Systems

**About** Home Assistant is an open source home automation that puts local control and privacy first. It is powered by a worldwide community of tinkerers and DIY enthusiasts. **Presentations** 1. 15’: Welcome (Urs/Reto and SCS) 2. 45’: Intro to Home Assistant and Open Home Foundation, technical deep dive on Home Assistant and Home Assistant Operating System (Stefan Agner) 3. 30’: Intro to Home Assistant integration development and current work at GARDENA (Ezra, Florian, Lukas) Presentations start at 19:00. Afterwards we’ll have plenty of time to discuss and socialize. **About the speakers** * [Stefan Agner](https://www.linkedin.com/in/stefan-agner-6a43066a/) is the team-lead Home Assistant Operating System and works at the Open Home Foundation. * [Ezra Bühler](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ezrabuehler/ "https://www.linkedin.com/in/ezrabuehler/") is a senior embedded software developer. He maintains the GARDENA smart gateway and currently works on allowing offline operation. * [Florian Schweikert](https://mistkratzer.li/ "https://mistkratzer.li/") is a data engineer at GARDENA and works on a Home Assistant integration. * [Lukas Woodtli](https://ch.linkedin.com/in/lukaswoodtli) is a senior embedded software developer. He develops and maintains services on the GARDENA smart gateway.

Speakers: RAG with Docling – Panos Vagenas (Docling) Earth Observation for Enhanced Risk Awareness of Commercial Properties – Patrick Jayet (AXA) From Models to Systems: Running and Applying LLMs in Practice – Rob Smith (SwissAI) Agenda: RAG with Docling – Panos Vagenas (Docling) Join this session from the core Docling team to learn how to fully utilize your unstructured data in your AI workflows, be it for RAG, information extraction or, ultimately, any document-related agent. We will go over Docling’s main capabilities, covering how it can help address your enterprise needs, as well as giving a sneak peek of upcoming developments. Earth Observation for Enhanced Risk Awareness of Commercial Properties – Patrick Jayet AXA insures millions of commercial properties worldwide. To strengthen risk awareness across its insured portfolio and streamline Risk Engineering workflows, AXA’s Global Data & AI (GDAI) innovation unit has created some time ago a new initiative combining Earth Observation and computer vision. This talk will describe how the project was initiated and developed, and how it supports risk engineers by providing scalable, data-driven insights for commercial property risk assessment. From Models to Systems: Running and Applying LLMs in Practice Apertus is a fully open-source, multilingual foundation model built for open and reproducible AI. This talk introduces the model and shares practical lessons from deploying Apertus and other state-of-the-art models for internal users. The focus is on turning model weights into usable systems.

Hi everyone! We’re continuing the conversation. For the next **Cloud Platforms Switzerland Meetup**, we’re moving from listening to *working together*. Join us on **24.02.26** at **18:00 at isolutions @ Circle ZH** for a short welcome before we dive straight in. This edition is about **co-defining cloud platforms** \- and questioning the idea that a single\, universal platform model can realistically serve every organization\, team\, or context\. ️ At **18:35**, **Philipp Kuntschik and Marcel Wiedemeier** will set the stage with a structured introduction to platform definitions. What do we actually mean when we talk about “platforms”? Which definitions hold up in practice, and where do they start to fall apart? ️ From there, we’ll shift into a **hands-on workshop format**. After a brief setup, we’ll split into groups by **platform type** and work through concrete questions around scope, responsibilities, and trade-offs. The objective isn’t to force alignment - it’s to make differences explicit and actionable. Each group will briefly present their key takeaways, followed by an open discussion to compare patterns, tensions, and open questions across platform types. We’ll conclude the structured part around **20:00**, then move into networking and apéro , and wrap up the evening at **21:00**. If you’re involved in designing, operating, or governing cloud platforms - and you’re not fully convinced that existing models fit your reality - you’ll feel right at home. See you there!

Hi all As promised, we’re kicking off our **series on basic AWS knowledge**, paired with **hands-on examples** to make learning practical and engaging. A big thank you to **Red Hat** for supporting this initiative! We hope to see you there in Zürich! Date: 24.02.2026 Time: 18:00 Location: RedHat Office - Zürich **Agenda** 18:00-18:30 - Welcome & Coffee 18:30-19:15 - Intro & AWS Network Basics and Site-2-Site VPN 19:15-20:00 - AWS Direct Connect 20:00-21:00 - Networking / Food / Drinks **Hybrid-Networking with AWS (Basics)** Curious about AWS networking but not sure how all the pieces fit together? This beginner-friendly session will walk you through the basics of AWS networking—VPCs, route tables, NAT Gateways, and more - in a clear and simple way. We’ll finish with a hands-on example by setting up a simple Site-to-Site VPN, showing how you can connect an on-premises environment to AWS without the complexity. Perfect for AWS newcomers or anyone who wants a gentle, practical introduction to AWS networking. **Speaker:** [Rinon Belegu](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rinon-belegu/) **Direct Connect to your Home (Business)** Learn how you can get AWS Direct Connect to your home, In this talk we will how you how easy it can be to setup Direct Connect across the national Fiber network (FTTH) in Switzerland. Not limited to just datacenters, one can establish up to 100G connections! Based on recent work and building up an AWS partner, covering VPC’s, TGWs, Private-VPN and Direct Connect (DX) VIFs and how they work. In the end we will demo printing from AWS EC2 instance ;) **Speaker:** [Darragh Grealish](https://www.linkedin.com/in/grealish/) Grab your spot, bring your questions, and join us for cloud talk, networking, and a drink or two. See you there!

Anybody who wants to practice their programming skills is welcome. We share our ideas, learn from each other, do some exercise, ask questions, etc. This meetup is the best for those who want to improve their skills by programming and learning in a group If you want to learn more about our Co-Learning, please have a look at our website: [https://opentechschool-zurich.github.io/](https://opentechschool-zurich.github.io/) \*\*\* We have a chat group you can join to get more information: [https://app.element.io/#/room/#ots-zh:matrix.org](https://app.element.io/#/room/#ots-zh:matrix.org) (You need to create a free account if you don't already have one) Remote participants are also welcome. You first need to join the Element chat and then get into the video call that we start at around 19:00 (if we forget, pleas ping us in the Element chat!) \*\*\* Our main languages are Python and Javascript, but we welcome every programming languages. Some of the skills we can help you learning: * Python and * ... PyGame (Zero / Play) -.... Flask * ... Jupyter and data science -... PySide2 / PyQt * ... Shoebot * C++ and * ... Qt * ... cmake * ... and modern C++ * Flutter for Apps * PHP and * ... Vue.js * ... Wordpress * JS and React.js We have a few Github repository that can be interesting to browse:: https://github.com/opentechschool-zurich/

**Programm** Eintreffen ab 18:30. So haben wir vorher noch genügend Zeit, nach Lust und Laune alte Kontakte aufzufrischen und neue zu knüpfen. *Programm-Start um 19:00 Uhr (bis ca. 21.30 Uhr)* Wir freuen uns auf einen leichtfüssigen Austausch mit vielen Lösungen und Erkenntnissen zu deinen Anliegen. **Für wen ist das Solution Café?** Voraussetzungen für eine Teilnahme gibt es nicht. Es braucht auch keinerlei Coachingerfahrung. **Auszug Anliegen vergangener Cafés** * Wie schaffe ich es, die Blockierung zu überwinden und meinen Wert zu vermitteln? * Wohin und wie weiter? Welchen meiner Träume will ich als nächstes leben? **Hast du ein neues Projekt oder Fragen die dich beschäftigen?** * Wie kann ich mich besser abgrenzen, «nein» sagen lernen? * Wie kann ich ein komplexes Projekt im Team angehen? * Wie können wir einander gut loslassen? * Wie komme ich aus meiner Antriebslosigkeit raus? * Wie kann ich meine vielen Ideen mit Leichtigkeit realisieren? * Wie bringe ich mehr Positivität in mein Leben? * Wie integriere ich Sport wieder in meinen Alltag? * Wie baue ich mein persönliches Netzwerk aus?

**Are you tired of ending up in 4.5-star tourist traps?** We've all been there: Google and TripAdvisor promise the ‘best steak in town,’ but you end up in a sponsored ranking that doesn't match your vibe. In a world full of bought reviews, the question arises: How can we find a restaurant that suits our taste from the wide selection and ratings available? Meet **[Tobias Tröhler](https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobias-troehler)**, CEO and co-founder of Bern-based shooting star **[Taste Match](www.tastematch.io)**, at the next **Young Talents Club**. He answers questions from [Stephan Oehen](www.linkedin.com/in/stephanoehen), founder of the Young Talents Club and Managing Partner of Oehen PR. Tobias and his team are revolutionising the restaurant scene by replacing the ‘uniformity’ of 5-star systems with a mixture of social feed and intelligent matching. Find out first-hand: * Why the classic algorithm has had its day. * How to find a free table in a suitable restaurant at short notice? * What highs and lows has the founding team of this tech start-up experienced from the initial idea to the present day? * How hyper-personalised data will change our decisions in the future? A big thank you in advance to our location sponsor **[Starbucks](https://www.starbucks.ch/de)**. The first drink is on us! *** **Bist du es leid, in 4.5-Sterne-Touristenfallen zu landen?** Wir alle kennen das: Google und TripAdvisor versprechen das „beste Steak der Stadt“, aber am Ende sitzt man in einem gesponserten Ranking, das nicht zum eigenen Vibe passt. In einer Welt voller gekaufter Bewertungen stellt sich die Frage: Wie finden wir in der grossen Auswahl und Ratings das Restaurant unseres Geschmacks? Triff **[Tobias Tröhler](www.linkedin.com/in/tobias-troehler)**, Co-Founder des Berner Shooting-Stars **[Taste Match](www.tastematch.io)**, im nächsten **Young Talents Club**. Er stellt sich im Talk den Fragen von **[Stephan Oehen](www.linkedin.com/in/stephanoehen)**, Young Talents Club-Gründer und Managing Partner Oehen PR. Tobias und sein Team revolutionieren die Gastroszene, indem sie den „Einheitsbrei“ der 5-Sterne-Systeme durch eine Mischung aus Social Feed und intelligentem Matching ersetzen. Erfahre aus erster Hand: * Warum der klassische Algorithmus ausgedient hat? * Wie in kurzer Zeit einen freien Platz in einem passenden Restaurant finden? * Welche Höhen und Tiefen durchlebte das Gründerteam dieses Tech-Start-ups von der Idee bis heute? * Wie hyper-personalisierte Daten unsere Entscheidungen künftig verändern werden? Ein herzliches Dankeschön schon voraus unserem Location Sponsor **[Starbucks](https://www.starbucks.ch/de)**. Das erste Getränk geht auf uns!

**mit Elana Andermatt und Andrea Bergamini** Kuscheln für alle, die schon vertraut sind mit Kuschel-Gruppen, ob bei uns oder anderen Anbietern. Wir werden weniger Zeit mit den Aufwärm- und Begegnungsübungen machen und mehr Zeit haben, in das Kuschelfeld einzutauschen. Auch hier ist die "Kuschel-Energie" der nährende, entspannte Kontakt zu anderen, ohne dass es in erotische oder sexuelle Bereiche abgleitet. Es geht um achtsame und absichtslose Berührungen und den 100%-igen Respekt deiner individuellen Grenzen! Und wenn wir dann beim Zusammenliegen immer weniger tun, sondern nur noch sind, dann kann sich das schon mal wie ein “Kuschelhimmel” anfühlen … * Die Sicherheit des klar strukturierten und geleiteten Abends/Tages und gleichzeitig die Freiräume für Deine individuellen Bedürfnisse und Grenzen. * Die verschiedenen Ebenen von Kontakt und Verbindung: Berührungen, Worte, der energetische Kontakt (z.B. nur im Augenkontakt) und die Resonanz im Gruppen-Feld. * Die Stärkung von Selbstkontakt, Eigenwahrnehmung und “Gut-zu-sich-selber-sein”, denn der Kontakt zu anderen kann sich nur in dem Masse vertiefen, wie wir den Kontakt zu uns selber vertiefen können. * Die Öffnung für “die grösseren Räume”, die uns auf einer spirituellen Ebene nähren und verbinden, so dass Gefühle von Frieden und "Nach-Hause-kommen" durch die Gemeinschaft UND durch die Verbindung zum Grösseren genährt werden. * Die ganz persönlichen Momente, in denen du ganz entspannt, offen und echt anderen herzoffenen Menschen begegnest. Klare Kuschel-Regeln für mehr Sicherheit, Vertrauen und Entspannung gelten auch hier: Wenn du JA sagst bei deiner Anmeldung, sagst du JA zu den klaren Kuschelregeln: Beim VertiefungsKreis werden diese Regeln nicht mehr explizit genannt, da wir annehmen, dass sie bekannt sind. * Keine Berührung im Intimbereich und an erogenen Zonen. Keine Küsschen oder Hände unter dem TShirt. Erotische Energie wird nicht angefacht. Wir bleiben auf der Ebene des brüderlichen und schwesterlichen kuscheligen Herzens. * Du kannst dein Tempo jederzeit wählen, wie schnell und nahe du mit anderen sein möchtest oder wie oft du auch Momente für dich alleine brauchst. * Ein NEIN ist ein NEIN. Achte drauf, dass du deine und andere Grenzen des Wohlbefindens respektierst. **Zeiten:** 19:30-22:00h Einlass 19 Uhr bei einer Tasse Tee Bei Abenden mit Verlängerung bis 23h (wer will). **WO:** JupiterSpace, SeminarPavillon vom Jupiterhaus im Frankental; Frankentalerstrasse 55, 8049 Zürich **Mitbringen** bitte bequeme Kleider, warme Socken und bei Bedarf eine verschliessbare Wasserflasche. **Ausgleich:** 30.-, oder das, was du zahlen kannst. **Infos und Anmeldung:** Elana **[elana@sensual-healing.ch](mailto:elana@sensual-healing.ch)**, 0041 79 437 22 22 **Homepage: [https://kuschel-tempel.ch](https://kuschel-tempel.ch)** Wenn du regelmässig einen Reminder haben magst, kannst du dich gerne hier zum \*\*[Kuschel-Tempel-Newsletter ](https://Kuschel-Tempel/#Newsletter/)*anmelden.* ***Diese Kuschelveranstaltung ist für "Profi-Kuschler***" oder alle, die schon mindestens einmal bei uns oder in einer anderen Kuschelgruppe mitgekuschelt haben. **Neuanfänger** dürfen sich gerne zu den **offenen Abenden** anmelden. Termine auf [https://kuschel-tempel.ch](https://kuschel-tempel.ch)

**About the talk** Conversational assistants aren’t “just another feature”. They are full experiences shaped by countless design decisions that must hold up in real life: messy inputs, high expectations, edge cases, and the constant tension between speed, quality, and cost. In this talk, Gea and Alberto share what they’ve learned while designing AI-enabled assistants in different contexts (from support to retail-like journeys). Instead of focusing on hype or theory, they’ll unpack the practical choices that make the difference: how to keep conversations actionable, how to design a consistent “voice” without overdoing personality, how to define (or intentionally limit) the assistant’s identity, and how the interface and the underlying logic need to evolve together. They’ll also touch the less glamorous, but most decisive parts of the work: when AI is the right tool (and when it isn’t), why data is the elephant in the room, what “testing” means in conversational design, and how to guide users so the assistant is easy to understand and hard to misuse without overwhelming them. Expect a set of clear takeaways you can reuse with your own team, whether you’re starting from scratch or improving something already in production, shared through real design trade-offs, not spoilers. **About the speakers** [Gea Sasso](https://www.linkedin.com/in/gea-sasso/) is a Senior Service Designer at Sketchin focused on service experiences where journeys, touchpoints, and contexts come together. Her work explores how services can be shaped across channels, including the interplay between digital and physical environments. [Alberto Andreetto](https://www.linkedin.com/in/albertoandreetto/) is a Lead Interaction Designer at Sketchin specialized in interaction design and complex digital systems. He works on defining how products behave, respond, and communicate, especially when interfaces become conversational and adaptive. [Sketchin](https://www.sketchin.com/) is an advanced strategic-design studio that helps forward‑thinking organizations explore technology and face their next sustainable change. They combine business opportunities with customer expectations to design and deliver end‑to‑end experiences, often leveraging deep tech and AI to reshape products, services, and customer engagement. \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- ** The Talk is in English** ** \*Note\* The event is happening in a new room \*note\* The event will be held at ETH Zürich Maschinenbau ML, Room F34** *We kindly ask you to arrive 10 minutes early of the event start, so everyone can find a seat due to high attendance. Thank you!*

***Update (2026/2/9):*** ***Please not that the event's description and topic has been updated. We will still meet over potluck dinner, but we have decided to host the book discussion as a separate event in March.*** Dear all, Join us for a social gathering coinciding with the special month of Ramadan. We're coming together for a potluck dinner (Iftar): each person brings food that we'll all share together. And of course, Muslims as well as non-Muslims are equally welcome. We will meet at the GZ Höngg community center. The description will soon be updated to include the total cost for reserving the venue, which we'll split across everyone attending. We look forward to seeing you. Please reach out to any of the organizers if you have any questions. Omar and the team

An evening for professionals who are actively applying GenAI in their work — across product, data, operations, and strategy. We’re bringing together practitioners who are moving beyond experimentation and using AI to create real impact inside teams and organizations. **Format:** • Three short, insight-focused talks • A straight-talking panel on what’s working (and what isn’t) • Networking apero with people actively building and implementing GenAI **Speakers:** * **Friedemann Schestag** — Data & AI Engineer, Unit8 * **Karim Zeid** — Founder, Fiduza * **Simon Heimlicher** — AI Engineering Director This is a curated, in-person event for people who want practical perspectives, useful workflows, and high-signal conversations. No technical background required, but a professional mindset and real interest in applied AI will help you get the most out of the evening. **Location:** Unit8 Office, Zurich ** Date:** Wednesday, 25th of February 2026 **Time:** 18:00–21:00 ️ **Capacity is limited** — please RSVP only if you plan to attend Hosted by **GenAI 360 Zurich**.

**Pizza, Pasta & UX: Join us for the Post-Meetup Dinner!** Want to keep the conversation going after the UX meetup? Join us for dinner right after! We have reserved a table at our favorite local Italian restaurant. They have welcomed us many times with delicious food and a cozy atmosphere. It’s the perfect place to unwind and discuss the evening's topics over some tasty pizza or pasta. **Important:** Please register here to save your seat. This reservation is exclusive to attendees of the main meetup of the same day. See you there! The LTT Team

A single broken type can ripple through your entire stack, turning a seamless deployment into a debugging nightmare. But when your types are watertight, the magic happens: code that documents itself, databases that talk to forms, and modularity without the risk. This February, we’re stripping away the guesswork and looking at the architecture that keeps modern web apps unbreakable. Whether you’re looking to harden your infrastructure or automate your validation logic, join us for an evening of deep-dive demos and technical insights that go way beyond the documentation. **Agenda** * 17:30 – **Doors open** * 18:30 - 18:50 – **Settling in & Intro** * 18:50 - 20:30 – **Talks and pizza** * 20:30 – **Networking** **Explore the detailed agenda and speaker info: [https://zurichjs.com/events/march-2026](https://zurichjs.com/events/march-2026)** **About the organizers** * **[Bogdan Ilie](https://www.linkedin.com/in/ilie-bogdan/)** is a user advocate. He's dipped his toes into Web Development, Technical Writing, Marketing, Design, and more. That makes him uniquely predisposed to identify improvement opportunities anywhere in the chain, or come up with unique solutions to problems. Nowadays, he's building websites and webapps at novu ag, using his beloved framework, Vue. * **[Faris Aziz](https://www.linkedin.com/in/farisaziz12/)** is a front-end master and Staff Software Engineer at Smallpdf, after his Engineering management job at Navro, a fintech company in the UK. Faris is a mentor, conference speaker, and workshop instructor, most recently at CityJS and other major conferences. He has contributed to open-source projects like Raycast and has mentored on platforms like Mentor Cruise. His projects include work on GCN, Eurosport, Discovery+, Fiit (a top UK fitness app), and he was the founding engineer of Navro in London. He also serves as a technical mentor at the Bletchley Institute. * **[Nadja Hesselbjerg](https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadja-r%C3%B8mer-hesselbjerg-47002a12b/)** is a Zurich-based frontend developer with a flair for crafting sleek, user-friendly web experiences. With a passion for innovative UX/UI design, she transforms complex ideas into intuitive digital solutions. Her multicultural background adds a unique perspective to her work. When she's not coding, Nadja is likely exploring the latest design trends or enjoying the vibrant Swiss tech scene. **Who are the awesome sponsors and partners?** * **[Vercel](https://vercel.com/?utm_source=zurichjs&utm_medium=sponsored_meetup&utm_campaign=zurichjs_partner_2026)** is THE platform for frontend developers, providing the speed and reliability needed to create at the moment of inspiration. We love Vercel because they’ve turned the "manual labor" of deployment into a simple `git push`. By handling the heavy lifting of global infrastructure and serverless scaling, Vercel allows us to focus on what we actually enjoy: building great user experiences. Whether you’re using Next.js, Nuxt, or SvelteKit, Vercel is the gold standard for shipping fast and staying in the flow. * **[GYFF](https://www.getyourfreefast.ch/?utm_source=zurichjs&utm_medium=sponsored_meetup&utm_campaign=zurichjs_partner_2026)** is a Swiss platform that facilitates connections between IT experts and businesses, where they vet both the companies and the freelancers, so the collaboration goes smoothly. **Get involved** * Have an interesting idea? * Something missing from all meetups in this space? * Do you have feedback? * Wanna buy us a coffee? * **Got a venue idea?** We love rotating locations to showcase Zurich’s tech ecosystem. Reach out, we’re always scouting fresh spots for our upcoming events. There are multiple ways to get in touch: * **[conf.zurichjs.com](https://conf.zurichjs.com)** \- get your conference ticket and find out more\! * **[zurichjs.com](http://www.zurichjs.com/)** \- the source of truth for all things zurichjs\, including all social links to follow us and interact with us online Our goal is to create a space where everyone can bring value and feel like they are getting something out of it. We are open to sponsorships and partnerships, and we would appreciate you **sharing the event** and message us about opportunities. We are also committed to fostering a respectful and psychologically safe space where anyone can share their ideas. If this is your first time speaking, or if you need help preparing for a talk, we are happy to offer guidance and support.

We're planning the next Hackergarten Zurich We're looking forward to see some familiar faces and share knowledge within the open-source community. Spread the word — everyone is welcome! Bring your project, a bug, a feature, a question... or just your time and enthusiasm As always there will be free drinks, beer and pizza, sponsored by Quatico. As usual we briefly present the open-source projects we'd like to work on, break up into groups and try to make an actual contribution. We offer free pizza, beverages and depending on weather conditions a great view on Zurich West from the rooftop terrace. Many thanks to Quatico (https://www.quatico.com) for hosting the event!

We will show a variety of methods for building agents that run in Microsoft Foundry. This covers the different types of agents: Prompt, Multi, and Hosted, as well as the development lifecycle using evals and traces.

WQC has weekly Thursday night social nights at the Westerville Java Central. Come and grab a coffee and connect with the community: low stakes, chill environment, and tasty drinks. No registration is required; come as you are.

**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** *Spec-Driven Development with GitHub Spec-Kit: From Intent to Implementation* Spec-driven development flips the traditional workflow on its head: instead of code being the source of truth, the specification becomes the backbone of design, collaboration, and delivery. In this session, we’ll explore how GitHub Spec-Kit enables teams to treat specifications as first-class artifacts—living documents that drive architecture, implementation, and verification. You’ll learn how Spec-Kit helps teams clearly express intent using structured, version-controlled specs that live alongside code. We’ll walk through a practical workflow that starts with defining system behavior and constraints, then progressively refines those specs into testable, automatable outcomes. Along the way, we’ll show how specs can reduce ambiguity, improve cross-functional collaboration, and make design decisions explicit before a single line of production code is written. This talk will cover: --What spec-driven development is (and what it isn’t) --How GitHub Spec-Kit fits into modern developer workflows --Using specs to align product, engineering, and AI-assisted development --Real-world examples of turning specs into implementations with confidence Whether you’re building greenfield systems, integrating AI into your stack, or trying to reduce costly rework, spec-driven development offers a scalable way to move faster without sacrificing clarity. Attendees will leave with concrete patterns and a clear mental model for adopting GitHub Spec-Kit in their own projects. **YouTube Link** TBA

Connected Westerville Night of Networking flips the script on networking, with surprises and connections that'll make you say, "Who knew networking could be this much fun?!"

Bring your work or your hobby, hang out, and code with us. Follow @buckeyecocoa for more information.

#### Turning Rentals Into Income: How Investors Pay Off Properties Faster #### **Featuring Guest Speaker: John Blackburn** ** Get your FREE TICKET [HERE](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/turning-rentals-into-income-how-investors-pay-off-properties-faster-tickets-1980492192461?aff=cicmeetupapp)** #### A lot of people get into real estate because they want freedom. Then they buy a rental…and realize most of the rent goes straight to the bank. They technically own property, but the mortgage controls the income. And waiting 30 years for properties to be paid off doesn’t feel realistic. This meetup is about understanding a different way to think about rental properties… one that focuses on paying them off sooner so the income is actually usable. **Featured Guest Speaker: John Blackburn** We’re excited to welcome John Blackburn as our guest speaker for this event. John has been actively investing in real estate since 2006 and has: * Been involved in **5,000+ real estate transactions** * Helped investors **acquire over $150 million in rental property** * **Raised more than $100 million** in private capital John didn’t start with family money or shortcuts. He built his portfolio by focusing on clear systems, real numbers, and long-term strategy. For this meetup, John will walk through how investors shift their focus from simply owning rentals to building properties that eventually pay them…without a mortgage attached. **What You’ll Learn** John will break down, in simple terms: * Why most rental properties don’t produce much usable income early on * Why buying more rentals isn’t always the answer * How investors structure their properties to pay off mortgages in a fraction of the time * How properties can work together to eliminate debt faster * What changes once rentals become free and clear This approach is often referred to as an accelerated paydown strategy — using rental income intentionally to reduce debt sooner, rather than waiting decades for mortgages to run their course. John will also share a simple calculator you can use to see how this works with real numbers and realistic scenarios. **The Core Idea** When a rental has a mortgage, the rent has one job: **pay the bank.** When a rental is paid off, the rent has a different job: **pay you.** Most people only see one timeline…30 years. This session shows how investors shorten that timeline and gradually increase their income as properties become free and clear. **Who This Event Is For** This event is for people who want more than just “owning rentals” on paper. * Rental owners who are tired of most of the rent going to the bank and want a clearer path to real, usable income * New investors who want to understand how rental properties actually build wealth over time before jumping in * People with capital who want to invest in real estate with intention and a long-term plan * Anyone serious about freedom and curious how rental properties transition from debt-heavy assets into income-producing ones **Event Details** **Location:** Ohio Brewing Company - 421 E 2nd Ave, Columbus, OH 43201 **Date & Time:** January 25th, 6–8 PM (Doors open at 5:30) **Cost:** Free (Seats are limited - RSVP required) ** Get your FREE TICKET [HERE](https://www.eventbrite.com/e/turning-rentals-into-income-how-investors-pay-off-properties-faster-tickets-1980492192461?aff=cicmeetupapp)** If you’ve ever wondered how rental properties actually turn into freedom —this is the room to be in.

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