Network Engineering

**SPACES ARE LIMITED – BOOK YOUR TICKET BEFORE THE EVENT:** **[https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1987386389189?aff=oddtdtcreator](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1987386389189?aff=oddtdtcreator)** Join us for an exclusive **Legal Networking Event**, bringing together attorneys, legal professionals, and industry leaders for a dynamic evening of **networking and collaboration**. This event is designed to facilitate meaningful connections among legal professionals from diverse practice areas through structured networking opportunities and **one-minute elevator pitches**, where you can showcase your expertise or services. Whether you're looking to expand your professional network, meet potential clients, or exchange industry insights, this event offers the perfect platform to foster new relationships and grow your legal practice. **Highlights:** * **Structured Networking Sessions**: Engage with fellow attorneys, in-house counsel, and legal professionals in targeted networking sessions that maximize opportunities to connect with key industry players. * **1-Minute Elevator Pitches**: Present yourself or your firm in a concise, one-minute pitch to introduce your expertise, services, or legal needs to a receptive audience. * **Open Networking**: Enjoy relaxed, informal networking throughout the event, giving you ample time to connect with professionals from various sectors of the legal industry. **Who Should Attend?** * **Attorneys and Lawyers**: Private practice, in-house counsel, or freelance attorneys looking to connect with peers and expand their professional network. * **Legal Consultants and Advisors**: Network with potential clients and firms that could benefit from your specialized expertise. * **Legal Tech and Service Providers**: Showcase your solutions or services to legal professionals seeking innovative tools and support. * **HR and Compliance Professionals**: Meet attorneys and legal experts who can assist your organization in navigating complex legal challenges. * **Law Students and Young Professionals**: Connect with seasoned lawyers, find potential mentors, and explore opportunities in different legal sectors. **Why Attend?** * **Expand Your Network**: Meet a diverse group of legal professionals, from attorneys and in-house counsel to consultants and legal service providers, all in one place. * **Showcase Your Expertise**: The one-minute elevator pitch gives you a platform to present your legal expertise or services to a targeted audience of professionals looking for collaboration and new opportunities. * **Foster Business Relationships**: This event is a great way to **find new clients, partners, or mentors** and build long-lasting professional relationships. * **Maximize Your Time**: With a structured format focused solely on networking and brief introductions, you’ll be able to make valuable connections without any distractions from panels or presentations. * **Discover New Opportunities**: Whether you’re seeking referrals, partnerships, or mentorship, this event offers the perfect environment to explore and grow your legal practice. Tickets are limited—**reserve your spot now** to connect with top professionals in the legal industry and expand your network! What to join this event and all our future events for **FREE**? Join **The Business Minds Membership** to unlock free entry to all our events, plus exclusive networking opportunities. Learn more: [https://thebusinessminds.co.uk/membership](https://thebusinessminds.co.uk/membership). **AGENDA OF THIS NETWORKING EVENT IN LONDON** 7:00 pm - 7:30 pm: Meet and greet. Upon arrival, ask the receptionist about the business networking event, and they will guide you to our designated area. 8 pm - 8:30 - Presentations 8:30 pm -10 pm: Informal networking Dress code: business smart casual. **Register now - space is limited to 50 attendees only!** **P.S. Click Follow for future event alerts!**

This event is promoted mainly outside of Meetup and we expect around 40 guests **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/exclusive-london-business-networking-director-connector-at-iod-champagne-tickets-1988708910887?aff=meetup](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/exclusive-london-business-networking-director-connector-at-iod-champagne-tickets-1988708910887?aff=meetup)** Network with like minded company directors, founders and entrepreneurs in a reserved area at the Institute of Directors Join **entrepreneurs, directors, investors, and professionals** at the prestigious Institute of Directors in London for high-level connections, strategic partnerships, and premium networking opportunities. Looking to make powerful business connections in London? Join **London Connector®** at the **exclusive Champagne Bar, Institute of Directors (IoD), 116 Pall Mall**, for a premium networking evening in one of the city’s most prestigious venues. This is not your average networking night. Hosted in the historic IoD building, usually reserved for members only, this event gives you a **rare opportunity** to step inside a venue that symbolizes professional prestige and British business excellence. Surrounded by refined interiors and an elegant atmosphere, you’ll be part of an evening designed to help you build **meaningful relationships, discover new opportunities, and grow your network** at the highest level. ## **Who You’ll Meet** Our events are carefully curated to ensure quality conversations and valuable connections. Expect to meet: * **Entrepreneurs & Startup Founders** – looking for investors, collaborators, and strategic partners * **Company Directors, CEOs & Executives** – seeking growth opportunities and alliances * **Investors & Advisors** – scouting new ventures and partnerships * **Professionals across industries** – including tech, finance, law, media, sustainability, marketing, and healthcare * **Business Owners & Consultants** – expanding their client base and building trusted connections Every London Connector® event brings together **forward-thinking, opportunity-driven professionals** who believe in collaboration and supporting one another’s growth. ## **Why Attend?** ✅ **Prestigious Venue Access** – Network at the Champagne Bar inside the Institute of Directors, a landmark in London’s business world that is rarely open to non-members. ✅ **High-Caliber Networking** – Connect with entrepreneurs, decision-makers, and innovators who are shaping the future of business. ✅ **Pre-Event WhatsApp Group** – Start networking before the event with fellow attendees in our private group. ✅ **A Hosted, Structured Evening** – With facilitated introductions and a relaxed yet professional setting, everyone feels included. ✅ **Premium Experience** – Limited capacity (60 guests) ensures quality interactions instead of crowded, impersonal networking. ⚠️ This event has **sold out more than once in the past**. Early booking is strongly advised as tickets are limited and non-refundable. ## **Who Should Attend?** This event is perfect if you are: * An entrepreneur or startup founder seeking investors or collaborators * A director, CEO, or executive looking for new partnerships and opportunities * An investor, consultant, or advisor scouting fresh talent and ideas * A professional in tech, finance, law, sustainability, or marketing expanding your network * A business owner looking to meet like-minded achievers in an elegant setting ## **What Makes London Connector® Events Unique?** Unlike traditional networking events that feel rushed or overcrowded, **London Connector®** creates experiences where genuine conversations and valuable relationships flourish. We focus on **quality over quantity**, ensuring each attendee gets the chance to build connections that matter. Our track record speaks for itself: * Consistently **sold-out events** at prestigious venues * A curated guest list of **decision-makers, entrepreneurs, and investors** * A welcoming atmosphere where introductions are facilitated, and no one feels left out * Post-event connections supported through our curated WhatsApp groups **📲 Exclusive WhatsApp Networking Group** On the day of the event, you will receive an email invitation to join our exclusive attendee WhatsApp group — allowing You to start connecting, arranging meetings, and building relationships before walking through the door. **Event Disclaimer** 📸 Photos and videos may be taken during the event for use across our social media channels and promotional materials. * [United Kingdom Events](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom/events) * [Greater London Events](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom--greater-london/events) * [Things to do in London](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/ttd/united-kingdom--london) * [London networking](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom--london/networking) * [London Business networking](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom--london/business--networking)

Hiya Women in UX! We’re so excited to host our next informal networking drinks of this year, on 8 June! Join us to talk about all things UX design, research, content and... probably AI, let's be honest. 📍We'll meet at Two Floors on Kingly street, right next to Cahoots. When in doubt, ask for Andrea. 🌟If there are no more available spots left here, you can also RSVP ON [EVENTBRITE](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/women-in-ux-june-informal-networking-drinks-tickets-1986946429257?aff=oddtdtcreator). Spaces are limited so book sooner rather than later as it's first come first served. 🍸 Please note that this event isn’t sponsored, so any drinks you order will need to be paid for at the bar. 💌 Stay connected with us by following our [LinkedIn](http://linkedin.com/company/women-in-ux). See you there xx Women in UX

This event is promoted mainly outside of Meetup and we expect around 40 guests **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/exclusive-london-business-networking-director-connector-at-iod-champagne-tickets-1988708910887?aff=meetup](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/exclusive-london-business-networking-director-connector-at-iod-champagne-tickets-1988708910887?aff=meetup)** Network with like minded company directors, founders and entrepreneurs in a reserved area at the Institute of Directors Join **entrepreneurs, directors, investors, and professionals** at the prestigious Institute of Directors in London for high-level connections, strategic partnerships, and premium networking opportunities. Looking to make powerful business connections in London? Join **London Connector®** at the **exclusive Champagne Bar, Institute of Directors (IoD), 116 Pall Mall**, for a premium networking evening in one of the city’s most prestigious venues. This is not your average networking night. Hosted in the historic IoD building, usually reserved for members only, this event gives you a **rare opportunity** to step inside a venue that symbolizes professional prestige and British business excellence. Surrounded by refined interiors and an elegant atmosphere, you’ll be part of an evening designed to help you build **meaningful relationships, discover new opportunities, and grow your network** at the highest level. ## **Who You’ll Meet** Our events are carefully curated to ensure quality conversations and valuable connections. Expect to meet: * **Entrepreneurs & Startup Founders** – looking for investors, collaborators, and strategic partners * **Company Directors, CEOs & Executives** – seeking growth opportunities and alliances * **Investors & Advisors** – scouting new ventures and partnerships * **Professionals across industries** – including tech, finance, law, media, sustainability, marketing, and healthcare * **Business Owners & Consultants** – expanding their client base and building trusted connections Every London Connector® event brings together **forward-thinking, opportunity-driven professionals** who believe in collaboration and supporting one another’s growth. ## **Why Attend?** ✅ **Prestigious Venue Access** – Network at the Champagne Bar inside the Institute of Directors, a landmark in London’s business world that is rarely open to non-members. ✅ **High-Caliber Networking** – Connect with entrepreneurs, decision-makers, and innovators who are shaping the future of business. ✅ **Pre-Event WhatsApp Group** – Start networking before the event with fellow attendees in our private group. ✅ **A Hosted, Structured Evening** – With facilitated introductions and a relaxed yet professional setting, everyone feels included. ✅ **Premium Experience** – Limited capacity (60 guests) ensures quality interactions instead of crowded, impersonal networking. ⚠️ This event has **sold out more than once in the past**. Early booking is strongly advised as tickets are limited and non-refundable. ## **Who Should Attend?** This event is perfect if you are: * An entrepreneur or startup founder seeking investors or collaborators * A director, CEO, or executive looking for new partnerships and opportunities * An investor, consultant, or advisor scouting fresh talent and ideas * A professional in tech, finance, law, sustainability, or marketing expanding your network * A business owner looking to meet like-minded achievers in an elegant setting ## **What Makes London Connector® Events Unique?** Unlike traditional networking events that feel rushed or overcrowded, **London Connector®** creates experiences where genuine conversations and valuable relationships flourish. We focus on **quality over quantity**, ensuring each attendee gets the chance to build connections that matter. Our track record speaks for itself: * Consistently **sold-out events** at prestigious venues * A curated guest list of **decision-makers, entrepreneurs, and investors** * A welcoming atmosphere where introductions are facilitated, and no one feels left out * Post-event connections supported through our curated WhatsApp groups **📲 Exclusive WhatsApp Networking Group** On the day of the event, you will receive an email invitation to join our exclusive attendee WhatsApp group — allowing You to start connecting, arranging meetings, and building relationships before walking through the door. **Event Disclaimer** 📸 Photos and videos may be taken during the event for use across our social media channels and promotional materials. * [United Kingdom Events](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom/events) * [Greater London Events](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom--greater-london/events) * [Things to do in London](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/ttd/united-kingdom--london) * [London networking](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom--london/networking) * [London Business networking](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/d/united-kingdom--london/business--networking)

**Workout with PRIDE (Functional Strength) at Marshall Street, just around the corner from Carnaby S**treet! 💪🌈 Join us for our weekly **WorkOUT With PRIDE** class, designed to boost your functional strength and improve your body’s ability to move efficiently as a whole. Our sessions focus on exercises that engage all planes of movement, incorporating both bodyweight and equipment-based resistance to build strength and coordination. This class is suitable for all fitness levels, so if you’re new, no worries! We’ll break down the big compound movements step by step, ensuring you feel confident before diving into the full workout. At *Workout with Pride*, our goal is for you to leave feeling accomplished, empowered, and more knowledgeable about your fitness journey. 💥 **Class Details:** * **Location:** Marshall St, London W1F 7EL**Time:** Please arrive by **6:30 pm** (changed and ready to go) * **What to Expect:** Full access to changing rooms and showers post-class. Don’t forget to bring a towel and some change for the lockers! When you arrive, just head to reception and let them know you’re there for **Workout with PRIDE**.

Join fellow developers for a fun evening watching Apple’s announcements in their WWDC 2026 keynote, kindly hosted by NewDay. The stream starts at 18:00 and usually runs for about 2 hours. Food and drinks will be available. Please have app/email confirmation ready at reception. Code of Conduct: [https://nslondon.com/coc](https://nslondon.com/coc)

Join us for the **Cloud Native & Open Source AI Conference**, a full-day, in-person event bringing together engineers, architects, platform teams, AI practitioners, technical leaders, and open-source communities working at the intersection of **cloud-native infrastructure, open-source AI, and production-scale systems**. **MAKE SURE TO REGISTER HERE: https://www.communitystack.io/conferences/cloud-native-london USE CODE: CommunityStack for a free ticket** ## Opening Keynote **Evolving the Kubernetes User Experience: More Intuitive, More Extensible, More Agentic** With: **Andrew Randall** — Principal PM, Office of the CPO, Microsoft **Pal Lakatos-Toth** — Senior Product Manager, Microsoft Kubernetes has become the default platform for modern workloads, and increasingly for AI systems. This keynote will explore how the Kubernetes user experience is evolving for both humans learning the platform and AI agents operating within it, with a focus on usability, governance and production readiness. ## Full Conference Programme **09:00 – 09:30** Doors Open **09:30 – 10:15** Opening Keynote: *Evolving the Kubernetes User Experience: More Intuitive, More Extensible, More Agentic* Andrew Randall, Microsoft Pal Lakatos-Toth, Microsoft **10:15 – 11:00** Panel: *From HFT to Enterprise Banking: The Talent War for Cloud Native, Open Source and AI Engineers* Moderated by Ethan Sumner, Community Stack Craig Whiting, RLS Search Jon Freedman, Quant Fin **11:30 – 12:00** *The Massively Parallel Agent Stack* Peter Bhabra, Doubleword **12:00 – 12:30** *Controlling AI Agent Access in Cloud-Native Engineering Workflows* Viola Lykova, nuclecode **12:30 – 13:00** *Preventing Silent Interpretation Errors at Scale* Maebh Booth, Senior Engineering Leader, Former M&S **14:00 – 14:30** *Prompt Driven Platforms: The Future of Self-Service Infrastructure* Salman Iqbal & Amir Tayabali, Appvia **14:30 – 15:00** *Platform as a Product: What Happens When We Treat Security as a User?* Hannah Foxwell, Bimp **15:00 – 15:30** *Beyond the Portal: Architecting AI-Native Platforms with CNOE and MCP* Hossein Salahi, Liquid Reply **16:00 – 16:45** *Intro to Apache Kafka on Aiven: From Managed Simplicity to Inkless Architectures* Hugh Evans, Aiven **16:45 – 17:15** Closing Keynote: *The Age of “Big Tech” is Over* Sean M Tracey, Mitchell Technologies **17:15 – 17:30** Closing Remarks Ethan Sumner, Community Stack Mercedes Moxon Greenfield, Community Stack ## Speakers We are delighted to welcome an exceptional speaker lineup, including: Andrew Randall — Principal PM, Office of the CPO, Microsoft Pal Lakatos-Toth — Senior Product Manager, Microsoft Peter Bhabra — Member of Technical Staff, Doubleword Viola Lykova — Senior Software Engineer, nuclecode Hannah Foxwell — Co-Founder, Bimp Sean M Tracey — Founding Technologist, Mitchell Technologies Craig Whiting — Director, RLS Search Jon Freedman — Chief Technology Officer, Quant Fin Ben Davison — Founder, Axiologik Salman Iqbal — Solutions Architect, Appvia Amir Tayabali — Tech Lead, Appvia Maebh Booth — Senior Engineering Leader, Former M&S Hossein Salahi — Senior Principal Engineer, Liquid Reply Jon Shanks — CEO, Appvia Hugh Evans — Senior Product Advocate, Aiven Ethan Sumner — Co-Founder & CEO, Community Stack Mercedes Moxon Greenfield — Co-Founder & CTO, Community Stack ## Sponsors and Partners This conference is made possible through the support of our sponsors and partners: **Headline Sponsor** BrainStation **Platinum Sponsors** Overmind Appvia Harvey Nash Axiologik **AI Native Sponsor** Nearform **Supporting Sponsors and Partners** RLS Search Doubleword Postman X4 Group Engaging Data BIMP Aiven If you'd like to get involved with a future event, please email: ethan.sumner@communitystack.io

​Join us for an evening of conversation, food, and drinks with Platform Engineering, DevOps, and Engineering leaders exploring how AI is reshaping the future of software delivery and operational scale. ​As organizations move beyond AI experimentation, engineering teams are facing a new challenge: how to operationalize AI safely across the SDLC while maintaining governance, visibility, and developer velocity. ​We’re bringing together leaders building modern engineering platforms inside large-scale environments to discuss what’s actually working, where the market is heading, and the foundational shifts required to support autonomous engineering. ## ​What We’ll Discuss * ​Moving from AI assistants to AI systems that can safely take action * ​The platform engineering infrastructure required to harness the AI-SDLC * ​Governance, context, and control in agentic software environments * ​Real-world lessons from AI Native engineering organizations * ​Where Platform Engineering and Agentic Engineering are heading next ## ​Featured Conversation ​Leaders from Sportradar and Port will share practical stories of agentic engineering. ## ​Event Format * ​Fireside conversation * ​Peer-led discussion * ​Food & drinks * ​Curated networking with engineering leaders ​No product pitches. No lengthy presentations. Just practical conversations with leaders building the future of engineering. ## ​About Port ​Port is the agentic AEP (Agentic Engineering platform) leading companies to autonomous engineering. ​Port brings developers and agents together across the AI-SDLC with a shared Context Lake, Human & Agents collaboration experience, and Guardrails. Engineering teams get the freedom to build their own agentic workflow, without losing control. ​Trusted by engineering teams at GitHub, British Telecom, Yum!, dLocal, LG, and more.

PLEASE NOTE YOU MUST book and pay for your ticket in advance at https://www.londonfintechs.com/ The London Fintechs Committee would like to extend you an invitation to our June 2026 Networking Reception to be held in the private lounge of the Sterling Bar at the World-famous Gherkin and hope you can join us for after-work drinks, their canapés and productive business networking to make new contacts and deals for 2026. We now have over 4000 diverse and relevant London members so it’s the perfect opportunity for making new business connections. See photos from our latest events at https://www.londonfintechs.com/ PLEASE NOTE YOU MUST book and pay for your ticket in advance at https://www.londonfintechs.com/ ALSO PLEASE NOTE we take most of our event bookings through our website and EventBrite so the numbers booked is much larger than displayed on this Meetup page (normally about 50-80 guests).

​Join **AI Signals** and **LangChain Community London** for an evening of technical talks, practical insights, networking, and community conversations around the future of AI applications. ​This meetup brings together developers, founders, researchers, students, product teams, and AI builders to explore how modern AI systems are being designed, deployed, and scaled in the real world. ​The evening will focus on **AI agents, RAG pipelines, LangChain, production-ready AI workflows, storytelling in AI, and practical lessons from people actively building with emerging technologies**. *** ## ​Schedule ​**6:00 PM** — Doors open, pizza, drinks, and networking **6:30 PM** — Welcome ​**6:35 PM** — Anshul Yadav : AI Engineer @ Li & Fung The Agent Is Not the Product: The Harness Is ​**7:00 PM** — Break ​**7:15 PM** — TBD ​​**7:45 PM** — **Lightning Talks: TBD** ​**8:00 PM** — Community networking and closing remarks **9:00 PM** — ​Wrap-up, drinks at [Angel London](https://g.co/kgs/3FVpa2i?utm_source=luma) *** ## ​What to Expect ​The evening will feature technical and practical discussions around: * ​Building reliable AI agents and intelligent workflows * ​RAG pipelines for real-world applications * ​Moving AI prototypes into production * ​Storytelling, design, and user experience in AI products * ​Lessons from AI builders, engineers, product leaders, and community speakers ​Whether you are experimenting with AI agents, deploying RAG systems, exploring LangChain, or simply curious about where AI development is heading, this meetup is designed to help you learn, connect, and contribute. *** ## ​Who Should Attend ​This event is ideal for: * ​Software engineers * ​AI and ML practitioners * ​Product managers * ​Founders and startup teams * ​Researchers and students * ​Designers working with AI products * ​Anyone interested in building practical AI applications ​You’ll gain insight into the tools, architectures, and workflows behind the next generation of intelligent applications, while connecting with the growing London AI and LangChain community. *** ## ​Important Information ​Please note that attendees will not be able to enter the venue before **6:00 PM**. ​RSVPs will close **24 hours before the event**. You may be unable to register after this time, but remote viewing will be available via our YouTube channel. ​Our hosts may require a list of all attendees. Please register using a name that matches your **government-issued ID or bank card**. If your registered name does not match your ID, we cannot guarantee entry to the building. ​If you can no longer attend in person, please un-RSVP so your space can be made available to someone else. *** ## ​About AI Signals ​**AI Signals** is a community focused on exploring the latest developments in artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, and practical AI adoption. It brings together builders, learners, and professionals interested in understanding how AI is shaping the future of work, business, and society. *** ## ​About LangChain Community London ​**LangChain Community London** brings together developers, AI engineers, researchers, and technology enthusiasts interested in building applications powered by large language models, agents, retrieval-augmented generation, and production AI systems. *** ​A huge thank you to our speakers, sponsors, hosts, volunteers, and community members for making this event possible. ​**Secure your place and join us for an evening of learning, collaboration, and AI community energy in London.**

PLEASE NOTE YOU MUST book and pay for your ticket in advance at https://www.privateequitynetwork.co.uk/ The London Family Office & Private Equity Business Networking Committee would like to extend you an invitation to our June 2026 Networking Breakfast to be held in the private lounge of the famous Bonds of Mayfair - and hope you can join us for a delcious pre-work breakfast and productive networking to make new contacts and ideas for 2026+. We now have over 8000 diverse and relevant London members so it’s the perfect opportunity for making new third sector connections. PLEASE NOTE YOU MUST book and pay for your ticket in advance at https://www.privateequitynetwork.co.uk/ ALSO PLEASE NOTE we take most of our event bookings through our website and EventBrite so the numbers booked is much larger than displayed on this Meetup page (normally about 30-50 guests for our breakfast events).

This June we reach the incredible milestone of 100 meetups, and we're heading to Matt's dayjob's great new offices near Old Street to celebrate. The evening includes a session to mark our 100th meetup with some special guests, and drinks and food for everyone. **Schedule** 6:00pm -Arrival 6:45pm - Introductions 7:00pm - The Talks **Matt Saunders & Marc Cluet - London DevOps 100: Some Reflections from the last 100 events with some special guests** To mark the milestone, London DevOps organisers Matt Saunders and Marc Cluet take the stage to look back over the journey from event one to event one hundred. Expect highlights from the talks that shaped the community, the trends that came and went and a few honest reflections on how both London DevOps and DevOps itself have changed over the years. They will be joined by some special guests and familiar old faces from across the last hundred events to share their own memories and stories. Part celebration, part trip down memory lane, and a proper thank you to everyone who has made it what it is. The previously advertised talk from Super Group will not go ahead. **Speak at a future meetup** If you'd like to speak at a future meetup, or if you're able to host or sponsor the event, please fill in this [form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1FYGHEWTeBb5vVztGGg2YoUJmKR03o9mZaFIghf6vjzo/viewform?edit_requested=true) and we'll get back to you.

We are back! This is going to be a monthly IN PERSON meet up in London. A very big thank you goes to Accurx who is hosting us in their amazing Shoreditch offices. This will include access to facilities including coffee! 😻☕️ **Want to know more? 👇** As with all CoffeeOps, this is an interactive, chatty, build your own adventure type of meet-up. Instead of booking in experts to *learn* *from*, we gather a group of practitioners to ***learn*** ***with***. We have been running for over 4 years now and often get feedback that this is the most useful meetup people join! The event is approximately 90 minutes and always starts by brainstorming topics to discuss. The group then votes on the most relevant/interesting to them and we then cycle through the topics trying to discuss each deeply, but in a time bound slot. To get an idea of topics, you can check out our remote board [here](https://easyretro.io/publicboard/h404NF84Uje4tCcxpJdHr4Ycs9B3/a4a35d2b-181b-409b-832e-a729be1af79c). The general gist is anything is fair game, though we tend to revolve around software delivery and definitely lean towards the more Ops-y or DevOps-y side of things.

Most people still use AI like a search box: type one question, get one answer, repeat. But the next step is AI agents: systems that can take a goal, break it into steps, use tools, remember context, and produce useful work for a human to review. In this beginner-friendly session, we’ll demystify what AI agents actually are — without hype or jargon. We’ll walk through practical examples of how agents can help with research, planning, writing, coding, operations, and personal productivity. We’ll cover: * What makes an AI “agent” instead of just a chatbot * How agents break tasks into steps * Where agents are genuinely useful today * Where they fail, hallucinate, or need human review * How to design simple AI workflows for your own work * A live demo of an AI agent-style workflow from start to finish No coding experience required. This is for anyone who wants to understand where AI tools are going and how to use them more effectively right now. 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.

QA or the Highway is a one-day, affordable, regional, professional conference featuring real-world experience and thought leadership in the QA and testing industry. This is a ticketed event please register here: https://www.qaorthehwy.com/ Featured Keynote Speakers: **Matthew-Hope Eland** **(Wizard at Leading EDJE)** \- An AI Specialist and Wizard at Leading EDJE who is known to teach software engineering\, AI\, and data science concepts in the most ridiculous ways possible\. Matt has used machine learning to settle debates over whether Die Hard is a Christmas movie\, reinforcement learning to drive the behavior of digital squirrels\, data analytics to suggest improvements to his favorite TV show\, and AI agents to play board games and create an AI agent with the personality of a dog\. Matt is the author of "Data Science in \.NET with Polyglot Notebooks" and "Refactoring with C\#" as well as several LinkedIn Learning courses\. Matt helps organize the Central Ohio \.NET Developer Group\, runs several blogs and a YouTube channel\, has a Master’s of Science in Data Analytics\, and is a current Microsoft MVP in AI and \.NET\. **Tatyana Arbouzova** **(CEO at Innovate QA)** \- Tatyana Arbouzova is an engineering and business leader with a strong background in Quality Engineering across multiple industries\, including Big Tech\, Healthcare\, and Entertainment\. She has held leadership roles at world\-class companies such as Microsoft\, VMware\, Disney\, and The Pokémon Company International\, where she focused on building quality\-driven cultures and scaling teams to deliver high\-impact products\. With decades of experience\, Tatyana has helped organizations transform their quality practices so teams can deliver software efficiently\, confidently\, and with measurable business outcomes\. Today\, Tatyana advises software companies on adopting AI to optimize quality practices and improve how software is delivered at scale\. She is also a passionate community builder and the founder of Innovate QA\, a thriving Seattle\-based community and conference for quality professionals\.

Topic to be announced. **THANK YOU** *Franklin University* for hosting our meetup! To learn more about *Franklin University*, please visit their website: https://www.franklin.edu/ **DIRECTIONS** Franklin University Fisher Hall 300 E. Main St, Columbus, OH 43215 Map: https://maps.app.goo.gl/jxjBA2hUmS5qrvhq8 Parking is FREE! Please park in Lot C in front of Fisher Hall. See attached map. NOTE: Map the address only. When mapping with Google Maps it may use the Fisher Hall at OSU, which is NOT correct. **Want to sponsor the pizza and/or bar tab?** Please contact me if you would like to sponsor this meetup's pizza and/or bar tab: angelo@mandato.com

**PLEASE BUY TICKETS THROUGH EVENTBRITE. RSVP THROUGH MEETUP IS NOT A TICKET PURCHASE CONFIRMATION.** Strive welcomes you to 'General Business Networking', Columbus' hottest networking event! We are set in the perfect central location in Downtown for all to join. Are you interested in business? Want to elevate your career? Meet Consultants, Analysts of all types, Bankers, Software Engineers, Entrepreneurs, and more who are active in the space or are eager to get started. **\*\*This will be a multi-vertical event\*\*** **There will be professionals with backgrounds in the arts, finance, tech, real estate, healthcare, and more. Come with an open mind, and leave with connections that wouldn't be possible otherwise!** Pack some business cards and come with an open mind! Meet your future business partners, employers, coworkers, investors, and friends. You don't want to miss this opportunity to expand your network and create a brighter future. We will have a space for our event to check-in. The event will go from 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM (feel free to come at any point in this timeframe). Name tags will be provided. Business casual dress code. Job fair attire. **Remember, it's not who you know, it's who you meet tomorrow!** We look forward to meeting you at the event! Sincerely, Strive Networking Team *Refund requests are permitted up to 24 hours after purchase, so long as we are not within 48 hours before the event start time. Refunds will be made in full and repaid to your method of payment. Note that we are unable to reimburse PayPal fees.* *Disclaimer: By attending Strive Networking events you agree to photos/videos taken during the event being used to promote future events.*

**The Behavior Gap: Where Products Win or Lose** Teams today have more data than ever, and yet many still struggle to understand why customers adopt, engage with, or abandon their products. Teams sprint, ship faster, and chase more signals… all while metrics stall and confidence drops. The missing piece isn’t more data. It’s often the behavioral insight between the metrics, explaining why the numbers move in the first place. Dashboards can tell you what customers did, but understanding why they did it (and how to influence what they do next) requires a deeper blend of insights. This session is about closing that gap. Drawing from real-world experience designing and scaling products as [ZoCo Design](https://zocodesign.com/)’s CEO, [Lacey](https://www.linkedin.com/in/laceypicazo/) will share how to cut through the noise and identify the insights that actually change behavior—moving people, and moving metrics. You’ll learn: * Why understanding customer behavior is a quant and qual challenge * How to spot the signals that actually predict behavior change * Where AI accelerates insight, and where it creates distraction * How to get meaningfully closer to customers, without adding more tools This talk reframes how to evaluate performance and identify what levers actually improve it, helping your team to make smarter bets with greater confidence. Every meaningful outcome is driven by behavior change. And when you know how to design for behavior, you stop guessing, and start building things that work. **About Our Speaker** [Lacey Picazo](https://www.linkedin.com/in/laceypicazo/) is the Founder and CEO of ZoCo, a healthcare product studio that turns complex, high-stakes ideas into products that drive real-world adoption. She partners with healthcare organizations to uncover critical care delivery insights, focus product strategy through behavior design, and build solutions that patients and providers actually use. Thanks to our 2026 sponsors: [Clarivoy](https://www.clarivoy.com), [What Box Consulting Group](https://www.whatboxconsultinggroup.com), [Conductrics](https://www.conductrics.com), and [Piwik PRO](https://piwik.pro) More info at [cbusdaw.com](https://cbusdaw.com)

We are bringing Microsoft Build sessions to Columbus Ohio! The Central Ohio Azure Meetup and Central Ohio .NET Developer's Group (CONDG) are coming together to bring some of the labs and breakouts from Microsoft Build to your backyard. In this free, 1 day event, you are going to Build stuff with us! And yes, there will be free food. So please RSVP for a head count!