Network Engineering

**Join the Inaugural (GB)NUG Connect Event** *The Soho Hotel\, London \| 2nd July \| 6pm\-8\.30pm* Talks · Open Discussion · Drinks · Light Bites (GB)NUG's first event brings together two practitioners ready to share their experiences and opinions on enterprise networking. Grab a drink, connect with your peers, hear from fellow practitioners and join the conversation. **Madoc Batters, Head of Cloud & Cybersecurity at Warner Hotels**. With 25+ years building cloud, network and hybrid platforms across hospitality, telecom and finance. Madoc will be sharing his experiences driving multi-cloud migrations and applying GenAI to real-world security and cost operations. **AI Enabled networking – isn’t this what Skynet wanted in Terminator?** There is lots of talk about AI changing everything, but in this day and age what should an AI enabled network look like? What is the good and bad of this approach and when things go wrong, how can we fix them? **Duncan Bates, Solutions Architect, Fortinet** **Agenda:** 6pm: Meet for drinks and networking in the Crimson Bar 6.30pm: Hear from our speakers in Screen Room 2 7.15pm: Connect with your peers over drinks and light bites 8.30pm: Event Closes (GB)NUG is a practitioner-led, open, collaborative community for enterprise network architects, engineers, operational leaders and innovators across Great Britain. The group is independent, open and built around peer knowledge. **First event - no playbook - come and help shape what this becomes.** [Follow GB(NUG) on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/gb-nug) Supported by Alkira and Megaport.

Hello and welcome to our special joint meetup between **Cloud Platform Engineering London**, **Cloud Platform Engineering Leaders**, **Data & AI Leaders**, **AWS AI UG**, **Azure AI UG**, and **GCP London**. This crossover event brings together platform engineers, cloud architects, data and AI leaders, SREs, engineering managers, technology executives, and practitioners exploring how AI is reshaping modern cloud platforms, developer workflows, business transformation, and enterprise engineering. This is a special **Community Stack ecosystem event**, bringing together several of our cloud, platform, and data-focused communities for an evening of practical talks, senior technical discussion, and cross-community networking. A huge thank you to **[Arrows](https://www.arrowsgroup.com/)** for hosting and sponsoring this event, and for supporting the growth of the cloud, platform engineering, data, and AI community in London. Speakers and sessions: **Get a High Return-on-Investment from AI Business Transformation** **Nora Balla, Founder and AI Business Transformation Lead, Add Velocity** Nora Balla is the founder of Add Velocity, an AI-native business transformation and implementation consultancy. Nora has gained extensive experience across investment products, business transformation, finance operations, and regulated asset and wealth management environments. Previously a freelancer, she now operates in a collaborative delivery model, helping organisations scale AI and automation solutions in complex business settings. Her experience includes finance transformation at Harley-Davidson, reporting process improvements in commercial real estate funds, and supporting the Aladdin implementation at Royal London Asset Management. In this session, Nora will explore how organisations can achieve a stronger return on investment from AI business transformation. The talk will cover the opportunities and high-value use cases, the real risks organisations need to manage, the skills required for the agentic era, how to define and measure success, and practical tips for improving efficiency when working with AI systems. **Agents in the Fastlane** **Ryan Cormack, Principal Engineer, Motorway** **Luke Marrai, Engineering Manager, Motorway** Motorway has used traditional AI and machine learning for years to enhance and improve its systems. But how can those years of learning be applied to build the next generation of agentic systems for users? In this session, Ryan Cormack and Luke Marrai from Motorway will explore how they are enhancing the functionality of Motorway’s platform to provide more accurate search results for dealers looking to acquire stock through the online marketplace. The talk will cover how Motorway is using **AWS AgentCore** to run its agentic systems, and how evals are being used to ensure the system performs as expected. Ryan Cormack is a Principal Engineer at Motorway, the UK’s leading used car marketplace, where he leads technical strategy and drives AI-powered transformation across the engineering organisation. With over 14 years of experience building and scaling systems on AWS, Ryan specialises in turning architectural best practices into practical engineering outcomes, from cloud modernisation programmes to the adoption of agentic workflows and AI-native developer tooling. Luke Marrai is an Engineering Manager at Motorway, supporting engineering delivery and helping teams build effective, scalable technology for one of the UK’s leading automotive technology platforms. Agenda: **18:00** — Arrival, refreshments and networking **18:30** — Welcome and introduction **18:35** — Get a High Return-on-Investment from AI Business Transformation — Nora Balla **19:00** — Break and networking **19:20** — Agents in the Fastlane — Ryan Cormack and Luke Marrai **20:00** — Networking **20:45** — Close **Join us on June 11th:** We are also hosting the **Cloud Native & Open Source AI Conference** on **June 11th in London**, bringing together a fantastic line-up of speakers across AI, cloud-native, open-source, platform engineering, leadership, and modern infrastructure. You can view the full speaker line-up and event details **[here](https://www.communitystack.io/conferences/cloud-native-london)** **About the communities:** This event is jointly hosted across **Cloud Platform Engineering London**, **Cloud Platform Engineering Leaders**, **Data & AI Leaders**, **AWS AI UG**, **Azure AI UG**, and **GCP London**. Together, these communities form part of the **[Community Stack ecosystem](https://www.meetup.com/pro/generative-ai-uk-community/)**, bringing together technical practitioners, leaders, partners, and organisations across cloud, platform engineering, data, AI, and open technology. We are always keen to hear from speakers, hosts, sponsors, and community partners. If you would like to speak, sponsor, or host a future event, please reach out to **[Ethan Sumner](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethansumner404/)** via LinkedIn. This event follows the **[Community Stack Code of Conduct](https://www.communitystack.io/code-of-conduct)** and **[Privacy Policy](https://www.communitystack.io/privacy-policy)**, ensuring a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming environment for all attendees.

**Looking for a business networking event in London with focus on business owners, agencies, service providers?** Join us in **Covent Garden** for a quality business networking hosted by digital business card app GMax Card and web/eCom agency **Getshop Today**. **What to Expect** * **Meet business owners and B2B decision-makers** across industries in a relaxed, purposeful environment. **Build partnerships, generate referrals, and connect with potential clients, suppliers, and service providers.** * Exchange ideas, spot market trends, and uncover new opportunities. * A **lightly structured event** \- not a formal conference\, nor a random pub mingle\. * An **atmosphere that feels high-quality yet relaxed,** with space for real business conversations. * Hosts are there from the start to **help with introductions.** **Who You'll Meet** * **Business owners and founders from startups to established SMEs** * **B2B service providers** and agencies looking to grow their client base * **Business decision-makers** actively seeking partnerships, referrals, and new opportunities * Local businesses and London-based professionals across industries * Business professionals visiting London looking to expand their commercial network Please note: our events are theme-led rather than closed-sector events, so you may also meet relevant professionals from adjacent areas such as finance, property, tech, and business services. **How the Evening Flows** 18:30 - Arrival 19:00 - Short introductions 19:30 - Open networking 21:30 - Close Hosts are there from the start to **help with introductions.** **Venue - Sycamore Bar at Middle Eight Hotel** A stylish, design-led bar inside the 5-star Middle Eight Hotel in central London. Located in the Covent Garden/Holborn area, just a short walk from Holborn, Covent Garden and Tottenham Court Road stations, it offers a relaxed and refined setting for business networking. **Entry & GMax Cards** * Free RSVP: Event access only * Paid ticket (when available): Includes a contactless GMax Card (ask host to claim; not distributed automatically) **Dress Code** Business / smart casual **Hosted by:** [GMax Card - a digital business card](http://www.gmaxcard.com/) platform designed for modern networking and professional connections beyond LinkedIn. Share **all** your contact details through one simple link. **Important Info** * 18+ (ID may be required) * Photos/video by [CineEye Audiovisual Production Studio](http://www.cineeye.co.uk/) (inform us if you prefer not to appear) * Attendance is at your own risk. Organisers and the venue are not liable for any injury, loss, or damage. **Limited spots - register early!** Join our [WA Business Community](https://chat.whatsapp.com/FJdEP809H5U8WQ4y4BLLS5?mode=hqctcli) to stay connected between events, and follow us on [LinkedIn](http://linkedin.com/company/gmax-card) for upcoming dates.

**Looking for a business networking event in London for property investors, landlords, agents, and developers?** Join us in **Covent Garden** for a quality networking evening hosted by a digital business card app GMax Card. **What to Expect** * **Connect with property professionals, investors, landlords, and developers** in a relaxed but purposeful setting - where conversations turn into deals, partnerships, and opportunities across the full property ecosystem: assets, acquisitions, the rental market, development, and beyond. * **Build valuable business relationships** across the property and business ecosystem, exchange ideas, spot market trends, and uncover opportunities. * A **lightly structured event** \- not a formal\, overcrowded conference\, nor a random pub mingle\. * An **atmosphere that feels high-quality yet relaxed**, with space for real professional conversations. * Hosts are there from the start to **help with introductions**. **Who You'll Meet** * Property developers, investors, and asset managers * Residential and commercial landlords * Estate agents, letting agents, and block managers * Architects, interior designers, and fit-out specialists * Surveyors, mortgage brokers, and bridging lenders * Solicitors, conveyancers, and planning consultants * PropTech founders and digital service providers * Business owners with property interests Please note: our events are theme-led rather than closed-sector events, so you may also meet relevant professionals from adjacent areas such as finance, investment, business services, technology and entrepreneurship. **How the Evening Flows** 18:30 - Arrival 19:00 - Short introductions 19:30 - Open networking 21:30 - Close Hosts are there from the start to help with introductions. **Venue - Sycamore Bar at Middle Eight Hotel** A stylish, design-led bar inside the 5-star Middle Eight Hotel in central London. Located in the Covent Garden/Holborn area, just a short walk from Holborn, Covent Garden and Tottenham Court Road stations, it offers a relaxed and refined setting for business and property networking. **Entry & GMax Cards** * Free RSVP: Event access only * Paid ticket (when available): Includes a contactless GMax Card (ask host to claim; not distributed automatically) **Dress Code** Business / smart **Hosted by:** [GMax Card - a digital business card](http://www.gmaxcard.com/) platform designed for modern networking and professional connections beyond LinkedIn. Share all your contact details through one simple link. **Important Info** * 18+ (ID may be required) * Photos/video by [CineEye Audiovisual Production Studio](http://www.cineeye.co.uk/) (inform us if you prefer not to appear) * Attendance is at your own risk. Organisers and the venue are not liable for any injury, loss, or damage. **Limited spots - register early!** Join our [WA Business Community](https://chat.whatsapp.com/FJdEP809H5U8WQ4y4BLLS5?mode=hqctcli) to stay connected between events, and follow us on [LinkedIn](http://linkedin.com/company/gmax-card) for upcoming dates.

AI assistants are getting more capable. The question is how we build effective workflows around them. At DevDay London, [Lucy Joyce](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucy-joyce-597485166/), [Ash Shakrani](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ash-shakrani/) and [Arun Kurian](https://www.linkedin.com/in/arun-mathew-kurian-39b8aa5a/) will explore harness engineering through the lens of a payment integration. From requirements and design through to implementation, they’ll demonstrate why context alone isn’t enough for successful AI-assisted development. Drawing on real-world experience, they’ll show how engineering harnesses, reusable context, standards, and validation workflows help teams move beyond experimentation and build reliable, scalable AI-assisted development practices. **This session will unpack:** 🎯 Why “more context” isn’t the answer on its own 🎯 What engineering harnesses are and how they create reliable feedback loops 🎯 How standards, workflows, and validation reduce AI-generated rework and technical debt 🎯 Practical techniques teams can adopt immediately to improve AI outcomes 🗓️ **Save the Date:** 2nd July, 2026 📍 **Location:** Sahaj Software, 1 Quality Court, London, WC2A 1HR 🕕 **Time:** 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM (BST) The evening will feature: 🎤 **One engaging talk** with Q&A 🤝 **Plenty of time for networking** over free pizza and non-alcoholic drinks Don’t miss this chance to learn, connect, and share with fellow tech enthusiasts. 👉 Please click the link below to register. https://sahaj.ai/events/harness-engineering-in-practice-from-requirements-to-implementation/

Register: [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ljc-meetup-at-neo4j-smarter-search-with-spring-ai-and-neo4j-tickets-1991379537804](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ljc-meetup-at-neo4j-smarter-search-with-spring-ai-and-neo4j-tickets-1991379537804) LJC Meet-ups is a series of events, aimed at giving all Community members an opportunity to present at an LJC event. We're excited to invite you to our next Meetup, co-hosted with **neo4j**! Join the London Java Community for an evening of technical talks, networking, and knowledge sharing hosted by Neo4j. This month’s meetup explores two of the hottest areas in modern software development: integrating Generative AI into Java applications and deploying Machine Learning models within Java ecosystems. Whether you’re a Java developer, architect, data engineer, or simply curious about the latest innovations shaping our industry, this session will provide practical insights and real-world examples from experienced practitioners.

We are delighted to announce that manifesto have kindly agreed to host the Umbraco London July Meetup at their offices in Whitechapel, and are very kindly providing us with food and drinks. **Please register and sign up in advance** so that we can give a list of attendees to reception and comply with their building regulations. [manifesto](https://manifesto.co.uk/) is a company that uses and champions Umbraco CMS, particularly within the context of digital transformation and sustainability, including being Certified B Corp. We are welcome from 18:30 onwards, we shall look to get started around 18:45. We'll finish by 21:00 when we take the conversations to a local pub. \-\-\-\-\-\- **\*\* AGENDA \*\*** **#1** **Welcome and Latest News** Peter Cooper from manifesto with Lotte, Ravi and Richard from Umbraco London **#2 Codegarden 2026: One Umbracian's Experience** John Seto will be sharing his highlights from Codegarden 2026 - what he learned, what inspired him, and what it means to be part of the wider Umbraco community. He'll also be talking about his experience of the Green Track, a community initiative encouraging contributors to travel to Codegarden by greener means, with free tickets awarded to those selected by Umbraco HQ. **#3** **manifesto RazorKit** by Nurhak Kaya and Pete Cooper At manifesto, we have created a new component-driven development experience specifically for [ASP.NET](http://ASP.NET) Core Razor and Umbraco applications. This approach allows us to develop, test, and document our UI components in isolation within a live application through an interactive preview environment, eliminating the need to navigate through the entire application flow. In this talk, we will provide hands-on details about this approach and discuss its benefits for both development teams and clients. \-\-\-\-\-\- If you realise you can't make it please be sure to change your RSVP to No in case there are people on the waiting list. \-\-\-\-\- If you would like to contribute to our meetups please in touch by email (hello@umblondon.co.uk) - we are always looking for people to give talks, or London-based Umbraco agencies to host us for the evening. Please read the [Code of Conduct](https://bit.ly/UmbLondonCodeOfConduct) for all our events.

A relaxed after-work networking social for professionals, founders, creatives and people looking to meet new contacts in London. ### About this event Join us for a relaxed after-work networking evening at All Bar One Waterloo. This casual social is for professionals, founders, freelancers, creatives, students, career changers and anyone who wants to meet new people in London without the pressure of a formal networking event. There is no pitching, no forced speed networking and no complicated agenda. Just a welcoming space to have conversations, exchange ideas and make new connections over drinks. ### What to expect * Relaxed after-work networking in a central London bar setting * Meet professionals, founders, creatives and ambitious people * Drinks and food available to purchase at the venue * Optional smart networking badge experience for easier introductions and contact exchange * A friendly, low-pressure atmosphere — coming alone is completely normal ### Venue and arrival The event will take place at **All Bar One Waterloo**, 1–3 Chicheley Street, London SE1 7PY. Check-in opens from **6:15 PM**. Casual networking runs from **6:30 PM to 8:30 PM**. ### Important note This is a small networking event with limited spaces. Please only reserve a ticket if you genuinely plan to attend.

**Theme**: Connect • Collaborate • Grow **Date**: Sunday, 5 July 2026 **Time:** 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM **Venue:** Grand Cholan, Canary Wharf, London About the Event: An inspiring networking and learning event bringing together women entrepreneurs, business owners, professionals, and tech enthusiasts to share experiences, build meaningful connections, and explore opportunities for growth. Key Topics: \* Entrepreneurship and business journeys \* Challenges and lessons learned \* Business growth and leadership \* Technology and AI \* Networking and collaboration Who Should Attend: Entrepreneurs, founders, business owners, corporate professionals, tech professionals, students, and aspiring entrepreneurs. Format: \* Speaker sessions (20 minutes each) \* Interactive discussions \* Networking \* Lunch and informal conversations

**Looking for a business networking event in London for SMEs, local businesses, and entrepreneurs?** Join us for a relaxed **Saturday Social Networking Event in Covent Garden** hosted by digital business card app GMax Card (no paper cards needed any more). **What to Expect** **Quality conversations, relaxed networking, and a live DJ** throughout the evening - a **business crowd in a social setting**. **Exchange ideas, build partnerships, discover opportunities**, and grow your network in a welcoming yet professional atmosphere. Our hosts will **help introduce guests** early in the evening, before the event naturally flows into open networking, drinks, and **live DJ set** (not too loud for conversations). **Who You'll Meet** • SME owners, small business owners and local business owners • Entrepreneurs, founders, and startup teams • Solopreneurs and independent professionals • Bootstrapped founders and self-funded business owners • Freelancers and agency owners • SME decision-makers from diverse industries • International business owners visiting London **How the Evening Flows** 18:30 - Arrival & welcome 19:00 - Short guest introductions 19:30 - Open socialising/networking with live DJ 21:30 - Close **Venue - Sycamore Bar, Middle Eight Hotel** A refined cocktail bar in copper and gold tones. Located inside the 5-star Middle Eight Hotel in Covent Garden, just a short walk from Covent Garden, Holborn and Tottenham Court Road stations. **Dress Code** Business or smart attire recommended. Think polished Saturday evening out with a professional touch. **Tickets & GMax Cards** * Free RSVP tickets include only the access to the event. * Selected paid tickets include a premium contactless GMax Card. **Hosted by founder-built tech startups:** • [GMax Card – digital & contactless business cards](www.gmaxcard,com) (no paper cards needed anymore; update details any time) • [Ciitab – AI-powered LinkedIn networking](www.ciitab.com) and lead generation • [Getshop Today – web design/ecommerce agency](www.getshop.today) **Important Details** • 18+ event. ID may be required at the bar. • Photography and filming may take place for promotional use by [Cine Eye (AudioVisual Production Studio in London).](www.cineeye.co.uk) • Attendance is at your own risk. Organisers and venue accept no liability for loss, damage, or injury. **Spaces are limited, and early booking is recommended.** Join our [WA Business Community](https://chat.whatsapp.com/FJdEP809H5U8WQ4y4BLLS5?mode=hqctcli) to stay connected between events, and follow us on [LinkedIn](http://linkedin.com/company/gmax-card) for upcoming dates.

**Looking for a business networking event in London with a more social, founder-led atmosphere, and on a Saturday?** Join us for a Business Networking & Founder Mixer in Covent Garden. Hosted by London tech startups GMax Card, Ciitab, and Getshop Today. **What to Expect** Quality **conversations**, relaxed socialising/**networking**, and **a live DJ throughout the evening** \- a business crowd in a social setting\. Meet new people\, exchange ideas\, build **partnerships**, and **grow your network** in a relaxed but professional atmosphere. Our hosts will help introduce guests early in the evening, before the event naturally flows into open networking, drinks, and **DJ music**. **Who You’ll Meet** • **Founders** and **entrepreneurs** • **Business owners** and **decision makers** • **Finance**, **FinTech, banking**, and **investment professionals** • **Tech**, **startup, AI, digital, and product professionals** • International **business professionals visiting London** **How the Evening Flows** 18:30 - Arrival & welcome 19:00 - Short guest introductions 19:30 - Open socialising/networking with live DJ 21:30 - Close **Venue - Sycamore Bar, Middle Eight Hotel** A refined cocktail bar inside the 5-star Middle Eight Hotel in Covent Garden, just a short walk from Covent Garden, Holborn and Tottenham Court Road stations. **Dress Code** Business or smart attire. Think polished Saturday evening out with a professional touch. **Tickets & GMax Cards** * Free RSVP tickets include only the access to the event. * Selected paid tickets include a premium contactless GMax Card and 1 drink. **Hosted by founder-built tech startups:** • [GMax Card – digital & contactless business cards](www.gmaxcard,com) • [Ciitab – AI-powered LinkedIn networking](www.ciitab.com) • [Getshop Today – UK ecommerce platform](www.getshop.today) **Important Details** • 18+ event. ID may be required at the bar. • Photography and filming may take place for promotional use by [Cine Eye (Audiovisual Production).](www.cineeye.co.uk) • Attendance is at your own risk. Organisers and venue accept no liability for loss, damage, or injury. **Spaces are limited and early booking is recommended.**

Tired of small talk and ready to connect on a real level? Join us for **deep**, **meaningful conversations** and **new friendships** 👯‍♀️🎉 with a group of like-minded individuals who share your interests. This event is **free** but you will be **required** to buy food or drink before you can join us 🍭🍬🧁🍰🥤🧃- having water doesn't support the venue **Who is it for?** * You want more satisfying, deeper conversations * You want more meaningful and long-lasting connections in your life * You crave more from life and know its out there * You are bored of just socialising and want to have fun and explore a new type of event! **What's in it for you?** * **No more awkward silences!** We'll provide questions to spark engaging conversations. 💡 * **Meet like-minded people** who crave deeper connections. 🤝 * **Have fun** in a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. 😊 **How does it work?** * We'll pair you up with different people for **15-minute 1-1 chats**. 🔄 * **Use our questions** as a starting point, or go off on your own tangent! 🗺️ * Be **open**, **honest**, and **curious**. 👂 * 15 minutes is a good amount of time to explore a question deeply and **not have awkward silence**.⏳ * You are also **free to take the conversation in any direction** you choose.🤩 * You can always sit out a round to **take a break** 😪 **Examples of questions that we provide:** * "If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?" 🦸‍♀️ * "What's your biggest fear, and why does it scare you?" 😱 * "What's the most meaningful thing you've ever done?" ❤️ * "What would you do if you had all the money and time in the world?" 💰 **Why do we love deep conversations?** * They're **authentic**, **raw**, and **honest**. * There are **no limits** to where they can go. * You'll feel **uplifted**, **inspired**, and **connected**. 🌟 **How to be a great conversation partner?** * **Be Respectful:** Listen attentively and avoid interrupting others. 👂 * **Be Open-Minded:** Consider different viewpoints and challenge your own assumptions. 🧠 * **Be Engaging:** Ask thoughtful questions and contribute to the conversation. 💬 * **Be vulnerable:** We are a safe space, so it’s okay to be yourself 🥺 🙈 * **Be honest:** Be honest about our experience of life 🌍 * **Be curious:** Be interested in the other person ❓ 🤔 👀 **Ready to take the plunge?** 🌊 Join us and experience the magic of deeper conversations! 💫 You may leave feeling **uplifted**, **inspired**, **connected**, **invigorated**, **positive**, **grateful**!❤️ **What others have to say**: * **Parimal**: "I had the most amazing time! The conversations were refreshing and genuinely authentic." * **David Saville**: "This is a wonderful event run by two extraordinary individuals." * **Edomi**: "This is one of the best meetups I've been to. Highly recommended!" We really hope to see you there! 👋 **About Deeper Connections** We have a mission at Deeper Connections to improve the quality of people's lives through conversation. All our events are centered around the concept of connecting deeply, because we believe we all deserve to be seen, felt and understood for who we really are. To have the 'deeper conversation' approach when relating with others can change our lives and can change the world. **Our Values** * **Respect:** Treat everyone with kindness and consideration. ❤️ * **Open-mindedness:** Be open to different perspectives and ideas. 🧠💡 * **Active Participation:** Share your thoughts and engage in meaningful discussions. 🗣️💬 * **Accessibility:** We believe meaningful connection should be accessible to everyone. Our community makes this possible by supporting each other. 🤝 **Staying in touch** Interested in finding out about all the events sooner than on Meetup or staying in touch beyond the events, you can join our WhatsApp channel and community using 👉🏽 [Deeper Connections WhatsApp Channel](https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vb6CBAdIN9ijrEYdv33z) 👉🏽 [Deeper Connections WhatsApp Community](https://chat.whatsapp.com/EqGsmF3021RKTwBpGcuR80) **Keep This Event Free 💝** If this event brings you something meaningful, you can help others access the same transformational experience. Whether it's £5 or £15, every contribution keeps these events accessible to everyone in our community. You'll find a QR code on your conversation sheet during the event, or you can contribute here #SupportYourCommunity 👉🏽 [Ko-Fi](https://ko-fi.com/deeperconnections) 👉🏽 [Buy Me A Coffee](https://buymeacoffee.com/deeperconnections) 👉🏽 [PayPal](https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/DDSNCCFCYUEB2)

🚨 Spoiler alert: We built the space we couldn’t find. A place where you can show up alone, say hi first, and meet new people naturally. If you’re ready to expand your circle, you’re in the right place. You can check us out on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/_balancers/) 📸🚨 Get ready for another Social🎉 Here’s the Plan: **7:30 PM – Find Your Team** As soon as the event begins, you’ll receive a card with simple instructions to help you find your teammates among the other attendees. It’s a fun and easy way to start conversations with people in the room. **08:15 PM – Team Challenges Begin** Once teams are formed, the challenges start. Winning challenges earns points for your team on the live scoreboard. No skills needed. Just jump in, have a laugh and work together. Winning team get free shots 🍹 **09:00 PM – Open Social & Mingling** Once the challenges wrap up, the room opens up. This is the moment to mix, chat and get to know new people. **10:00 PM – Music** The DJ takes over and the night shifts into a more relaxed social vibe. Chat, dance and keep the connections going. ⚠️ Please note: Entry is not guaranteed after 10:00 PM **11:30 PM – After Party** For those who want to keep the night going, we’ll head to a venue close by for the after party. ⚠️Please bring ID if you plan to join the after party. ✨ Pro tip Try to arrive by 7:30 PM to enjoy the full experience. 🔹 Many people come alone. That’s completely normal here. 🔹 Our hosts are on the floor helping people meet and get involved. 🔹 Most attendees join through our app, so the Meetup “Going” list represents only a small portion of the actual crowd. **[📲 Download our app](https://onelink.to/balancers)** You can connect with people you meet, access ticket deals, track rewards and see the photo gallery from the night. **[💬 Join our WhatsApp Community](https://chat.whatsapp.com/IJKXDkwUTlmDsYTOCIUg7O)** for last-minute updates and reminders. **Our pillars are Openness, Respect, Inclusivity, Kindness and Authenticity**. *Attendance at this event is subject to our [Code of Conduct](https://www.balancers.app/code-of-conduct) and [Terms of Service](https://www.balancers.app/term-of-service). By joining, you may receive emails about Balancers events and community updates. You can unsubscribe at any time.*

Monthly working lunch for Columbus business owners. One specific topic, one to three actions you can run this week. You can be the best at what you do and still be invisible. If local buyers cannot find you, the phone does not ring. Marketing Monday Lunch + Learn is a monthly working lunch for Columbus business owners focused on building relationships, local networking, and local marketing. Every kind of local business welcome. No pitch round, no pressure, no upsell. **This month** Most local businesses pick one or two places to be visible and call it good. The result is inconsistent calls and a feeling that marketing is not working. We will walk through the three places every local business needs to show up, plus the fourth place most owners ignore that quietly produces the warmest leads. **What to expect** Doors open at noon. Order lunch and drinks at the cafe counter or bring your own. You get real conversation with other local owners and a focused marketing lesson. You leave knowing people and with one to three actions to run that week. The room is reserved through 1:30 PM. **Who this is for** Any local business owner who wants clearer marketing direction and real local relationships. Service businesses, retail, home services, professional services, online owners building local presence, anyone serious about being part of the Columbus business community. **Not the right fit if** You are here to pitch the room or recruit for an MLM. **Details** * Second Monday of every month * 12:00 to 1:30 PM * Good Cafe Easton, 4400 Easton Commons, Ste 150, Columbus, OH 43219 * Order lunch and drinks at the counter when you arrive * Free to attend, RSVP required, space is limited **About the host** Rita Suzanne is a local marketing strategist and the founder of Local Marketing Method. She runs Visibility is Profitability, the membership where local business owners build the system that keeps their phone ringing. Learn more at learnlocalmarketing.com. Register here: [https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1989964540509?aff=oddtdtcreator](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1989964540509?aff=oddtdtcreator)

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

Most people use LLMs by feel: ask a question, read the answer, decide whether it “seems good,” and move on. That works for casual use. It does not work when you are building software, automating workflows, writing important documents, or relying on AI for anything that needs to be repeatable. In this talk, we’ll look at how to improve and evaluate the inputs and outputs of LLMs using practical measurement techniques. We’ll cover how prompt changes affect results, how to compare outputs, how to build simple evaluation sets, and how math-based methods like similarity scoring can help you move beyond guesswork. This will be beginner-friendly, so even if you don't know anything about AI, you should get something out of it. However, this will be a little more technical than our intro talks. You do not need to be an AI researcher, but programmers and technically curious attendees will get a lot out of it. We’ll cover: * Why “it looks good” is not enough * How to improve prompts by changing the input, context, and constraints * How to compare LLM outputs more systematically * Basic evaluation techniques for accuracy, consistency, and usefulness * How embeddings, cosine similarity, and scoring can help evaluate results * Where automated evaluation works — and where humans still need to stay in the loop By the end, you’ll have a practical mental model for treating LLMs less like magic and more like systems you can test, measure, and improve. LOGISTICS AND PARKING: The talk starts at 7:00 PM. The first half hour is reserved for everyone to get set up and mingle. Free pizza and drinks! The cheapest parking option is to find street parking, which will only cost you a few bucks. Otherwise, park in the nearby veteran's museum lot for $8. It's highly recommended you avoid the nearby $15 garage parking.

Build your network the fun and productive way! We have had THOUSANDS of amazing connections created at our luncheons over the last 9 years! Join us at the brand new North High Brewing, in Downtown Dublin, every 3rd Monday from 11:30am-1pm! The address is: 56 N High St, Dublin, OH 43017 There is plenty of free parking across the street in the Library Parking lot! All are welcome, and there is no charge for the event. Just purchase your own lunch! Whether you are a new networker, or a seasoned networker, you'll feel welcome from the time you arrive, and leave energized with all of your new connections! Arrive at 11:30am to enjoy some open networking in a very cool location! At 11:45am, everyone will be seated, order their own meals, and get to know their new table-mates! Beginning at noon, we provide the opportunity for all participants to be introduced and welcomed to the group. Having a good conversation and want to stay longer? No problem, we have a private room, so stay as long as you like. We do have a limited amount of space, so RSVP right away and please honor your RSVP! I will keep an eye out and close off the event once we reach capacity. See you at lunch! By attending an event with the CONNECTED Networking Group, Become a Better Networker, and/or Chris Borja, you are granting permission to the CONNECTED Networking Group, Become a Better Networker, Chris Borja, and anyone authorized, to have unlimited right, without charge, to use your likeness in photos, videos, recordings and in all media now known or hereafter created to be used and distributed in perpetuity for promotional and publicity purposes. By attending an event you agree to release the CONNECTED Networking Group, Become a Better Networker, Chris Borja, and anyone authorized, their staff, board of directors, members and their partners from any liability.

You can sleep in on the Sesquicentennial (observed), we’re shifting to the following Friday. But join the local UX community for a chat and some biscuits to catch up. If you were in CA for Figma Config, tell us all the lines and you can tell me how I can animate an SVG without coding it by hand, and why I’d even want to. Thanks to the team at Nationwide of supporting the group.

CONNECTED – Grove City A casual, people-first networking gathering. CONNECTED – Grove City is a casual, people-first networking gathering. Join us for a relaxed, low-pressure space to meet new people, build real relationships, and have meaningful conversations — no sales pitches required. From 7:30–8:30 AM every 3rd Wednesday of the month at the Grove City Business Center. Coffee & baked goods available for purchase at Pick ’Em Up Joe's. Free street & public lot parking behind the building. Free to attend & open to all!

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