AI Borrel — AI Meets Over Drinks | Builders, Students, Business, Policy

The room where AI actually gets talked about, not just tweeted about.

Twice a month we put the people building AI, the people studying it, the people buying it, and the people making the rules in the same room with a drink in hand. No pitches from a stage. No 40-slide decks. Just real conversations about what AI is doing to our work, our companies, and our country and what we should do about it.

AI Borrel is a free, recurring evening meetup ("borrel" = the Dutch art of catching up over drinks). It runs on the 1st and 3rd Friday of every month, starting Friday 4 September 2026.

Whether you shipped a model last week, you're writing your thesis, you're scaling a company, or you're shaping policy, you belong here.

What to expect

• A relaxed welcome drink and open networking (no awkward name-tag icebreakers)
• One short, sharp 10-minute "spark talk" from a guest builder, founder, researcher, or policymaker
• Open-floor conversation and small-group mingling around the topic of the night
• A practical, friendly crowd. Come alone, leave with five new contacts.

Who it's for and what you'll get

• Individuals & the AI-curious — Demystify the hype, find collaborators, and meet people doing the work. No technical background required.
• Students — Meet mentors, internships, co-founders, and your first hires-to-be. The cheapest career fair you'll ever attend (it's free).
• Companies & founders — Talent, partners, customers, and an honest read on where the technology and the regulation are heading. Sponsor a night to reach the room directly.
• Lawmakers & policy professionals — Unfiltered, ground-level input from the people your decisions affect, before the rules are written.

The deal: We bring the venue, the drinks, and the spark. You bring your curiosity and one good question.

This is a recurring series RSVP to the next date, and tap Follow on the organiser page to get every new date automatically.

Reserve your free spot now. Space is limited to keep the room good for conversation. Bringing your team or class? Use the Group ticket. Want to speak, sponsor, or co-host? Pick the "Speaking / Sponsoring" ticket or email AI-Borrrel@SmartAvatar.nl