Norfolk.js: 670k People Watched Us Vibe Code
2026-04-27 18:30 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Assembly, 400 Granby Street, Norfolk, VA 23510, Norfolk, VA, 23510, US
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qYx8NX49OS8
Imagine being flown across the country to build a full-stack app from scratch in under four hours, where you have to demo what you made in front of a dev influencer, corporate recruiter, and competing engineering teams regardless of if it’s finished or a broken mess.
Now imagine that it’s all being filmed by a full production crew, having to juggle team interviews and makeup touchups between code commits and debugging attempts, all to make a video that’s been viewed over 670,000 times! Terrifying right?
Ryan McGovern and Austin Galyon did exactly that while competing in a CodeTV Web Dev Challenge sponsored by Intuit, where they built Pantry Party – a collaborative generative recipe app built using Astro, Convex, Clerk, Netlify, and the Claude API, most of which they had never seen or used before that morning. They’ll share what the experience was actually like behind the scenes, where AI-assisted coding helped, where it completely failed, and how their tooling has evolved since.
All skill levels welcome! The 757Dev Community means a lot to me, and I thank each of you for your support. 🖖
As always, HUGE thanks to Assembly for hosting. Learn more about the amenities and community of Assembly at https://www.assemblynfk.com/
Street parking is free after 6 pm. From 6:30-7:00 pm, we will have someone at the door to let you in. After 7, message the #javascript channel on 757Dev Slack. We meet in the Fur Room on the 4th floor.

Norfolk.js — 670K people watched us vibe code
2026-04-27 22:30 - 2026-04-28 00:00 UTC | 400 Granby St, Norfolk, VA, United States
Step behind the scenes of a high-stakes CodeTV challenge where two developers built and demoed a full-stack app in under four hours. Ryan McGovern and Austin Galyon share the reality of coding on camera with new tools and AI under pressure in this conversation hosted by Norfolk.js. – https://www.meetup.com/norfolkjs/events/314156513/

Peninsula Developer Happy Hour
2026-04-28 18:00 - 20:00 (America/Halifax) | Craft 60 Taphouse & Grill, 14346 Warwick Blvd Ste 348, Newport News, VA, 23602, US
A social event to discuss and network with other professionals

Peninsula Developers Study Group
2026-04-28 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-05-12 18:00 - 19:30 (America/Halifax) | Christopher Newport University, 1 Avenue of the Arts, Newport News, VA, 23606, US
New AI tools are dropping every week. Bookmarks are piling up. “To-be-studied” lists are growing faster than we can keep up with.
Sound familiar?
Peninsula Developers Study Group is a local initiative for students and developers in the Peninsula area who want to stop meaning to learn and start actually doing it—together.
There’s no pressure to be an expert, and no bootcamp intensity. Just a consistent habit, a room full of curious people, and the accountability that comes from showing up.
How it works:
We meet every two weeks on Tuesdays from 6:00–7:30 PM at CNU. Sessions are a mix of focused study and group discussion.
Session details:
🕕 Study time: 6:05 PM – 7:05 PM
🤝 Networking time: 7:05 PM – 7:30 PM
📍 Location: Christopher Newport University (Luter 170)
🔁 Frequency: Bi-weekly (Tuesdays)
💬 Join Slack: Fill Google Form
Things to bring:

Laptop
Earphones/headphones

Roadmap (optional structure we’re following):

AI Fluency + Claude 101 (start here)
Building with the Claude API
Intro to MCP + MCP Advanced
Claude Code in Action + Coursera module
Practice questions + scenario walkthroughs
Anti-patterns review

Based on: “The Claude Certified Architect is Here!”
You are welcome to study on anything else too. The goal is the habit, not the syllabus.

Geeks at a Bar- Peninsula Happy Hour
2026-04-28 19:30 - 21:00 (America/New_York) | Marketplace at Tech Center, 12090 Jefferson Ave, Newport News, VA, 23606, United States
Do you work with technology or for a tech company? Do you speak geek? Come network with other technology industry workers for a casual, conversational happy hour.

Black BRAND Headshots & Happy Hour Member Mixer
2026-04-29 21:00 - 23:00 UTC | 400 Granby St, Norfolk, VA, United States
An exclusive Black BRAND members’ event celebrating new members while providing a relaxed networking environment. Guests will have the opportunity to update their professional headshots, connect with fellow members, and engage with community leaders in a lively, social setting. Assembly tenants & members, see the community portal for a limited number of discounted tickets! – https://app.glueup.com/event/black-brand-headshots-happy-hour-member-mixer-172129/

THRiVE 2026
2026-04-30 07:45 - 15:45 (America/New_York) | Capital One West Creek Commons, 15080 Capital One Drive, Richmond, Virginia
We Lead. The Future Follows.
On April 30, Virginia’s life sciences community will come together in Richmond for THRiVE 2026—the conference where innovation, investment, and collaboration intersect. Bringing together researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, and bioscience companies, THRiVE offers a platform to explore the trends and strategies shaping the future of our
ecosystem.
Conference discussions will focus on:
• Leading Virginia’s Ecosystem Growth
• Capital in Motion: Funding in Life Sciences
• Workforce Strategies to Support our Ecosystem
• Scaling Infrastructure for Growth and Resilience
The event will also honor leaders and organizations through the 2026 Outstanding
Contributions of the Year Awards.
Join us for a day of ideas, connections, and momentum.
April 30, 2026
Capital One West Creek Commons | Richmond, VA
Register: https://bit.ly/4s1RgLb

Before You Build: How to Define the Right MVP for Your Startup
2026-04-30 12:00 - 13:30 (America/New_York) | Virtual
Featuring LaToya Allen, Founder of NoteLoft
​Building too early—or building too much—is one of the most expensive mistakes an early-stage founder can make. Before you write a single line of code or hire a designer, you need a roadmap that prioritizes revenue over “feature creep.”
​Join LaToya Allen, founder of NoteLoft and veteran software engineer, for a high-impact session on defining a lean, investor-ready MVP. With 13 years of experience building for both startups and enterprise, LaToya will show you how to cut through the noise and ship what actually matters.
​In this session, we’ll cover:

​The “Problem First” Framework: Identifying the single most important hurdle your product must clear.
Feature Prioritization: How to ruthlessly decide what stays and what goes in V1.
​The AI Litmus Test: Does AI actually belong in your MVP, or is it a distraction?
Roadmapping: Creating a path from initial launch to a scalable, revenue-focused product.

​Whether you’re a solo founder or leading an executive team, this talk will give you the tools to ship faster than your competitors can hire.

What's Your Superpower?: Lunch 'n Learn
2026-04-30 12:00 - 13:00 (Africa/Abidjan) | The IncuHub, 100 Seventh Street #104, Portsmouth, VA 23704, Portsmouth, VA, 23704, US
We all have a superpower – a natural strength that helps us
show up at our best. Come discover yours! FREE LUNCH provided

We all have a superpower – a natural strength that helps us
show up at our best
But every strength has a shadow side.
Discover your unique superpower (and its hidden shadow)
See how it shows up in your daily work and interactions
Make one simple shift to use your strengths more intentionally
FREE LUNCH provided!

🧜‍♀️ AICHR | Zero to Agent
2026-04-30 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Halifax) | The HIVE by City of Virginia Beach, 140 Independence Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA, 23462, US
Build and ship a real AI agent in one night
The AI Collective Hampton Roads is bringing together builders, founders, operators, students, and the AI-curious for a hands-on build night as part of a global initiative powered by [Vercel]() and v0 by Vercel.
Whether you code every day or have never touched a terminal, this event is designed to help you go from idea → working AI agent.
🌍 What is Zero to Agent?
Zero to Agent is a global build week (April 24 – May 3) where communities around the world are building and shipping real AI agents using v0 and Vercel.
All participants can submit their builds to the global competition:

$6,000+ in prizes
Global exposure
Community voting + judging

🧠 What you’ll do

Learn how to use v0 to generate real apps and agents
Build something useful (not just a demo)
Deploy your project live
Connect with other builders in the 757
Get access to $30 in v0 credits (provided at the event)

👥 Who this is for

Developers looking to level up fast
Non-technical builders who want to create real tools
Founders and operators exploring AI workflows
Students curious about what’s actually possible right now

No experience required. Just show up ready to build.
🛠 What to bring

Laptop (required)
Charger
Ideas (optional but encouraged)

🏆 Competition + Key Dates

Build week: April 24 – May 3
Submissions due: May 3
Voting: May 3–4
Winners announced after May 5

🧪 What makes a strong submission?

Real-world usefulness
Working deployed agent
Creativity + execution

🤝 Hosted by
The AI Collective Hampton Roads, The HIVE, & Vercel
📍 Final note
This is a free event.
Spots are limited.
Come ready to build, not just watch.
About The AI Collective Hampton Roads
​We are part of a global network of 200,000+ AI builders, hosting hands-on events, workshops, and conversations across 150+ chapters worldwide.
Locally, we bring together builders across the 757 every week to explore what’s possible with AI in a real, practical way.
Platinum partners
TechArk
Regent University
ECPI University
Hampton Roads Chamber Foundation
Retail Alliance & Retail Alliance Foundation
Bronze partners
Assembly
757 Collab
​Space partner
The Hive by Virginia Beach
Our parent org
The AI Collective is a global non-profit community uniting 200,000+ pioneers – founders, researchers, operators, and investors – exploring the frontier of AI in major tech hubs worldwide. Through events, workshops, and community-led research, we empower the AI ecosystem to collaboratively steer AI’s future toward trust, openness, and human flourishing.
All attendees and organizers at events affiliated with The AI Collective agree to our privacy policy and are subject to our code of conduct. Additionally, by registering for this event, you agree to The AI Collective Hampton Roads chapter photo & video policy.

First Fridays in Downtown Norfolk
2026-05-01 21:00 - 2026-05-02 00:30 UTC | 400 Granby St, Norfolk, VA, United States
Get ready, Norfolk! DNC is excited to announce the return of First Fridays for this season! Come out for Downtown Norfolk’s favorite block party, bringing live music, local vendors, and good times to the heart of our city. – https://www.eventbrite.com/e/first-fridays-tickets-1364488695419?aff=oddtdtcreator

2026 Spotlight on the Peninsula - NASA Langley Research Center
2026-05-04 09:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York) | NASA Langley Research Center, 1 Nasa Drive, Hampton, VA 23666, Hampton, VA, 23666, US
The Virginia Peninsula Chamber & NASA Langley Research Center invite you to an Information Session and Networking Opportunity with local community stakeholders and leaders.
ABOUT THE SPOTLIGHT ON THE PENINSULA SERIES A quarterly event that is designed to highlight the critical components of the economic growth engine on the Peninsula, and to bring community leaders together to listen, learn and engage. It is a networking and informational event that is free to all.
Members & Non-Members: FREE

Nonprofit StartUp Fundamentals Forum
2026-05-04 18:00 - 19:30 (America/New_York) | TCC Visual Arts Building, 260 Boush Street, Norfolk, Virginia
In this eight-part series participants will be guided through important information about what makes a holistically strong nonprofit. From board governance and financial management to volunteers and strategic planning, we touch on all aspects of a strong nonprofit and highlight best practices. Students work on a “Mission Map” to clearly articulate and identify the impact of their programs and leave the class with new connections and insights about the nonprofit sector.
Class meets in the evening over eight sessions with suggested reading and activities to be completed outside of class time.

AI on Autopilot: Making Claude Work While You Sleep | AICHR
2026-05-05 14:00 - 15:30 (America/Halifax) | Online event
Notice: This meeting will be recorded. By joining and remaining in this meeting, you consent to being recorded. If you do not consent, please do not join.
You’ve seen what Claude can do. You’ve built automations. Maybe you even set up that morning briefing from our last event. But here’s the honest question: how many of those automations are you still running manually every time?
Most people try an AI workflow once, love it, and then forget to run it again by Wednesday. The problem isn’t capability — it’s consistency. You keep forgetting to ask.
This session fixes that. We’re taking the automations you already know how to build and putting them on a schedule that runs without you. Daily. Weekly. Monthly. While you sleep, while you commute, while you argue with your alarm clock.
This is a live, demo-driven walkthrough. We’re not talking theory. We’re opening Claude Desktop, scheduling real tasks, and watching them work — all in Cowork mode, no coding required.
What we’ll cover:
🔄 Two Levels of Automation
Level 1: Cowork Scheduled Tasks — runs on your desktop, no code, click-and-schedule simplicity. For everyone.
Level 2: Claude Code Routines — runs on Anthropic’s cloud, laptop can be closed, API and GitHub triggers. For developers. (Launched April 14 — brand new.)
⚡ 10 Automations We’ll Build Live:

The Morning Briefing — calendar + email + priorities, ready before you wake up
Inbox Zero at Dawn — email triage and draft replies waiting for your review
The Self-Cleaning Downloads Folder — file organization at midnight, every night
Meeting Prep That Beats You to Work — research brief 2 hours before your first meeting
The Friday Report That Writes Itself — weekly summary compiled automatically
Weekly Competitive Intelligence — competitor monitoring every Monday
The Subscription Watchdog — monthly scan of recurring charges you forgot about
Expense Reports on Autopilot — receipts processed every Friday
Content Calendar Batch — week’s social media drafts ready Monday morning
The Weekend Cleanup Crew — digital housekeeping while you enjoy Saturday

🔗 Chaining: When Automations Talk to Each Other The real power: one automation triggers the next. Morning briefing flags an urgent email → draft reply auto-generates → you review on your phone over coffee → approved reply sends before you reach your desk. Three automations, zero manual triggers.
Who this is for: Anyone with a Claude Pro or Max subscription who’s used Cowork at least once. If you attended our April 9 (Claude Code) or April 23 (AI Coworker) events, this is the natural next step. If you didn’t, you’re still welcome — the setup takes 60 seconds and we’ll walk through it live.
Who this is NOT for: If you haven’t installed Claude Desktop yet, start with our free setup guide (linked on the event page) before the event. We’re spending our time scheduling and automating, not installing.
What you’ll leave with: ✅ At least 2-3 scheduled automations running on your machine ✅ A free homework doc with all 10 prompts ready to copy ✅ The framework for building and chaining your own automations ✅ Access to the AI Automation Playbook ($29) for advanced patterns and developer-level Routines
Prerequisites: — Claude Desktop installed (claude.com/download) — Claude Pro ($20/month) or Max ($100+/month) subscription — Cowork mode accessible (click “Cowork” at the top of the app) — Gmail and Google Calendar connectors set up (for the email-based demos)
🎙️ Your Speaker Andrew Stafford Co-Lead of The AI Collective Hampton Roads. 25+ years across technology, cloud architecture, and AI — including work with Amazon, NASA, healthcare platforms, and enterprise systems. Author of AI for Business. Currently building at the intersection of AI tooling, agentic workflows, and practical business automation.
🏢 For Businesses Want to bring AI automation training to your team? We offer private workshops (lunch and learn, half-day, full-day bootcamp), conference speaking, and technical consulting. Book a discovery call

🤝 Organizers & partners
​
Organizers
The AI Collective Hampton Roads
​Platinum partners
TechArk
Regent University
ECPI University
Hampton Roads Chamber Foundation
Retail Alliance & Retail Alliance Foundation
Bronze partners
Assembly
757 Collab
🌍 ​Our parent org
The AI Collective is a global non-profit community uniting 225,000+ pioneers – founders, researchers, operators, and investors – exploring the frontier of AI in major tech hubs worldwide. Through events, workshops, and community-led research, we empower the AI ecosystem to collaboratively steer AI’s future toward trust, openness, and human flourishing.
All attendees and organizers at events affiliated with The AI Collective agree to our privacy policy and are subject to our code of conduct. Additionally, by registering for this event, you agree to The AI Collective Hampton Roads chapter photo & video policy.

Cox Communications Small Business Leadership Academy
2026-05-05 17:30 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | Virtual
Register Today for the 9-Week Virtual Program: May 5, 2026 to July 7, 2026
Learn how to market your business, increase revenue, enhance your management skills and more! Old Dominion University’s Strome College of Business, in partnership with Cox Communications, is providing education and strategies to help your business grow through the Small Business Leadership Academy.
Cox will award scholarships to accepted vendors or business customers to cover tuition for the program. Reserve your spot by April 30, 2026.
Participation Requirements

Must be an existing business with a Federal Employer Identification Number; for-profit businesses only
Open to both businesses and vendors, with registered Cox Communications vendors or business customers given priority

"Planning for Growth" Formal Strategic Planning
2026-05-06 09:00 - 10:30 (America/New_York) | Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, 11850 Merchants Walk Suite 110, Newport News, VA 23606, Newport News, VA, 23606, US
With facilitator, Professor Willy Donaldson, PhD of Christopher Newport University
ABOUT THE START, GROW, THRIVE SERIES
Monthly seminars for entrepreneurs and small business owners. Typically held on the first Wednesday from 9:00 – 10:30 am at the Virginia Peninsula Chamber Regional Conference Center.
Members: Free | Non-Members: $15

Bike Tune Up Day w/ East Coast Bicycles
2026-05-06 15:00 - 19:00 UTC | 400 Granby St, Norfolk, VA, United States
Prep your bike for safe rides all summer with East Coast Bicycles! The crew will be on-site at Assembly, offering $60 basic tune-ups, including brake and gear adjustments. Drop your bike off while you work and pick it up later. If you need more extensive repairs, you will score a discounted $80 shop rate. RSVP via the community portal or stop by as a walk-in to ensure your ride is safe and smooth! – https://community.assemblynfk.com/en/events/view/1415699812/bike-tune-up-day-w-east-coast-bicycles

Late Night Builders
2026-05-07 21:00 - 2026-05-08 00:00 (America/Halifax) | Buffalo Wild Wings, 101 S Independence Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA, 23462, US
Can’t sleep? Up late tinkering on a project? Or can’t make the usual meetups till the kids are in bed?
Late Night Builders is a monthly hangout for builders, tinkerers, and the generally curious. Developers, designers, AI enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, hobbyists — if you make things or want to start, you’ll fit in.
Bring something you’re working on, pick someone’s brain, or just show up for cheap wings and good conversation. No agenda, no presentations, no networking cringe.
Anyone is welcome at any experience level. Bring your laptop, bring a friend, or just bring yourself.

🧜‍♀️ AICHR | Late Night Builders
2026-05-07 21:00 - 2026-05-08 00:00 (America/Halifax) | Buffalo Wild Wings, 101 S Independence Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA, 23462, US
Can’t sleep? Up late tinkering on a project? Or can’t make the usual meetups till the kids are in bed?
Late Night Builders is a monthly hangout for builders, tinkerers, and the generally curious. Developers, designers, AI enthusiasts, entrepreneurs, hobbyists — if you make things or want to start, you’ll fit in.
Bring something you’re working on, pick someone’s brain, or just show up for cheap wings and good conversation. No agenda, no presentations, no networking cringe.
Anyone is welcome at any experience level. Bring your laptop, bring a friend, or just bring yourself.
FAQs
Is there free parking? Yes. There is plenty of free parking available at the location.
Is this event free? Yes. Space is limited, so please RSVP and cancel if your plans change.
🤝 Organizers & partners
Organizers
The AI Collective Hampton Roads
​Platinum partners
TechArk
Regent University
ECPI University
Hampton Roads Chamber Foundation
Retail Alliance & Retail Alliance Foundation
Bronze partners
Assembly
757 Collab
🌍 ​Our parent org
The AI Collective is a global non-profit community uniting 150,000+ pioneers – founders, researchers, operators, and investors – exploring the frontier of AI in major tech hubs worldwide. Through events, workshops, and community-led research, we empower the AI ecosystem to collaboratively steer AI’s future toward trust, openness, and human flourishing.
All attendees and organizers at events affiliated with The AI Collective agree to our privacy policy and are subject to our code of conduct. Additionally, by registering for this event, you agree to The AI Collective Hampton Roads chapter photo & video policy.

Women in Business Hampton Roads Coffee Meetup
2026-05-08 08:00 - 10:00 (America/New_York) | COVA Brewing Company, 9529 Shore Drive, Norfolk, VA 23518, Norfolk, VA, 23518, US
Join Women in Business at COVA Brewing!
It’s completely free, completely open format, and designed to make it easy to come as you are. Stop by anytime from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. We’ll do introductions starting at 9 a.m.
If you want to be part of it, click hereto join the email list and get calendar invites. https://docs.google.com/forms/u/0/d/1aТAw7QFaE0y_GHуnu0gL8Mх6C1V1cZjNGz8zX47РKkA/viewform?edit_requested=true

2026 AFCEA Hampton Roads Maritime Operations & Information Warfare Summit
2026-05-11 - 2026-05-14 | Hilton Norfolk The Main, 100 East Main Street, Norfolk, VA 23510, Norfolk, VA, 23510, US
Reach decision‑makers who own the problem.

Senior leaders from Fleet and type commands, Naval Information Forces, systems commands, and program offices attend to discuss their toughest IW and maritime operations challenges and future requirements.
Align with published Navy technology priorities.
Sponsoring demonstrates your commitment to the DON CIO PTA missions and puts your experts in the conversation early.
Build relationships that outlast the conference.
AFCEA forums are specifically valued by Government leaders for the chance to have frank, technically informed discussions with industry and academia that shape future initiatives and acquisitions.

Entrepreneur Essentials: Cybersecurity for Startup Healthcare Companies
2026-05-12 12:00 - 13:00 (Africa/Abidjan) | Bloom Coworking, 739 High Street, Portsmouth, VA 23704, Portsmouth, VA, 23704, US
Protect your healthcare startup from cyber threats, stay compliant & learn practical strategies to safeguard patient data and build trust.

Our monthly Entrepreneur Essentials series, powered by TMoblile, delivers the practical and technical skills startup companies need—right at your fingertips. Join us for lunch and insights from industry-leading professionals. This month’s session, “Cybersecurity for Startup Healthcare Companies,” will explore strategies to protect sensitive data, manage risk, strengthen compliance, and build a secure foundation for growth, with a particular focus on companies neavigating the healthcare sector.

Connecting Claude to Everything: The MCP Deep Dive | AICHR
2026-05-12 14:00 - 15:30 (America/Halifax) | Online event
Notice: This meeting will be recorded. By joining and remaining in this meeting, you consent to being recorded. If you do not consent, please do not join.
This event is capped at 500 attendees. Register now to secure your spot.
Connecting Claude to Everything: The MCP Deep Dive
Claude is smart. But right now, it’s smart in a room with no doors.
It can’t check your Slack. It can’t read your database. It can’t update your Notion. It can’t file your GitHub issues. It can’t query your Stripe data. Every time you want Claude to work with your actual tools, you’re copying and pasting between windows like it’s 2019.
MCP (Model Context Protocol) is the fix. It’s the universal adapter that connects Claude to Gmail, Slack, Google Drive, Notion, Asana, GitHub, Stripe, databases, and 3,000+ other services — through a single standard protocol. Think of it like USB-C for AI.
This session shows you how to connect Claude to the tools you actually use, with live demos at two levels: Cowork Connectors for everyone (click-to-connect, no code) and Claude Code MCP Servers for developers (install any server from the ecosystem, connect to databases and APIs).
What we’ll cover:
🔌 What Is MCP and Why It Matters The universal adapter that lets Claude talk to any external service. One protocol, thousands of connections.
⚡ 10 Connections We’ll Build Live:
For Everyone (Cowork Connectors — no code):

Gmail + Calendar — cross-referencing email and meetings in a single prompt
Slack — summarize channels, find un-responded messages, draft replies
Google Drive — search, read, and create files across your Drive
Notion — query databases, create pages, search your workspace
Asana — check overdue tasks, create tasks, update status

For Developers (Claude Code MCP Servers):
6. GitHub — review PRs, create issues, check CI status
7. Stripe — query customers, invoices, MRR trends
8. Databases — connect to Postgres/Supabase, run queries in English
9. Custom APIs — connect Claude to any REST API (live demo: URL shortener)
10. Stacking Connections — one prompt that touches 4+ services simultaneously
🔍 Finding and Installing MCP Servers Where to discover the 3,000+ MCP servers available, how to install them, and how to evaluate which ones are worth adding.
Who this is for: Two tracks in one event. If you’ve attended any of our previous events and want to connect Claude to the services you use every day — this is for you. Developers will learn how to install MCP servers and connect Claude to databases and APIs. Non-technical attendees will learn how to use Cowork Connectors to connect Claude to Gmail, Slack, Drive, Notion, and Asana with zero code.
Who this is NOT for: If you haven’t installed Claude Desktop yet, start with our free setup guide first. We’re spending our time connecting services, not installing.
What you’ll leave with: ✅ At least 2-3 new services connected to Claude ✅ A free homework doc with all 10 connection prompts and an MCP installation guide ✅ The framework for finding and evaluating MCP servers ✅ An understanding of how to stack multiple connections in a single prompt
Prerequisites: — Claude Desktop installed (claude.com/download) — Claude Pro ($20/month) or Max ($100+/month) subscription — Cowork mode accessible — Have login credentials ready for services you want to connect (Gmail, Slack, Notion, Asana, etc.) — Developers: Claude Code CLI installed (npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code)
🎙️ Your Speaker Andrew Stafford Co-Lead of The AI Collective Hampton Roads. 25+ years across technology, cloud architecture, and AI — including work with Amazon, NASA, healthcare platforms, and enterprise systems. Author of AI for Business. Currently building at the intersection of AI tooling, agentic workflows, and practical business automation.
🏢 For Businesses Want to bring AI automation training to your team? We offer private workshops (lunch and learn, half-day, full-day bootcamp), conference speaking, and technical consulting. Book a discovery call

🤝 Organizers & partners
​
Organizers
The AI Collective Hampton Roads
​Platinum partners
TechArk
Regent University
ECPI University
Hampton Roads Chamber Foundation
Retail Alliance & Retail Alliance Foundation
Bronze partners
Assembly
757 Collab
🌍 ​Our parent org
The AI Collective is a global non-profit community uniting 225,000+ pioneers – founders, researchers, operators, and investors – exploring the frontier of AI in major tech hubs worldwide. Through events, workshops, and community-led research, we empower the AI ecosystem to collaboratively steer AI’s future toward trust, openness, and human flourishing.
All attendees and organizers at events affiliated with The AI Collective agree to our privacy policy and are subject to our code of conduct. Additionally, by registering for this event, you agree to The AI Collective Hampton Roads chapter photo & video policy.

Peninsula Builders Study Group
2026-05-12 18:00 - 19:30 (America/Halifax) | Christopher Newport University, 1 Avenue of the Arts, Newport News, VA, 23606, US
New AI tools are dropping every week. Bookmarks are piling up. “To-be-studied” lists are growing faster than we can keep up with.
Sound familiar?
Peninsula Builders Study Group is a local initiative for builders of the Peninsula area who want to stop meaning to learn and start actually doing it—together.
There’s no pressure to be an expert, and no bootcamp intensity. Just a consistent habit, a room full of curious people, and the accountability that comes from showing up.
How it works:
We meet every two weeks on Tuesdays from 6:00–7:30 PM at CNU. Sessions are a mix of focused study and group discussion.
Things to bring:

Laptop
Earphones/headphones

Session details:
🕕 Study time: 6:05 PM – 7:05 PM
🤝 Networking time: 7:05 PM – 7:30 PM
📍 Location: Christopher Newport University (Luter 170)
🔁 Frequency: Bi-weekly (Tuesdays)
💬 Join Slack: Fill Google Form
Directions:
Park in the visitor spots in front of Trible Library. From there, take the first right onto the brick path (on your right if you’re facing the library), walk past the Freeman Center, and take the first left. Luter 170 is in the rightmost wing of the Luter Hall building, you’ll see a sign on the door.
Roadmap (optional structure we’re following):

AI Fluency + Claude 101 (start here)
Building with the Claude API
Intro to MCP + MCP Advanced
Claude Code in Action + Coursera module
Practice questions + scenario walkthroughs
Anti-patterns review

Based on: “The Claude Certified Architect is Here!”
You are welcome to study on anything else too. The goal is the habit, not the syllabus.

🧜‍♀️ AICHR | Peninsula Builders Study Group
2026-05-12 18:00 - 19:30 (America/Halifax) | Christopher Newport University, 1 Avenue of the Arts, Newport News, VA, 23606, US
New AI tools are dropping every week. Bookmarks are piling up. “To-be-studied” lists are growing faster than we can keep up with.
Sound familiar?
Peninsula Builders Study Group is a local initiative for students and developers of the Peninsula area who want to stop meaning to learn and start actually doing it—together.
There’s no pressure to be an expert, and no bootcamp intensity. Just a consistent habit, a room full of curious people, and the accountability that comes from showing up.
How it works:
We meet every two weeks on Tuesdays from 6:00–7:30 PM at CNU. Sessions are a mix of focused study and group discussion.
Things to bring:

Laptop
Earphones/headphones

Session details:
🕕 Study time: 6:05 PM – 7:05 PM
🤝 Networking time: 7:05 PM – 7:30 PM
📍 Location: Christopher Newport University (Luter 170)
🔁 Frequency: Bi-weekly (Tuesdays)
💬 Join Slack: Fill Google Form
Directions:
Park in the visitor spots in front of Trible Library. From there, take the first right onto the brick path (on your right if you’re facing the library), walk past the Freeman Center, and take the first left. Luter 170 is in the rightmost wing of the Luter Hall building, you’ll see a sign on the door.
Roadmap (optional structure we’re following):

AI Fluency + Claude 101 (start here)
Building with the Claude API
Intro to MCP + MCP Advanced
Claude Code in Action + Coursera module
Practice questions + scenario walkthroughs
Anti-patterns review

Based on: “The Claude Certified Architect is Here!”
You are welcome to study on anything else too. The goal is the habit, not the syllabus.
🤝 Organizers & partners
​
Organizers
The AI Collective Hampton Roads
​Platinum partners
TechArk
Regent University
ECPI University
Hampton Roads Chamber Foundation
Retail Alliance & Retail Alliance Foundation
The HIVE + City of Virginia Beach
Bronze partners
Assembly
757 Collab
🌍 ​Our parent org
The AI Collective is a global non-profit community uniting 200,000+ pioneers – founders, researchers, operators, and investors – exploring the frontier of AI in major tech hubs worldwide. Through events, workshops, and community-led research, we empower the AI ecosystem to collaboratively steer AI’s future toward trust, openness, and human flourishing.
All attendees and organizers at events affiliated with The AI Collective agree to our privacy policy and are subject to our code of conduct. Additionally, by registering for this event, you agree to The AI Collective Hampton Roads chapter photo & video policy.

YCSD Pitch Night 2026
2026-05-13 18:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Bruton High School, 185 E Rochambeau Dr, Williamsburg, Virginia, 23188
You’re invited to YCSD Pitch Night 2026, a shark tank–style event where talented high school entrepreneurs will take the stage to present their ideas, share their passions, and compete for funding. This is your chance to witness the next generation of innovators in action, and cheer them on as they bring their visions to life.

Mid-Day Fresh Fruit Reset
2026-05-14 16:00 - 18:00 UTC | 400 Granby St, Norfolk, VA, United States
Follow the crowd to the fruit bar! We’re serving up a fresh spread of seasonal fruits and fun toppings so you can build your perfect cup while connecting with fellow members. Drop in, grab a cup, mix and match your favorites, add a little something on top, and enjoy a refreshing moment of flavor and community.

Bike to Work Day
2026-05-15 11:00 - 13:00 UTC | 400 Granby St, Norfolk, VA, United States
Join Norfolk and goCommute for Bike to Work Day! The event will feature various pit stops with snacks and swag for Norfolk bike riders and commuters. Pedal your ride along the route and make Assembly’s station, run by WPA and RISE, and fueled by Three Ships, your last stop before you head into the building! – https://www.gocommute.org/events/bike-to-work-day-2026

Code + Coffee | Pale Horse Coffee
2026-05-16 09:30 - 11:30 (America/Halifax) | Pale Horse Coffee – Battlefield, 1296 S Battlefield Blvd, Chesapeake, VA, 23322, US
Join us for a relaxed morning meetup where developers, designers, founders, and tech enthusiasts gather over great coffee to talk shop, share ideas, and connect with others in the local tech community.
Code + Coffee has no formal agenda—just bring your laptop, a project you’re working on, a question you’ve been thinking about, or simply come to meet other people building interesting things. Whether you’re coding, designing, experimenting with AI, launching a startup, or just curious about technology, you’ll find friendly conversations and plenty of inspiration.
Expect:

Good coffee
Interesting technical conversations
People sharing projects and ideas
Occasional spontaneous whiteboard sessions

Drop in anytime during the meetup window.
Stay for 10 minutes or the whole time.
If you’ve been looking for a low-key way to meet other developers in the area, this is it.
