Strategic Sourcing

A Berlin meetup bridging Product, UX, Design, and Dev to build better products, faster. A collaboration between UXDX Community and UX Gym. This is our first event of the year, and it's in person. Throughout 2025, we'll host more events and partner with conferences to bring you exclusive discounts. **[Registration Link](https://uxdx.com/community/community-berlin-2026-02-10/)** **From Marketplaces to Neighborhoods** An exploration of how eBay uses design to shift its experience from a global marketplace to a more local, human, and connected ecosystem. [Yihui Liu](https://www.linkedin.com/in/yihui-liu-b98627121/)[,](https://uxdx.com/profile/yihui-liu/)Senior Product Design,eBay **3 Months to 2 Weeks: Using AI to Build MVPs in a Single Design Sprint** Design tools come and go. The craft stays. Over the past year at Bonanza I've been testing where AI actually fits into how we work. Not as a replacement for thinking, but as a way to show up to a design sprint with something tangible. We now walk into day one with a working prototype. Clients see real interactions, not wireframes. Conversations shift from "imagine this" to "try this." That compression changes everything downstream. On February 10th, I'm breaking down our process at the UXDX Community event in Berlin. How we use Claude Code and Figma Make to go from brief to functional MVP in two weeks. What worked, what flopped, where the hype doesn't hold up. If you're a product leader or designer trying to figure out where these tools actually fit, this one's practical. [Behrad Mirafshar](https://www.linkedin.com/in/behradmirafshar/)[,](https://uxdx.com/profile/behrad-mirafshar/) CEO,Bonanza Design

### ***This is a closed course that can only be booked and attended as a whole.*** ***So it’s best to join one of the other sMove! trainings beforehand – either on Thursdays in the park or online on Saturdays: [www.baerbelsinger.de/smove ](www.baerbelsinger.de/smove)*** \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- ### Sensing and Expanding 🌿 sMove! invites you to expand your sensations and ways of expression through the body. The movements are simple and playful – yet they go deep: by moving with awareness, you discover qualities within yourself that are often covered by habit or tension. ### The Body as a Container 🌀 The body is more than muscles and bones – it is a container of memories, energy, and possibilities. In sMove! training, we explore this potential through rhythm, new movements, and focused attention. Each movement becomes an opportunity to sense more clearly, to shift old patterns, and to unfold new qualities – vitality, calm, presence, joy. ### Clarity through Intention 🎯 What makes sMove! special is not performance or perfection, but the direct experience of your body paired with intention, precision, and letting go. When you allow your body to guide you, space opens: your mind becomes quieter, energy can flow, aliveness grows. sMove! strengthens you inside and out – with more flexibility, strength, and ease. ### Experiencing Community 🤝 In the group, connection arises. Everyone moves in their own way – and yet we resonate with the shared rhythm. This collective presence builds trust in your own strength, encourages curiosity, and makes it easier to try something new. ### Who is sMove! for? 🌍 sMove! is open to everyone – previous experience is recommended (feel free to ask). 15 sessions * **November 2025**: 11., 18. * **Dezember 2025**: 9., 16. * **Januar 2026**: 20., 27. * **Februar 2026**: 3., 10., 17., 24. * **März 2026**: 24., 31. * **April 2026**: 7., 14., 28. 💶 Fee Early Bird: 280€ Full package: **320 €**

**Topic: How to decouple from US tech?** With the current US government, it become obvious that many big US tech-companies are exactly that: US-companies, which are political players and will pick a side. Therefore, the question is not if we should decouple from those companies but of how we can achieve that. **What to Expect:** * A concise, 5-10 minute expert presentation introducing us to the nuances of the topic. * Engage in insightful discussions with fellow participants in breakout groups, exploring diverse experiences and practices. * Dive into prepared questions designed to challenge and expand your perspective on the topic. * A fantastic opportunity to network with like-minded professionals and enthusiasts passionate about software development and team building. *** **Broadening Our Discussions:** We explore a wide range of topics, including Extreme Programming (XP), agile management methods, lean theory, career management, programming katas, and other areas related to software development. Whether you're new to software, a seasoned practitioner, or an expert, your insights and experiences are valued here! *** **Event Details:** We'll gather from 7:00 PM, officially start the session at 7:15 PM, and take a break at 8:30 PM to decide the topic for our next session. Don't miss this chance to learn, share, and connect!

**Note:** *We receive bookings from many different platforms, so you can expect a lively group with people joining from all over the world. When you join this tour, you’ll be part of a fun, social crowd ready to explore the city together.* **The Original Budapest Alternative Street Art & Jewish Tour 🎨✡️** Step off the beaten path and uncover Budapest’s vibrant street art culture and rich Jewish heritage on this immersive walking tour. Led by passionate local guides, this experience dives deep into the creative soul of Budapest’s 7th District—the historic Jewish Quarter—where history, art, and urban culture collide. Stroll through colorful streets filled with murals, hidden galleries, and cultural hubs, while learning how the city’s Jewish roots and post-communist era inspired a wave of artistic freedom. From synagogues and memorials to alternative bars, design studios, and community spaces, every stop tells a unique story about resilience, identity, and creativity. Whether you’re an art lover, a history buff, or a curious traveler, this tour offers a new perspective on Budapest’s most dynamic neighborhood. **🌟 Highlights** * Discover Budapest’s underground art scene and creative community * Explore the Jewish Quarter, its landmarks, and living heritage * See murals, installations, and street art masterpieces * Visit local galleries, ruin bars, and design spaces * Learn how Budapest’s history shaped its modern identity **✅ What’s Included** * Professional local guide * Walking tour through the Jewish Quarter & alternative neighborhoods * Insights into art, history, and local culture * Small-group experience for an authentic connection

*Please note, this event is free but please sign up here so we can inform the venue of your attendance: [https://uxdx.com/community/community-berlin-2026-02-10/](https://uxdx.com/community/community-berlin-2026-02-10/)* Design is changing — both in what we build and how we build it. This month we’ll explore how teams are designing more local, trust-driven experiences that connect online and offline behavior, and how AI is reshaping the way designers move from idea to working prototype. Together, these perspectives show how design is evolving at both the strategic and execution levels: from what we build for people, to how quickly and effectively we can build it. **AGENDA:** **6:00 PM:** Registration and networking **6:20 PM:** Welcome from UXDX Berlin **6:30 PM:** Talk: *"From Marketplaces to Neighborhoods"* with **[Yihui Liu](https://www.linkedin.com/in/yihui-liu-b98627121/),** Product Design Lead, eBay An exploration on how eBay uses design to shift their experience from a global marketplace to a more local, human, and connected ecosystem. **7:00 PM:** Talk: *"3 Months to 2 Weeks: Using AI to Build MVPs in a Single Design Sprint"* by **[Behrad Mirafshar](https://www.linkedin.com/in/behradmirafshar/),** CEO, Bonanza Studios Practical walkthrough of how they've compressed the design-to-working-prototype cycle using tools like Claude Code + Figma Make. What works, what doesn't, and where the hype falls short. **7:30 PM:** Closing Remarks **7:40 PM:** Networking Thank you [Delivery Hero](https://www.deliveryhero.com/) for supporting the event. See you there!

! All sessions in English except for 17.02, 24.02 & 21.03 - these sessions will be in German ! Wanting to connect deeper with your partner? Looking for new ways to be intimate? Hoping to foster love, awareness, and communication in your relationship? Take some quality time away from the daily grid and explore Tantra together through embodied practice. The practice is designed to foster deeper intimacy, attunement and harmony between the two of you. Tantra invites you to allow your life force energy to flow without inhibition and to cultivate it for self-realization. Part of the practice is about inviting in more opening. Openness creates union, resistance creates separation. Deep connection, more pleasure and joy are a result of experiencing more openness. Tantra is for everyone! All couples are welcome regardless of sexual orientation and experience level. Not in a romantic relationship? Feel free to bring anyone you'd like to practice Tantra with. **What to expect:** * **Discourse, demo practice and Q&A**: learn about Tantra through discourse, ask your questions * **Tantra meditation practice**: presence, movement, sound and breath * **Sharing before and after practice**: share about your fears and desires & reflect on your experience * **Cozy studio setting**: enjoy a comfortable and intimate environment * **No partner-exchange:** practice only with your partner * **Fully clothed:** you may keep your clothes on during the entire practice **What to bring:** * Wear comfortable clothing * Water bottle to stay hydrated **Tickets:** 65€ per couple. Please purchase your ticket via [sophieheldens.com](https://www.sophieheldens.com/tickets?utm_source=meetup&utm_campaign=datenight) **Location:** Praxis Köpi Köpenicker Straße 175 10997 Berlin Kreuzberg Walk to the second courtyard and take the stairs to the front door on the left. **Please note:** Praxis Köpi is located on the 5th floor and there is no elevator available. Only book a ticket if you can walk the stairs. The benefit: a beautiful private studio with loads of natural light. **!! Please arrive 10 minutes early so we can start on time !!** Once we start the session, I can’t let you in anymore because it disturbs the class. Please do yourself and the group a favour by coming on time. Thank you! **Workshop facilitator** Hi! My name is Sophie. My passion for Tantra is rooted in a deep spiritual yearning and an inner knowing that Tantra is my path. My desire to teach Tantra has been sparked by having witnessed my own growth and healing as a result of these practices and it is inspired by a vision to create a more beautiful world. I create a space that is loving and nurturing, with a strong emphasis on ensuring that you feel save and supported. My workshops are gentle yet transformative, spiritual yet grounded and always heart-centered. I'm passionate about bridging the wisdom of ancient Tantra with modern-day practices. For more information, feel free to visit my website: [www.sophieheldens.com](https://www.sophieheldens.com?utm_source=meetup&utm_campaign=datenight)

**Register on [Luma](https://luma.com/kxfq4bfo).** Join us for an evening focused on making analytics more usable, scalable, and grounded in real-world practice. ​We’ll look at how teams can lower the barrier to working with data without oversimplifying it: building solid foundations with model-driven pipelines, enabling local and self-serve analytics workflows, and approaching AI in a way that supports understanding rather than replacing it with hype. ​The talks span infrastructure, tooling, and AI — all with a practical lens on what actually helps more people work effectively with data. **Agenda** ​6:30 PM – 7:00 PM — Registration and Networking ​7:00 PM – 7:05 PM — Welcome and Opening Remarks ​7:05 PM – 7:10 PM — Host Introduction - [Exasol](https://www.exasol.com/) ​7:10 PM – 7:35 PM — Talk 1: Model-driven automation of data pipelines with Data Vault Speaker: [Torsten Glunde](https://www.linkedin.com/in/torsten-glunde/), CEO @ [Alligator Company](https://alligator-company.org/) 7:35 PM – 7:40 PM — Short Break 7:40 PM – 8:05 PM — Talk 2: Exasol Personal in Action Speaker: [Franz Schwab](https://www.linkedin.com/in/franz-schwab-54b5235a/), Head of Solution Engineering Europe @ [Exasol](https://www.exasol.com/) 8:05 PM – 8:30 PM — Talk 3: Surviving the Agentic Hype with Small Language Models Speaker: [Serhii Sokolenko](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ssokolenko/), Co-Founder & CEO @ [Tower.dev](https://tower.dev/) 8:30 PM – 9:30 PM — Closing Remarks and Extended Networking **About our host** [Exasol ](https://www.exasol.com/)is a high-performance analytical query engine designed for demanding analytical workloads. It enables fast, efficient analytics across cloud, on-prem, and local environments, supporting teams that need performance without unnecessary complexity.​ **Register on [Luma](https://luma.com/kxfq4bfo).** **Want updates or more info?** ​Subscribe to our newsletter: [databerlin.substack.com](https://databerlin.substack.com/). Follow us on **[LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/data-berlin).** Join our **[Slack](https://join.slack.com/t/data-brln/shared_invite/zt-2ued0xvdu-aihzi2cKEwD_6_KDRd_1ag)**[ community](https://join.slack.com/t/data-brln/shared_invite/zt-2ued0xvdu-aihzi2cKEwD_6_KDRd_1ag).

## The Local Group Berlin / Brandenburg invites you to a kick-off (in English) to “Social responsibilty in project management”. Register here: https://pmi-gc.de/event/local-group-event/social-responsibilty "Giving back" is an essential part of PMI's core values and understanding - therefore Social Responsibility (SR) is at the heart of those values. Besides the global cooperation of PMI with the United Nations on the base of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), PMI Germany Chapter has set up an SR initiative that allows PMI members directly to support NGOs / NPOs working in this context and to generate social impact. This session spans from the underlying principles to current projects and illustrates what kind of participation is possible through PMI. The icing on the cake is the matchmaking concept, which will be presented and opened for discussion. ### **Learning Objectives** • Get to know the Social Responsibility Initiative of PMI Germany Chapter • Identify possible opportunities to engage yourself • Help shaping the Matchmaking concept to make use of the SR initiative

Our friend **Dmitri Katz**, a 10 years+ long time friend and huge supporter of **STEM4Health**, **G4A**, **Digital Health**, and every **Innovation in Healthcare**, is organizing this event. I highly recommend to attend. Please register at https://luma.com/m47avlhj. AI is offering new opportunities to address persistent, high-impact societal challenges. In domains where social and human stakes are high, practical value will depend not only on technical performance, but on how well AI systems are aligned with ethical, institutional, and operational realities. Addressing this need requires sustained, cross-disciplinary collaboration grounded in real-world practice. To this end, **ÆTHOS Berlin** is building an interdisciplinary community of founders, researchers, practitioners, domain experts, and policymakers. ​In this workshop, we will discuss real-world care challenges and the constraints that shape responsible AI use. Participants are invited to contribute practical perspectives. ​**What we aim to produce:** ​The workshop will produce Challenge Briefs: short documents that describe (a) a concrete care problem, (b) its real-world impact, and (c) the key institutional, ethical, and practical constraints involved. Where it emerges naturally, the briefs may also note open directions for work, such as further research or approaches for AI implementation. The briefs will be published publicly after the event and shared as reference material for future research and innovation. ​**Workshop format (2 hours):** * ​Short, problem‑focused inputs from care‑domain experts, early‑stage startups, and other workshop attendees. * ​Small, mixed working groups * ​Each group drafts one brief using a simple structure: Problem · Impact · Constraints · Directions * ​Sharing and discussion ​**Why your participation matters:** * ​Help ensure that actual constraints shape how AI problems are defined * ​Bring institutional, ethical, and operational realities into the discussion early * ​Contribute to challenge definitions that shape the community’s future focus * ​Be acknowledged as a contributing participant in this first workshop ​ **What participation could involve:** * ​Share a real-world care‑domain challenge * ​Contributing to the drafting group * ​Bring a laptop if possible. ​This is an ÆTHOS community initiative. Participants are welcome to share what they are working on, but the focus will remain on problem framing rather than product pitching. If you have questions or would like to help with the workshop, please let us know. Warm Regards, Dmitri Katz ÆTHOS Initiative team [dmitrikatz23@gmail.com](mailto:dmitrikatz23@gmail.com) Place: Æthos Station, 3rd Floor, Lohmühlenstraße 65, Kreuzberg, Berlin

Workshop \| 14\.02\.2026 \| 11:00 – 13:30 Ein Valentinsbrunch für Singles – mit viel Lachen, Staunen und echtem Begegnen. Das ist Mal ein anderes Dating. Wir malen uns gegenseitig – spielerisch, intuitiv und ohne Anspruch auf Perfektion. Wir lernen, den anderen ganz aufmerksam und bewusst wahrzunehmen, mit neugierigen Augen und offenem Herzen. Wir lernen auch die volle Aufmerksamkeit eines anderen auf uns, entspannt zuzulassen. Dich erwartet ein besonderes Erlebnis in einer kleinen Gruppe, liebevoll angeleitet und achtsam begleitet. Es wird witzig, leicht und überraschend verbindend. Ein kreatives Kennenlernen, das berührt – die Chance, tolle Menschen auf eine ganz neue Art kennenzulernen. Und vielleicht findest Du Dein Valentine. Vorkenntnisse sind nicht nötig. Nur die Bereitschaft, loszulassen und Dich von Deinem inneren Himmel überraschen zu lassen. **Workshops** Die Eventreihe ***Art Brunch for the Soul*** besteht aus acht Workshops, die unabhängig voneinander besucht werden können. **Übersicht der Workshops** * 01.02.2026: Intuitives Malen – Loslassen – Wolken malen * 14.02.2026: Art dating – Fühlen, kreieren, lachen * 28.02.2026: Innere Kraft finden – Berge malen * 15.03.2026: Neubeginn – Sonnenaufgang malen * 28.03.2026: Träume auf Leinwand – Gib Deinen Träumen Farbe *(nur für Frauen)* * 25.04.2026: 4 Workshops\* – Weiblichkeit und Sinnlichkeit – Rundungen und Kurven malen *(nur für Frauen)* *–* Wünschen Gestalt geben – Farben aud Leinwand – Eros – Ein sinnlicher Malworkshop – Frau sein – Ein Bild von mir * 10.05.2026: Vergebung finden – Florale Motive malen lernen * 30.05.2026: Innere Freiheit spüren – Meer Malen **Preis pro Workshop** **Normal:** 50,00 € **5er Karte für fünf beliebige Workshops:** 175,00 €\*\* Im Preis sind die Teilnahme am Workshop, das vegetarische Essen und die Malutensilien inkludiert. *\*Die vier Workshops am 25.04.2026 kosten jeweils 40,00 €. Das Ticket beinhaltet die Teilnahme und die Malutensilien. Vegetarisches Essen kann für 10,00 € hinzugebucht werden.* *\*\*Bitte schreib uns eine E-Mail an berlin@traditionelles-yoga.de, damit Du die 5er Karte buchen kannst, da wir sie nicht über Meetup anbieten.* **Anmeldung** Der Anmeldeschluss für den zweiten Workshop ist der 13.02.2026 um 11:00 Uhr. **Adresse** Deutsche Akademie für traditionelles Yoga e. V. MahaYoga Zentrum Brunnenstr. 147 10115 Berlin (Direkt am U-Bahnhof U Bernauer Str. U8 – Fahrstuhlausgang) Die Workshops finden in der Ladengeschäftsfläche im MahaYoga Zentrum statt. Der Eingang ist rechts neben unserem großen, weißen Eingangstor direkt an der Brunnenstr. gelegen.

Meet other people in the Berlin tech industry in a low key, no expectations setting. We all have to eat, so don't eat alone! Rules: 1\. Register 2\. Show up \(we have limited seats\) 3\. Meet people 4\. Be nice and enjoy dinner\! There are no other expectations :)

Hey, React Berlin Community! **To attend the meetup please ➡️➡️➡️ [REGISTER HERE](https://guild.host/events/react-berlin-meetup-luc0zo) ⬅️⬅️⬅️ via Guild.** We’re kicking off our first meetup of the year! Join us on **February 11** as we explore modernizing React apps (compiler, useEffectEvent & more) and dive into real-time collaboration powered by a triplestore without a traditional backend. **🗣 Call for Proposals** Have an idea or story to share? Submit your talk proposal through our [CFP form](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfbG_BEJJYuAtVL5vhMMnWTpQbYHzGM8kmlqaJ790-Lgqv0fA/viewform) and take the stage at one of our upcoming meetups! **🤝 Organized by** This event made possible thanks to the support from[ React Summit](https://reactsummit.com/) and[ JSNation](https://jsnation.com/) organizers –[ GitNation](https://portal.gitnation.org/). **🤝 Sponsored by** Huge thanks to our friends from Superhuman! Superhuman (formerly Grammarly) is the AI productivity platform on a mission to unlock the superhuman potential in everyone. The Superhuman suite of apps and agents brings AI wherever people work, integrating with over 1 million applications and websites. The company’s products include Grammarly’s writing assistance, Coda’s collaborative workspaces, Mail’s inbox management, and Go, the proactive AI assistant that understands context and delivers help automatically. Superhuman’s global team brings together over 1,500 people across Europe and North America. Learn more about [our products](https://gram.ly/3N7lpsl) and [open roles in Berlin](https://gram.ly/3Z6DdGB). **🕑 Event Schedule** * 18:30 - Doors open - snacks, beer, socialization * 19:00 - Intro and announcements * 19:10 - **Building Cross-Platform Agentic UI at Superhuman by [Oleksii Levzhynskyi](https://www.linkedin.com/in/oleksiilevzhynskyi/)** * **19.35 - Modernizing Your React App: Compiler, useEffectEvent, Activity & Friends by [Vitor Alencar](https:)** * 20:00 - Break with drinks * **20:15 - A Triplestore-Powered BaaS: Real-Time Collaboration Without the Backend by [Oliver Wolf](https://www.linkedin.com/in/oliver-wolf-81a33099/)** * 20:40 - Networking, Open Mic Lightning Talks * Mingle until 21:30pm 🗣️ **Talks** **➡️ Modernizing Your React App: Compiler, useEffectEvent, Activity & Friends** *React has changed a lot in the last year: React 19, 19.1 and now 19.2 brought a stable React Compiler, new hooks like useEffectEvent, the \ API, and better SSR primitives such as Partial Pre-rendering. And more* *In this talk we’ll take a demo React app that’s full of effects, memoization and “old school” patterns, and modernize it step by step.* **➡️ A Triplestore-Powered BaaS: Real-Time Collaboration Without the Backend** *Backend-as-a-Service platforms promise simplicity, but often lock developers into complex APIs authorization rules. What if your frontend could directly manage data, authorization, and collaboration - without domain-specific backend code?* *In this talk, Oliver shares how he built a triplestore-based BaaS to power real-time collaboration in his side project MonsterWriter, and how the approach grew into an independent open-source project. We’ll see how LinkedRecords.com enables fine-grained authorization, simplifies real-time collaboration, and supports a Bring Your Own Backend model that gives organizations more control over their data and vendor relationships. It is also shown how global state management becomes a lot easier in React apps.* **➡️ Building Cross-Platform Agentic UI at Superhuman** *Recently, Superhuman (formerly Grammarly) launched Superhuman Go, an AI assistant that works alongside you on every platform. To build it, we needed a scalable solution that supports an unlimited number of agents that dynamically shapes the user interface and looks similar across all supported desktop and mobile platforms. Join me to find out how we discovered solutions for this innovative new product.* **—** **👍 Code of Conduct** By registering for this event you agree to comply with our[ CoC](https://portal.gitnation.org/coc) **📩 Contact** events@gitnation.org [https://twitter.com/ReactSummit](https://twitter.com/ReactSummit) [https://bsky.app/profile/reactsummit.gitnation.org](https://bsky.app/profile/reactsummit.gitnation.org) [http://youtube.com/ReactConferences](http://youtube.com/ReactConferences)

The next **Pitch and Planning Session** will be on **Feb 15th at 19:00.** We are super looking forward to hearing your pitches and watching you meet people ready to help you make your films a reality in the really real world! 📍The event is located at **House of Music** in RAW Gelande, Revalerstr 99, 10245 Berlin . A very large and amazing space that we are now calling home. For those who are new, our Pitch and Planning Session is a monthly English language event held here in Berlin for people who have an idea for a film and would like to pitch it, as well as those people who are eager to work on films. It's all about getting films made. If you have a film idea that is burning a hole in your brain, tell the people in the audience your story idea and hopefully you will meet people who can help you make your idea into a reality! This event is also for people who want to help out in all aspects of filmmaking to help make these pitches happen. So if your passion is camera, sound, hair and makeup, writing, lighting, fighting, or anything that could help, you are always welcome. Whether you're new to filmmaking or experienced and want to work on something cool and creative, no matter what your area of expertise/interest is, this is for you! Be sure to show up to either pitch your idea or be ready to listen to some interesting pitches from excited people and potentially help someone make their film. Let's make some cool shit! If you still want more information you can head on over to our website: *https://berlinfilmcommunity.com/pitch_and_planning/* I have been a part of making some of these pitched projects into real world movies and I have always had a blast.

Welcome to Sunday Tech Coffee. This is a **networking** event for those in the tech industry in Berlin. We are usually inside and to the right. Ask the barista/bartender if you can't find us.

Join us for a practical, founder-friendly deep dive into trademarks and brand protection with a licensed business and intellectual property attorney. **Speaker:** Gaea Kassatly Founder & Managing Attorney, GK Law Co. Startup & Intellectual Property Attorney In this session, we will break down what trademarks are, how they work, and how to use them strategically to protect and grow your brand. Whether you’re a startup founder, creative, or small business owner, this workshop will help you avoid common (and costly) trademark mistakes. ### **What we’ll cover:** * What qualifies as a trademark (and what doesn’t) * The core elements of a trademark, explained in plain English * Types of trademarks (word marks, logos, slogans, and more) * A detailed walkthrough of each trademark element * Non-traditional trademarks (sounds, colors, product shapes, trade dress, etc.) * Common trademark myths and pitfalls for small businesses * How to think about trademarks strategically as your business grows This is a paid event (small fee) to help ensure attendance and engagement. ⚠️ **Important note:** This event will be recorded. By registering and attending, you acknowledge and consent to being recorded. The session will include time for Q&A, and attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of how to protect their brand with confidence. 🎁 Bonus for attendees: Everyone who attends will receive a free consultation at the end of the workshop and will be entered into a raffle to win a free trademark clearance search (a $750 value).

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

**People Analytics 101: Making Sense of Compensation Data** Compensation data is one of the most widely used and widely misunderstood forms of people analytics. The session will cover where compensation data comes from, including market pricing data, internal payroll data, and benchmarking sources, and how companies think about structuring and analyzing that information. We will explore how compensation data is leveraged to set salary ranges, manage internal equity, support hiring and retention, and align pay with business strategy. A portion of the session will address common data challenges and limitations, such as market noise, inconsistent job matching, and incomplete datasets, while keeping the primary focus on practical use rather than technical depth. The session will also look ahead at where the space is going, including the growing impact of pay transparency laws, expanding pay equity requirements, and emerging regulations in the US and Europe that require organizations to report on gender and pay gaps. The goal is to give attendees a clear mental model for how compensation analytics works today and why getting it right is becoming increasingly critical. (note: we are back at Rev1 this month!) **About Our Speaker** [Alex Moore](https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexscottmoore/) is the founder of [Moore Cooperative](https://moorecooperative.com/), where he advises organizations on compensation strategy, pay equity, and people analytics. His work focuses on helping organizations like the Ohio Supreme Court design, analyze, and communicate compensation systems that are data-informed, defensible, and aligned with organizational goals. Alex lives in Granville, Ohio and has three little kiddos. More info at [cbusdaw.com](https://cbusdaw.com)

Bring your business cards and network in person with other business professionals! Gold Star Referral Clubs is one of the most established professional networking organizations in the country, with multiple groups in central Ohio. Join us!

**NEW LOCATION: Improving Office in Franklinton** Physical location: Improving Office 330 Rush Alley Suite #150 Columbus, OH 43215 Schedule: * 6:00 p.m.: Socialize, eat, and drink. Improving will be providing pizza and beverages. * 6:30 to 8:00 pm. Main meeting and presentation(s). Lonnie Morgan will be presenting information about the DLT Library. "The Python library `dlt` provides a powerful [REST API toolkit](https://dlthub.com/docs/dlt-ecosystem/verified-sources/rest_api/basic) to ingest data. Combined with our [LLM scaffolds](https://dlthub.com/workspace) and [MCP server](https://dlthub.com/docs/hub/features/mcp-server), you can build a custom connector for any of the 8k+ available sources in 10 minutes by following this guide. Building with LLMs is an iterative process. We will follow this general workflow and give practical tips for each step." See Our [Parking Map](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1u2A4fLNlxwLJn0KA_hKc8bnFlFHLvsHBDh-_8wzX_tk/edit?usp=sharing) We meet on the last Monday of each Month. Presentations are given by members and friends of this group. If you would like to do a presentation (small or large) on a python topic, please contact centralohpython@gmail.com