Startup Funding

**PLEASE NOTE NEW START TIME 7 PM** Beauty is hard to deny while watching olympic skaters twirling acrobatically on the ice. Or meeting a newborn for the first time, or appreciating some stunning aspect of nature. But what about those experiences makes them beautiful? And what makes certain scenes, actions or events ugly? And why don't we all agree what's beautiful or ugly? Join us at Walters Cafe in Dun Laoghaire this Tuesday and bring your views with you; buy and drink at the bar and engage meaningfully with others in a civil discourse on beauty and ugliness.

February CHAI meetup. [Petr Homola](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ACoAAAIueyoBx8DWndiCJ61mJf7coQSQ_esAtH4) will talk on developing AI applications on the iPhone. and [James Ahearne](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesahearne/) on Vibe-coding a web app from $0 to $597 MRR in 30 days. Come along for 2 talks on developing AI based products and also for chats in the pub afterward. Sponsored by [Stack and Co recruiters](https://stackand.co/)

Join our free weekly 15-minute sound meditation on Zoom designed for stress relief, relaxation, and mental clarity. Experience calming sound healing tones in a short, accessible online meditation session. Perfect for beginners and experienced meditators alike. Headphones recommended Good morning beautiful souls. This is the link to this evening zoom free 15 min sound meditation at 7pm Looking forward share this moment of stillness with you Click https://us05web.zoom.us/j/84170666909?pwd=mx37bwsXqFbuU4hb7GLphJAvlIYz3F.1 to start or join a scheduled Zoom Meeting

Thanks to all who came along last week! Going through the takeaways from week 2readings How open you are to share? Any obstacles to the task and morning pages? 5 more lives 10 tiny changes? 20 things you love Where you spend your time? Feedback

The goal of this group is simple: to support and encourage each other to write more (myself included). I love writing short stories, but too often life gets in the way and I find excuses not to do it. This monthly group gathers together on the last Tuesday of every month in the lovely *Third Space* cafe in Smithfield to share and get feedback on our work. We’ll each get the chance to share an extract from a piece we’ve written, read it aloud and get feedback (in a nice quiet creative space). Any form of writing is great – whether screenwriting, poetry, flash fiction or something else. We pride ourselves in promoting a really friendly, safe space to share freely, but if you’d prefer to listen for the first while, that’s cool too. If you fancy coming along: * RSVP to an event * Come along to a session * Get added to our WhatsApp group once you're there * Add a copy of your piece to our shared drive (so we can follow along as you read) * You'll get 4 mins to read your work, and 4 mins of feedback We have lots of regulars but always love welcoming new people, perspectives and writing, so do feel free to come along and I hope you enjoy it!

We are delighted to collaborate with [Dublin C++](https://www.meetup.com/cppdug/) this month. We have one talk and it's about Python and [Blender](https://www.blender.org/)! We will be upstairs in Anseo. The talk will be followed by Q&A, a chance for you to follow up with the speaker, and for both communities to chat and exchange stories and experiences. **TALK DETAILS** **Title:** Python + Blender: Automating Creative Workflows by Carlos Alexandre **Description:** (15 mins + Q&A) This talk walks through the workflow of a computer graphics project, covering its main stages: fundamentals, modeling, lighting, materials, texturing, and rendering. We’ll explore how Python can be used inside Blender to automate parts of the modeling process, helping reduce repetitive tasks and improve efficiency across the pipeline. The session demonstrates how scripting can support procedural modeling, and scalable workflows, connecting creative production with technical automation. The talk is suitable for beginners and intermediate users interested in computer graphics, Blender, or Python, and no advanced scripting experience is required. ** THANKS** **Community Partners:** * [Coding Grace](https://codinggrace.com/) * [PSF](https://www.python.org/psf/): Meetup * [PyLadies](https://pyladies.com/) **FAQ** Note that all our events are 18s+. **Q. I'm not female, is it ok for me to attend?** A. Yes, PyLadies Dublin events are open to everyone at all levels. We encourage non-female attendees to suggest a female friend/colleague to sign up to the event. So bring a friend! ✨ **Q. Do you have a Code of Conduct?** A. Yes, you can find it at [dublin.pyladies.com](https://dublin.pyladies.com/) **Q. I am interested in giving a talk at PyLadies Dublin, where do I submit my interest and talk details?** A. You can submit your talk details to the following form: [https://sessionize.com/pyladies-dublin-meetup](https://sessionize.com/pyladies-dublin-meetup) Any other enquiries (e.g. getting involved, sponsoring), email [dublin@pyladies.com](http://dublin@pyladies.com%2A%2A/)

Join us for an Apache Kafka® x Apache Flink® meetup on Wednesday February 25th from 6:00pm in Dublin hosted by Autodesk! **Venue:** Autodesk 1 Windmill Lane, 2nd Floor, Dublin D02 F206 **PLEASE BRING A FORM OF VALID ID AND REGISTER WITH YOUR DETAILS FOR SECURITY PURPOSES/BUILDING ACCESS. THANK YOU!** **Agenda:** * 6:00pm: Doors open * 6:00pm – 6:30pm: Food, Drinks & Networking * 6:30pm - 7:15pm: John Byrne, Sr. Manager, Partner Applied Solutions, Confluent * 7:15pm - 8:00pm: Rishayah Kumar Trivedi, Senior DevOps/SRE Engineer, Autodesk & Douglas Hobson, Principal DevOps/SRE Engineer, Autodesk * 8:00pm - 9:00pm: Additional Q&A and Networking **First Speaker:** John Byrne, Sr. Manager, Partner Applied Solutions, Confluent **Title of Talk:** Flink State: Design Choices You Can’t Undo *(on Confluent Cloud)* **Abstract:** A practical look at how state behaves when running Flink on Confluent Cloud, the early design decisions teams often underestimate (keyed state, TTLs, upgrades, reprocessing), and the kinds of problems that only show up months later. **Bio:** John Byrne is a Sr. Manager, Partner Applied Solutions at Confluent, the company founded by the original creators of Apache Kafka®. With a strong background in data engineering, John previously worked for Slice, Registers of Scotland, and Sopra Steria, where he specialized in event streaming, ETLs, and data governance. Passionate about GIS, mapping, and ETL processes, he has delivered talks at FOSS4G and developed production-grade ETL projects incorporating spatial data and mapping technologies. In his spare time, John enjoys playing golf and coaching his local youth rugby team. **Second Speakers:** Rishayah Kumar Trivedi, Senior DevOps/SRE Engineer, Autodesk & Douglas Hobson, Principal DevOps/SRE Engineer, Autodesk **Title of Talk:** To Production and Platform: Our Kafka Journey, DR Strategy, and Kafka-as-a-Service **Abstract:** In various organisations, multiple teams have historically had to build Kafka the hard way, spending months on security hardening, compliance validation, observability, and disaster recovery, often repeating the same work with inconsistent outcomes. The result is slow onboarding, duplicated effort, and operational silos that don’t scale as more streaming use cases come online. In this talk, we walk through our Kafka production journey on AWS MSK: how we began with a POC, what it really takes to make Kafka production-ready, and the key platform decisions we had to take to standardise the architecture and operations. We’ll then dive into disaster recovery for streaming applications where the hard problems aren’t just infrastructure failover, but event continuity and restoring pipelines under pressure. We’ll share our HA DR approach for Kafka-backed systems, including an active/passive regional strategy, and practical failover/failback considerations to minimise RPO/RTO. Finally, we’ll close with our Kafka-as-a-Service (KaaS) vision for Autodesk teams: self-service, policy-driven deployments and service tiers that let internal teams onboard in hours instead of months so the product teams can focus on building streaming features, while the platform provides consistent guardrails for security, reliability, and recoverability. Attendees will leave with a checklist of production-ready requirements for Kafka, a clear mental model for DR in streaming systems and a set of platform patterns for evolving towards Kafka-as-a-Service. **Bios:** **Rishayah Kumar Trivedi (Senior DevOps/SRE Engineer, Autodesk)** Rishayah is a Senior DevOps/SRE engineer at Autodesk's data streaming and processing platform team with 9+ years of experience building scalable cloud infrastructure and automating enterprise deployments. He holds industry-recognised credentials in AWS, Kubernetes, and DevOps, and has led many initiatives improving reliability, performance, and security through Shift-left approach, IaC and CI/CD best practices. **Douglas Hobson (Principal DevOps/SRE Engineer, Autodesk)** Douglas is an accomplished Principal Devops/SRE engineer in Autodesk's data streaming and processing platform team with extensive experience in cloud architecture, infrastructure automation, and systems reliability. With a proven track record at various firms, he has led global teams in building scalable, secure, and high-performing cloud environments. Skilled in AWS, IaC, and distributed systems, Douglas is recognised for his technical leadership, problem-solving expertise, and commitment to operational excellence. \*\*\* DISCLAIMER We are unable to cater for any attendees under the age of 18. If you would like to speak or host our next event please let us know! [community@confluent.io](http://community@confluent.io/)

Hi All, this is a on lead walk with dogs of all ages and experience welcome. Many who attend are recently rescued and learning. Walk the lovely grounds and see the flowers and wildlife followed by coffee. There is a Fb page Sighthound Adventures Ireland and #dublinhoundwalks on Instagram. All Welcome.

**Disrupt Dublin returns on 26 February 2026, bringing sharp ideas and real conversations about the future of work.** Expect big bold ideas, brilliant conversations, and a room full of people who do not just talk about change, they build it. **[REGISTER THROUGH EVENTBRITE HERE](https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/disrupt-dublin-returns-february-26-2026-tickets-1976595846385)** What happens when you mix TED, Ignite, and a truth serum that removes all corporate gloss? You get Disrupt Dublin, a rapid-fire, idea-packed, community-powered evening. Speakers have five minutes. Twenty slides that automatically advance. Straightforward insights that challenge how we design work, lead teams, and shape talent in 2026 and beyond. If TED talks finally cut to the point and said what everyone is really thinking, this would be it. ### Why Attend **Get Energised** Ten big ideas delivered in a single evening. Hear from HR leaders, founders, researchers, and workplace innovators redefining the world of work. **Stay Ahead of the Curve** Discover how organisations are rewriting playbooks on culture, AI, talent, leadership, skills, and employee experience. **Expand Your Circle** This is the first Disrupt summit in Dublin since the Pandemic! Join us to celebrate the relaunch and rub shoulders (gently) with forward-thinkers from HR, Talent, Tech, People Ops, L&D, Consulting, and Leadership. These are the conversations that spark partnerships, job offers, and fresh opportunities. ### Agenda for 26 February 2026 5:00 to 6:00 Registration and Networking Drinks, canapés, and first connections. 6:00 to 6:15 Welcome and Opening Remarks Settle in. Things are about to get lively. 6:15 to 7:00 Lightning Talks Round One Fast, fearless five-minute sessions from inspiring voices in the workplace space. 7:00 to 7:15 Break Refresh. Decompress. Debate. 7:15 to 8:00 Lightning Talks Round Two More ideas. More energy. More “I am stealing that for Monday.” 8:00 to 8:30 Wrap Up and Final Networking Because the best conversations usually happen after the talks end. ### Speakers Speakers will be announced soon. ### Ready to Disrupt Dublin? If you are hungry for fresh thinking, curious about new possibilities, or tired of the same old workplace conversations, this event is for you. Join us for an evening that sparks action, connection, and meaningful change across the world of work.

\*\*\*Please check your meetup messages for exact location\*\*\* Come join us for a delightful Sunday Yoga class. We meet every Sunday for an indoor yoga class .The class will includes yoga, meditation, and breathwork providing a complete mind-body wellness experience. We end with a cup of tea , journalling and conversations. The gathering takes place every Sunday in Dublin 18, Clayfarm. I will message you exact location after your register. This class is not just about practicing yoga, but also creating a sense of community and connection, so don't forget to invite your friends along! Remember to register through the link below to secure your spot and remember to bring your mat and journal on the day. Search for 'Yogawithpreity' on instagram to know view our past events Namaste, Preity.

The next Dub\|Sec meetup will take place in the Dublin Workday offices on February 25\, 2026\. Workday are delighted to be hosting this Infosec event in conjunction with Dub\|Sec and the Women in Cybersecurity Community Association \(WICCA\)\. In order to ensure your place on the evening, please sign up through [this link](https://invites.envoy.com/group-invite/TQWwzJ2WyL5lED4D). We'll be there from 6.00pm. Our first speaker will start at around 7pm. **19:00 - Building a digital beehive: The cluster that wasn't real, but the attacks were** by Arnav Tripathy Kubernetes is everywhere now—and so are attacks against it. Misconfigurations, exposed APIs, and overly permissive RBAC have made clusters a prime target, while most security tools stop at scanning images and YAML instead of showing what attackers do after they get in. This talk introduces KubeDecoy – a lightweight, open-source Kubernetes honeypot built from familiar components: vcluster, Falco, Falcosidekick, and NGINX. The goal is simple: stand up a convincing fake cluster, expose realistic attack surfaces, and quietly observe how real adversaries interact with them. **19:40 - OffSec x AI : The Rise of Autonomous Pen-testing Agents** by Manav Bankatwala. As we are witnessing a shift from static security scanners to "Agentic AI", tools that don't just find signatures, but actively reason, plan, and exploit like a human hacker. This talk will explore the current state of AI in offensive security, using the open-source tool Strix as a live case study. If you would like to speak at any future Dub\|Sec\, please email us at [info@dubsec.ie](http://info@dubsec.ie/)! Join us for some drinks, food and general chat about infosec. Everyone is welcome whether you’re a pro, an amateur or just curious about the field!

Is the recession really coming — or is it just ghosting us? Is it slowly creeping in, or will it never fully arrive? And where is the drop in housing prices we’ve all been waiting for? In this session, we’ll explore these questions and more as we try to make sense of the post-COVID economic landscape: uncertainty, resilience, inflation fatigue, and what might actually lie ahead. This event will be co-hosted by Cillian, who will help guide the discussion and bring expert perspective to a topic that affects all of us, whether we like it or not. Looking forward to having you join us for what promises to be a thoughtful and lively conversation.

Calling all founders, CEOs, lawyers, doctors, and entrepreneurs to join our special *Founder Edition* of Sip & Read meetup event. Let's sip on fine wine and discuss our first book **The 5AM Club- Own Your Morning Elevate Your Life, by Robin Sharma**. We will pair this book with our favorite wine at **Wine on High** and engage in thought-provoking discussions on startup businesses and entrepreneurship, and network with like-minded individuals in a cozy book club setting. Come prepared to discuss this month's book. At the end of each book club meeting, we will take next book and venue suggestions from the participants for the next meeting. Whether you are a book lover, women entrepreneur, or a content creator, this event is perfect for sharing ideas and insights with other funders and founders in the entrepreneurial world. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to connect, learn, and grow together. Sign up now to reserve your spot! *Fun fact! This meetup was established in 2015 and had over 1,000 members. I had to shut down operations while attending law school, but we're back!!*

Join other experienced and aspiring agile coaches and professionals to: * develop and practice your coaching skills in a peer-to-peer environment * share current successes and challenges in your work environment and get support from each other * learn from each other, build better relationships and experiment with new ideas

Coffee and conversation at [Stauf's Coffee Roasters](https://www.staufs.com/) in German Village. Street parking is free on Sundays.

If you are interested in selecting investment choices for your 401(k) or other workplace savings plan, minimizing your income tax liability, or identifying the most effective investments for your brokerage account, we are the group for you. We are a local chapter of Bogleheads**®**, whose investment strategy can be found here: https://www.bogleheads.org/wiki/Bogleheads%C2%AE_investment_philosophy Or you can peruse the Boglehead forum here: https://www.bogleheads.org/index.php I look forward to seeing you there. Mark Vonder Haar

Join Sacred Sound Alchemy Columbus for a transformative Sound Bath experience that will take you on a journey of self-discovery and healing. Immerse yourself in the powerful vibrations of various sound instruments like crystal singing bowls and rain drums, carefully orchestrated to balance your chakras and uplift your spirit. The soothing sounds will help you release negative energy, reduce stress, and promote deep relaxation. This event is perfect for those seeking a moment of tranquility and a chance to connect with their inner selves. Whether you are new to sound healing or a seasoned practitioner, you will benefit from the harmonious frequencies that will resonate with your body and soul. Come and allow yourself to be enveloped in a wave of healing energy, leaving you refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready for life's next chapter. Please bring something comfortable to lay on like a yoga mat. Being a pillow for your head or for under your knees and a blanket to cover over yourou. The library can get cold. Bring some water to help flush your body for after the session.