Build AI apps with Microsoft Foundry: A hands-on starter session

Want to get started building AI apps without spending weeks figuring out where to begin?

Join us for a hands-on session where we’ll explore how to use Microsoft Foundry models to create practical AI applications, with a focus on real-world workflows, rapid experimentation, and getting something working quickly. This meetup is ideal for developers, engineers, and AI-curious technologists who want to move from ideas to implementation.

AI is moving fast, and so are the tools for building with it.
In this hands-on meetup, we’ll work through the fundamentals of getting started with models in Microsoft Foundry and using them to build AI-powered apps. You’ll see how to move from model selection to application ideas, and how Microsoft Foundry can help you prototype, test, and build faster.
Whether you’re just starting out with AI or looking to sharpen your approach to building useful, production-minded AI apps, this session will give you a practical entry point.
Expect a mix of explanation, live walkthroughs, and hands-on learning you can take back to your own projects.

## What you’ll get

• A practical introduction to Microsoft Foundry and its model ecosystem.
• Guidance on how to think about building AI apps with real use cases in mind.
• A hands-on walkthrough designed to help you get started quickly.
• Ideas for how to move from experimentation to a more structured build process.

## Who it’s for

• Anyone curious about building with modern AI tools and models.
• Software engineers and developers.
• Data and AI practitioners.
• Technical product people exploring AI app development.

## Why attend

This is a great session if you want a clear, low-friction way to start building AI apps with Microsoft Foundry. You’ll leave with a better understanding of how to approach model-driven app development and where Foundry fits in the AI build stack. Microsoft’s Foundry resources are designed to help developers build, evaluate, and deploy AI models and agents, and this workshop-style session is a practical way to start engaging with that ecosystem.

About the speaker:
Akanksha Malik is a Managing Principal at IRIS by Argon & Co, a Microsoft AI MVP and an international speaker. As the founder of Paths Uncovered, she is dedicated to showcasing non-traditional routes into technology, encouraging diversity and inclusion in the industry alongside consulting work. After studying Financial Maths and Actuarial Science at UCC, Ireland, she realised she wanted to work with people as well as numbers. As a consultant, she works with clients to help them solve problems by making more informed decisions with data.

Her belief in making technology, particularly AI, accessible to all is evident through the numerous community events, meetups, and conferences she organises. She is the co-founder and director of Women Coders alongside Gretch, dedicated to building a more equitable world.

Sponsors:
This event is sponsored by Littlepay who are hosting and catering for us on the night!