Innovate Hampton Roads

Build Your Own AI Agent: The Claude Agent SDK | AICHR
2026-05-26 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.
Build Your Own AI Agent: The Claude Agent SDK –
You’ve been using Claude Code interactively. Type a prompt, watch it work, review the output. That’s great for your workflow. But what happens when you need Claude running inside your application? Processing uploads at 3 AM? Reviewing PRs automatically? Analyzing logs as a service?
The Claude Agent SDK is Claude Code packaged as a Python and TypeScript library. One function call, one prompt, and you have a fully autonomous agent with 10+ built-in tools — file reading, code editing, shell commands, web search, MCP connections — all handled autonomously. No tool loop. No orchestration code. The SDK is free and open source. You pay for tokens only.
This is a live coding workshop. We’ll build 10 real agents from scratch, starting with a 10-line bug finder and ending with a multi-agent coordinator that spawns subagents for parallel work.
What we’ll cover:
🧠 Why the Agent SDK Changes Everything The difference between the Client SDK (you build the tool loop), Claude Code CLI (you interact manually), and the Agent SDK (Claude handles tools autonomously in your code).
⚡ 10 Agents We’ll Build Live:

Bug Finder & Fixer — reads code, finds bugs, fixes them. 10 lines of Python.
Code Documentation Generator — docstrings for every function in a directory
Test Writer — writes tests, runs them, fixes failures, iterates until green
File Processor Pipeline — watch a folder, process every new file automatically
API Health Monitor — hits endpoints, reports status, opens issues on failure
Log Analyzer — reads logs, groups errors by pattern, produces a digest
Security Auditor — scans for hardcoded secrets, SQL injection, missing validation
Data Report Generator — reads a database or CSV, produces formatted reports
PR Review Bot — triggered by webhook, reviews against your checklist, posts comments
Multi-Agent Coordinator — spawns subagents for parallel research + writing + review

🏗️ Managed Agents Preview The hosted version: sandboxed containers, persistent state, credential vaulting. $0.08/session-hour + tokens. Public beta since April 8, 2026. When to use Agent SDK (your infra) vs Managed Agents (Anthropic’s infra).
Who this is for: Python or TypeScript developers who want to build autonomous AI agents. If you’ve been using Claude Code and want to embed its capabilities into your own applications, services, or pipelines — this is the session. Prior experience with Claude Code is helpful but not required.
Who this is NOT for: Non-developers. This is a coding workshop. Every demo involves writing and running Python or TypeScript code. If you’re looking for no-code AI workflows, see our earlier events in the series.
What you’ll leave with: ✅ The Agent SDK installed and a working agent running on your machine ✅ A free homework doc with all 10 agent templates in Python and TypeScript ✅ Understanding of built-in tools, permission modes, MCP integration, and subagents ✅ The architecture for building production agent services
Prerequisites: — Python 3.10+ or Node.js 18+ — An Anthropic API key (sign up at console.anthropic.com) — A code editor and terminal — Basic Python or TypeScript proficiency
🎙️ 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
2026-05-26 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-06-09 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-06-23 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
2026-05-26 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-06-09 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.

Peninsula Developers Study Group
2026-05-26 18:00 - 19:30, 2026-06-09 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.

🧜‍♀️ AICHR | Connections & (grocery) carts
2026-05-28 18:30 - 20:00, 2026-06-11 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Halifax) | Wegmans Cafe, 4721 Virginia Beach Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA, 23462, US
Meet people and pick up your weekly groceries.
🤝 A casual networking hangout in the grocery store cafe
Chats, connections, & grocery carts is a relaxed, social-first networking event for curious, friendly people across Hampton Roads who enjoy good conversation and knocking out life errands at the same time.
This is not a lecture.
This is not a pitch night.
And you definitely do not need to “prepare” anything.
It is simply a low-pressure space to meet new people, have real conversations, and casually connect while wandering the aisles and picking up your weekly groceries.
Whether you are deeply into AI and automation, adjacent to tech and creativity, or just someone who enjoys thoughtful conversations with interesting humans, you belong here.
✨ What to expect
– Casual, open networking with a mix of builders, creatives, technologists, founders, students, and professionals
– Easy, organic conversations while shopping at your own pace
– Light, optional conversation prompts to help break the ice if you want them
– No presentations, no panels, no pressure to “network correctly”
– A friendly, welcoming environment for all backgrounds and experience levels
– Come as you are. Grab a cart or a basket. Pick up dinner for the week. – – Meet a few new people along the way.
👥 Who should attend
Chats, Connections, & Grocery Carts is for:
People who enjoy meeting others without forced networking vibes
Builders, creatives, technologists, and curious minds
AI, automation, no-code, and tech-adjacent folks
Students and career switchers exploring what is next
Founders, consultants, operators, and professionals
Anyone who likes good conversation and low-stakes socializing
If you enjoy thoughtful chats and meeting people in unexpected places, you will fit right in.
🏪 Why a grocery store
You were probably going to the store anyway.
Hosting this event in a grocery store keeps things human, practical, and approachable. It removes the pressure of traditional networking and turns it into something simple, efficient, and a little fun.
Two errands. One cart.
💡 Why this event exists
Community grows best in relaxed, everyday spaces.
Chats, Connections, & Grocery Carts exists to create an easy, human-centered way for people to connect without titles, talks, or expectations. It is about building relationships, sharing ideas naturally, and strengthening the local community one conversation at a time.
Come say hi. Leave with groceries. Make a few new connections along the way.
ℹ️ Other bits of info & FAQs

This is a free community event
Drinks or food are available for purchase depending on the venue
Photos or videos may be taken for community and marketing purposes
Come solo or bring a friend
​​​Is there free parking in the area? Yes. They’ve got lots of spots available in their parking lot.
​​​Is this free? Yes, but space is limited. Make sure to RSVP.

🤝 Organizers & partners
Organizers
The AI Collective Hampton Roads
​Platinum partners
TechArk
Regent University
ECPI University
Hampton Roads Chamber 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.

Peninsula Happy Hour
2026-05-28 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Halifax) | Coastal Fermentory Uptown, 12515 Jefferson Ave,, Newport News, VA, 23602, US
A social event to network, or just talk about development

Bikes and Brews
2026-05-28 21:00 - 23:30 UTC | 400 Granby St, Norfolk, VA, United States
Join us for a fun bike month ride to pedal into warmer weather! We’ll kick things off with a casual group bike ride led by Kelly, our Community and Operations Manager. We’ll head to the Elizabeth River Trail, make two pit stops along the way at Afterglow and Wasserhund, enjoy cold drinks and something tasty, and then cruise back downtown with good company. All levels welcome — come for the ride or just the good company! – https://community.assemblynfk.com/en/events/view/1415700222/bikes-and-brews

Storytelling That Sells
2026-05-29 12:00 - 13:00 (America/New_York) | REaKTOR, 1100 Exploration Way Room 315, Hampton, VA 23666, Hampton, VA, 23666, US
Learn how to translate your brand and founder story into a powerful sales tool and real revenue.
Many small businesses and startups struggle to explain what they do in a way that actually connects—and converts. In this workshop, we’ll cover the foundations of branding, how to craft your founder story, and how to turn that story into a powerful sales tool. You’ll learn how to communicate your mission clearly, connect with the right audience, and translate your brand into real revenue. We’ll also walk through the sales process, building a simple funnel, where to find your customers, and how to consistently make more sales.

What You’ll Learn
Part 1: Branding & Founder Story (Led by Christina Kimbrough)
Christina will guide you through the foundational elements of your brand, starting with your mission and vision, and moving into how to craft and clearly communicate your founder story.
You’ll learn:

Why your story is one of your most powerful business assets
How to articulate what you do in a way people actually understand
How to connect your lived experience to the problem you solve
How strong branding reduces friction in sales and builds trust before you ever pitch

This section sets the foundation for everything that follows. Because if people don’t understand you, they don’t buy from you.
Part 2: Storytelling That Sells (Led by Amber Hamilton)

Once your foundation is clear, Amber will take you into the mechanics of using storytelling as a strategic sales tool, not just a nice-to-have.
You’ll learn how to:
Use storytelling to reduce perceived risk and drive decisions
Adapt your message for investors, buyers, and marketing channels
Build clarity around your value using six powerful frameworks
Pitch transformation instead of just listing features

This is where your story becomes a system you can use across sales calls, pitch decks, emails, and marketing content.

Who This Is For
This workshop is designed for founders and small business owners who need to sharpen how they show up in:

Sales conversations
Marketing and messaging
Investor or partnership pitches

If you’ve ever felt like you “know what you do” but struggle to explain it in a way that connects and converts, this is for you.

What You’ll Walk Away With
You’ll leave with a clear, refined brand story and a practical storytelling toolkit you can immediately apply to your next:

Sales call
Pitch deck
Email or marketing campaign

Secure your spot! Seating is limited and lunch is included.

🧜‍♀️ AICHR | Humans in AI Week
2026-06-01 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Halifax) | The HIVE by City of Virginia Beach, 140 Independence Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA, 23462, US
Join us for Humans in AI Week
From June 1 to 8, 2026, every AI Collective chapter in the world is hosting simultaneous public events — 200+ cities, 50+ countries, one week, the same conversation. It’s the largest coordinated civilian conversation about AI ever organized.
The AI era is being built right now and the humans behind it matter more than ever. Humans in AI Week is dedicated to the human layer of AI: trust, coordination, and shared understanding. The missing layer above the tech stack that lets humanity and technology advance in harmony.
This is the Hampton Roads edition, your chance to connect with the people shaping AI as part of a global moment happening in real time across the world.
​What to expect

Food, drinks, and an open, welcoming atmosphere
Conversations with builders, researchers, founders, and the AI-curious across New Jersey
A chance to meet your local AI Collective community and join a worldwide conversation about where AI is going and who it’s for

🤝 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
TEKsystems
🌍 ​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.

Claude + Social Media Pipelines: One Post → Every Platform | AICHR
2026-06-02 19:00 - 20:30 (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.
Claude + Social Media Pipelines: One Post → Every Platform, Automatically —
You create one piece of content. Claude turns it into 10+ platform-specific posts, schedules them across LinkedIn, X, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok — and keeps your brand voice consistent across all of them.
This isn’t AI-generated slop. This is a structured pipeline: source content → repurpose in your voice → schedule → post → analyze what worked. The tools are free or low-cost. The output is content that sounds like you, not a robot.
This is a live demo workshop. We’ll build a complete social media pipeline from scratch — starting with a single YouTube video and ending with a week’s worth of scheduled, platform-native content across every channel.
What we’ll cover:
🔗 The Social Media Stack Inside Claude How Blotato MCP, Meta MCP, Puppeteer MCP, Skills, and Routines combine into a single content engine — and why this stack replaces $200-500/mo in social media tools.
📱 Demos We’ll Build Live:

Blotato Multi-Platform Publisher — connect your social accounts and publish to LinkedIn, X, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok from one Claude conversation
YouTube-to-Everything Repurposer — take a YouTube video or podcast episode, extract key insights, and generate platform-native posts for 5+ channels automatically
Brand Voice Skill — create a voice-guide.md so Claude writes like you across every platform, every time
Meta Ads Manager — manage Facebook and Instagram ad campaigns directly from Claude using Meta MCP (shipped April 29, 2026)
Puppeteer Browser Poster — post to platforms that don’t have official API connectors using headless browser automation
Content Calendar Routine — set up a weekly Routine that runs your entire content pipeline on autopilot: research trending topics → draft posts → schedule across platforms
Full Pipeline Demo — raw source content → brand-voiced repurposing → multi-platform scheduling → performance tracking, end to end

📊 The Numbers The social media management market is growing from $27B (2024) to $125B (2032). 56% of marketers are already integrating AI. Teams adopting agentic AI report a 300x output increase. This event shows you how to capture that — without hiring a social media team.
Who this is for: Content creators, marketers, founders, and business owners who want to multiply their content output without multiplying their time. If you’re posting manually to each platform, spending hours repurposing content, or paying for scheduling tools that don’t integrate with AI — this is the session. Prior experience with Claude is helpful but not required.
Who this is NOT for: People looking for theory. This is a hands-on workshop. Every demo involves setting up real connections and publishing real content. If you’re looking for a high-level overview of AI in marketing, this isn’t it.
What you’ll leave with: ✅ A working multi-platform social media pipeline connected to your accounts ✅ A free setup guide with every demo walkthrough, step by step ✅ A brand voice skill file you can use immediately ✅ A homework doc with bonus pipelines, advanced automations, and exercises ✅ Understanding of Blotato MCP, Meta MCP, Puppeteer MCP, Skills, and Routines for social media
Prerequisites: — A Claude Pro, Max, or Team subscription (Cowork or Claude Code) — Social media accounts you want to connect (LinkedIn, X, Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok) — A Blotato account (free tier available — we’ll walk through setup) — A piece of existing content to repurpose (YouTube video, blog post, podcast episode, or even a set of notes)
🎙️ 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 240,000+ 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.

Summer Kick Off x America ByDESIGN Wrap Party
2026-06-03 19:30 - 22:00 UTC | 400 Granby St, Norfolk, VA, United States
Join us on the rooftop for a cookout to kick off summer featuring mouthwatering eats from local culinary favorite Chef David Hannah, activations by our newest Changemakers, and a sweet cold surprise to top it all off. Cameras will be rolling, as we wrap a full day of filming with CBS’s America ByDESIGN, giving you a chance to be a part of it. If you prefer to stay off-camera, you might want to skip this one. RSVP in the community portal to secure your plate! – https://community.assemblynfk.com/en/events/view/1415717245/views-and-visions-the-changemaker-summer-cookout

ADP Corporate 5k: Team Assembly
2026-06-03 22:30 - 23:30 UTC | 400 Granby St, Norfolk, VA, United States
Lace up your tennis shoes and join Team Assembly for the ADP Corporate 5k! Whether you’re a seasoned runner or just looking to enjoy a leisurely walk through the vibrant streets of Norfolk, this 5k is perfect for all fitness levels. Sign-up deadline is Friday, May 29th. – https://www.letsdothis.com/us/o/154969/checkout/ticket?eventId=261384&utm_source=reserved_entry&occurrenceId=21111169528&reservationCode=re_f237xuhzo6n9

AI, Semantic Operations, and Decision Advantage in Defense
2026-06-04 11:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | 448 Viking Dr suite 300, 448 Viking Drive #suite 300, Virginia Beach, VA 23452, Virginia Beach, VA, 23452, US
Building the Future Fight: AI, Semantic Operations, and Decision Advantage in Defense

NOTE: This is a collaborative exchange focused on lessons learned, future requirements, and practical implementation ,not product marketing or business development event.
Event Overview:
This event brings together operators, technologists, and innovators from defense, industry and academia to focus on one mission: accelerating real-world decision advantage through next-generation semantic technologies and operational AI.
The conversation will move past abstract concepts and into practice, examining knowledge graph architectures, digital engineering, logistics modernization, rapid acquisition pathways, and the infusion of AI/ML into operational workflows that matter on the battlefield and in contested environments. This session is focused on shaping faster, smarter, more connected defense systems that deliver trustworthy information and decision advantage. The future belongs to organizations that can continuously process, adapt, and execute faster than their adversaries.

Event Moderator – Lucien Niemeyer
Opening Remarks: 1100 – 1120
Dr. John Matyjas, Dr. Don Pellegrino
Framing the technical and operational imperatives for semantic decision advantage.
· Knowledge graph architectures in ISR and logistics
· Digital engineering and MBSE in defense acquisition successes and lessons learned.

Panel Discussion: 1125 – 1220 – Denise Ferniza (Moderator)
Overcoming Data and Interoperability Barriers
· Siloed systems, standards of adoption, and bridging commercial and government solutions.
Panelists
Dr. John Matyjas, Dr. Don Pellegrino, Mr. John Sayoun

BREAK – LUNCH: 1225-1240

Solution Focused Discussion: 1245 –1345
· Logistics Modernization & Data-Driven Decision Support
· Open discussion of current requirements and how they’re being piloted

Solution Focused Discussion: 13:50 – 14:20
· Best practices for leveraging OTAs and accelerating tech transfer

Action Planning: 14:25 –1500 – Lucien Niemeyer (Moderator)
From Insights to Action – Operator Next Steps
· Wrap up and distilling days discussions into actionable next steps
· Identify projects, technical working groups, and next steps for cross-organizational collaboration.

Technical Focus Areas to be covered during the event:
1. Semantic Decision Advantage Architectures
· Exploring how semantic technologies like knowledge graphs and ontologies give commanders faster, more accurate decision advantage across operations and logistics.
2. Digital Engineering & Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)
· Discussions on how digital twins and MBSE accelerate requirement validation, de-risk acquisition, and speed MVPs into operational use.
3. Logistics Modernization & Data-Driven Decision Support
· How data-driven logistics, 5G-enabled warehouses, and AI tools cut friction, break silos, and keep forces supplied at the edge.
4. Rapid Acquisition & Tech Transfer
· Practical playbooks for using OTAs and rapid pathways to field new capabilities faster and avoid duplicate efforts across services.
5. Operator and Stakeholder Engagement
· What’s working, what’s not, and where semantic, AI, and digital engineering must go next.

ONLINE: AI, Semantic Operations, and Decision Advantage in Defense
2026-06-04 11:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York) | Online Event
Building the Future Fight: AI, Semantic Operations, and Decision Advantage in Defense

NOTE: This is a collaborative exchange focused on lessons learned, future requirements, and practical implementation ,not product marketing or business development event.

ONLINE details: Microsoft Teams meeting
Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/237378663016483?p=7G5C3WYwJZMr4wNOhJ

In-person event in separate link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ai-semantic-operations-and-decision-advantage-in-defense-tickets-1989605140534?aff=oddtdtcreator
Contact info: Events@NeptuneSHIELD.com
Event Overview:
This event brings together operators, technologists, and innovators from defense, industry and academia to focus on one mission: accelerating real-world decision advantage through next-generation semantic technologies and operational AI.
The conversation will move past abstract concepts and into practice, examining knowledge graph architectures, digital engineering, logistics modernization, rapid acquisition pathways, and the infusion of AI/ML into operational workflows that matter on the battlefield and in contested environments. This session is focused on shaping faster, smarter, more connected defense systems that deliver trustworthy information and decision advantage. The future belongs to organizations that can continuously process, adapt, and execute faster than their adversaries.
Event Moderator – Lucien Niemeyer
Opening Remarks: 1100 – 1120
Dr. John Matyjas, Dr. Don Pellegrino
Framing the technical and operational imperatives for semantic decision advantage.
· Knowledge graph architectures in ISR and logistics
· Digital engineering and MBSE in defense acquisition successes and lessons learned.

Panel Discussion: 1125 – 1220 – Denise Ferniza (Moderator)
Overcoming Data and Interoperability Barriers
· Siloed systems, standards of adoption, and bridging commercial and government solutions.
Panelists
Dr. John Matyjas, Dr. Don Pellegrino, Mr. John Sayoun

BREAK – LUNCH: 1225-1240
Solution Focused Discussion: 1245 –1345
· Logistics Modernization & Data-Driven Decision Support
· Open discussion of current requirements and how they’re being piloted

Solution Focused Discussion: 13:50 – 14:20
· Best practices for leveraging OTAs and accelerating tech transfer

Action Planning: 14:25 –1500 – Lucien Niemeyer (Moderator)
From Insights to Action – Operator Next Steps
· Wrap up and distilling days discussions into actionable next steps
· Identify projects, technical working groups, and next steps for cross-organizational collaboration.

Technical Focus Areas to be covered during the event:
1. Semantic Decision Advantage Architectures
· Exploring how semantic technologies like knowledge graphs and ontologies give commanders faster, more accurate decision advantage across operations and logistics.
2. Digital Engineering & Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)
· Discussions on how digital twins and MBSE accelerate requirement validation, de-risk acquisition, and speed MVPs into operational use.
3. Logistics Modernization & Data-Driven Decision Support
· How data-driven logistics, 5G-enabled warehouses, and AI tools cut friction, break silos, and keep forces supplied at the edge.
4. Rapid Acquisition & Tech Transfer
· Practical playbooks for using OTAs and rapid pathways to field new capabilities faster and avoid duplicate efforts across services.
5. Operator and Stakeholder Engagement
· What’s working, what’s not, and where semantic, AI, and digital engineering must go next.

AI for Learning & Development Build Challenge | Kickoff
2026-06-04 18:30 - 20:00 (America/Halifax) | Regent University Library, 1000 Regent University Dr, Virginia Beach, VA, US
About the challenge
Welcome to the AI for Learning & Development Build Challenge with the AI Collective Hampton Roads Chapter to be held at the Regent University Library in Virginia Beach.
This is a local build challenge with an in-person kickoff, followed by a two-week build phase, then an in-person presentation & judging event.
You’ll have two weeks to build an AI application based on the problem statement shared at the kickoff event. This AI Build Challenge is open to adult participants of all skill levels, from experienced developers to beginner using no or low code tools. You’re encouraged to use AI tools to further your development. After the build phase, you’ll deliver an in-person presentation to judges and other attendees. The winning projects will receive prizes (TBA).
Kickoff on Thursday, June 4th from 6:30–8:00pm.
We encourage you to join us in person in the Regent Library Auditorum, but the kickoff will be also be recorded if you’re unable to attend.
Build Phase from June 5th through 18th. You can work individually or in teams.
Presentations & Judging on Thursday, June 18th from 6:30–9:00pm. Return to the Regent Library Auditorium to share your work! Presentations must be delivered in person to be considered for judging and prizes.
GET STARTED
The first thing you should do is register through Devpost before the June 4th Kickoff.
You can work individually or in teams, but registration is important because space is limited. Then plan to come out to the Kickoff event to discover the problem statement and receive inspiration and development guidance from our AI Collective experts.
If you’re unable to attend the in-person Kickoff, that’s okay because we’ll share a recording after the event with those who pre-register.
This is a beginner-friendly event. If you’re never participated in a build challenge or hackathon, this is your opportunity! The Kickoff will include some initial guidance regarding topics and tools, and we’ll make additional online resources available during the two week build phase.
Requirements
WHAT TO BUILD
You’ll build a project that uses AI to enhance learning and development (with more details unveiled at the Kickoff event). Projects will be evaluated on potential impact, not technical complexity.
WHAT TO SUBMIT
Prior to the in-person Presentations & Judging event, please submit the following in Devpost:

Project Overview (e.g., PDF one-sheet, slidedeck, etc.)
Code Repository (e.g., Github) and/or Project Link (e.g. website)

At the Presentations & Judging event, please prepare for the following:

3-5 minute presentation and/or demo
2-3 minute Q&A with judges
In-person delivery (at least one team member in attendance)

Judging Criteria

Impact and Relevance
Does the solution address a real learning or development need? How meaningful is the potential impact on learners, educators, or organizations?
Innovation & Creativity
How original is the approach? Does the team use AI in a novel or surprising way to solve the problem?
Functionality & Demo
Does the solution work as demonstrated? Is the core concept functional, even if not fully polished?
User Experience
Is the solution intuitive and accessible? Would the target user actually want to use it?
Presentation Quality
Is the team’s pitch clear, compelling, and well-structured? Do they effectively communicate the problem, solution, and value?

Learn more: https://ai-challenge-regent-aichr.devpost.com/

Late Night Builders
2026-06-04 21:00 - 2026-06-05 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
2026-06-04 21:00 - 2026-06-05 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.

Claude + Browser Automation: Your AI Sees Your Screen | AICHR
2026-06-09 19:00 - 20:30 (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.
Claude + Browser Automation: Your AI Sees Your Screen — Claude can now see your browser. It reads pages, clicks buttons, fills forms, takes screenshots, and navigates sites — all from a conversation or a script. This isn’t a future feature. It’s live right now.
Three tools make this work: Claude Computer Use (full desktop control — screenshot, mouse, keyboard), Claude in Chrome MCP (browser-native tools — navigate, read pages, click, type), and Puppeteer MCP (headless automation for scripts and pipelines). Each solves different problems. This event shows you when to use which.
This is a live demo workshop. We’ll automate real browser tasks from scratch — starting with simple page reads and ending with multi-step workflows that run unattended.
What we’ll cover:
🖥️ The Browser Automation Stack Inside Claude
How Computer Use, Chrome MCP, and Puppeteer MCP work together — and when to use browser automation vs direct MCP integrations vs APIs.
🔧 Demos We’ll Build Live:

Page Reader & Data Extractor — point Claude at any webpage, extract structured data into a spreadsheet. No scraping code required.
Form Filler & Submission Bot — automate repetitive form submissions across multiple sites using Claude in Chrome
Research Automator — give Claude a research question, watch it open tabs, read pages, take notes, and compile a summary
Visual Testing Agent — screenshot pages, compare layouts, flag visual regressions automatically
Website Poster — post content to platforms that don’t have API connectors using Puppeteer browser automation
Multi-Step Workflow — chain browser actions: log into a site → navigate to dashboard → extract report → save to Google Drive → send summary via email

🔒 Security & Permission Models
What Claude can and can’t see in your browser. Permission scoping, supervision best practices, and why browser agents need guardrails. Computer Use is still a research preview — we’ll be honest about the limitations.
⚠️ Key Caveat: Claude Computer Use requires macOS. Chrome MCP and Puppeteer MCP work on all platforms. We’ll cover all three so everyone leaves with something they can use immediately.
Who this is for: Anyone who spends time on repetitive browser tasks — filling forms, extracting data, posting content, running reports. Business owners, marketers, researchers, and developers alike. If you copy-paste between browser tabs, this event automates that. Prior experience with Claude is helpful but not required.
Who this is NOT for: People looking for a general AI overview. This is a hands-on workshop. Every demo involves real browser automation. If you want theory, see our earlier events in the series.
📚 Free resources at the event:

Setup guide — follow along with every demo live
Homework doc — extended exercises to keep building after the event
Slide deck — full reference for everything we cover

🎯 Want to go deeper?

AI for Business — Andrew’s book on practical AI implementation
Book a discovery call — 1-on-1 help implementing Claude in your business

🤝 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 steer AI’s future together.
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 Happy Hour
2026-06-11 19:00 - 21:00 (America/Halifax) | Chef’s Market, 11800 Merchant Walk ,, Newport News, VA, 23606, US

Code + Coffee | Cafe Stella
2026-06-13 09:30 - 11:30 (America/Halifax) | Cafe Stella, 1907 Colonial Avenue, Norfolk, VA, 23517, 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.

Virginia MOCA Art + Design Convening
2026-06-13 13:00 - 20:00 UTC | 400 Granby St, Norfolk, VA, United States
Elevate your craft at a full-day creative convening hosted at Virginia MOCA. Connect with the 757’s top artists, designers, and architects. Experience powerful keynotes from legendary creators Eric Haze and Andy Howell, plus deep-dive breakout sessions exploring AI, immersive design, and multi-disciplinary collaboration. Breakfast, lunch, and massive networking opportunities are included. Secure your ticket today to spark your next big idea. MOCA Members: $75, Nonmembers: $90. – https://virginiamoca.org/event/virginia-moca-art-design-convening/?utm_source=Assembly&utm_campaign=254976d751-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_06_10_11_54_COPY_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-56bce5fc24-646945373

Claude as Your One-Person Business: The Capstone | AICHR
2026-06-16 19:00 - 21:00 (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.
Claude as Your One-Person Business: The Capstone —
You’ve learned the tools. Now it’s time to wire them together. This capstone event takes everything from our 9-session series — Cowork, Skills, MCP, Routines, Agent SDK, Social Media Pipelines, and Browser Automation — and combines them into a complete “run your business with Claude” framework.
This isn’t a recap. It’s the blueprint for replacing an entire team’s worth of daily operations with a single Claude subscription. Morning briefing, email triage, meeting prep, content creation, project management, end-of-day review — all orchestrated, all automated, all in your voice.
This is a live demo workshop. We’ll build a complete day-in-the-life business operating system from scratch — starting with your first morning briefing and ending with an automated end-of-day summary that writes itself.
What we’ll cover:
🧰 The Solo Founder Stack How Cowork, Skills, MCP, Routines, and Agent SDK combine into a single business operating system — and why this stack replaces the need for 3-5 employees or contractors.
📱 Demos We’ll Build Live:

Morning Briefing System — wake up to a Claude-generated summary of your calendar, emails, tasks, and metrics for the day
Email Triage & Response Engine — automatically sort, prioritize, and draft responses to your inbox using your voice and business rules
Meeting Prep Automation — Claude pulls attendee info, past conversations, and relevant docs before every meeting
Content Creation Pipeline — repurpose one idea into blog posts, social media, newsletters, and video scripts across every platform
Project Management Dashboard — track tasks, deadlines, and deliverables across all your projects from a single conversation
End-of-Day Review Routine — automated summary of what got done, what didn’t, and what’s queued for tomorrow

📊 The Numbers A Microsoft 2026 study found that only 16% of AI users actually orchestrate agents — meaning 84% are leaving the biggest productivity gains on the table. A WRITER survey found that 60% of executives plan to lay off workers who don’t adopt AI. This event puts you in the 16% who are building the future, not being replaced by it.
💰 The Cost Analysis We’ll break down exactly what this operating system would cost in human hours vs. a Claude subscription. Spoiler: the math isn’t close.
Who this is for: Founders, solo operators, freelancers, and small business owners who want to run a lean operation without sacrificing output. If you’ve attended any of our previous sessions (or want the condensed version of all 9), this is the event. Prior experience with Claude is helpful but not required — we’ll reference previous workshops but explain everything as we go.
Who this is NOT for: People looking for theory. This is a hands-on capstone workshop. Every demo involves setting up real automations for real business workflows. If you’re looking for a high-level overview of AI in business, this isn’t it.
What you’ll leave with: ✅ A working “day in the life” business automation system ✅ A free setup guide with every demo walkthrough, step by step ✅ A homework doc with bonus workflows, advanced automations, and exercises ✅ The complete framework for running a one-person business with Claude ✅ Understanding of how Cowork, Skills, MCP, Routines, and Agent SDK work together
Prerequisites: — A Claude Pro, Max, or Team subscription (Cowork or Claude Code) — Access to the tools and services you use daily (email, calendar, project management) — Willingness to set up real automations during the session
🎙️ 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 240,000+ 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.

AI for Learning & Development Build Challenge | Presentations & Judging
2026-06-18 18:30 - 21:00 (America/Halifax) | Regent University Library, 1000 Regent University Dr, Virginia Beach, VA, US

Empowering Military Spouses Through AI
2026-06-19 12:00 - 16:00 (America/Halifax) | Regent University (Robertson Hall), 1000 Regent University Drive, Virginia Beach, VA, US
Join Veterans Forge, Regent University, AI Collective Hampton Roads, and OpenAI Academy for a hands-on AI workshop designed for military spouses.
This beginner-friendly event will help participants explore practical ways to use AI for work, learning, career planning, organization, and everyday problem-solving. Participants will get hands-on practice with ChatGPT, build confidence using AI tools, and begin creating their first AI-powered assistant.
This is not a lecture. It is a practical workshop built to help military spouses use AI with more confidence, creativity, and purpose.
What to expect
• Lunch provided
• Networking opportunities
• Hands-on AI practice
• Beginner-friendly guidance
• Practical examples you can use right away
• Support building your first AI-powered assistant
• A welcoming learning environment for military spouses at any experience level
• Swag, prizes, and giveaways
This event is free, but registration is required through the official registration page.
Reserve your seat here
https://academy.openai.com/public/events/empowering-military-spouses-through-ai-a-hands-on-workshop-qgpcjfbin4
If you do not reserve a spot you will not be able to attend
You won’t want to miss this spouse-centered event. Come ready to learn, build, connect, and leave with practical AI skills you can use right away.
Learn. Build. Thrive Together.

Summer Solstice Self-Care ☀️
2026-06-22 18:00 - 20:00 UTC | 400 Granby St, Norfolk, VA, United States
Recharge your workday with a little Summer Solstice self-care. We’ll have some Crunchy Hydration adaptogen water, aromatherapy rollers, goal-crushing affirmations, and the opportunity to connect with the community. This mid-afternoon break is designed to elevate your energy and expand your network.
