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Come to check out our hackerspace, talk to people and learn some new things, maybe use the tools for a short while, or just sit down with a laptop and do some work in a quiet place. Also a good time to sign up for a membership! We will have tea and coffee, likely also cookies. Come whenever from 19:00 till 22:00 - we might even be open until 24:00! If there's a problem (i.e. doors not open), call 28701072.

Open Coffee Riga is a friendly informal networking event for entrepreneurs, professionals, locals, guests, people in the startup community, and students in Riga. Open Coffee Riga is an “un-meeting” without a speaker or agenda. We are focused on attendees gaining value from other attendees. The rules, tools, structure and moderation aim to facilitate this goal. You may find a mentor, investor, client, co founder, employer, vendor, inspiration or a friend. What is the BIG idea behind Open Coffee? We want to help people create valuable & meaningful connections. Everyone is welcome to our meetings, and we especially love first-timers. We want to make sure that if somebody coming from an unsupportive background/country has the courage to join, they will notice that we are glad they came because we welcome them. If you feel shy, you can also just listen but we encourage you to talk. We start at 19:00 sharp. Everybody gets up to 2 minutes to present: 1. Who they are and what they are doing 2. What they want 3. How they can help others At 20:00 sharp we stop hosting and you can talk to people who are most interesting to you. We are focused on business and social entrepreneurs, community builders, game-changers, earth-shakers and anyone else who is doing something interesting or wants to get involved in other people's projects. You can talk about any project/topic. This event is based on the Open Coffee Krakow format, run by Richard Lucas and others in Krakow, Poland since 2012. The Open Coffee Riga is a revival of the Open Coffee Riga from 2011 (!) where it evolved into TechHub Riga & that evolved into StartupHouse Riga. If you are interested in knowing more about the Open Coffee format, take a look at our video for potential leaders [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z99E2z8anFU). Open Coffee format events are organised world-wide in Krakow, Lisbon, Porto, Tokyo, Sydney & many more places.

The Riga Tech Dinner is an in-person event for those who typically have deep thoughts, have lots of questions and ideas to share. Everyone is welcome to discuss or just listen! **Special guests of this event:** * [Denis Chichmaryov](https://www.linkedin.com/in/denis-chichmaryov-6a6b9198) \- Starting my career from full\-stack engineering\, now I am leading 2 large EPAM offices in CEE where we build world\-class solutions for Global and regional Clients\. In addition to that I drive one of largest transformational efforts at EPAM related with AI\-powered Knowledge Management and Talent Management\. * [Anrijs Snipke](https://www.linkedin.com/in/anrijssnipke) \- Sales executive with 20\+ years of experience in the IT industry\, supporting customers across the public sector\, utilities\, telecom\, financial services\, and high\-growth startups\. I help organizations deliver digital transformation initiatives by aligning business outcomes with modern \(cloud\) technology\. I am also an active member of the Latvian Open Technology Association \(LATA\)\, contributing to the advancement of open technologies in Latvia\. **About the event** You might be wondering, what's the value of such an event? Why are other existing Business Networking events not enough? - The key difference is that we meet, enjoy dinner, and discuss whatever we like. It's an event for professionals in Tech to exchange ideas and grow. The special guests will tell a little about themselves and do their best to initiate a discussion if awkward silence enters the room. However, *"Runāšana – sudrabs, klusēšana – zelts"* (translation: "talking - silver, silence - gold"). It's also a good time to think and listen to conversations that you typically would not have at home and work. **Communication and channels:** Join us on [WhatsApp: https://chat.whatsapp.com/GYDCBI5ca2BBvmgDVjA3fM](https://chat.whatsapp.com/GYDCBI5ca2BBvmgDVjA3fM) You can check out the previous events on the [Techies of Baltics LinkedIn page](https://www.linkedin.com/company/riga-tech-dinner/). We record short interviews with special guests for the Riga Tech Cast podcast during the event. Follow on [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/1pr3DU9Tu6GJZO67CuUj5Z), [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLIQbshchl7uBmsPwkDNsDLt3l022o8V5), and other popular places. Tell the host if you want to be featured as well. **Expectations from participants:** * try not to be late * introduce yourself * don't interrupt others * come with an empty stomach and pay for your own dinner * try not to be grumpy if you're hungry * this is not a party. However, a glass of wine may oil the tongue a bit * if you don't feel like talking, then don't. But coming to a networking event and not saying a word is like window-shopping * pay the event fee in cash at the spot. No online transaction is possible * judgment-free mind is a must * RSVP - show up or update your status timely if you can't **Why the event fee?** \- we always have 2 special guests at the event\. They have received a special invitation to join us\. We should cover their dinner expenses as the least minimum we can do beyond a "thank you"\. The event fee is a fund for that\. **The host:** Uldis Karlovs-Karlovskis is an [IT expert](https://uldiskarlovskarlovskis.com/) with 20 years of diverse experience. He is a certified DevOps Leader, the board chairman of the DevOps & AI Latvia community, the director of the Dzīvais Rīgas Teātris and a lecturer at the BDA, Riga Technical University and Riga Business School. *'Please note that photographs and footage will be taken throughout this event without a warning. These can be used by the Community for marketing and publicity in our publications, on our website and in social media or in any third-party publication.*

Jira migration is a hot topic for many teams today, but we've got you covered. We’ll cover practical tips, common challenges, and best practices to help you navigate the migration process with confidence, along with tips and tricks for everyday Jira use. This event is designed for Project Managers, Jira Admins, and Jira users who are planning or considering a move from Jira Data Center to Cloud—and beyond. Come and learn more, share your experience, and make connections.  Agenda 6:00 PM: "Kick off" by Svetlana Avene-Avenina, Atlassian Champion, eazyBI 6:15 PM: "The roadmap from DC to Cloud" by Kalle Sirkesalo, Eficode Jira Cloud transformation lessons from the Trenches "Migration isn't just a technical 'lift and shift'—it’s a chance to hit the reset button on years of configuration debt. Join Kalle Sirkesalo from Eficode as he breaks down the reality of moving from Jira Data Center to the Cloud. We’ll dive into real-world lessons from Eficode’s most complex migrations, including how we navigated the 'App Gap' and transitioned thousands of users without losing our minds. Whether you are an Admin worried about Atlassian Access, a PM looking for better reporting, or a User just trying to find where the 'Create' button moved, this session is packed with practical 'Notes from the Field' to ensure your move is a leap forward, not a step back. 6:45 PM: "Tips and tricks for Jira users" by Artūrs Zvaigzne, Evolution --- Speakers Arturs Zvaigzne - Evolution (IT Project Coordinator) Artūrs is a Project Coordinator at Evolution currently overseeing data initiatives and cross-departmental projects. Over his three-year journey at Evolution, he has progressed from Process Master to Product Owner in a data team before assuming his current role. Prior to Evolution, he spent 11 years at a navigation technologies company HERE, ultimately serving as Service Delivery Coordinator in… Kalle Sirkesalo - Eficode (Customer Services DevOps Leader) Moderator Svetlana Avene-Avenina - eazyBI (Partners and Marketing Manager) Svetlana is a Marketing Manager at eazyBI, specializing in partnership development with a robust background in marketing, event management, and partner relations. With 10 years of marketing experience, among them four years in the open-source realm, she is dedicated to driving impactful marketing strategies and fostering strong partnerships at eazyBI. Outside of work, Svetlana is passion… Hosted By Svetlana Avene-Avenina, Community Leader Rūdolfs Rutkovskis, Atlassian business team lead --- Global Partner Atlassian (http://atlassian.com) Millions of users globally rely on Atlassian products every day for improving software development, project management, collaboration, and code quality. Partner eazyBI (https://eazybi.com/) eazyBI is a leading reports, charts, and dashboards app for Jira, seamlessly integrated into Jira Cloud and Data Center. Enterprise-ready, scalable, flexible, secure, and powerful, eazyBI adapts to growing reporting needs for organizations of all sizes. --- For over a decade, Atlassian customers have come together to network, share ideas, solve problems, and find new ways to use Atlassian products. Today, more than 15,000 people take part in Atlassian community events in more than 30 countries. --- Complete your event RSVP here: https://ace.atlassian.com/events/details/atlassian-riga-presents-jira-from-data-center-to-cloud-and-practical-tips-for-project-managers/.

There are many groups promoting this event. Our meetup group is participating by promoting this event. This event is organized by Albert's List. This is an online event. Attendees can be located anywhere in the world! This event is FREE to attend. In order to attend, please register here: [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-build-ai-skills-for-your-career-with-vibe-coding-in-2026-tickets-1980912909838?aff=ideatoipo](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-build-ai-skills-for-your-career-with-vibe-coding-in-2026-tickets-1980912909838?aff=ideatoipo) AI skills are no longer optional—but learning them doesn’t require a technical background or months of tutorials. In this live session, Albert’s List teams up with Scott Simson, founder of AI Marketing World, to show how professionals are using *vibe coding* to build real AI projects, develop in-demand skills, and ship usable MVPs—fast. This is a practical, beginner-friendly walkthrough, not a theory talk. ### **What You’ll Learn** * The top AI tools to focus on in 2026 (and which ones to ignore) * What “vibe coding” actually means—and why it works for non-technical builders * How to identify high-leverage software niches where simple AI products win * How to build AI workflows and apps with zero prior coding experience * How to go from idea → prototype → MVP in days, not months * What to do *after* you build: validation, iteration, and next steps * How these skills translate into career leverage, consulting, or side projects ### **Who This Event Is For** * Job seekers looking to future-proof their skills * Marketers, operators, and product-adjacent professionals * Non-technical builders who want to ship real AI projects * Anyone curious about AI but overwhelmed by the technical barrier ABOUT SCOTT SIMSON Scott Simson is the founder of AI Marketing World, a leading event and education platform focused on practical AI adoption for marketers, operators, and builders. Scott works at the intersection of AI, marketing, and product experimentation, helping professionals understand how to apply emerging tools without getting lost in hype or unnecessary complexity. His work emphasizes real-world use cases—how AI actually gets implemented inside workflows, teams, and early-stage products. He is particularly known for translating fast-moving AI trends into accessible frameworks that non-technical audiences can use to build, test, and ship ideas quickly. Scott has been featured on ABC, NBC News, Fox, and in many other publications. Connect with him at [https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottsimson/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottsimson/).

Come finish the week with drinks, banter, and make some friends ☺️ **This event does not have a host.** If nobody shows up, check out the Kiwi bar next door ☺️ Join our [WhatsApp group](https://tinyurl.com/riga-international-link) group. Feel free to organise or advertise events, or ask for advice\. Please be respectful to everyone and avoid topics likely to lead to conflict \(e\.g\. politics\) 😊 **_We're always looking for proactive members and hosts. If you show initiative - we'll support the effort 🤗 Let's make Riga a better place to live! 🇱🇻_**

A weekly meetup for language lovers! Come practice new languages, meet great people, and enjoy a drink — whether it’s beer, tea, or coffee. Everyone’s welcome! 🤗 Main event platform is Facebook https://shorturl.at/gt9kI (so more people coming!) Address - Aldaru Street 9, FOB Bar

**The Listening Room — First Gathering** So much of life happens in loud spaces and quick conversations that never quite go beneath the surface. The Listening Room is meant to be the opposite of that — a quieter space where people can slow down, talk honestly, and actually listen to one another. For this first gathering, we’ll meet in a small group and explore a simple conversation prompt together. The goal isn’t debate or performance — just thoughtful conversation and the chance to connect with others in a genuine way. Our prompt for this gathering will be: **When have you felt truly seen or understood by another person?** Everyone will have the opportunity to share if they’d like, but there’s absolutely no pressure — listening is just as valuable as speaking here. We’re keeping the group intentionally small so the conversation can feel relaxed and natural. Looking forward to meeting you. — Benny

Our monthly PHP meetup. A virtual shindig courtesy of Zoom. Check back here for the details around 6:15 pm

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

**Confidence in Bloom: How Creativity Builds Confidence** What happens when creativity becomes an intentional practice? In this month’s Confidence Lab, we’ll gather at **Petals That Inspire: The Flourish Studio** for an evening exploring the connection between creativity and confidence. How making with our hands, engaging our senses, and allowing space for expression can shift how we see ourselves and what we believe is possible. Our featured speaker, **Amanda Lorenzetti**, owner of Petals That Inspire, will share how creativity has shaped her own confidence journey and why creative environments play such a powerful role in well-being, resilience, and personal growth. Drawing from her work leading an experience-driven floral studio and a community-centered workforce development program, Amanda will reflect on creativity as both a personal and collective catalyst. Amanda will also guide us through a **hands-on floral design experience**, creating a fresh arrangement in a wide mouth mason jar. No prior floral experience is needed, just curiosity and a willingness to engage the process. This evening is an invitation to slow down, create, and reconnect with the part of yourself that grows through care, attention, and imagination. You’ll leave with a floral arrangement to take home, and a deeper understanding of how confidence can be cultivated through creative practices. **Featured Speaker: Amanda Lorenzetti** Amanda Lorenzetti is the owner and founder of [Petals That Inspire](https://www.petalsthatinspire.com/) and The Flourish Studio, a social enterprise florist based in Columbus, Ohio. She brings more than a decade of experience in wedding and event sales, paired with hands-on expertise in floral and event design. Amanda’s connection to the floral industry began early, spending time alongside her godmother, a professional florist on the East Coast. After earning her business degree, she returned to her hometown in Connecticut to work as a floral and event designer, blending creative artistry with strong operational and client-focused skills. In 2020, Amanda returned to the floral industry with a renewed purpose, driven by a desire to build a business rooted in creativity, community impact, and sustainability. During this pivotal time, she founded Petals That Inspire—an innovative floral concept that reimagines the traditional florist model by combining event florals, workshops, and experiential offerings with a mission-centered approach to workforce development. Today, Petals That Inspire is a thriving social enterprise known for its thoughtful design, educational experiences, and commitment to empowering young adults facing barriers to entry in the workforce. Amanda is deeply passionate about building businesses that are both profitable and purpose-driven, and she leverages her strong business acumen to create a scalable & sustainable model that inspires creativity while giving back to the community. **What is Confidence Lab?** Confidence Lab is a monthly community experience for bold, thoughtful leaders building confidence from the inside out. Whether you’re launching a business, leading a team, navigating change, or simply striving to show up more fully—you belong here. Our work demands clarity, courage, and conviction—but the pace of daily life can erode our sense of self. Confidence Lab creates space to reflect, reconnect, and grow with others doing purpose-driven work. It’s designed for entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, creatives, corporate professionals, activists, and anyone ready to lead with authenticity and impact. ***Please note:*** *All are welcome! If cost is a concern, please use promo code PUBLIC to access a free ticket—we want you to join us.*

The Humanist Monthly Program is our longest running event and still a community favorite. In the old days it used to be called "Going to HCCO" and we still like to think of it as our flagship event. Food and drinks will be provided at the event. Feel free to show up a little bit early to hang out and talk. Our March speakers are Molly Gaines and Zack Parrish, co-organizers of the Secular Education Association: They will share their story of how a small group of Ohio parents grew into a national organization tracking released-time religious instruction and other church–state issues in public schools. The presentation will cover SEA’s early wins and hard lessons, what we’re seeing nationally right now, and how local advocates can play a meaningful role in protecting public education. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of the landscape — and practical ways to get involved. Going forward our meetings will be hybrid. You can meet us in-person or attend online Join Zoom Meeting [https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1](https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87836564953?pwd=4Mi57ElZkDIFlb1fnlNwOJ0NiOK4tP.1) Meeting ID: 878 3656 4953 Passcode: 760812 One tap mobile +19292056099,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (New York) +13017158592,,87836564953#,,,,\*760812# US (Washington DC) The formal presentation will start at noon

Columbus Code & Coffee is an inclusive, informal co-working session. People of all skill levels attend, and we love it that way. Many people (optionally) bring projects to work on, and many other people (optionally) socialize the entire time. It's entirely up to you! **What to Expect at the Intro Circle** \~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~\~ Near the beginning of the event (1:30 pm), we do a standup: * Organizer announcements, updates, and logistics Round 1 - (7 secs max): * Your name * What you're working on * What you can help others with Round 2: * Community events you wanna plug. If none, that's cool too. Round 3: * Job opportunities you're hiring for OR announce that you are looking for one. If none, that's cool. After the introduction circle, everything is self-organized! Feel free to work alone, pair up, attend one of our workshops/presentations, or mingle!