PHP Framework

🎉 Come along to the London Scala Talks! 🎉 In this event you'll hear from Caroline Morton and Katrina Petrevice. **Agenda** 6:00pm - 🥤 Doors open. Come along and grab a drink! 6:35pm - 🗣️ Introduction 6:40pm - 🗣️ Katrina Petrevice: Caching in Scala using Ref 7:20pm - 🍕 Intermission: Join us for some free food and drinks! Vegan and vegetarian options are provided. Let us know if you'd like something special - we'd be happy to accommodate. 7:50pm - 🗣️ Caroline Morton: Accidental Functional Programming in Rust (From an Epidemiologist's Perspective) 8:30pm - 🥤 Socialising: Grab a drink and let's discuss the talks. 9:00pm - 🍻 Join us in a pub to discuss the talks! 🌐 **This event may have a live stream** Watch this space for more details. **🗣️ Katrina Petrevice: Caching in Scala using Ref** Caching in memory is often one of the first strategies used to improve system performances. However, implementing caching in a purely functional way introduces unique challenges, specifically around state management and testability. In this talk, we will look at how to utilise functional programming principles with [Ref](https://typelevel.org/cats-effect/docs/std/ref), while maintaining clarity and composability. We will also deep dive into some common pitfalls and look into practical ways to test Ref effectively. ⭐ Katrina Petrevice ⭐ Katrina comes from a non–computer science background and was first introduced to Scala while working at JPMorgan. She credits much of her Scala knowledge to hands-on experience within her team, where she works on building and maintaining data pipelines and managing data systems. Since then, she has developed a strong interest in functional programming and now co-leads the Functional Programming Group at JPMorgan, where she helps share knowledge and foster a community around these ideas. **🗣️ Caroline Morton: Accidental Functional Programming in Rust (From an Epidemiologist's Perspective)** I don't have a background in functional programming - and I never set out to write it. But somewhere between writing trait-based epidemiological pipelines, composing data transformations, and leaning hard on Result, enums, and pattern matching, I started hearing from others: “That's pretty functional.” In this talk, I'll explore what it means to write “functional-ish” Rust as someone solving real-world scientific problems. I'll walk through the patterns I reach for - like chaining iterators, avoiding shared state, and embracing expressive types - and reflect on which functional programming ideas emerge naturally in Rust, even if you're not trying. I'll also share how designing for epidemiologists - most of whom are used to chaining functions in Python (like Pandas) or R - has pushed me toward creating ergonomic Rust APIs with Python and R bindings. These tools aim to feel familiar to scientists while leveraging Rust's power and safety under the hood. This is a talk for functional programmers curious about Rust, and for Rustaceans wondering if they've been functional all along. No formal theory required - just real code, real use cases, and a pragmatic perspective from someone building public health tools in Rust. ⭐ Caroline Morton ⭐ Dr. Caroline Morton is a medical doctor, epidemiologist, software engineer, and PhD candidate specialising in synthetic data, epidemiology, and Rust. With 60 peer-reviewed papers and two books on software, she combines deep technical expertise with a commitment to improving scientific workflows. Caroline co-founded the first [Women in Rust](https://www.meetup.com/women-in-rust/) group, fostering diversity and encouraging more women to explore opportunities in systems programming. She leads an open-source project improving codelist management in epidemiology using Rust, creating efficient, reliable tools for health data research. Her PhD focuses on synthetic data methods for epidemiology, particularly using Rust to generate large, realistic datasets. A strong advocate for open science and reproducibility, she contributes extensively to improving software practices through publications, workshops, and open-source projects. ———————————————————— 🗣️ Would you like to present, but are not sure how to start? Give a talk with us and you'll receive mentorship from a trained toastmaster! Get in touch through [this form](https://forms.gle/zv5i9eeto1BsnSwe8) and we'll get you started 🏡 Interested in hosting or supporting us? Please get in touch through [this form](https://forms.gle/3SX3Bm6zHqVodBaMA) and we can discuss how you can get involved. 📜 All London Scala User Group events operate under the [Scala Community Code of Conduct](https://www.scala-lang.org/conduct/). We encourage each of you to report the breach of the conduct, either anonymously through [this form](https://forms.gle/9PMMorUWgBnbk1mm6) or by contacting one of our team members. We guarantee privacy and confidentiality, as well as that we will take your report seriously and react quickly.

For our May meetup, we're delighted to be back at the fabulous Accurx offices. We have two amazing talks lined up and the agenda will be: * 6:30pm - arrive, drinks, networking * 7:00pm - Welcome & Housekeeping * 7:15pm - **Talk** **1: "A practical guide to inner sourcing your IDP"** Bridging the gap between developers and platform teams is hard. Scattered documentation, fragmented language and hidden knowledge leave developers frustrated, while platform teams struggle to understand what devs really need. Treating platforms as products is a start, but treating them like open source projects unlocks real collaboration, allowing developers to contribute and maintain features. In her roles as Developer Advocate and platform engineer, Lian has years of experience working with highly bureaucratic organisations helping to improve developer experience and adoption. In this talk, she’ll share concrete steps to identify contribution opportunities, set up maintainable processes, and measure engagement. You’ll leave inspired with ideas to boost adoption, reduce friction, and turn your platform into a collaborative, thriving ecosystem. **Speaker:** Lian Li, Cloud Native Human *Lian always wanted to save the world. After leaving law school, she decided to work with computers instead. While in Web Dev, she started attending tech events, and soon fell in love with the community. In her roles as Consultant and DevRel, Lian combined technical knowledge with a focus on the human side.* *Currently, Lian works as freelance Platform Engineer in Amsterdam and is the Chief Karaoke Officer for Kuberoke, the first and only Kubernetes Karaoke Community. She also enjoys performing in musical improvisation theatre and standup comedy shows.* * 7.45pm - food, more drinks & networking * 8.00pm - **Talk** **2: "The Humans Behind the Platform: Structuring Teams for Culture and Capability**" It’s easy to focus on the tech when building a Platform team, and that’s tremendously important, but it’s often the people and how they work together that determine success. Over the past couple of years, Claire has led a Platform Engineering Team through different formations, migrations, and tooling adoptions. Whatever shape the team has taken, whatever they're working on, the constants have been a need for clear purpose and a culture where people can thrive, this takes work, and has sometimes been tricky to get right. In this talk, she’ll share what she's learned from shaping and supporting platform teams: what’s worked (and what hasn’t) when it comes to team composition, balancing seniority, and supporting career growth. Collaboration is central to how to operate, so she’ll talk about how her team works with and supports internal customers, and what’s helped to navigate complex, knotty migration projects. She’ll also cover how they built a culture that gives engineers space to lead. We want engineers at every level to feel confident taking ownership, and that takes deliberate effort. If you’re figuring out how to shape your platform teams to enable others as well as deliver, this talk will offer practical ideas, and maybe a few things to rethink. **Speaker:** Claire Reckless, Engineering Manager *Claire is an Engineering Manager and leads a Platform Engineering Team. With a background spanning Tech Support, Testing, and QA across sectors like Finance and Security, she brings a deep appreciation for resilient systems and collaborative teams. Claire is passionate about learning and development, and she’s especially proud of her past work coordinating an apprentice programme, an initiative that’s helped build a more diverse and sustainable pipeline of engineering talent. She’s energised by helping engineers at all levels grow their confidence, take ownership, and shape the future of their teams.* * 8.30pm onwards - drinks and networking. So, please come and join us, we look forward to seeing you there. The LOPUG team. * Food and drinks provided * Good time will be had by all

**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/african-connector-london-africa-focused-networking-event-tickets-1988226075714?aff=meetup](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/african-connector-london-africa-focused-networking-event-tickets-1988226075714?aff=meetup)** African Connector® London: curated networking for Africa-focused professionals, founders & investors. Build partnerships and opportunities. ### **What is African Connector®?** African Connector® is a **carefully designed business networking experience** in London for professionals, founders, investors, and advisors connected to African markets. It brings together a **relevant mix of people with aligned interests**, creating an environment where conversations are more meaningful and introductions more valuable. The focus is on quality over quantity—encouraging discussions that can lead to partnerships, investments, and long-term opportunities. There are no panels or presentations—just a **natural, professional setting** where conversations flow and connections develop organically. **Who should attend?** * Founders and entrepreneurs working in or with Africa * Investors (Angel, VC, Family Offices) exploring African opportunities * Corporate professionals, consultants, and advisors * Anyone interested in Africa-focused business, trade, and innovation **Why attend?** In London, the best opportunities come through the right introductions—not chance encounters. African Connector® creates a space where conversations are intentional, relevant, and commercially valuable. ## **Event Details 🕒** 📅 **Date:** 13th May ⏰ **Time:** 17:00 – Event Start 📍 **Location:** 2 Chesham Hotel, Belgravia, London ✔️ Fully hosted ✔️ Free-format networking (no panels or presentations) ✔️ Curated guest list for quality connections ## **What to expect** * High-level networking with like-minded professionals * A relaxed but purposeful atmosphere * Conversations that can lead to partnerships, investments, and new opportunities ## **Bonus Access** Your ticket also includes entry to **London Connector®**, taking place later the same evening—expanding your network across a broader professional audience. ## **📲 WhatsApp Group** On the day of the event, attendees will receive an email invitation to join the exclusive Ukrainian Connector® WhatsApp group to continue conversations before and after the event. ## **👔 Dress Code** Business attire or smart casual. No T-shirts or trainers. ## **ℹ️ Refund Policy** Advance tickets are discounted and non-refundable but may be reassigned to another person if you are unable to attend. ### **Event Disclaimer 📸** Photos and videos may be taken during the event for use across social media 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)

We're delighted to announce an exciting LSCC event on Wednesday 13th May, in partnership with our friends at Zopa Bank! Join us at the Zopa Canary Wharf office in London for this session and get the chance to flex your architectural design muscles! "So how are we supposed to get great architects, if they only get the chance to architect fewer than a half-dozen times in their career?" — Ted Neward. This quote highlights the need for practice, which is what our LSCC architecture katas provide: a safe, repeatable way to hone your software architecture design skills by simulating architectural challenges. **What's the format?** You'll be split into groups and have a business problem to solve. You'll be tasked with designing a technical architecture to meet that problem context. As with real-life you'll have to manage various trade-offs in your design and interact with a Product Owner to clarify your questions. At the end of the task each team will showcase their architecture and technology choices back to the wider group as part of a group discussion. Whether you're a seasoned coder, software architect or new to the scene, you're invited to share insights, discuss best practices, and learn from fellow participants. No prior session attendance or architecture knowledge is required – just bring your enthusiasm. No laptop is required for this session, we'll provide each group with paper, pens and sticky notes to support the activity. Thank you to the Codurance team that will run the event at Zopa Bank's office. Find out more at https://www.codurance.com/ Food and drinks will be provided with vegetarian, vegan and non-alcoholic options available - thanks to Zopa Bank for sponsoring refreshments and hosting in their great office. **About Zopa** Founded in 2020 with a full banking licence and backed by some of Silicon Valley’s most iconic investors, digital bank Zopa is building the Home of Money. This is a place where financial products deliver good value and managing money is made effortless; deep and long-lasting relationships mean customers are left confident about their choices. One of the UK’s highest rated and most celebrated financial brands, Zopa has been recognised with over 10 British Bank Awards, holds a Trustpilot rating of 4.6/5, and has one of the highest customer satisfaction scores in the industry. Zopa Bank Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. https://www.zopa.com/ We look forward to seeing you soon!

**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/international-trade-connector-global-trade-business-networking-event-tickets-1988226778817?aff=meetup](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/international-trade-connector-global-trade-business-networking-event-tickets-1988226778817?aff=meetup)** Connect with global trade experts at our London International Trade & Business Networking event. Build partnerships & grow your business **The Business Networking Event for Global Ambition** The International Trade Connector® is the ultimate networking event for entrepreneurs, business professionals, and solution providers who are ready to think beyond borders. ✈️🌐 Whether you're exploring new international markets, navigating cross-border operations, or offering services that support global expansion, this event connects you with the right people to accelerate your success. 🤝 ### **Sponsored by APGB Boutique Consultancy** APGB is a specialised London-based advisory firm connecting UK investors with development projects across Portuguese-speaking African countries. 🇦🇴🇲🇿🇨🇻 They also support businesses from Africa and the UK in securing investors, entering new markets, and scaling internationally. 📈 Expect meaningful conversations, practical insights, and high-value connections to help you build partnerships, discover solutions, and expand your global footprint. 🌏✨ **Join us to connect with like-minded professionals and build the bridges you need to thrive internationally.** 🌉 ## **👥 Who Is This Event For?** Ideal for professionals involved in global growth and international business, including: * 🚀 **Entrepreneurs, Startups & SMEs** expanding abroad * 🌐 **International Trade Specialists** * ⚖️ **Legal & Compliance Experts** * 💼 **Tax & Accounting Professionals** * 🧭 **Market Entry & Localization Consultants** * 🚚 **Logistics & Supply Chain Experts** * 🎯 **Marketing & Branding Agencies** * 🌎 **Recruitment & HR Professionals** * 🏢 **International Real Estate & Infrastructure Advisors** * 💳 **Financial Institutions & Fintech Providers** * 💻 **Technology Companies** enabling cross-border operations * 🏛️ **Government & Trade Bodies** * 💸 **Investors & Venture Capitalists** * 🎓 **Education & Training Providers** * 📰 **Media, PR & Communications Professionals** * 🤝 **Network Builders & Global Community Leaders** A diverse, high-energy environment designed to inspire collaboration and global opportunities. ## **📱 Exclusive WhatsApp Networking Group** All confirmed attendees receive access to a dedicated WhatsApp group, opened **24 hours before the event**. Inside the group, you can: * 👋 Introduce yourself early * 💬 Discuss your goals and challenges * 📅 Plan who you'd like to meet in advance A simple way to maximise your networking success. ## **🎙️ Meet the Host** **Alice Santos**, founder of **APGB**, a market-entry consultancy specialising in Lusophone countries (Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, São Tomé and Príncipe, Guinea-Bissau). APGB connects professionals, projects, and opportunities — supporting compliance, partnerships, and sustainable growth. 🌱🌍 ## **🎉 Complimentary Access to London Connector®** Your ticket includes **free entry** to the London Connector® event from **6pm**. Two synergistic events, **one ticket** — double the connections, double the opportunities! 🔗✨ ## **📲 WhatsApp Group** On the day of the event, attendees will receive an email invitation to join the exclusive Ukrainian Connector® WhatsApp group to continue conversations before and after the event. ## **👔 Dress Code** Business attire or smart casual. No T-shirts or trainers. ## **ℹ️ Refund Policy** Advance tickets are discounted and non-refundable but may be reassigned to another person if you are unable to attend. ### **Event Disclaimer 📸** Photos and videos may be taken during the event for use across social media 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)

Register: [https://luma.com/hack-night-tessl-may13-2026?utm_source=neo4j](https://luma.com/hack-night-tessl-may13-2026?utm_source=neo4j) ## What's Hack Night? ​Five hours. One room full of builders. Zero fluff. As many demos as we can. ​Hack Night at Tessl is a London evening for people who would rather build than posture. You show up with an idea, find a team if you want one, spend a few focused hours shipping with a DJ in the background, and demo what you made before the night ends. Then we head to the pub. ​**When**: May 13\, 2026 \| 4:00 PM \- 8:45 PM BST **Where**: Tessl office, London ## Here's How It Works ​**4:00 PM - Doors Open** Check in, grab food, meet other builders, form groups, (or solo hack if you want) and decide what you're making. ​**4:30 PM - Opening Context** Quick welcome from the host and venue partner so everyone knows the flow for the night. ​**5:00 PM - Short Technical Remarks** If there are host or sponsor remarks, they stay short. The point is to get useful context, then get people building. ​**5:30 PM - Build Time** Heads down. Music on. Ship something. Use the time to test an idea, explore a tool, or finally build the thing you've been sitting on. ​**7:30 PM - Demo Time** Show what you made. Get feedback. See what everyone else shipped. ​**8:45 PM - Wrap Up** Final demos, shout-outs, and a clean finish to the night. And of course, Pub! We're heading to a pub nearby for a pint and a proper debrief. Come if you want to keep the conversation going.

**Bites & Bytes #1 - DevOps Talks, Networking & Snacks** Join us for the first **Bites & Bytes**, a casual DevOps-focused community evening in central London. This event brings together engineers, tech leads, and anyone interested in DevOps to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and connect with others in the space. **What to expect** * Practical technical talks * Real-world DevOps experiences and demos * Opportunity to network with other engineers * Food and relaxed atmosphere **Confirmed speakers** 1\. Moustafa Mneimneih \- Shift Down to Speed Up 2\. James Williams \- Syonara Ingress Nginx **Who should attend** * Engineers working with DevOps, cloud or platform engineering * Tech leads and engineering managers * Anyone interested in modern software delivery practices.

MCP is changing how developers build with AI, but we're just scratching the surface. Join us for an evening of talks that go beyond retrieval to explore what's actually possible when you give agents real tools, real constraints and real APIs. **Agenda** ​6:00 PM - Doors open, registration and networking ​6:10 PM - Welcome (Upsun & Cloudflare) ​6:20 PM - MCP: Context is Everything! - Carly Richmond, Elastic ​6:45 PM - Sandboxes: how to limit agents so we can use them more - Patrick Dawkins, Upsun ​7:00 PM - Break (Food & Drinks) ​7:30 PM - Cooking with MCP in VS Code - Liam Hampton, Microsoft ​7:55 PM - Efficient tools with MCP code mode - Confidence Okoghenun, Cloudflare ​8:15 PM - Open networking and drinks ​9:00 PM - Close 🗣️ ​**Talks** ​**MCP: Context is Everything! - Carly Richmond (Developer Advocate Lead, Elastic)** ​MCP is a powerful tool for giving LLMs capabilities to not just retrieve information, but to automate key actions based on relevant data. Let’s see how it can be used for retrieving relevant context and other activities such as observability. ​**Efficient tools with MCP code mode - Confidence Okoghenun (Senior Developer Advocate, Cloudflare)** ​Traditional MCP approaches choke on context windows: Cloudflare's 2,500+ endpoint API would require 1.17 million tokens. Code Mode flips the script by having LLMs write code against typed APIs instead of making direct tool calls, achieving 99.9% token reduction. Come learn how code mode works and how to optimize your MCP tools with it. ​**Sandboxes: how to limit agents so we can use them more - Patrick Dawkins (Principal Engineer, Upsun)** ​We want our agents to run longer and use more tools, but we're hampered by constant prompts for approval. Sandboxes are the practical middle ground: isolate the agent so you can stop watching every command and let it work. This talk covers what "sandbox" means, who provides them today and the Linux primitives that let you build one yourself. ​**Cooking with MCP in VS Code - Liam Hampton (Senior Cloud Advocate, Microsoft)** ​In this session Liam will show you how VS Code is fully supporting the MCP spec, from MCP Apps to sandboxing and elicitations. 📅 **Date and Time:** Thursday, May 14, from 6:00-9:00 PM 📍 **Location:** Cloudflare Address: 6th Floor, County Hall/The, Riverside Building, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 7PB, UK 👉 You can also register here: https://luma.com/eb8j6lhu ⚠️ Please make sure you provided your full name (no nicknames or abbreviations will be allowed) and to bring your ID card as it will be mandatory to show it upon check-in to security. Entry will be first come, first served. We recommend arriving early to make sure you get in. **⚡️ Interested in giving a talk? ⚡️** Have you ever considered presenting on your Elastic use case? We welcome 5-10 minute lightning talks, 45-minute deep dives, and everything in between. If you're interested, please submit via our [CFP](https://sessionize.com/elastic-meetups/) or send us an email at [meetups@elastic.co.](http://meetups@elastic.co./)

**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/sustainability-networking-london-investors-founders-meetup-tickets-1988483090452?aff=meetup](https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/sustainability-networking-london-investors-founders-meetup-tickets-1988483090452?aff=meetup)** London sustainability networking for founders, investors & professionals. Build partnerships and grow valuable connections. ## **What is Sustainability Connector®?** Sustainability Connector® is a premium business networking event in London for founders, investors, professionals, and advisors focused on sustainability, ESG, innovation, and responsible growth. It brings together a high-quality mix of people with shared interests across sustainable business, impact investing, clean innovation, and future-focused industries. The environment is designed for meaningful conversations, valuable introductions, and real opportunities. The focus is on quality over quantity—helping attendees build partnerships, secure investment, and create long-term business relationships. There are no panels or presentations—just a professional setting where conversations flow naturally and connections happen organically. ## **Who Should Attend?** * Founders and entrepreneurs building sustainable businesses * Investors, angels, VCs, and family offices seeking ESG and impact opportunities * Corporate professionals, consultants, and advisors in sustainability and innovation * Anyone interested in future-focused business, growth, and responsible investment ## **Why Attend?** In London, the right introductions can create real opportunities. As sustainability becomes a priority for investors, companies, and consumers, this event is highly relevant for those building the next generation of responsible businesses. Sustainability Connector® creates a setting where conversations are intentional, relevant, and commercially valuable. ## **Event Details 🕒** 📅 **Date:** 14th May ⏰ **Time:** 17:00 – Event Start 📍 **Venue:** U9, Piccadilly, London ✔️ Fully hosted ✔️ Free-format networking ✔️ Curated guest list for high-value connections ## **What to Expect** * High-level networking with sustainability-focused professionals * Relaxed but purposeful atmosphere * Conversations that can lead to partnerships, investment, and growth ## **Bonus Access** Your ticket also includes entry to **London Connector®**, taking place later the same evening—giving you access to a wider professional audience. ## **📲 WhatsApp Group** On the day of the event, attendees will receive an invitation to join the exclusive event WhatsApp group to continue conversations before and after the event. ## **👔 Dress Code** Business attire or smart casual. No T-shirts or trainers. ## **ℹ️ Refund Policy** Advance tickets are discounted and non-refundable but may be transferred to another person if you are unable to attend. ## **📸 Event Disclaimer** Photos and videos may be taken during the event for use across social media 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)

**CUDDLE WORKSHOP** **The UK's Longest Running Cuddle Event - 16 years!** **with Anna Shekory (Fortes)** Cuddle Workshops are bursting with fun, connection, deep relaxation, nervous system support, laughter and healing. We include playful light exercises to help everyone relax, boundary and consent practice, some real heart warming exercises and our famously popular Cuddle Pods (where you get to receive your own cuddle wishes from your small group). Whether you're a nervous beginner or a cuddle connoisseur, come and join us! This is a prebook only event. You're welcome to book through Meetup or pay directly using PayPal (without additional booking fees) - just use the email address anna@CuddleWorkshop.co.uk and state the workshop date. \*Please email us first if you do this to ensure there are spaces and so that you get booked in\* Concessions are available on request. www.cuddleworkshop.co.uk **\*\*\*You'll get an email a few days before the workshop with directions and details of what to bring/wear etc. Please contact Anna if you don't receive it\*\*\*** Please note: The number of people indicated as 'attending' on Meetup will not reflect the true number attending. We generally have between 25 - 30 people, with a roughly equal gender split, and workshops are confidential and will never be photographed or filmed.

Join us for an informal evening of experimenting, building, and sharing ideas around Umbraco and AI. Whether you're curious about AI-powered content generation, the Umbraco MCP Server, AI-assisted development workflows, or other AI innovations in Umbraco - this is your chance to experiment, learn, and build alongside fellow community members in a relaxed, supportive environment. Bring your laptop, your curiosity, and anything you’ve been meaning to try. You can come with a specific idea, jump into something with others, or just tinker and learn as you go. There’s no strict agenda, just a relaxed space to collaborate, swap ideas, and make progress together. We’ll kick things off with a quick intro, then open the floor for hacking, discussion, and demos. If you end up building something cool (or even just interesting), you’ll have the chance to share it with the group at the end. **EVENT HOSTS** [Novicell](https://www.novicell.com/uk/services/software-development/umbraco/) (Umbraco Gold Partner) have kindly agreed to provide refreshments and host us for the evening in their offices in Shoreditch. If you think you will be making it, please sign up ASAP. Novicell's offices are 21-33 Great Eastern St, London EC2A 3EJ in a building called Fora, approximately an 8 min walk from Liverpool St and Old St stations. If you arrive between 6:00 and 6:15pm there will be someone to meet you in reception with instructions. If you arrive later you might need to phone us to be let in: we shall email all attendees with the contact numbers on the day. **CODE OF CONDUCT** Please read the [Code of Conduct](https://bit.ly/UmbLondonCodeOfConduct) for all our events.

Shaping our future with AI. Creating opportunity through AI fluency, connection and community. No jargon. No hype. No confusing terminology. NOTE: This event will be focussed on the changing shape of software development. Everyone is welcome to attend but the content will be somewhat technical. **Join us for our next in-person meetup in London on Thursday May 14th.** Our theme for this meetup is **Reimagining Software Development with AI.** We're going to take a step back and think about the role we, the humans, play in the software development process now that coding agents have arrived. This event provides a small glimpse of the future, from the innovators who are challenging everything and rebuilding the process of software development from the ground up, with humans at the centre! **Where and When?** * Thursday, May 14th * Doors open at 18:00 * Talks start at 19:00 * AutogenAI, 123 Pentonville Rd, London N1 9LG **Talk 1: The Validation Gap: We Need A Better Way To Review AI Generated Code** (Robert Werner, Co-Founder & CTO Leapter) AI coding is fast. We're generating more code than ever. But more code means more code to verify, and agentic workflows are scaling that gap faster than review processes can keep up. The bottleneck didn't disappear. It moved from writing code to verifying logic. For most generated code, you can ship, test, and iterate. But what if we need to be sure? What about the code that runs our financial systems or decides if you qualify for a loan? It has to be right. Hope is not a strategy, we need to better ways to review code. In this talk Robert will share his recent innovations, experiments and insights with you. **About Robert:** Robert Werner is the CTO of an AI startup dedicated to shaping the future of AI-native software development. He has over 20 years experience focussed on Software Engineering, Developer Experience and Transformational Platform Engineering, across Fortune 500 companies and FinTechs. **Talk 2: Narrative Engineering: What Cognitive Science Actually Tells Us About Building with LLMs** (Sal Kimmich, Security Architect at Gadfly AI) We keep treating LLMs like search engines that hallucinate. That is the wrong category, and it produces the wrong engineering. LLMs are narrative generators. They do not retrieve facts or execute logic. They complete stories. That distinction is not philosophical. It determines what kind of system you can build with them and what kind you cannot. Neuroscience has been studying probabilistic, distributed, narrative-generating systems for decades. Most of the LLM engineering field is ignoring that work. This talk walks through cyberneutics, an open source methodology and repository built on the premise that we need a new engineering discipline for narrative computing the way software engineering emerged from symbolic computing. The theoretical foundations come from second-order cybernetics, distributed cognition, and Minsky's Society of Mind. The empirical validation comes from 2025 mechanistic interpretability research showing that reasoning models internally simulate multi-agent dialogue to reason better. The practical techniques come from iterative practice: adversarial committees, pipeline algebra with formal quality propagation, observer-aware interaction design. Three real lessons for practitioners building agentic systems: reliability is a property of the pipeline, not the prompt; repetition is latent space exploration, not failure; and if you want auditable AI reasoning, you need to externalise the dialogue structure, because the transcript is the explainability artifact. The discipline does not exist yet. This is what building it looks like. **About Sal:** Sal is a developer advocate for open source and passionate about helping engineers, ethical hackers and digital enthusiasts understand the complexity of modern software development. With over a decade of experience as building cloud-native machine learning pipelines in the healthcare and tech for good sectors, their work is now focused on filling the cracks in the open source software supply chain to build a better digital future for all of us. **Thanks!** We'd like to thank our sponsors [Leapter ](http://leapter.com/)and AutogenAI for making this event possible. **Code of Conduct** This event has a code of conduct that you can [review here.](https://aifortherestofus.live/code-of-conduct) By joining the community and registering for this event you agree to abide by our code of conduct. **Providing Your Name and Email** To register for this event you'll be asked to provide your email address. After the event you will be automatically subscribed to the newsletters from *AI for the rest of us* and Leapter GmbH. You can unsubscribe at any time (But why would you? They are really very good!)

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.

✨🎊 Welcome to DSF Big Birthday Bash 🎊✨ THE TICKET BALLOT IS NOW OPEN! Click the link below to enter the ballot 👇 [Click here!!!](https://datasciencefestival.com/event/big-birthday-bash-2026/?utm_source=social&utm_medium=meetup&utm_campaign=bigbdaybash) Join us on Saturday 16th May 2026, for our 12th Festival, at our London home CodeNode, celebrating DSF turning 10, for one day only! Enter the ticket ballot to be in with a chance of attending. 600 lucky people will get to attend this event for free 🎟️ 40 speakers, 4 stream rooms, 14 partners, lunch, swag bags, and an entire day to learn, mingle, and be inspired! Event time: 08:15 AM - 18:00 PM Venue address: CodeNode, 10 South Pl, London, EC2M 7EB Nearest tube station: Moorgate or Liverpool Street Schedule and speaker details are updated weekly [here.](https://datasciencefestival.com/event/big-birthday-bash-2026/?utm_source=social&utm_medium=meetup&utm_campaign=bigbdaybash) Please note this event will not be streamed, so please ensure you apply for a ballot ticket to watch these sessions live. **PLEASE NOTE: CLICKING ATTENDING ON MEETUP DOES NOT GIVE YOU ACCESS TO THIS EVENT. PLEASE FOLLOW THE LINK ABOVE OR BELOW TO REGISTER FOR TICKETS**. Ticketing: Due to the popularity of Data Science Festival events, we are now allocating event tickets via a random ballot. Registering enters you into the ticket ballot for DSF Big Birthday Bash on Saturday 16th May 2026. The ballot will be drawn throughout the month of April 2026. If you have not received a ticket by May 7th 2026, unfortunately, you have been unsuccessful in getting a ticket. Those who are randomly selected will then be e-mailed tickets for the event. Please read how the ticketing works in full here. ([[https://datasciencefestival.com/2024/01/01/dsf-tickets-101-mayday-2024/](https://datasciencefestival.com/2024/01/01/dsf-tickets-101-mayday-2024/)]([https://datasciencefestival.com/2024/01/01/dsf-tickets-101-mayday-2024/](https://datasciencefestival.com/2024/01/01/dsf-tickets-101-mayday-2024/))) Event details: 🎟️ Please bring your ticket (a paper copy or on your phone) to the event to check in with your QR code. Tickets are non-transferable. Arrive before 10:00 AM for guaranteed entry. ☕️ There is no breakfast at the venue, however, there is tea, coffee, and water provided throughout the day. Lunch is also provided. Soft drinks and alcohol can be purchased from SpaceBar at Code Node. ⌚️ Doors will open at 8:15 AM sharp and attendee registration will begin at this time on Saturday 16th May 2026. Speaker sessions begin at 9:00 AM, but please arrive at least 45 minutes before the conference begins, to make sure you enter the event on time. Arrive before 10:00 AM for guaranteed entry. 📛 Please pick up your badge, schedule and SWAG bag at the registration table on the ground floor. 🤝 There will be networking at the Spacebar from 17:00 - 18:00 PM so come and say hello! FAQ will be live in April 2026. Please take some time to review this ahead of the event. Check out last year's DSF Game On here: [https://datasciencefestival.com/event/game-on-2025/](https://datasciencefestival.com/event/game-on-2025/) We can't wait to see you back in person! 👋 **#DSFBigBirthdayBash**

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

**PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING IMPORTANT NOTES:** 1. The dates listed for this series are about 95% reliable. We are finalizing our 2026 schedule, so minor adjustments are still underway. 2. Each class in this series has an attendance fee, on a first-come, first-served basis. 3. Each class, from BOTH a sign-up and fee perspective, is a separate entity. **Introduction:** **The breakdown of the six-class series is as follows:** **Class 1: TBD** **Class 2: TBD** **Class 3: TBD** **Class 4: TBD** **Class 5: TBD** **Class 6: TBD**

**PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING IMPORTANT NOTES:** 1. The dates listed for this series are about 95% reliable. We are finalizing our 2026 schedule, so minor adjustments are still underway. 2. Each class in this series has an attendance fee, on a first-come, first-served basis. 3. Each class, from BOTH a sign-up and fee perspective, is a separate entity. **Introduction:** **The breakdown of the six-class series is as follows:** **Class 1: TBD** **Class 2: TBD** **Class 3: TBD** **Class 4: TBD** **Class 5: TBD** **Class 6: TBD**

Customer identity resolution becomes increasingly complex as organizations scale across multiple systems, regions, and data formats. Traditional rule-based approaches often fail to keep up with data variability, require constant manual tuning, and struggle with real-time processing needs. This session presents a practical approach to building a scalable identity resolution pipeline using AWS services and modern AI techniques. The architecture combines data ingestion through Amazon S3 and AWS Glue, transformation pipelines using Spark on EMR, and machine learning models deployed via SageMaker for entity matching and standardization. Graph-based relationship modeling is implemented using Amazon Neptune to improve resolution accuracy by incorporating household and shared attribute context. We will walk through how machine learning models can be used for name and address normalization, how intelligent blocking strategies improve matching efficiency, and how feedback loops can be introduced to continuously improve accuracy. The session also highlights how serverless components such as AWS Lambda can be used for orchestration and real-time processing. **SPEAKER BIO** Mosaic Syed is a Senior Data Engineering and Cloud Solutions Architect with over 20 years of experience designing and delivering scalable, secure, and high-performance data solutions across global enterprise environments. https://www.linkedin.com/in/mosaic-basha-syed-92300856 **CALL FOR SPEAKERS** Learn more: [https://www.awscolumbus.com/get-involved/](https://www.awscolumbus.com/get-involved/) **THANK YOU** *VEEAM* for hosting our meetup! To learn more about *Veeam*, please visit their website: [https://www.veeam.com/](https://www.veeam.com/) **DIRECTIONS** 8800 Lyra Dr #450 · Columbus, OH go to 4th floor. **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

We will show how to build custom agents with Microsoft Agent Framework. Attendees will learn how to build and custom host agents when Microsoft Foundry is not a viable option.

**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 You will need to scan your ID at the door to get a visitor badge. **Abstract** TBD **YouTube Link** TBD

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