Talent

***In this meetup, we explore why traditional feedback systems fail and what it really takes to build a culture of dialogue.*** ***\*\*\*Attention! This is an in-person event only. We need a minimum of 10 attendees for gaining the most value (besides the hosts). We will notice you in advance for a go/no go around February the 20th, 2026 \*\*\**** *Drawing from real consultancy experience and organizational case studies, we’ll unpack how feedback is shaped by deeply embedded systems of judgment, social conditioning, business culture, and biological responses to threat.* **Cool concrete case studies shared of different organizations with a diversity of challenges.** Let’s be honest: the word “feedback” can make your stomach clench. We brace for awkward conversations that end in painful silence, or we swallow our frustration to keep the peace. We worry about disrupting relationships or being misunderstood, so we often say nothing at all. But what is the true cost of this silence? Misunderstandings fester, trust erodes, and team morale quietly slips away. Ironically, by avoiding feedback to protect our relationships, we often end up creating the very disconnection we feared. As a result, we've developed a deeply unhelpful relationship with feedback treating it as a confrontation to be dreaded rather than a conversation for connection and growth. **Shift consciousness, habits, and leadership behavior at every level. Explore how to create cultures of dialogue instead of confrontation, where people feel seen, heard, and able to grow.** *** ### **Agenda** 17:30 - 18:00 Walk in 18:00 - 18:45 * Welcome & personal story * Current Systematics of Feedback 18:45 - 19:15 FOOOOD 19:15 - 20:30 * Clear Case Studies Example(s) of Feedback Systematics * Change the System of Feedback 20:30 Netwerk + Walk Out 21:00 Please go home you lovely people **Who Should Attend:** * Leaders * HR Professionals * Scrum Masters * Agile Coaches * Change Agents * Anyone who want to move beyond labels and is interested in creating a feedback culture.

Hey Everyone! 👋 **Location:** \- On\-site: Dataroots Offices\, Arnould Nobelstraat 32 Leuven \- Online: Zoom link TBA **Practicalities for the evening on Thursday, March 5th:** \- 18:00: Doors Open\, pizza & drinks \- 19:00: Speaker Talks \- 20:30: Networking & Drinks **Welcome to edition 14 of the Generative AI Belgium Meetup! 🚀** This time, we go on a quest. Many epics speak of the brave and the adventurous going on a quest to conquer, slay, tame, or train a dragon along the way. The last three years of AI developments have their own stories of creativity, novel paths, and unforeseen challenges that seemed too big to tackle. In this edition, we want to bring some stories of people and teams who didn't choose the easiest path, but the most interesting one. Join us on March 5th at Dataroots, Arnould Nobelstraat 32, Leuven, to meet these brave souls and get a feel for what it takes to tackle a challenge from scratch. Whether it's navigating the dragon that is the EU AI Act, training and running a custom language model, or building production-ready systems, every path has its own fire-breathing challenges. See you there! **Line-up:** \- 🐉 [Niels Tack](https://www.linkedin.com/in/niels-tack/): Taming The EU AI Act - Compliance as code \- 🏰 [Sohum Bhatt](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sohum-bhatt-530114230/): Taming Local LLMs to build applications \- ⚔️ [Maarten Vandeperre:](https://www.linkedin.com/in/maarten-vandeperre/) Taming AI Sovereignty \- 🤺[Lode Nachtergaele:](https://www.linkedin.com/in/lodenachtergaele/) Taming Agentic RAG - How Agentic Beats RAG Big thanks to Dataroots for hosting us and to our sponsors: In The Pocket, BruCON, Red Hat, Collibra, Plainsight & Volta Ventures for supporting the community.

**Design Reimagined Utrecht (DRU) - 05 March 2026** Hosted by University of Applied Sciences Utrecht (HU) Join us for an evening of professional insight and networking as we explore how to integrate service design into your everyday role and master the art of the persuasive pitch. 📅 **Date & Time** **Date:** Thursday, 5 March 2026 **Time:** 18:00 – 21:00 📍 **Location** **Venue:** Hogeschool Utrecht, Room 0.011 **Address:** Padualaan 99, 3584 CH Utrecht 🎙️ **Featured Speakers** **[Bindu Upadhyay](https://www.linkedin.com/in/upadhyaybindu/)** \| Senior Service Designer\, **GitLab** Topic: ***"Adopting a Service Design mindset for your role."*** **[Varsha Prasad N M](https://www.linkedin.com/in/varshnm/)** \| Founder\, **IdeaCompass** Topic: ***"Designing the Pitch: Crafting Stories That Win Support."*** 🌯 There will be snacks and drinks. 🔗 **Join the Community** Space is limited, so please ensure you register your attendance through our Meetup page.

Met veel enthousiasme kondigen we de eerste meetup van 2026 aan, gehost bij Flink Software in Nijmegen. **Programma** 17:30 - 18:00 Inloop + hapje/drankje 18:00 - 18:45 **Tame your Llama, run AI in Java** \- Lutske de Leeuw 18:45 - 19:00 Pauze 19:00 - 20:00 **Breaking Bad (Code): An Interactive Guide to Security Code Review** \- Arjan Gelderblom \(First8 Conclusion\) 20:05 - 21:00 Netwerken en gezelligheid **Tame your Llama, run AI in Java** \- Lutske de Leeuw Ready to supercharge Java projects with AI? This session will demonstrate how Java developers can harness the power of Llama models locally to create AI-driven applications without needing a deep machine learning background. The session begins with the essentials, covering environment setup, and dives into loading and running Llama models in Java. Through hands-on examples, attendees will learn how to use Llama for powerful tasks like natural language processing and classification, bringing intelligent features to Java applications. Forget complicated setups and steep learning curves. By the end of the session, participants will be equipped to incorporate advanced AI into their Java apps with ease. Whether enhancing user experiences, automating tasks, or improving decision-making, this talk provides practical skills to bring cutting-edge AI to any project. Takeaways: \- How to set up and run Llama models in a Java environment\. \- Practical applications of Llama for natural language processing and classification\. \- How to seamlessly integrate AI\-driven functionality into existing Java projects\. Don’t miss the opportunity to explore the world of AI with Java. This session offers a code-centric, hands-on dive into Llama, leaving attendees with actionable skills ready for immediate use in real-world applications. **Breaking Bad (Code): An Interactive Guide to Security Code Review** \- Arjan Gelderblom \(First8 Conclusion\) Most security vulnerabilities slip through code review not because they're cleverly hidden, but because reviewers don't know what patterns to recognize. While automated tools catch obvious flaws, the subtle logic errors and architectural weaknesses that lead to real breaches require a trained human eye—and most developers have never been taught how to look. This interactive talk transforms participants from passive code readers into active security reviewers. Through five progressively challenging code review exercises drawn from real-world vulnerabilities, attendees will learn to spot security flaws across multiple vulnerability categories. Between challenges, we'll build a systematic framework for security-focused code review: developing an attacker's mindset, recognizing dangerous patterns, performing data flow analysis, and prioritizing security concerns based on risk. This session is designed for developers at any experience level who conduct or participate in code reviews. No prior security expertise required—just bring your ability to read code and willingness to think like an attacker. **We kijken ernaar uit je te zien op 5 maart! 👋**

¡Compartamos juntos con el grupo de personas más divertido de la ciudad!... ¡en español! No necesitas ser un hablante fluido o nativo.... ¡Solo atrévete a compartir! Te esperamos a las 20hrs.... ¡Entrada gratuita! ¡Nos vemos! ¡Hasta entonces! 😃 Let's share together with the funniest group of people in town!... in Spanish! You don't need to be a fluent or native speaker.... Just dare to share! We wait for you at 20hrs ....Free entry! Nos vemos! Tot dan! 😃 Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/habladores/ Meetup Link: https://www.meetup.com/nl-NL/los-habladores/ Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/los_habladores_utrecht/ Los Habladores!

⚠️ **IMPORTANT: You must sign up and buy a ticket here to attend:** [https://groupvibe.com/](https://groupvibe.com/) **Join the Utrecht** **Dinner Club and make new friends!** Each meetup brings together 4–6 people for casual conversations over dinner. We use the Groupvibe platform to facilitate the meetup and ensure everyone’s a good fit. **To attend, you’ll need to complete registration via this link:** [https://groupvibe.com/](https://groupvibe.com/) We’ll share the exact location of the upcoming meetup the night before only if you have bought a ticket or membership plan. **Why this works:** \* Smaller groups make real conversations easier. \* Discover new restaurants in your city, together. \* Curated dinner venues with good food and vibe. \* If you hit it off with your group, there’s plenty of time to hang out afterwards. **Note:** RSVPs on Meetup don’t reflect total attendance. Many attendees register directly via our website. The event on [Meetup.com](http://meetup.com/) is only a placeholder. This meetup is organized by Groupvibe, a small team passionate about helping people form meaningful friendships offline.

Hello architecture enthusiasts! We're excited to announce our next meetup exploring the emerging world of AI agent platforms and orchestration! Join us for an evening where we'll tackle the architectural challenges of moving from standalone AI models to connected, intelligent ecosystems. Makan will share insights on how a capability mesh could solve today's AI orchestration challenges, while Pascal will dive into the practical patterns, protocols, and standards for building AI agent platforms. Come hungry for both knowledge and food — we've got plenty of both, plus drinks and great networking opportunities at OpenValue's Utrecht office. Both sessions will be presented in English. RSVP now for an evening of learning and connection! **Getting Here** Directions: [https://www.openvalue.eu/route/#utrecht](https://www.openvalue.eu/route/#utrecht). Parking is free. The office is within walking distance of Utrecht Zuilen train station. **Agenda** 17:30 Doors open 18:00 Food 18:30 Talk 1: Capability Mesh: Enabling Orchestration through Semantic Integration 19:30 Break 19:45 Talk 2: Building AI Agent Platforms: Architecture, Communication, and Standards 20:45 Drinks, fun, networking **Talk 1: Capability Mesh: Enabling Orchestration through Semantic Integration** *Makan Sepehrifar, Principal Engineer at Code Nomads* Ten years ago, microservices chaos led to "Service Mesh" solving the discoverability problem by replacing network endpoints with meaningful references, enabling scalability and observability. It worked brilliantly for connecting services. Today we're living through the same cycle with Generative AI and Agents, but the chaos is about integration, not networking. The old problems discoverability, scalability, observability are back because orchestrators now pick agents by capability, not name. Plus we face new challenges: explainability of agent actions and the possibility of unintended actions due to the non-deterministic nature of large language models. We need the same evolutionary leap from "Service Mesh" to "Capability Mesh" shifting from technical service contracts to semantic capability integration for autonomous AI. Key Topics and Take Aways: * From OpenAPI to MCP: The Protocol Shift in Agentic AI * MCP Gateways: The New Control Plane * Capability Hierarchies: Composing Agents at Scale * Human-on-the-Loop: Redefining Our Role in Agent Systems * Policy as Code: Governing Autonomous Agents * Observability & Safety: Tracing Agent Behavior *About Makan* Makan Sepehrifar is a software architect whose fascination with the intricacies of organizational behavior and cognitive psychology has led him to redefine the way technology interfaces with human understanding. Looking at software architecture as a craftsmanship process, he realized that the more abstract you look at it, the more complexities arises. His career has been a testament to his commitment to bridging the gap between technology and human behavior, resulting in innovative software solutions that not only work efficiently but also self-adaptive teams that embrace the mindset of agile. **Talk 2: Building AI Agent Platforms: Architecture, Communication, and Standards** *Pascal Wilbrink, Senior Software Engineer at OpenValue* AI systems evolve from standalone models into connected, agent-based ecosystems, new architectural patterns, protocols, and standards are emerging. Concepts such as AGUI, A2A, A2UI, and MCP-based applications are changing how intelligent systems are designed and integrated. This presentation explains how these approaches affect system structure, responsibilities, and interoperability. Using architectural diagrams, it shows how AI agent applications communicate and collaborate through standardized interfaces, and provides guidance on building scalable and maintainable AI platforms. *About Pascal* Pascal is a senior software engineer at OpenValue with over a decade of experience and a strong interest in applied AI and intelligent automation. He enjoys exploring how technology can make developers’ lives easier and software more resilient. When he’s not experimenting with new ideas or building open-source tools, Pascal likes to learn by doing and turning complex problems into practical solutions.

## 🎨**Activity for EXPATS & English Speakers** ☕ Are you an art enthusiast living in or around **Amersfoort, Hilversum, Utrecht, Nieuwegein, IJsseltein, De Bilt and the rest of cities of the Utrecht's province** who love painting or drawing? Maybe you've felt the joy of creating but struggled to find others who share your passion and speak **ENGLISH**? **You're not alone! 😉** ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ ## 🖌️**About this event** You will meet other Art Lovers like you to Draw, Paint and have some drinks Together ! Our events are not just about sketching or creating art—they’re about building connections. Every two weeks, we meet at a café to have a relaxing time drawing a painting. Please keep on mind that **ENGLISH i**s the official language we will use to integrate everyone in our conversations. ⭕⭕⭕➡️ **IMPORTANT ⬅️** ⭕⭕⭕⭕ ### 👩🏻‍🎨**Book formally your Seat 🪑via [WHATSAPP](https://bit.ly/3BXXE0f)** **If you want to confirm officially your attendance and separate your seat🪑. Book your seat in meet-up, and contact us via [WHATSAPP HERE](https://bit.ly/3BXXE0f) to receive more information on the address of our activities.** **Thanks a lot for your understanding!** 💐🥰 ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ ### 👩🏻‍🎨**How Does It Work?** This event is simple, this initiative takes 2 Hours. Most of the participants use pencils, water pencils or watercolours. Main aim is to socialize while we draw. There will be plenty of time to talk and get to know each other. We have to mention that this event is suitable for all levels. Many have started to draw in our event actually. Also it is very important that you **[JOIN US AT OUR WHATSAPP COMMUNITY](https://bit.ly/3BXXE0f),** to stay up to date on our upcoming events and participate in our Drawing and Painting Contests! **👉: [https://bit.ly/3BXXE0f](https://bit.ly/3BXXE0f)** 🍀 ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ ### ☕**Where?** We will meet in different cafes mainly in the *center of Amersfoort ( and some occasions in other cities around)*. I will inform you of the exact place some days in advance this event. The place will depend on the number of attendees. ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ ### **🎟️ What is included?** 🟢 **2 HOURS TO HAVE FUN!** 🟢 **15 mins warming-up creative activity and paper material**🖌️🎨 🟢 New friendships and **conversations in ENGLISH** in a relaxed atmosphere 🟢 **Souvenir picture** with you and the rest of Art Lovers 📷 🟢 Exclusive **access to our Art Lovers Community** on which you will receive: ***\~\~\~ Drawing challenges,*** ***\~\~\~ Training content,*** ***\~\~\~ FREE Entries only to members*** ***\~\~\~ Drawing Competitions*** 🟢 Time to **create alongside fellow artists and amateurs** 🟢 The freedom to **work at your own pace** 💃🕺🎈 ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ ### 🖼️**Art Materials?** Bring your own practical art materials to be adaptable to sketch on a coffee table. Like your sketchbook, pencils, watercolor, markets, pencils, your Tablet..etc ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ ## **See you to Paint, Draw, and drink together!🌟☕🍷🍪🍰**

Join us for some beers, snacks and fun. Just a regular Saturday night with heavy music played by a metal DJ in a cozy café. Song requests are possible. ;) Agenda: 9:00 - café opens (free entry) 9:30/10:00 - dj starts playing music 2:00 - end No tables will be booked because we expect to have enough space even if we're >20 people. ;)

'ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE' by Anthony Doerr 'Marie-Laure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris, and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure's reclusive great uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel. In a mining town in Germany, the orphan Werner grows up with his younger sister, enchanted by a crude radio they find. Werner becomes an expert at building and fixing these crucial new instruments, a talent that wins him a place at a brutal academy for Hitler Youth, then a special assignment to track the Resistance. More and more aware of the human cost of his intelligence, Werner travels through the heart of the war and, finally, into Saint-Malo, where his story and Marie-Laure’s converge. Doerr's stunning sense of physical detail and gorgeous metaphors”(San Francisco Chronicle) are dazzling. Deftly interweaving the lives of Marie-Laure and Werner, he illuminates the ways, against all odds, people try to be good to one another. Ten years in the writing, All the Light We Cannot See is a magnificent, deeply moving novel from a writer “whose sentences never fail to thrill” ( Los Angeles Times). ***Please read the book and join us for a lively discussion (in English) about the contents during our afternoon book club meeting.*** \-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\-\- **PLEASE NOTE:** This is an IN-PERSON event in Amersfoort, The Netherlands. Please cancel your attendance in advance if you are unable to join, so that those on the waitlist can participate. Looking forward to seeing you all IN REAL LIFE then! Best regards, Sandra

We’re heading out onto a **brand new trail** on the Veluwe, one we’ve never walked before. That alone makes this hike extra exciting. New paths, new views, and that lovely feeling of discovery from start to finish. From the start we dive **straight into the forest**, following winding woodland paths that slowly pull us deeper into the heart of the Veluwe. The forest feels calm and spacious, and with spring just around the corner you’ll notice nature quietly waking up. Budding trees, fresh greens, birds getting busier. It’s that in between season where everything is preparing itself. After several kilometers of forest walking, the landscape opens up as we reach the **Hoog Soerensche Veld**. Wide open fields, big skies, and that classic Veluwe contrast between forest and heath. From here we continue towards the **Asselsche Heide**, one of the quieter and more scenic parts of the Veluwe. This section offers lovely viewpoints, open heathland, and long sightlines that really give you that spacious Veluwe feeling. We finish where we started, completing a **full loop hike** through forests, open fields, and heathland. **📍When and where to meet?** We’ll meet at 11h30 at busstop Hoog Buurloseweg https://maps.app.goo.gl/sCMJ8Kg7MTUcYu1j7 ⏰ **We start walking a few minutes after meeting up** — we don’t wait for latecomers, as the forest calls and daylight is short this time of year. **🚗 Coming by car?** You can park here but please also do your own research: https://maps.app.goo.gl/sCMJ8Kg7MTUcYu1j7 **⏸️ Planned Breaks** After 9 km: 30 min lunch break in nature After 15 km: 15 min break in nature **💸 Payment** Please pay as soon as you sign up: To keep things fair for everyone, if we don’t receive your payment within 48 hours, we will need to remove you from the participant list. If there’s a waiting list, this will happen sooner (in less than 48 hours). If that happens, no worries — you’re always welcome to sign up again if there’s space. 🌟 Early Bird Deal! Join now for just €4 — available for 3 days (72h). After that, the price will be €5. Please pay here: [https://tikkie.me/pay/jto80gauep7vg7g1s9gp](https://tikkie.me/pay/jto80gauep7vg7g1s9gp) **👟 Good to know** * Refund policy: Cancellations are fully refundable up to 1 week before the event (This is Monday 2 March at 23h59). After this period, the fee becomes non-refundable. * Hike difficulty: Our hikes are moderately challenging. Please only join if you’re confident you can keep up with the group’s pace (5 km/ h)— it’s more fun for everyone when we can walk together without long waits. * If the pace is too challenging: We may kindly suggest you continue at your own pace. We’ll give you clear directions to the nearest bus or train so you can return comfortably. * At your own risk: You participate at your own risk, so please make sure you have appropriate insurance coverage for outdoor activities. * Payment note: With Tikkie we only see initials (e.g., J. Doe instead of John Doe). Please include your Meetup name in the payment note so we can match it easily. * Friends joining: If you bring a friend, make sure they also register and pay. * What to bring: Snacks, lunch, and water/ or hot thee/ coffee. * Stay connected: Join our WhatsApp group to be the first to hear about future hikes — ask for the QR code during the hike. * T-shirts: Fairwear-certified organic cotton, eco-friendly inks — €25. Sustainable, odor-resistant, and perfect for hiking. Let us know your size and we’ll bring one for you.

Join us for a beautiful hike in the Austerlitz area * We **start at 11:15** From: Raadhuisplein 1, 3951 XT Maarn https://maps.app.goo.gl/WogeofsFNuDyBgrN9 * Length: \~16 km (4 - 5 hr hiking) * What to bring: lunch, water, snack. * For whom: As always, sporty folks that like to combine social event with being active in nature. **Getting there by Train:** * To train station: Maarn https://maps.app.goo.gl/UkHaTRXZZW9zG3dn9 **Getting there by Car:** * Parking in the streets close to: Raadhuisplein 1, 3951 XT Maarn https://maps.app.goo.gl/WogeofsFNuDyBgrN9 **Note:** * Please **pay a small fee (3 euro)** to help us cover the (increased) yearly Meetup contribution of 240 euro. We'll ask you to pay before the start of the hike (can be on the day itself). No refunds, but in the unlikely event that hike would be cancelled and you already paid, you don't need to pay for your next hike. Thank you so much! Use the **safe link** here: https://betaalverzoek.rabobank.nl/betaalverzoek/?id=vezo1ouZS0yORJXINF58jA * Keep in mind that the hike can be canceled when the weather is very bad (**always check the event before you go**). * If you RSVP 'yes' we expect you to show-up. Please do not cancel less than 24 hours before the hike. **No-shows** will lead to your removal from the group. Thanks for the understanding. * By signing up for this event, you agree to release the organizers from any responsibility and liability in all claims. As the participation is strictly voluntary and you freely choose to join, it is the responsibility of individuals participating to ensure that they are fit enough and have adequate coverage to protect themselves.

I'm excited to host the 18th edition of *Strangers to Friends*! Every event so far has been warm, fun and full of great connections. So we’re doing it again! Curious about our previous events? Check out our photo albums (only visible on the laptop version of Meetup). **What to expect** * A safe, relaxed environment to meet both locals and expats, whether you want to meet new people, experience an international atmosphere or talk about business, it’s all possible. * Start the evening with a few rounds of conversation cards: pair up with someone you don’t know, answer meaningful questions and rotate every 10 minutes. Within just one hour, you’ll get to know several people really well and enjoy meaningful conversations. * Everyone comes on their own, so it’s easy to connect. **Practical details** * Doors open at 20:00, after 30 minutes we start with conversation cards * Venue: Boekencafé Libertas, Klarendalseweg 477-1, Arnhem * 20 min walk from Arnhem Central * 7 min walk from Arnhem Velperpoort * You’ll receive 1 drink token for (beer/wine/soft drinks) and snacks all night! * Find us on the right side of the café at the bar, by the window and garden Bring a smile and join us for an evening where friendships grow, business ideas spark and real-life connections happen. Back to basics, away from screens, meeting face-to-face. Warm regards, Julia

Private Group. Closed to the Public Knowing ourselves and understanding our abilities is the first step toward wielding our gifts with control and accuracy. In subsequent classes we will verify and hone our talents with activities and discussion. These are hands-on workshops and participation is expected. The goal of our series will be to develop expertise in areas of particular interest such as mediumship, channeling, divination, healing and, etc.. Our ultimate directions will be determined by class members as we evolve. I look forward to sharing and discovering with you. - Cynthia

This month, we are in-person at GameArena!!! We will also be joined by students and their games from [Shawnee State](https://www.shawnee.edu/game-design-programs)! \-\-\- Join us for our our monthly COGG Prototype and Play event @GameArena! Come to play and showcase your games. We're back in the upper levels of the catwalk mezzanine area. It'll be packed with lots of camaraderie playing your game(s) and other's games on the 2nd floor as well as the 1st floor in the gaming room below the mezzanine. Light snacks and water provided but you can buy food and drinks at the bar (alcoholic drink ID required). [https://www.game-arena.co/menu](https://www.game-arena.co/menu) **Attendees:** Don't have a game to show? Not a problem! All are welcomed and invited from all ages and backgrounds. The more we can have to play test our games the better! **Developers:** Do you have a game that you would like to get critical feedback on? Would you like an excuse to work on a game with other talented artists, programmers, musicians, designers, and writers? Digital, table-top, non-experienced developers, and the like are welcomed! We'll provide signage for your game to help others learn more about your work. Wifi, outlets, tables, and seats (though standing tables also) are available. Come to the Prototype and Play workshop to collaborate and meet local game developers for an evening of epic and raw game play fun! Play works-in-progress, show off your own game, work with others to add polish to a game, or even lend your talents to other fellow developers. Can use South Garage at the Gateway with a $5 voucher on your way out. 75 E 11th Ave, Columbus, OH 43201 [https://maps.app.goo.gl/UwgveUYG37Jy7RtS9](https://maps.app.goo.gl/UwgveUYG37Jy7RtS9) If you have any questions or comments, as always, feel free to reach out to us at [info@thecogg.com!](http://info@thecogg.com!/)

We'll meet at The Capital One Café, 167 Easton Town Center, Space A-103. This is in the main mall where the Microsoft store used to be, on your left if you're standing at the bottom of the AMC Theater escalator. Join us on Sunday for an hour of uninterrupted wordmaking! • What we'll do Join us for an hour of writing! We’ve discovered that it’s strikingly helpful to write with other writers. See if it’s true for you at noon on Sundays. Be it a book, blog, script, essay, dissertation, resume, melody, poem or just plain work stuff, you are invited to write it with us. No one will see what you've written or give you unsolicited advice. Instead of just thinking about writing, come and get some real writing done. SCHEDULE: 12:00 - quick intros. 12:10 - timer starts: write for 1 hour. 1:10 - chat / take off / keep writing. OPTIONAL SOCIALIZING happens at 1-1:30ish. Writing is very solitary. Connecting (and sometimes even commiserating) with other writers is a cool thing. BEING LATE IS OKAY: just show up and get settled, then check-in with me after the session. If you were on time, please be willing to make room for the friendly latecomer. Happy writing and I look forward to seeing you! • What to bring Whatever you need to be able to write! Bring earbuds/earplugs if you want to block noise or the occasional conversation by other patrons. Electrical outlets are limited, so charge your devices before whenever possible. See you at The Café on Sunday!

Builders, creators, architects, admins, consultants - come one, come all. This one's for you. We're bringing a little friendly competition to the Columbus ServiceNow community while highlighting the cool things people have built on the platform. Five presenters will take the stage to showcase something they've built, solved, designed, or imagined on the ServiceNow platform - and a panel of judges (plus YOU, our amazing audience) will score them live. So basically, America's Got Talent but make it ServiceNow's Got Talent. Bring a notepad if you'd like 'cause you'll definitely be learning something new. Each presenter gets 10 minutes max to wow the crowd with: • A demo • A real-world business solution • A bold idea • A UX transformation • Or a creative use of the platform Judging Criteria: 🏆 Business Value 🚀 Innovation ✨ User Experience This event is about celebrating ideas, sharing knowledge, and showing how ServiceNow can drive both business impact and meaningful user value. Come learn. Come support. Come get inspired. Refreshments and bites will be provided. And maybe next time… you’ll be on stage.

**Confidence in Bloom: How Creativity Builds Confidence** What happens when creativity becomes an intentional practice? In this month’s Confidence Lab, we’ll gather at **Petals That Inspire: The Flourish Studio** for an evening exploring the connection between creativity and confidence. How making with our hands, engaging our senses, and allowing space for expression can shift how we see ourselves and what we believe is possible. Our featured speaker, **Amanda Lorenzetti**, owner of Petals That Inspire, will share how creativity has shaped her own confidence journey and why creative environments play such a powerful role in well-being, resilience, and personal growth. Drawing from her work leading an experience-driven floral studio and a community-centered workforce development program, Amanda will reflect on creativity as both a personal and collective catalyst. Amanda will also guide us through a **hands-on floral design experience**, creating a fresh arrangement in a wide mouth mason jar. No prior floral experience is needed, just curiosity and a willingness to engage the process. This evening is an invitation to slow down, create, and reconnect with the part of yourself that grows through care, attention, and imagination. You’ll leave with a floral arrangement to take home, and a deeper understanding of how confidence can be cultivated through creative practices. **Featured Speaker: Amanda Lorenzetti** Amanda Lorenzetti is the owner and founder of [Petals That Inspire](https://www.petalsthatinspire.com/) and The Flourish Studio, a social enterprise florist based in Columbus, Ohio. She brings more than a decade of experience in wedding and event sales, paired with hands-on expertise in floral and event design. Amanda’s connection to the floral industry began early, spending time alongside her godmother, a professional florist on the East Coast. After earning her business degree, she returned to her hometown in Connecticut to work as a floral and event designer, blending creative artistry with strong operational and client-focused skills. In 2020, Amanda returned to the floral industry with a renewed purpose, driven by a desire to build a business rooted in creativity, community impact, and sustainability. During this pivotal time, she founded Petals That Inspire—an innovative floral concept that reimagines the traditional florist model by combining event florals, workshops, and experiential offerings with a mission-centered approach to workforce development. Today, Petals That Inspire is a thriving social enterprise known for its thoughtful design, educational experiences, and commitment to empowering young adults facing barriers to entry in the workforce. Amanda is deeply passionate about building businesses that are both profitable and purpose-driven, and she leverages her strong business acumen to create a scalable & sustainable model that inspires creativity while giving back to the community. **What is Confidence Lab?** Confidence Lab is a monthly community experience for bold, thoughtful leaders building confidence from the inside out. Whether you’re launching a business, leading a team, navigating change, or simply striving to show up more fully—you belong here. Our work demands clarity, courage, and conviction—but the pace of daily life can erode our sense of self. Confidence Lab creates space to reflect, reconnect, and grow with others doing purpose-driven work. It’s designed for entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, creatives, corporate professionals, activists, and anyone ready to lead with authenticity and impact. ***Please note:*** *All are welcome! If cost is a concern, please use promo code PUBLIC to access a free ticket—we want you to join us.*

The topic for March is "Our Bodies, Ourselves" Speak Easy: true stories, told live. The idea is simple: an audience, an open microphone, and great stories. Hilarious, gripping, poignant- it's up to you. Audiences are invited to come to listen or come to tell as folks from all corners of Columbus offer their stories live on stage! Held at Wild Goose Creative's warm, intimate space, this night of tales occurs on the 3rd Thursday of every month. Doors open at 6:30 pm, show starts at 7:00 pm. Please arrive early if you want to tell, as we generally only have room for a limited number of tellers, and the sign-up sheet has a tendency to fill up fast. Formed around the idea that people need stories--they're what hold and draw us together--SpeakEasy celebrates the strangeness and commonness of being human. And in a world of smartphones, Facebook, Twitter, and more . . . it gives people a real, breathing, in-person way to connect. The night is geared for true stories of all kinds, taking the best tales told around kitchen tables, in darkened pubs, on the street corner, and at late-night parties and giving them an audience. Speak Easy is also a great outlet for performers, writers, and artists looking to share their favorite stories and perfect their skills. We strongly encourage tellers to please tell the story rather than read it so we keep within the spirit of good storytelling and stay engaged with the audience. All are welcome. Hang around after the show for a drink and build community!

NFT's are here to stay folks! This is a group for like minded people interested in understanding, leveraging, using, creating for, profiting from, trading too i suppose, NFT's.. everything around them, complexity, fear and exploits, best practices and more. **PLUS** This group will talk AI ART tools, techniques, artists, video, audio, prototypes and more in the AI assisted production space- ART specifically, but we can get into any aspect of some of the cooler things happening in AI in general.