Manufacturing Software

**Please register on [Eventbrite](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ljc-meet-up-at-tessl-spring-ai-to-ai-native-java-architectures-tickets-1982178243485) to join this event.** **About this event** **vJUG Connect** is teaming up with the **London Java Community** for an evening all about AI and modern Java. ​This hybrid event covers the full spectrum, from practical Spring-based AI integration to the architectural principles behind AI-native applications. Learn how Java developers are moving beyond “AI as a feature” and towards systems where intelligence is built in from day one. **Location:** Virtual: [Join us on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/live/hYHUxVZ7n2Q?si=uvI_lG1xqx0M3na3 "https://www.youtube.com/live/hYHUxVZ7n2Q?si=uvI_lG1xqx0M3na3") Venue: Tessl AI Limited - 210 Pentonville Rd, London N1 9JY, United Kingdom **Agenda:** * 6:00pm – Doors open ​(live stream begins on YouTube with vJUG) * 6:45pm - Kick off and message from our partners * ​Session 1: Bootiful Spring AI with Josh Long * ​Session 2: AI Native Architecture for Java Applications with Pratik Patel ​(live stream ends) * ​8pm – Networking * ​9pm – Wrap-up **Talk 1: Bootiful Spring AI with Josh Long** The age of artificial intelligence (because the search for regular intelligence hasn't gone well..) is nearly at hand, and it's everywhere! But is it in your application? It should be. AI is about integration, and here the Java and Spring communities come second to nobody. In this talk, we'll demystify the concepts of modern day Artificial Intelligence and look at its integration with the white hot new Spring AI project, a framework that builds on the richness of Spring Boot to extend them to the wide world of AI engineering. **​Jodh Long, Spring Developer Advocate at Broadcom** [​Josh (@starbuxman)](http://twitter.com/starbuxman "http://twitter.com/starbuxman") has been the first Spring Developer Advocate since 2010. Josh is a Java Champion, author of 7 books (including "[Reactive Spring](http://reactivespring.io/ "http://reactivespring.io/")") and numerous best-selling video training (including "[Building Microservices with Spring Boot Livelessons](https://www.safaribooksonline.com/library/view/building-microservices-with/9780134192468/ "https://www.safaribooksonline.com/library/view/building-microservices-with/9780134192468/")" with Spring Boot co-founder Phil Webb), and an open-source contributor (Spring Boot, Spring Integration, Axon, Spring Cloud, Activiti, Vaadin, etc), a Youtuber ([Coffee + Software with Josh Long](https://youtube.com/@coffeesoftware "https://youtube.com/@coffeesoftware") as well as my [Spring Tips series](http://bit.ly/spring-tips-playlist "http://bit.ly/spring-tips-playlist") ), and a podcaster ("[A Bootiful Podcast](http://bootifulpodcast.fm/ "http://bootifulpodcast.fm/")"). **Talk 2: AI Native Architecture for Java Applications** ​We are currently moving from "AI-enabled" systems, where artificial intelligence is an additive feature, to "AI-native" systems, where intelligence is the foundational, architectural core. An AI-native application is not merely a traditional application with a machine learning model bolted on; it is an entirely new class of software designed from the ground up to learn, adapt, and act autonomously. These systems are architected around continuous data ingestion, real-time model interaction, and a contextual understanding of the application and runtime environment. ​We'll discuss the key elements mentioned above and the difference between existing applications that have added AI capability as an accessory, and this new class of applications that are built with AI in mind from the start. While we'll use the Java ecosystem in examples, the principles we'll discuss are language agnostic. ​We'll focus on the architecture discuss these topics: * Big Data and data pipelines * ​Integration with other services and APIs * ​Testing considerations * ​Evolution of UI/AX **​Pratik Patel, Lead Developer Relations Engineer at Azul Ststems** Pratik Patel is a Java Champion, developer advocate at Azul Systems and has written 3 books on programming (Java, Cloud and OSS). An all around software and hardware nerd with experience in the healthcare, telecom, financial services, and startup sectors. He's also a co-organizer of the Atlanta Java User Group and Enterprise AI Atlanta, conference chairperson for Devnexus, frequent speaker at tech events, and master builder of nachos. ​Twitter: [https://x.com/prpatel](https://x.com/prpatel "https://x.com/prpatel") ​LinkedIn: [https://www.linkedin.com/in/prpatel/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/prpatel/ "https://www.linkedin.com/in/prpatel/") Huge thanks to our friends at **Tessl** for sponsoring this event and supporting our community. This event is organised by [RecWorks](https://recworks.co.uk/ "https://recworks.co.uk/") on behalf of the London Java Community. The London Java Community is sponsored by Hazelcast, Neo4j, Redis, and Discover

**Kindly note that this is a paid event and the average number of attendees for our events is 60-70 people. You can register on [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/london-property-networking-event-investors-real-estate-proptech-meetup-tickets-1980192411809?aff=meetup](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/london-property-networking-event-investors-real-estate-proptech-meetup-tickets-1980192411809?aff=meetup)** Connect with property investors, real estate pros & PropTech innovators in London this November. Network & grow your business opportunities. #### **Connect with property investors, real estate pros & PropTech innovators in London this November. Network & grow your business opportunities.** The iconic and legendary Property Connector is now in its 15th year. It is always well attended with up to 60-70 attendees (the last ones were nearly sold out with 80 guests). We invite you to join us at the prestigious Hay Hill Private Members Club in Mayfair for an exclusive evening of meaningful connections, valuable insights, and real opportunities. In line with the other events run by London Connector, you will find a welcoming and friendly environment, where deals are made, partnerships are formed, and innovation thrives in the property sector. In fairness, of all the events we run, this is probably the one where the highest number of deals and partnerships are created. ### **What You’ll Gain** **1\. Strategic Connections:** * Engage with leading investors, developers, architects, sustainability experts, and proptech innovators who are shaping the future of property. **2\. Pre\-Event Networking:** * Start building relationships before the event with access to an exclusive WhatsApp group where you can introduce yourself and set expectations. **3\. Opportunities to Thrive:** * Learn about cutting-edge trends, discover collaborative opportunities, and gain actionable strategies to grow your business. ### **Who Should Attend?** This event is tailored for a wide range of property professionals, including: * **Investors & Developers** eager to discover new projects and expand their portfolios. * **Real Estate Agents & Mortgage Brokers** aiming to network and find fresh leads. * **Landlords & Property Managers** seeking strategies to enhance their operations. * **Architects, Builders & Contractors** looking to connect with industry leaders. * **Proptech Founders & Tech Innovators** exploring collaborations and partnerships. * **Urban Planners & Sustainability Experts** driving innovation in property development. * **Interior Designers, Stagers & Consultants** building relationships to grow their reach. * **Legal Professionals & Property Lawyers** specializing in property and real estate law. * **Accountants & Financial Advisors** offering property-focused financial solutions. * **Property Marketing Experts & PR Specialists** sharing strategies to boost visibility. * **Surveyors & Valuation Experts** keen to connect with decision-makers in the industry. * **Sustainability Consultants & ESG Advocates** focusing on greener property solutions. * **Facility Managers & Operations Specialists** improving efficiency in property management. * **Insurance Brokers & Risk Advisors** serving the property sector. * **First-Time Buyers & Aspiring Professionals** looking to break into the property industry. * **Educational Institutions & Trainers** promoting property-related courses and certifications. Whether you’re an experienced professional or just starting out, this event is designed to help you connect, collaborate, and succeed. ### **Venue Spotlight** Set in the exclusive **Hay Hill Private Members Club**, known for its elegant ambiance and prime Mayfair location, this event offers the perfect blend of professionalism and sophistication. It’s the ideal setting to build lasting relationships while enjoying a relaxed and refined atmosphere. ### **Book Your Spot Today** **⏳ Limited Availability:** Only 80 spots are available for this exclusive event, ticket prices may go up the closer we get to the event date.Tickets are non-refundable but transferable to someone else if needed. **Event Disclaimer** Please note that photos and videos may be taken during this event. These may be used on our social media channels and promotional materials to showcase our events. If you prefer not to appear in any photos or videos, please inform the event host upon arrival, and we will ensure your preference is respected. 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Let's meet at Holborn tube station, on the left outside the main entrance on Kingsway. We'll walk down together at 6pm on the dot, please be on time, the venue fills up by 6.15pm! I attended the first lecture and found it incredibly absorbing and fascinating. Prof Manning clearly knows his subject and presents both sides well: the pro-immigration people who want to change what we get, and the other side who want to get what they want. So the two camps never persuade each other. Also perception outweiging reality on both sides. Very illuminating. I can't wait for the other two lectures, the first was great. "Join us for the 2026 Lionel Robbins Memorial Lectures which this year will be delivered by Alan Manning. This lecture is one of three based on the newly published book, Why Immigration Policy Is Hard. In this second lecture Professor Manning examines the foundations of immigration policy and their implications." Please register for your free entrance ticket (Meetup attendance fee applies), they are asking a couple of questions: [https://www.lse.ac.uk/events/a-picture-of-migration](https://www.lse.ac.uk/events/a-picture-of-migration) There was a Reception with a free drink after the lecture on 2 February as Prof Manning was signing his book. I don't know if they'll do the same after the second and third lecture.

About Event ## ​**​Where Innovation Meets Influence in the West End** ​​**At Mayfair Business Networking, we believe business networking should be as forward-thinking as the professionals who attend. Based in London’s discerning West End district, near the heart of Mayfair, we offer a refined and creative approach to professional networking.** ## ​**​Why Come Along?** ## ​**​Connect each month.** ​​**Whether you’re looking for Mayfair business networking opportunities or a place to meet like-minded innovators in London’s most prestigious postcodes.** ​​**Join us and experience business networking with a creative edge — right in the heart of the West End.** ​​List of 750 start-up funds 🙌 [https://lnkd.in/ecGSj7vB](https://lnkd.in/ecGSj7vB) ​​​Join our WhatsApp groups: ​[https://chat.whatsapp.com/GBabSsXvH3429r50Gxsc6m](https://chat.whatsapp.com/GBabSsXvH3429r50Gxsc6m) ​[https://lnkd.in/e7AZAvfE](https://lnkd.in/e7AZAvfE) [https://lnkd.in/ekchnxni](https://lnkd.in/ekchnxni) [https://lnkd.in/eX2saMVm](https://lnkd.in/eX2saMVm) [https://lnkd.in/ezZnR-Xv](https://lnkd.in/ezZnR-Xv) [https://lnkd.in/ehHaUNQH](https://lnkd.in/ehHaUNQH) ​​Big thanks to our Host, German Kraft Brewery, and the Co-Founder, Florian Bollen. ​​[https://www.germankraft.com](https://www.germankraft.com/) ​​[https://www.linkedin.com/in/florian-bollen-35915614/](https://www.linkedin.com/in/florian-bollen-35915614/) ​​Team 1. ​​**Balbir Singh** * ​​**[linkedin.com/in/balbir-singh-msc-pgce-fe-ba-hons-a94030162](https://linkedin.com/in/balbir-singh-msc-pgce-fe-ba-hons-a94030162)** 2. ​​**ZEESHAN (Zee) MALLICK** * ​​**[linkedin.com/in/zeeshanmallick](https://linkedin.com/in/zeeshanmallick)** 3. ​​**Zhivka Hristova** * ​​[linkedin.com/in/zhivka-hristova-b3b95133a](https://linkedin.com/in/zhivka-hristova-b3b95133a) 4. ​Priyanshu Singh * ​[linkedin.com/in/vasprisin](https://linkedin.com/in/vasprisin)

🎉 **Event #22 – The Analytics Engineering Meet-up** 🎉 The first event of the year will be at Checkout.com! Talks: 🚀 [Toby Henley Smith](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobyhenleysmith/overlay/about-this-profile/) @ Moneybox *AE: Abstraction Engineering?* * The role that Analytics Engineering plays in your company is far more than just being the dbt team 🤖 [Rakhee Modha-Lobo](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rakhee-modha-lobo-aab6a875/overlay/about-this-profile/) **@** Starling Bank *Embracing AI and Automation in Our Analytics Engineering Workflows* * A deep dive into how Starling are using AI and automation in the analytics engineering workflow. 📅 **RSVP opens Monday, 26th January** (3.5 weeks before the event). This event will be **over-subscribed**, so set a reminder — you won’t want to miss it! 📍 **Agenda** 6pm – Doors open, networking, food & drinks 7pm – Talks kick off 8:30pm – More drinks & networking @ local pub We’ll be hosted in the amazing **Checout.com office**. This is a fantastic opportunity to connect with some of the UK’s top data professionals, share challenges, and exchange learnings. We are always looking to improve the event and get new ideas for talks, if you could please fill out a [feedback form](https://cognifysearch.com/the-london-analytics-engineering-meet-up-feedback-form/), this will help us continue to improve! The **Analytics Engineering Meet-up** is a community for data professionals working with the modern data stack, machine learning or AI. We host regular meet-ups featuring talks from data leaders building and scaling analytics, data platforms, and AI in forward-thinking teams. The community is ideal for Data Engineers, Analytics Engineers, Analysts, and those working in Data Science, Machine Learning, or AI. The meet-up is organised by [Cognify](cognifysearch.com), the recruitment partner for modern data and AI teams. Our sponsor is [Omni](omni.co), an AI-powered BI platform that helps people use data to do their best work. Whether users prefer AI, Excel, point-and-click exploration, or SQL, Omni enables fast, trusted answers from a governed semantic model. We’re always on the lookout for **venues to host** and **guest speakers** to inspire. If you’d like to get involved, feel free to chat with one of the Cognify team at any event. If you’re eager to dive deeper into industry insights, check out ***The Stacked Data Podcast*** for conversations with industry leaders: Listen on: [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/24fIpekn8WfRDZsVHNcf7Q) Your feedback is so valuable to us, we'd love to hear from you to help us continue to improve, [Feedback Form here](https://cognifysearch.com/the-london-analytics-engineering-meet-up-feedback-form/) **No-Show Policy**: * If you miss **2 consecutive events** or **2 out of 3 events**, you wont be able to attend the next event. We hope you understand this is to keep things fair for venues and other attendees.

**TICKET ONLY EVENT - YOU MUST REGISTER YOUR INTEREST ON OUR WEBSITE!** We’re delighted to have [Phillie Wright](https://www.linkedin.com/in/philliewright/) from [Anthropic](https://www.anthropic.com/) share her insights on **building effective Agents**. Up next, we’re excited to welcome back [Paul Stack](https://www.linkedin.com/in/stack72/), Director of Product, [System Initiative](https://www.systeminit.com/), who will share his thoughts on **the next frontier of DevOps**. After these two great talks, you’ll have time to connect with the community over drinks and pizzas. We expect high demand, and the venue is limited to 130 people (90 seated, 40 standing). To keep things fair, tickets will be allocated by random draw. You must register your interest on our [website for a ticket](https://awsuguk.org/aws-ai-in-practice-meetup-3/)! **RSVPing on Meetup will not give you entry to the event!** **Programme** **18:00:** Arrival, registration **18:15:** ***TALKS START*** **20:00:** Networking with food and a drink provided by the generosity of our sponsors **Talk 1** ***Building Effective Agents with Phillie Wright*** As agentic AI moves from demos to production, teams face a new set of architectural decisions that will shape their systems for years to come. This session draws on Anthropic’s experience building Claude Code to explore the practical tradeoffs you’ll encounter when designing agentic systems at scale. We’ll cover when MCP makes sense (and when it doesn’t), approaches to tool discovery and management as your agent’s capabilities grow, and the often-overlooked challenges of running agents in production. Along the way, I’ll share some of the unexpected ways we use Claude Code internally at Anthropic and workflows that might spark ideas for your own teams. Whether you’re just starting to experiment with agents or already running them in production, you’ll hopefully leave with a mental model for the key decisions ahead and the tradeoffs each one entails. **Talk 2:** ***AI as Your New SRE: The Next Frontier of DevOps with Paul Stack*** In the early days of DevOps, automation was the revolution. Today, AI is bringing the second wave – not just automating tasks, but reasoning, predicting, and autonomously managing complex systems like a tireless Site Reliability Engineer. In this talk, we’ll explore how AI will reshape the DevOps lifecycle: from intelligent CI/CD pipelines and automated incident response to self‑healing infrastructure and generative configuration management. You’ll see live demos of AI detecting, diagnosing, and fixing infrastructure issues in real time, and we’ll discuss the risks – over‑reliance on AI, governance challenges, and the need for explainability – plus the steps teams can take today to prepare for an AI‑augmented future. Watch his previous talk on “[Automating AWS Integration with Amazon Cloud Control AP](https://awsuguk.org/videos/paul-stack-09-04-2025/)I“. A big thank you to our **Sponsors**: * [The Scale Factory](https://www.scalefactory.com/) * [Cloudscaler](http://www.cloudscaler.com/) And to our **Hosts** * [Vorboss](https://rebrand.ly/awsuguk-vorboss) * [Rayo](https://rebrand.ly/awsuguk-rayo) Remember to follow us [@AWSUserGroupUK](https://twitter.com/AWSUserGroupUK) and on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/aws-ug-uk) for the latest updates and you can find videos of our past meetups on [YouTube](http://bit.ly/2dZnvEE).

Jon Lee Anderson has documented Afghanistan’s recent history like few others, from the late 1980s mujahideen resistance to the post 9/11 intervention and the Taliban’s return in 2021. His new book, *To Lose a War*, brings together almost twenty-five years of reporting, combining earlier dispatches with new material to present a clear, chronological account of how the conflict unfolded and why it ended in collapse. He is joined by Christina Lamb, Chief Foreign Correspondent at *The Sunday Times*, whose long-standing reporting across Afghanistan and Pakistan provides essential regional insight, and Saad Mohseni, co-founder and chairman of the Moby Group, Afghanistan’s largest media organisation. Together, the panel will examine the early expectations of 2001, the misjudgements and strategic shifts that shaped the war, and the legacy now confronting Afghans and Western policymakers. They will also consider the regional implications of Taliban rule, the future of media and civil society, and what meaningful international engagement with Afghanistan might look like. **Jon Lee Anderson** has been a staff writer at *The New Yorker* since 1998 and is one of the leading chroniclers of war and political transition. He has reported from conflict zones across the world, including Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Libya, Angola, Somalia and Lebanon, and has also produced extensive work from Latin America, including profiles of figures such as Augusto Pinochet, Fidel Castro, Hugo Chávez and Gabriel García Márquez. His books include *To Lose a War: The Fall and Rise of the Taliban*, *Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life*, *Guerrillas*, *The Fall of Baghdad*, and *The Lion’s Grave: Dispatches from Afghanistan*. He has received numerous international reporting awards, including the Maria Moors Cabot Prize, and has been writing from the field since beginning his career in Peru in 1979. **Christina Lamb** is Chief Foreign Correspondent at *The Sunday Times* and one of the UK’s most acclaimed international reporters. She has covered conflicts across the world for more than three decades, earning sixteen major awards, including a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Society of Editors and Foreign Correspondent of the Year Award six times. She was appointed OBE in 2013. She is the author of ten books, among them the global bestseller *I Am Malala* (with Malala Yousafzai), *What War Does to Women*, *Our Bodies, Their Battlefield*, *Farewell Kabul*, and *The Africa House.* **Saad Mohseni** is the co-founder and chairman of the Moby Group, Afghanistan’s largest independent media organisation and a major regional broadcaster. Since 2003, he has been central to building Afghanistan’s modern media sector, creating new platforms for news, public debate and entertainment after the fall of the Taliban. He is the author of *Radio Free Afghanistan: A Twenty-Year Odyssey for an Independent Voice in Kabul*, which charts the effort to establish a free press in Afghanistan and the struggle to sustain it following the Taliban’s return to power in 2021. Booking details: [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/afghanistan-two-decades-of-war-and-its-legacy-tickets-1980765834933?aff=erelexpmlt](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/afghanistan-two-decades-of-war-and-its-legacy-tickets-1980765834933?aff=erelexpmlt) We’ll go to the bar after the lecture at 7.30pm to share impressions. Join me on: English reading club: [www.meetup.com/persian-culture](https://www.meetup.com/persian-culture) Spanish reading club: [www.meetup.com/gaia-libros](https://www.meetup.com/gaia-libros) French reading club: [www.meetup.com/gaia-livres](https://www.meetup.com/gaia-livres) Instagram @persian_culture_ Whatsapp group: [https://chat.whatsapp.com/EZk35ZbJZ6W6wwyHyuxoS2](https://chat.whatsapp.com/EZk35ZbJZ6W6wwyHyuxoS2)

**We are excited to invite you to our first event of 2026!** 💫 DSL #15 will happen on 12 February, organised by YLD and sponsored by Lloyds Banking Group. Free Eventbrite tickets will be live on 12 January at noon, so make sure you set your reminder: https://dsl15.eventbrite.co.uk Speaker line-up to be announced soon! \-\-\-\-\- Thank you to [YLD](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/design-systems-london-15-tickets-1977071290451?aff=oddtdtcreator) for organising and [Lloyds Banking Group](https://www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/ "https://www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/") for sponsoring this event. **Who are Llloyds Banking Group** A tech-led, digital-first financial powerhouse, Lloyds Banking Group is transforming how Britain banks. With a legacy spanning over 250 years, they’ve supported millions through life’s financial journeys. Now they’re redefining banking by putting technology, innovation, and data at the heart of everything they do. From personalised digital services to cutting-edge mobile experiences, Lloyds Banking Group is building a smarter, more inclusive financial future. One that’s secure, sustainable, and shaped by the needs of every customer **Who are YLD?** YLD turns digital investments into results by building what matters, delivering with impact, and making sure it lasts. Their product design, tech, and change experts work as one, applying AI where it shortens the path to value. With design at the heart, YLD brings clarity, puts users first, and shapes solutions that succeed from the start. YLD is hiring - check out the [job page](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/design-systems-london-15-tickets-1977071290451?aff=oddtdtcreator) Join the conversation on [LinkedIn](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/design-systems-london-15-tickets-1977071290451?aff=oddtdtcreator)

**Dead Product Society \| After Work Drinks** Come along, bring a friend/colleague or two and join us for a relaxed evening of informal product and tech chats over a few drinks and doughnuts. We aim to connect everyone without awkwardness or LinkedIn spiel, and value good conversation over boring presentations. **Who is welcome?** Product Managers, CEOs, UX/UI Designers, Developers, Scrum Masters etc. We welcome anyone who works in, with or wants to break into product. *Note: We intentionally keep our After Work Drinks on the smaller side to allow for more in-depth conversations.* **The Bike Shed** We'll be hanging out in the lounge area (behind the area with all the tables, next to the store). \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **Dead Product Society** Dead Product Society is a collective of like-minded professionals sharing real-talk and joining forces to navigate the twists and turns of the product world. Our down-to-earth community is for anyone who works in, with or wants to break into product teams regardless of their background or experience. **Our Sponsors** Shout out to our generous sponsors at Waggel Pet Insurance; Lifetime pet insurance, simplified. With their support we are able to host these events for you and create a space for those important, honest conversations.

In an era where AI and rapid tech cycles are redefining the possible, the most successful organisations aren't just surviving the acceleration; they are built to thrive. In this session, we share what it takes to become a highly adaptive and resilient organisation. You’ll discover how to instil laser-like *clarity*, empower deep team *ownership*, and bake *curiosity* into your organisational DNA. Weaving together the candid stories and hard-won truths of diverse leaders – from extreme mountaineers to world-class poker players and Amazon's own Day 1 culture – this session offers a fresh perspective on freeing your organisation to move at the speed of its best idea. **Phil Le-Brun** leads the Executives in Residence team at Amazon Web Services and is a former corporate VP and international CIO at McDonald's Corporation. At McDonald's he co-led the consolidation and modernisation of technology across thirty-eight thousand restaurants globally. In his current role, Phil engages with Fortune 500 executives and their teams and public-sector customers to mentor, advise, and guide them on their journeys to become more adaptable organisations. He is a sought-after speaker and has been featured in Harvard Business Review, the Wall Street Journal, and The Guardian. With Jana Werner he has recently published The Octopus Organization: A Guide to Thriving in a World of Continuous Transformation (Harvard Business Review Press).

### Tools in your AI's Toolbox : An introduction to MCP Servers The generative AI revolution has unlocked unprecedented capabilities, but the next frontier is agency: empowering models to interact with, query, and act upon the world. The current challenge is the “N x M integration problem,” where every AI model requires a custom, brittle integration for each external tool or data source. This approach simply doesn’t scale. How can we give an AI access to our sales leads, code repositories, or IoT devices in a standardized, secure, and reusable way? This session introduces Anthropic’s Model Context Protocol (MCP), the open-source framework designed to solve this challenge and become the universal connector—the USB-C port—for AI. MCP standardizes how AI models discover and use external tools, moving beyond simple function-calling to a robust, client-server architecture. We will dive into how this open protocol is creating a new ecosystem for building powerful, context-aware AI agents. Join this session for a developer-focused introduction where you will learn how to: Understand the core concepts of the open-source Model Context Protocol and its architecture. Utilize pre-built, open-source MCP servers to instantly connect AI to tools like Git, Slack, and databases. Build a custom MCP server to securely expose your own proprietary data and APIs as tools for any compliant AI. Move beyond bespoke integrations and contribute to a standardized, collaborative, and open ecosystem. Stop building one-off connectors and start building intelligent agents. This session will give you the practical knowledge to leverage MCP and create the next generation of AI that doesn’t just talk, but does. Want to be a speaker? submit your talk to our Call for Presenters!!! [https://sessionize.com/azure-cbus-2026/](https://sessionize.com/azure-cbus-2026/)

**Photography 102: A Deeper Dive Into Photography** **Are you ready to dig deeper into photography? Then this intermediate photography course is perfect for expanding your knowledge of photography!** This intermediate photography class builds upon the foundational knowledge acquired in the Photography 101 class. It focuses on empowering students to move beyond automatic camera modes and take greater creative control over their images. This course uses an engaging and practical hands-on approach to reinforcing these newer and more advanced photographic concepts. **Through hands-on exercises and insightful lessons, you will learn:** * **Master More Advanced Camera Settings** * **Aperture and F-stops:** Understanding how aperture controls depth of field and using it to create blurry backgrounds (shallow depth of field) for portraits or sharp focus throughout a landscape (deep depth of field). * **Shutter Speed:** Learning to utilize shutter speed to freeze fast action or intentionally blur motion for artistic effects. * **ISO:** Exploring ISO settings for optimal image quality in different lighting conditions, understanding the trade-off between sensitivity and potential image noise/grain. * **Exposure Modes:** Beyond "Auto", understanding and utilizing manual (M), aperture-priority (A or Av), shutter-priority (S or Tv), and program (P) modes for specific shooting scenarios. * **White Balance:** Learn how to effectively set white balance controls to represent colors in varying lighting conditions properly. * **Metering and Exposure Compensation:** Understanding how the camera measures light and how to use exposure compensation to fine-tune exposure for desired results. * **On-Camera Flash Basics:** Gaining a basic understanding of when and how to use the built-in flash or external flash units effectively. * **Advanced Concepts and Techniques** * **Composition Beyond the Basics:** Looking at some more advanced composition concepts and taking a deeper look at the Elements of Design, learning to use space more effectively, controlling the elements of the scene that are drawing attention, and mastering visual weight. * **Lighting Beyond Natural Light:** Introduction to artificial lighting, such as off-camera flash, reflectors, and softboxes, to control and shape light for different effects. * **Basic Image Editing:** An introduction to photo editing software like Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop, covering essential tools for adjusting brightness, contrast, color, and sharpness. * **Developing a Personal Style:** Exploring ways to refine a unique artistic voice and create a consistent photographic style. **This class provides the next step in the path to becoming a more proficient and artistic photographer, allowing for more advanced usage of the camera system.** **Prerequisites:** * A camera (film, DSLR, or mirrorless) that has manual controls is required. Hands-on exercises make having the camera in class highly beneficial. You will need at least one lens to evaluate the results of control exercises. * You may attend this class in one of two ways: 1. With a class voucher provided by your retail camera store 2. Purchasing a seat in the class

**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** TBD **YouTube Link** TBA

**Web Design Decoded: Tools, Practices, and Proven Processes:** **Semantic HTML** At WebDev Columbus, we are exploring some of the most important topics of professional high-end web design and page building. Primarily focused on site building in the WordPress environment, our group explores tools, tips, and techniques for building the best WordPress sites possible. Additionally, we focus on disciplines and technologies that take website design from visually appealing to optimized spaces for delivering you and/or your client's message effectively and with a nod towards extended reach. Each session combines practical demonstrations with real-world insights, giving you actionable knowledge you can apply immediately. Whether you're a seasoned developer looking to enhance your design skills or a newcomer wanting to understand design best practices, this series offers valuable insights for every skill level. **What to expect:** * Hands-on demonstrations of popular design tools * Best practices for design-to-development workflows * Tips for creating responsive, accessible designs * Real-world problem-solving scenarios * Interactive Q&A sessions * Networking opportunities with fellow developers **Each meetup features:** 60 minutes of focused presentation 30 minutes of live demonstrations 30 minutes for questions and discussion **See you there!** Our casual, collaborative environment encourages learning from both presenters and fellow attendees. Bring your questions, share your experiences, and connect with Central Ohio's web development community! **Stay tuned for specific session topics and dates.**

I love my job and one of the main things I do is help customers get going with any of the data technologies at Microsoft. Right now there are a lot of my customers asking about Microsoft Fabric. It's hard to weave across all the shiny new options across the Fabric landscape, let alone figure out where it fits into your organization. In this session we'll focus on answering one question - how can I get data into Fabric? We'll talk through the "it depends" options and see some of the options in live demos.

This is not just a money class. This is a restoration space. The I AM Worthy of Ownership™ Path is a 12-step, sister-centered journey for women who are ready to build financial stability without shame, fear, or pressure—and to do it in a way that honors both wisdom and the spirit. Many women don’t struggle with money because they lack discipline or intelligence. They struggle because of unhealed experiences, survival patterns, and the quiet belief that they are “behind” or “disqualified.” This series gently challenges those beliefs while offering practical tools for peace, clarity, and long-term planning. Together, we will talk honestly about: Releasing shame and money anxiety Building stability as a form of self-respect and spiritual discipline Understanding money as a tool, not a source of worth Managing debt with clarity instead of condemnation Preparing for life’s unexpected moments without fear Laying a calm foundation for future ownership and legacy Each session blends practical financial education with reflection, conversation, and encouragement. There is no pressure to share personal numbers or experiences. You are welcome to speak, journal quietly, or simply listen. This is not about hustle. This is not about perfection. This is about alignment, wisdom, and peace. Who this series is for: Women who are starting over or rebuilding Women who want stability without stress Women preparing for future ownership or housing decisions Women who want their financial lives to reflect wholeness, not fear No prior financial knowledge is required. Come as you are. Bring a notebook. Leave a little lighter than you arrived. Light refreshments will be served along with 30 minutes of networking.

Bring your Raspberry Pi, Arduino, microcontroller, or any other electronic project and join fellow electronics makers for a night of creativity and collaboration! This session is open forum to share your current projects—whether complete or in progress, it’s all interesting! Whether you’re deep into embedded systems, exploring new ideas, or just getting started, you’ll find a welcoming space to collaborate, share, and get inspired. This session will be at the Karl Road Library in Conference Room 1