)
Follow us on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/nocrastinationclub/)
This is a space you can keep coming back to.
**You’re not behind. You’re just in the middle.**
And you don’t have to go through it alone. You are one of us.
Bouldering Edelweiss Center
Bouldering Session at the Edelweiss Center.
Each participant is responsible for paying their entry fee upon arrival.
Keep in mind that you need an Alpenverein Membership after your first trial visit.
Meeting at the entrance area and entering together at 14’
Lunch + Pitch | LinkedIn in Real Life
To join, please register here (takes 1 minutes): [https://nocrastination.space/](https://nocrastination.space/)
**We like a touch of mystery!** **The exact location will be sent to you by email 24 hours before the session. Please make sure to register in advance.**
Join our [WhatsApp group](https://chat.whatsapp.com/K6LidaoQhe16wZ0Se9pNM6?mode=gi_t) for all spontaneous picnics, trips, events, circle discussions etc. Follow us on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/nocrastinationclub/)
You know that feeling of working alone all day, wishing you could just talk to someone who gets it?
Lunch + Pitch is a free weekly gathering for freelancers, founders, job seekers, and career changers in Vienna, where you share what you're working on, hear what others need, and leave with real connections.
No judges. No slides. No competition. Just 12 people with 3 minutes each to say: here's what I'm building, and here's what I need.
**What happens:**
* 12:30 — Arrive, order lunch or coffee, meet people
* 13:00 — 12 pitches, 3 minutes each (sign up to pitch below)
* 13:45 — Structured networking: find one person you can help
* 14:10 — Closing circle: everyone leaves with something concrete
* 14:20 — Group photo
**Who comes:**
Freelancers · Startup founders · Job seekers · Career changers · International students · Solo entrepreneurs
**Register at: www.nocrastination.space** — location revealed 24 hours before. Limited to 50 spots.
**Want to pitch?** Fill in the pitcher form: https://forms.gle/XJQPrhng5hUDEUBn7
Pitch spots are limited to 12. First-time pitchers get priority. Returning pitchers are welcome once per month with a progress update.
Deadline: Wednesday at 11:59 PM
**How to join:**
Register at: [https://nocrastination.space/](https://nocrastination.space/)
location revealed 24 hours before. Limited to 50 spots.
UX Vienna Mornings: Product Management and User Experience Breakfast 🌄
Are you interested in product management and user experience? Are you an early bird? Join us for **UX Vienna Mornings**, a casual breakfast meetup.
Meet like-minded people, discuss interesting topics, and expand your professional network in a great atmosphere.
Our agenda:
1. Introduce yourself: Share what you do or what you like.
2. Learn about job opportunities and upcoming events.
3. Discuss your topics or projects. Is there a question you would like to discuss? Or a project you would like to share? Please bring them along!
4. Network and chat.
**UX Vienna Mornings** take place on the first Friday of every month from 8 am to 10 am.
Please note that this location only accepts cash.
By participating, you agree that your likeness may be recorded and authorise UX Vienna to use any recording containing your likeness in any medium for any purpose.
Accessible services for people with special needs: For assistance from a public transport stop to the venue and back, please email Max Scheugl at m@nofro.com
Founders Events Near You
Connect with your local Founders community
Join Biggest Community | Investors Founders | Columbus | Online
Please reserve your spot by registering on the below link :
**Reserve**
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/join-biggest-community-investors-founders-columbus-online-tickets-1988563717610?aff=meetup
**QUESTIONS ?**
Pls Reach out to;
Ridhi - +971504724873 ( WhatsApp Only)
QA or The Highway 2026
QA or the Highway is a one-day, affordable, regional, professional conference featuring real-world experience and thought leadership in the QA and testing industry.
This is a ticketed event please register here:
https://www.qaorthehwy.com/
Featured Keynote Speakers:
**Matthew-Hope Eland** **(Wizard at Leading EDJE)** \- An AI Specialist and Wizard at Leading EDJE who is known to teach software engineering\, AI\, and data science concepts in the most ridiculous ways possible\. Matt has used machine learning to settle debates over whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie\, reinforcement learning to drive the behavior of digital squirrels\, data analytics to suggest improvements to his favorite TV show\, and AI agents to play board games and create an AI agent with the personality of a dog\. Matt is the author of "Data Science in \.NET with Polyglot Notebooks" and "Refactoring with C\#" as well as several LinkedIn Learning courses\. Matt helps organize the Central Ohio \.NET Developer Group\, runs several blogs and a YouTube channel\, has a Master’s of Science in Data Analytics\, and is a current Microsoft MVP in AI and \.NET\.
**Tatyana Arbouzova** **(CEO at Innovate QA)** \- Tatyana Arbouzova is an engineering and business leader with a strong background in Quality Engineering across multiple industries\, including Big Tech\, Healthcare\, and Entertainment\. She has held leadership roles at world\-class companies such as Microsoft\, VMware\, Disney\, and The Pokémon Company International\, where she focused on building quality\-driven cultures and scaling teams to deliver high\-impact products\. With decades of experience\, Tatyana has helped organizations transform their quality practices so teams can deliver software efficiently\, confidently\, and with measurable business outcomes\. Today\, Tatyana advises software companies on adopting AI to optimize quality practices and improve how software is delivered at scale\. She is also a passionate community builder and the founder of Innovate QA\, a thriving Seattle\-based community and conference for quality professionals\.
Candle Making Night at The Arcane Foundry | Design Your Own Custom Candle
## Candle Making Night at The Arcane Foundry \| Design Your Own Custom Candle
**SPECIAL PROMOTION**: Buy 3 and get 1 Free!
Step into The Arcane Foundry and create your own custom candle from start to finish. This is a laid back, hands-on experience where **you’ll blend fragrances, choose your vessel, and pour your own candle using 100% soy wax**. Whether you’re coming solo or with friends, it’s designed to be simple, creative, and a good time.
We’ll walk you through the entire process, from picking your scents to choosing between a traditional cotton wick or a crackling wood wick. You can go with one fragrance or mix your own blend to create something completely unique**. No experience needed**, just show up and we’ll handle the rest.
While your candle sets, feel free to hang out, play a game, explore the shop, or just relax and talk. Drinks and snacks are available, and the atmosphere leans into the **fantasy**, **dark academia**, and **gothic horror** vibe The Arcane Foundry is known for.
Learn More: [Candle Making in Columbus, Ohio at The Arcane Foundry](https://thearcanefoundry.com/candle-making/)
***
### What to Expect:
* Guided candle making experience
* Choose your own vessel, wax, wick, and fragrance
* 100% soy wax candles
* Optional drinks and snacks
* Time to relax while your candle cools
***
### Important Notes:
* Please arrive on time so we can start together
* Candles will need time to set before taking home
* This is a beginner-friendly event
***
### RSVP Required
Reserve your spot on Meetup to lock in your seat.
**Candle Making** (includes vessel, your choice of wick, wax, scented oil, labels and lids)
5oz Glass Jars $15
8oz Candle Tins $25
12oz Glass Candles $35
12oz Amber Jars $40
16 oz Skull or Jack o Lantern Candle Mugs $65 (Limited Edition!)
**All materials included. You just bring yourself (and your drink of choice).**
**Payments accepted:**
* Credit Card
* Venmo: @Daclaud-Lee
* Cashapp: $DaclaudL
Stop Guessing: A Product Person's Guide to AI Adoption
## 🤝 Host Information
A co-hosted event by ProductTank Columbus & Women in Product Columbus
💡 About the Workshop
AI adoption is stalling across organizations — not because of a lack of motivation or tools, but because it's fundamentally a behavior design challenge.
This hands-on workshop applies proven Behavior Design models and methods to help you move from a vague organizational wish to boost AI adoption to 3-5 concrete, testable interventions you can act on starting tomorrow.
Whether you're a product manager, on a product team, or just someone trying to get AI to actually stick at work, you'll leave with a clear picture of what's worth focusing on, what to ignore, and how to drive real, sustained adoption — no guesswork required.
🛠️ What to Bring
Laptop: Fully charged and ready to go.
AI Assistant: Have your favorite AI assistant pulled up. (Dom will be using Claude, but feel free to use whichever assistant you prefer!)
🍕 Logistics & Perks
Food & Drink: Pizza and drinks provided!
Parking: Plenty of free spaces available on-site.
###
"Metal Slinger" by Rachel Schneider
Join us as we discuss our June pick: Metal Slinger by Rachel Schneider!
Book description:
Even though she's not one of them, Brynn has spent her life among the Alaha, training to be a guard and waiting for the chance to attend the annual market hosted by the Kenta–the very same people who exiled her adopted community to a life at sea. Going to the market is a rite of passage eagerly anticipated by all young guards, but Brynn does not anticipate breaking a century-long peace treaty while there. Nor does she plan for the intense encounter with an enemy soldier that now threatens to unwind the fragile coexistence between their people–and everything Brynn once believed about herself to be true.
Brynn's loyalty to the Alaha is tested when the truth of her identity is brought to light by this soldier who's taken an oath to bring her back to where she belongs. Narrowly escaping death on the violent high seas, Brynn's connection to the Alaha is further tested when she learns about the world of magic she's been denied. She was once certain of her fate and where she belonged, but the dark, knowing eyes of this stranger have her questioning everything, including her heart.
Packed with knife fights and seafaring adventure, METAL SLINGER is the smash-hit start to the romantic fantasy duology, the Fire & Metal series
June 2026 AWS Columbus - Topic to be announced
Topic to be announced.
**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
Data & Analytics Wednesday - Finding Product Insights
**The Behavior Gap: Where Products Win or Lose**
Teams today have more data than ever, and yet many still struggle to understand why customers adopt, engage with, or abandon their products. Teams sprint, ship faster, and chase more signals… all while metrics stall and confidence drops. The missing piece isn’t more data. It’s often the behavioral insight between the metrics, explaining why the numbers move in the first place. Dashboards can tell you what customers did, but understanding why they did it (and how to influence what they do next) requires a deeper blend of insights. This session is about closing that gap.
Drawing from real-world experience designing and scaling products as [ZoCo Design](https://zocodesign.com/)’s CEO, [Lacey](https://www.linkedin.com/in/laceypicazo/) will share how to cut through the noise and identify the insights that actually change behavior—moving people, and moving metrics. You’ll learn:
* Why understanding customer behavior is a quant and qual challenge
* How to spot the signals that actually predict behavior change
* Where AI accelerates insight, and where it creates distraction
* How to get meaningfully closer to customers, without adding more tools
This talk reframes how to evaluate performance and identify what levers actually improve it, helping your team to make smarter bets with greater confidence. Every meaningful outcome is driven by behavior change. And when you know how to design for behavior, you stop guessing, and start building things that work.
**About Our Speaker**
[Lacey Picazo](https://www.linkedin.com/in/laceypicazo/) is the Founder and CEO of ZoCo, a healthcare product studio that turns complex, high-stakes ideas into products that drive real-world adoption. She partners with healthcare organizations to uncover critical care delivery insights, focus product strategy through behavior design, and build solutions that patients and providers actually use.
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)






















