Kiln

A toolkit for founders from Ali Maaxa, Ph.D., incubation product & marketing strategist (founder: ProductTheory.io, former: AWS AI, New Relic AI, Meta AI, Recreation.gov), guest VC expert Marianne Motus (UC Berkeley Business School), PDX startup dev team Semi-Decent, and leaders from CHIFOO and the ORPIB Incubator.

This is a FREE lightning workshop to help scrappy startup founders nail product-market fit (PMF) and go-to-market strategy (GTM). Be your own incubator, be nimble, and be ready to answer deep strategic questions for potential investors, flagship customers, or strategic partners — in a flash.

Sure, PMF and GTM are buzzwords thrown around constantly. But they stand in for due diligence that actually makes a difference. Skipping the fundamentals is the primary reason 91% of startups fail:

The classic frameworks that undergird successful incubations — from enterprise AI to EdTech startups Rigorous market research powered by smart AI context engineering Real-deal, progressive hypothesis-testing toward a heavy-hitting MVP In fact, 82% of "failed" founders say that challenging their assumptions about their market would have saved their business.

Most startups don't find product-market fit for one of two reasons: consultancies charge high overhead to run studies and then throw their findings over the wall — or founders rely on raw AI outputs without the frameworks and context engineering that hold up under VC scrutiny and real product + user discovery.

Founders need a toolkit they can use throughout their entire product and business development journey. Before you hire a fractional, take generic expert advice from someone who doesn't understand your context, or worse — guess your way into brand damage — let us help you develop your ProductTheory with startup-friendly canvases that will anchor your pitch deck and your upcoming rounds of critical business decisions.

Learn more about Ali Maaxa's work: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alimaaxa/

Get on board with ProductTheory.io: https://www.producttheory.io/

Sip, snack, and slay... LGBTQ+ tech demos with plenty of sparkle ✨

What to expect ✨ 4 fabulous demos from your LGBTQ+ tech community 💻🏳️‍🌈, each 10–15 minutes with Q&A. After that, snacks 🥨, drinks 🍷🥤, and plenty of sparkle. Allies welcome, too 💕.

Schedule ⏰ - 6:00p — Doors and check-in 🚪 - 6:30p — Demos begin (10–15 min each + Q&A) 🎤 - 7:30p — Drinks, snacks, and mingling 🍻 - 9:00p — Close 🌙

Apply to demo 🎬 Got something fierce to show? Tell us what you’re building and why it slays 💅. Email us at [email protected]

Food & drink 🍽️ Beer 🍺, wine 🍷, and non-alcoholic options 🧃. You must be 21+ to consume alcohol 🪪.

Food available at the food cart pod next door!

Photos 📸 Event photos may be taken by OIT staff. If you’d prefer not to appear, let us know when you arrive 🙅‍♂️🙅‍♀️.

House rules 📖 - We follow the OIT Code of Conduct: outintech.com/conduct 🌐 - Be kind 💜. Ask before photos 🙋. - If you feel unsafe, find an organizer wearing an OIT shirt 👕.

Get involved 🌈 - Volunteer with OIT PDX:[email protected] - Join the community: outintech.com/join - IG/Twitter: @outintech

Join us for an exciting evening of rapid-fire inspiration with Rose City Techies at the most beautiful co-working space in all of Portland, Kiln. At Tech Sparks, local innovators, developers, designers, founders, and creators will each have 10–15 minutes to share their tech-related stories, ideas, experiments, and insights.

Whether you’re a tech worker, startup founder, product designer, engineer, or simply curious about Portland’s tech scene, this event is for you!

🌟 Want to be one of our speakers? We want to hear your ideas! This is your chance to take the stage and share something you’re passionate about — anything tech, from a side project you’ve been tinkering with, to lessons learned scaling a startup, to bold predictions about the future of tech.

Submit your talk idea here → Tech Sparks Speaker Form Submission deadline is October 31st 11:59pm 👻 Speakers will be contacted via email on November 5th

🎤 What to Expect Our lineup of speakers will cover a wide range of techie topics. Whether you’re there to speak or just to listen, you’ll leave with new insights, fresh inspiration, and new connections.

📅 Schedule 5:30 PM — Check-in, networking, grab a seat 6:00 PM — Lightning talks begin 7:30 PM — Audience Q&A + discussion 8:00 PM — Feel free to move the discussion to one of many nearby bars

📍 Location Kiln — 1120 SE Madison St, Portland, OR 97214 *We’ll be in the Theater room

🥤 Food & Drinks The event will not be catered, but you’re welcome to bring your own snacks and drinks. The Hawthorne Asylum food trucks are right across the street if you’d like to grab something to bring from there.

This is an Umbraco community event for technologists and business folks exploring how openness is a growth strategy.

We'll be joined by Mats Persson, the CEO of Umbraco, one of the world’s most trusted open-source platforms for content management, for a conversation about how openness isn’t just a technical choice but a strategy for innovation and growth.

There will be some great discussions about how open and extensible platforms give a competitive edge, how collaborative communities drive innovation, and how designing systems for adaptation is a way of future-proofing in the current economic landscape where so much is changing so fast.

There will also be some fun, themed wine pairings at this event, curated by the folks at Pairings Portland.

Don't miss the launch of DevSwarm Pro: the first Augmented Development Environment (ADE) built for production teams! ​Join us at Kiln Portland’s Theater for an exclusive in-person launch event celebrating the release of DevSwarm Pro, the full professional edition of DevSwarm.

​After months in Beta, DevSwarm is graduating into a production-ready platform — built for engineers, team leads, and CTOs who need to code faster, smarter, and in parallel with today’s top AI coding assistants.

​What to Expect: • ​Complimentary appetizers and beverages • ​Live demo from DevSwarm Founder & CEO Mike Biglan and CTO Trevor Dilley, with a follow-up Q&A session • ​The first public look at DevSwarm Pro’s full feature set, with opportunities to try it out yourself • One-on-one conversations with the founders before and after the demo

​Who Should Attend: • ​Production software engineers • ​Dev team leads and engineering managers ​• CTOs and VPs of SaaS companies or digital product agencies

Join us for the October edition of ProductTank PDX!

We’re excited to welcome two incredible speakers, Sarah Crispin (Product Management, Strategy & Operations Consultant) and Justin Wolske (Chief Product Officer @ Yellowbrick), for an evening exploring the problem with problems, and how to leverage frameworks to move fast. As always, we’ll also have plenty of time to meet other product folks over drinks and tasty snacks.

📅 Wednesday, October 29, 2025 🕕 6:00 – 8:00pm 📍 Kiln

Lighting the Frameworks on Fire

We learn a lot about best practices and frameworks, but it’s rare that product managers find themselves with the space and time to use them as intended. This is a story about learning the rules of the game you’re actually playing so that you can adjust your approach and cobble tools together to move fast, play hard, and maybe even score. Spoiler: success in this endeavor requires an A+ team and, if we’re being honest, luck.

About Sarah: Sarah found her way to product management after teaching middle school, coaching collegiate track & field, and working as a management consultant. In her most recent full-time role, Sarah served as a Global Director of Product at ASICS, where she worked to pivot a legacy fitness app. Originally from Maine, Sarah moved to Portland after almost 20 years in Boston. She loves dogs, running in the woods, learning about big ideas, and sports documentaries (recommendations welcome).

The Problem with Problems: Rethinking Urgency

A discussion centered around reframing problems as jobs to be done, and how that helps you build better personas and psychographics. The talk is catered first toward early-stage founders with product responsibilities (others can find something useful, too).

About Justin: Film producer by trade, he has worked in EdTech since 1999. Currently, he's the Chief Product Officer @ Yellowbrick and Principal @ Airy Disc Learning. His areas of focus are around digital learning products (with a specialization in using narrative-based pedagogies to drive executive-function learning), media production, lean/agile product development, and early/mid-stage entrepreneurship strategy.

🎉 Don’t miss it!

Come connect with fellow product managers, designers, engineers, and enthusiasts over drinks and snacks. See you there!

[Free] ​Master the art and science of building the right thing by using market, customer & user discovery techniques used at Meta, AWS, Booz Allen, Disney, New Relic, and more, from the team at ProductTheory.io.

​Product discovery is where great products are born - it's the systematic process of understanding what your market truly needs before you commit resources to building it. We'll explore research methodologies, customer interview techniques, and validation frameworks that reveal genuine insights. Companies with strong discovery programs see nearly 2x ROI. You'll gain practical skills for conducting meaningful customer conversations, interpreting feedback accurately, and translating insights into confident product decisions.

You'll also learn the art of product storytelling for your pitch deck, positioning, sales, marketing and stakeholder alignment.

​ProductTheory.io workshop series at Kiln: ​There’s one challenge all founders have in common, especially in 2025. It’s achieving product market fit.

​This free workshop series at Kiln is based on ProductTheory’s celebrated Product-Market Fit Canvas: a framework for ensuring smart, data-driven product development and market strategy.

​Open to both Kiln members and the broader entrepreneurial community. Non-members get a free day pass to Kiln with their participation.

​Why This Series Matters: Dr. Ali Maaxa brings 20 years of experience from Big Tech innovation teams to zero-to-one product launches. Her frameworks have supported successful launches for AWS, Recreation.gov, and numerous startups navigating the path from concept to revenue. These sessions offer practical, field-tested approaches to the challenges every founder faces.

​Open to both Kiln members and the broader entrepreneurial community. Your success strengthens the entire ecosystem.

​Launch with precision in today's market.

​The go-to-market landscape has fundamentally shifted. What worked even two years ago may not work today, with changes in how buyers discover solutions, evaluate options, and make purchasing decisions. This session focuses on current, effective approaches to reaching your market and driving adoption. We'll cover positioning strategies that resonate, channel selection that matches your audience, and launch tactics that generate meaningful traction in today's environment.

​ProductTheory.io workshop series at Kiln:

​There’s one challenge all founders have in common, especially in 2025. It’s achieving product market fit.

​This free workshop series at Kiln is based on ProductTheory’s celebrated Product-Market Fit Canvas: a framework for ensuring smart, data-driven product development and market strategy. Open to both Kiln members and the broader entrepreneurial community.

​Why This Series Matters: Dr. Ali Maaxa has spent 20 years in the trenches - from Big Tech innovation teams to zero-to-one product launches. She's seen what works and what wastes time. These aren't theoretical workshops; they're based on frameworks that have powered successful launches for AWS, Recreation.gov, and dozens of startups who went from idea to revenue.

​Free for both Kiln members and the broader community because great products make everyone's ecosystem stronger. Just show up ready to work.

​Open to both Kiln members and the broader entrepreneurial community. Non-members get a free day pass to Kiln with their participation.

​Session 1: Building & Testing your MVP (Minimum Viable Product) 9/24/25, 11:00 a.m., Kiln

​Session 2: : Understanding Your Ideal Customer Profile https://luma.com/7zmulrns 10/1/25, Noon, Kiln

​Session 3: Go-to-Market Strategy: New Approaches for the 2025 Landscape https://lu.ma/xstcod52 10/8/25, 11:00 a.m., Kiln:

​Session 4: Product-Market Discovery: A Deep-Dive for Learning, Testing & Earning with Customers & Users https://luma.com/dx4xeeji 10/20/25, 1-3 p.m., Kiln

​Kiln

Session 2: The Question of Who? Your ICP (Plus get a free workday at KILN!)

​Know your market as well as you know your product.

​One of the most critical decisions you'll make is defining who you're building for. Getting your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) right determines everything from product features to pricing to marketing channels. We'll explore proven frameworks for identifying and understanding your core market, diving deep into customer motivations, pain points, and buying behaviors. You'll leave with practical tools for customer research and a clear picture of who will become your most valuable users and advocates.

​There’s one challenge all founders have in common, especially in 2025. It’s achieving product market fit.

​This free workshop series at Kiln is based on ProductTheory’s celebrated Product-Market Fit Canvas: a framework for ensuring smart, data-driven product development and market strategy. Open to both Kiln members and the broader entrepreneurial community.

​Why This Series Matters: Dr. Ali Maaxa has spent 20 years in the trenches - from Big Tech innovation teams to zero-to-one product launches. She's seen what works and what wastes time. These aren't theoretical workshops; they're based on frameworks that have powered successful launches for AWS, Recreation.gov, and dozens of startups who went from idea to revenue.

​Free for both Kiln members and the broader community because great products make everyone's ecosystem stronger. Just show up ready to work.

​Session 1: Building & Testing your MVP (Minimum Viable Product) https://luma.com/r71wcfez 9/24/25, 11:00 a.m., Kiln

​Session 2: : Understanding Your Ideal Customer Profile https://luma.com/7zmulrns 10/1/25, Noon, Kiln

​Session 3: Go-to-Market Strategy: New Approaches for the 2025 Landscape https://lu.ma/xstcod52 10/8/25, 11:00 a.m., Kiln:

​Session 4: Product-Market Discovery: A Deep-Dive for Learning, Testing & Earning with Customers & Users 1-3 p.m., Kiln

Nailing Product-Market Fit Workshop Series Session 1: Building & Testing your MVP (Minimum Viable Product)

​ProductTheory.io workshop series at Kiln: ​There’s one challenge all founders have in common, especially in 2025. It’s achieving product market fit.

​This free workshop series at Kiln is based on ProductTheory’s celebrated Product-Market Fit Canvas: a framework for ensuring smart, data-driven product development and market strategy.

​Open to both Kiln members and the broader entrepreneurial community. Non-members get a free day pass to Kiln with their participation.

​Why This Series Matters: Dr. Ali Maaxa has spent 20 years in the trenches - from Big Tech innovation teams to zero-to-one product launches. She's seen what works and what wastes time. These aren't theoretical workshops; they're based on frameworks that have powered successful launches for AWS, Recreation.gov, and dozens of startups who went from idea to revenue.

​Free for both Kiln members and the broader community because great products make everyone's ecosystem stronger. Just show up ready to work.

​Session 1: Early Stages - Building Your First Customer-Facing Version (MVP) ​Build smart from day one.

​You're at one of the most exciting and challenging stages of your journey - turning your vision into something real. The decisions you make now about what to build first will shape everything that follows. In this session, we'll walk through how to create your MVP (Minimum Viable Product - your first testable version) strategically. Whether you're technical or business-focused, you'll gain clarity on prioritizing features, validating assumptions early, and building momentum with real user feedback. This is about setting yourself up for sustainable growth from the start.

​The Upcoming Product-Market Fit Series at KILN PDX

​A Free Workshop for All Founders, Product People & Innovators ​This free workshop series at Kiln is based on ProductTheory’s celebrated Product-Market Fit Canvas: a framework for ensuring smart, data-driven product development and market strategy. Open to both Kiln members and the broader entrepreneurial community.

​Session 2: : Understanding Your Ideal Customer Profile https://luma.com/7zmulrns 10/1/25, Noon, Kiln

​Session 3: Go-to-Market Strategy: New Approaches for the 2025 Landscape https://lu.ma/xstcod52 10/8/25, 11:00 a.m., Kiln:

​Session 4: Product-Market Discovery: A Deep-Dive for Learning, Testing & Earning with Customers & Users https://luma.com/dx4xeeji 10/20/25, 1-3 p.m., Kiln

​Open to both Kiln members and the broader entrepreneurial community. Non-members get a free day pass to Kiln with their participation.

Location Kiln 1120 SE Madison St, Portland, OR 97214, USA

​Launch with precision in today's market.

​The go-to-market landscape has fundamentally shifted. What worked even two years ago may not work today, with changes in how buyers discover solutions, evaluate options, and make purchasing decisions. This session focuses on current, effective approaches to reaching your market and driving adoption. We'll cover positioning strategies that resonate, channel selection that matches your audience, and launch tactics that generate meaningful traction in today's environment.

​ProductTheory.io workshop series at Kiln:

​There’s one challenge all founders have in common, especially in 2025. It’s achieving product market fit.

​This free workshop series at Kiln is based on ProductTheory’s celebrated Product-Market Fit Canvas: a framework for ensuring smart, data-driven product development and market strategy. Open to both Kiln members and the broader entrepreneurial community.

​Why This Series Matters: Dr. Ali Maaxa has spent 20 years in the trenches - from Big Tech innovation teams to zero-to-one product launches. She's seen what works and what wastes time. These aren't theoretical workshops; they're based on frameworks that have powered successful launches for AWS, Recreation.gov, and dozens of startups who went from idea to revenue.

​Free for both Kiln members and the broader community because great products make everyone's ecosystem stronger. Just show up ready to work.

​Open to both Kiln members and the broader entrepreneurial community. Non-members get a free day pass to Kiln with their participation.

​Session 1: Building & Testing your MVP (Minimum Viable Product) 9/24/25, 11:00 a.m., Kiln

​Session 2: : Understanding Your Ideal Customer Profile https://luma.com/7zmulrns 10/1/25, Noon, Kiln

​Session 3: Go-to-Market Strategy: New Approaches for the 2025 Landscape https://lu.ma/xstcod52 10/8/25, 11:00 a.m., Kiln:

​Session 4: Product-Market Discovery: A Deep-Dive for Learning, Testing & Earning with Customers & Users https://luma.com/dx4xeeji 10/20/25, 1-3 p.m., Kiln

​Launch with precision in today's market.

​The go-to-market landscape has fundamentally shifted. What worked even two years ago may not work today, with changes in how buyers discover solutions, evaluate options, and make purchasing decisions. This session focuses on current, effective approaches to reaching your market and driving adoption. We'll cover positioning strategies that resonate, channel selection that matches your audience, and launch tactics that generate meaningful traction in today's environment.

​ProductTheory.io workshop series at Kiln:

​There’s one challenge all founders have in common, especially in 2025. It’s achieving product market fit.

​This free workshop series at Kiln is based on ProductTheory’s celebrated Product-Market Fit Canvas: a framework for ensuring smart, data-driven product development and market strategy. Open to both Kiln members and the broader entrepreneurial community.

​Why This Series Matters: Dr. Ali Maaxa has spent 20 years in the trenches - from Big Tech innovation teams to zero-to-one product launches. She's seen what works and what wastes time. These aren't theoretical workshops; they're based on frameworks that have powered successful launches for AWS, Recreation.gov, and dozens of startups who went from idea to revenue.

​Free for both Kiln members and the broader community because great products make everyone's ecosystem stronger. Just show up ready to work.

​Open to both Kiln members and the broader entrepreneurial community. Non-members get a free day pass to Kiln with their participation.

​Session 1: Building & Testing your MVP (Minimum Viable Product) 9/24/25, 11:00 a.m., Kiln

​Session 2: : Understanding Your Ideal Customer Profile https://luma.com/7zmulrns 10/1/25, Noon, Kiln

​Session 3: Go-to-Market Strategy: New Approaches for the 2025 Landscape https://lu.ma/xstcod52 10/8/25, 11:00 a.m., Kiln:

​Session 4: Product-Market Discovery: A Deep-Dive for Learning, Testing & Earning with Customers & Users https://luma.com/dx4xeeji 10/20/25, 1-3 p.m., Kiln

​Kiln

Join us for a special ProductTank PDX this July!

We’re excited to welcome two incredible speakers, Deanna Mustain (Sr. Product Manager @ Duolingo) and Dave Ruel (VP of Product @ Hanzo), for an evening all about unlocking innovation and elevating your product narrative. As always, we’ll also have plenty of time to meet other product folks over drinks and tasty snacks.

📅 Thursday, July 24, 2025 🕕 6:00 – 8:00pm 📍 Kiln

Unlocking Innovation: The Power of Systems Thinking in Product Management

In this talk, Deanna Mustain shares how systems thinking can unlock innovation, clarity, and speed in fast-moving product environments. Drawing from her work at Duolingo, where she launched 0-1 features for the Music product, led multiple roadmaps to drive growth, and transformed the company’s Product Review process, Deanna will unpack the frameworks behind high-quality decision-making, creative alignment, and scalable product development. Through concrete examples and practical tools, she’ll show how systems thinkers build teams, products, and processes that deliver long-term impact—even in the most ambiguous spaces.

About Deanna: Deanna Mustain is a product leader with a decade of experience at the intersection of creativity and technology. At Duolingo, she co-led development of the company’s Music product, launched features like Popular Songs with Sony Music, and previously ran Product Operations, building programs that transformed company-wide product excellence. Before moving into tech, Deanna performed as a classical violist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. She holds degrees from Stanford, the San Francisco Conservatory, and the New England Conservatory.

Beyond User Stories: The Power of a Compelling Product Narrative

Dave Ruel will explore why product narratives are more than just a marketing tool—they’re a core driver of product success. In this session, Dave will break down how to craft and leverage compelling narratives that align teams, influence stakeholders, and resonate with customers. He’ll also dive into how modern AI tools can help elevate your storytelling and turn data into stories that drive action.

About Dave: Dave Ruel is passionate about empowering product teams to go beyond the typical backlog and sprint cycles to build products that matter. His work focuses on helping teams understand the deeper narrative behind their products, so they can unlock meaningful differentiation and impact.

🎉 Don’t miss it!

Come connect with fellow product managers, designers, engineers, and enthusiasts over drinks and snacks. See you there!

We’re excited to welcome two incredible speakers, Deanna Mustain (Sr. Product Manager @ Duolingo) and Dave Ruel (VP of Product @ Hanzo), for an evening all about unlocking innovation and elevating your product narrative. As always, we’ll also have plenty of time to meet other product folks over drinks and tasty snacks.

Unlocking Innovation: The Power of Systems Thinking in Product Management

In this talk, Deanna Mustain shares how systems thinking can unlock innovation, clarity, and speed in fast-moving product environments. Drawing from her work at Duolingo, where she launched 0-1 features for the Music product, led multiple roadmaps to drive growth, and transformed the company’s Product Review process, Deanna will unpack the frameworks behind high-quality decision-making, creative alignment, and scalable product development. Through concrete examples and practical tools, she’ll show how systems thinkers build teams, products, and processes that deliver long-term impact—even in the most ambiguous spaces.

About Deanna: Deanna Mustain is a product leader with a decade of experience at the intersection of creativity and technology. At Duolingo, she co-led development of the company’s Music product, launched features like Popular Songs with Sony Music, and previously ran Product Operations, building programs that transformed company-wide product excellence. Before moving into tech, Deanna performed as a classical violist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. She holds degrees from Stanford, the San Francisco Conservatory, and the New England Conservatory.

Beyond User Stories: The Power of a Compelling Product Narrative

Dave Ruel will explore why product narratives are more than just a marketing tool—they’re a core driver of product success. In this session, Dave will break down how to craft and leverage compelling narratives that align teams, influence stakeholders, and resonate with customers. He’ll also dive into how modern AI tools can help elevate your storytelling and turn data into stories that drive action.

About Dave: Dave Ruel is passionate about empowering product teams to go beyond the typical backlog and sprint cycles to build products that matter. His work focuses on helping teams understand the deeper narrative behind their products, so they can unlock meaningful differentiation and impact.

​A good startup idea is the foundation of a successful startup, yet most founders struggle to characterize and enhance the strength of their idea. In this hands-on workshop, participants will walk through a case study applying “Nascent Methodology,” a novel, unique approach to identify the earliest signals of opportunity for a startup idea. Through guided exercises, participants will search for People in Pain (an initial indication of potential customers) and will quantify the Pain in dollars ($). Founders will come away with a framework for evaluating and iteratively improving their own startup ideas. You must register in Luma (https://lu.ma/yg56sl7w) to attend.

​Notes: - ​We'll automatically sign you up for the NascentStartups.com newsletter. - ​This event will be recorded. We may publish brief clips in the newsletter.

Join AI Portland for an evening that cuts through the AI buzzwords and gives you real, practical understanding. Whether you're new to AI or looking to refresh your knowledge, this talk provides the perfect runway for the Zero to One Build Challenge.

What you'll learn:

• Understand the fundamentals of AI, ML, and NLP without the technical jargon
• Discover what today's AI is actually good at (and where it falls short)
• Learn how to use AI responsibly and productively in your daily life
• Get practical tips for protecting your data while leveraging AI tools
• Position yourself for success in the weekend's Build Challenge

This talk is designed for everyone—from curious beginners to those with some technical background looking to fill in their knowledge gaps. No coding experience required! Come with questions, leave with confidence.

Small bites generously provided by Spork Bytes

Thank you to our sponsor for this event, Basejump AI!

Perfect preparation for the AI Portland Zero to One Build Challenge, but valuable as a standalone session for anyone wanting to understand AI basics.

You spend an average of 4.2 hours a day on your iPhone. What if every minute moved you closer to your goals – not just your next notification?

Unlock the full potential of your iPhone and transform your daily screen time into real productivity. Join our hands-on workshop and networking session to discover practical strategies that will help you work smarter, not harder.

In this hands-on, 90-minute session, you’ll: - Learn design & mindset principles behind productive work on your phone - Meet other ambitious creatives, founders, & local business owners optimizing their systems, time, and energy - Create an iOS Focus Mode that makes distraction-free work instinctual - Break into groups to test, iterate, and sharpen your Focus

You pick up your phone 144 times a day.... but what if every tap moved you closer to your goals?

It's time to flip the script. Turn your most-used device into your most valuable productivity tool. Reclaim your focus, streamline your tools, and get intentional about how you show up - online and off.

Join us LIVE May 14, 10:30-12p Kiln PDX Register: https://www.weare-4d.com/ios-focus

Facilitated by: 4D Advisors & Inhabit RE

Join Us for Our Inaugural Meeting!

AI is transforming how we build software, and Portland engineers are at the forefront of this revolution. Whether you're integrating LLMs into production systems or just starting to explore AI capabilities in your personal projects, PIng is your community.

Our inaugural meeting brings together developers passionate about practical AI applications that solve real-world problems. Come ready to learn, share, and connect with fellow engineers.

RSVP

Featured Presentations:

Data Security in the AI Era

Kellyn Pot'Vin-Gorman, Database and AI Advocate at Redgate

In today's era where data is the new nuclear power fueling AI, its protection has become a battleground. From high-profile breaches that shake industries to the ethical dilemmas posed by AI, ensuring data security is more critical—and complex—than ever. Kellyn explores real-world data breach stories that highlight vulnerabilities in the data lifecycle and the profound consequences of lapses in protection.

Kellyn Pot’Vin-Gorman is a Database and AI Advocate and Engineer with Redgate, with a long history in multi-platform technology. An Oracle ACE Director alumnus, she has been awarded over the years for her technical contributions and community volunteerism through many organizations, including a recognition as Woman in Tech of the Year for the state of Colorado.

GenAI Model Output Evaluation

Patrick McCuistion, Sr. Platform Engineer at Databricks

From traditional ML metrics to dynamic feedback loops, evaluation approaches have evolved to meet the unique demands of generative AI systems. Drawing from experience building and deploying a production-grade GenAI application that generates cloud infrastructure as code, Patrick will delve into how automatic feedback loops and iterative evaluation cycles can dramatically enhance the accuracy, functionality, and readability of GenAI outputs.

Patrick McCuistion is a Sr. Platform Engineer at Databricks. At work, he builds automations between learning platforms, integrates AI into applications, and manages ML resources in Databricks lab environments. At home, he spends time with his wife and 1.5-year-old girl, writes and performs music for his band, The Governors, and renovates his home in Vancouver, WA.

Schedule:

• 6:00 - 6:30: Food and networking
• 6:30 - 7:40: Presentations
• 7:40 - 8:00: Wrap up and networking

Details:

• Date: Wednesday, April 30th
• Location: Kiln

About PIng:

Portland AI Engineers brings together software developers at all experience levels who are passionate about building with generative AI technologies. We focus on practical applications that solve real-world problems by leveraging existing language models and the surrounding GenAI tools ecosystem.

Learn more

Get Involved:

• Present your work: Email us at [email protected] to discuss sharing your project or insights
• Provide feedback: Help shape our community by sharing your ideas and suggestions
• Sponsor an event: Contact us to discuss partnership opportunities

For more information and to join our community, visit portlandai.engineer

What to Expect:

Please RSVP ahead of time as we only have a limited amount of space.

Code and Coffee is an inclusive, informal co-working session. Drink some coffee, bring your laptop, and have engaging conversations. This is a great opportunity to learn from others, share your knowledge, and possibly collaborate on side projects, online courses, or even your day-to-day work tasks.

Still uncertain? Let's chat on Discord!

Street Parking is available!

Agenda:

9 AM - Arrival: Find a spot! Note: Doors do not open until 8:50AM 9:15 AM - Introductions: Share your name Discuss your current projects or interests. If you don’t have a specific project, share what intrigues you! Mention your expertise and how you can assist others. Are you job hunting or hiring? Let us know! Community events you wanna plug. If none, that's cool too. 11:30 AM - Wrapping Up: You can stay longer, but we'll officially be done! Kiln is graciously letting folks co-work from the space until 4PM that day if you're interested! After the introduction circle, everything is self-organized. Find a social circle or grab a desk and code.

Links:

Join the Discord: https://codeandcoffee.chat/ If this link is down, visit the main site https://codeandcoffee.org/ click on the Discord button!

Want to help us build an incredible Climate Week in our own backyard? Now in its 3rd year, PNW Climate Week is ramping up for our biggest year to date, and that means we need as much PDX we can possibly get!

From Vancouver BC to Bend and everywhere in between, our innovative and eco-enthusiastic region will be hosting literally hundreds of events between July 16th - 25th.

Join us at Kiln for a download on all the details and to find out how you can help. Want to help with community outreach to make sure every aspect of our vibrant city is party of the party? Want to entice businesses to join us in this celebration of everything green in our evergreen slice of the continent? Have a startup or research project you want people to hear about? Don't have a clue but just know you want to get involved? You're just who we're looking for!

We'll share some info about this year's event, split into groups to start coming up with ideas, connect you to resources to keep you going, and then have a little mingling at the end in case folks haven't gotten all that climate geeking out of their system yet. Drinks on us!

This is a monthly Haskell-related hangout for Haskellers, Functional Programmers, and nerds of all sorts!

We're starting a new Code Review segment, where someone gets to share a project, go through the code, and receive critique from the room! Lyle kicked us off last month with an impromptu review of his natural deduction proof verifier. This month we'll be reviewing my own Tensort!

Location is Kiln Portland in the Cactus Room. We should be visible from the front door, or text the phone number on the front door and we will let you in! There are also many food carts nearby for more dining options.

All are welcome!

You’re invited to a casual, friendly gathering where you can connect with the regulators shaping Oregon’s privacy landscape. This is your opportunity to get to know the team at the Oregon Department of Justice, hear about their priorities, and gain insight into how they engage with the privacy and business community.

We’ll kick things off with a fireside chat between Assistant Attorney General Kristen Hilton, the Department’s privacy unit lead, and Lauren Reid of The Privacy Pro. Kristen will share insights and lessons learned from the Oregon Consumer Privacy Act’s first 6 months in effect, and let us know what’s on the horizon for 2025 and beyond. Following that, we’ll have plenty of time for drinks, snacks, and networking.

Whether you’re a seasoned privacy professional, new to this space, or trying to figure out how the OCPA applies to your business, this is a great chance to build relationships and have meaningful conversations—no deep policy dives, just good company and insightful discussions.

Why Attend? Meet and connect with Oregon’s privacy regulators in an informal setting Hear about their priorities and approach to engagement Network with fellow privacy professionals over drinks and snacks Enjoy a relaxed evening with meaningful conversation

Event is free, registration via Eventbrite is required

Details This is a monthly Haskell-related hangout for Haskellers, Functional Programmers, and nerds of all sorts!

Location is Kiln Portland. We'll meet in the Kitchen and then move to the Pink Room at 6pm. Text the phone number on the front door and we will let you in! There are also many food carts nearby for more dining options.

All are welcome!

Join us for a festive evening hosted by AI Portland, Rose City Techies, and the Technology Association of Oregon, as we come together to celebrate our thriving tech and AI community! Connect with fellow professionals from across Portland’s tech and creative landscape, enjoy light snacks and drinks, and expand your network in a relaxed, holiday-inspired atmosphere.

We will be verifying registration and checking IDs at the door. The dress code is casual, but feel free to add a bit of holiday sparkle if you’d like!

We look forward to an evening of good conversation and great company—don’t miss out on this celebration of community and connection!

Details Our friends from AI Portland, Rose City Techies, and the Technology Association of Oregon are hosting a Holiday Party on December 12th at 7:00pm.

Please RSVP here: https://web.cvent.com/event/e903131a-aafb-44f3-a459-e6689238b3bc/regProcessStep1

Join us for a festive evening as we come together to celebrate our thriving tech and AI community! Connect with fellow professionals from across Portland’s tech and creative landscape, enjoy light snacks and drinks, and expand your network in a relaxed, holiday-inspired atmosphere. We will be verifying registration and checking IDs at the door. The dress code is casual, but feel free to add a bit of holiday sparkle if you’d like! We look forward to an evening of good conversation and great company—don’t miss out on this celebration of community and connection!

Join us for a festive evening hosted by AI Portland, Rose City Techies, and the Technology Association of Oregon, as we come together to celebrate our thriving tech and AI community! Connect with fellow professionals from across Portland’s tech and creative landscape, enjoy light snacks and drinks, and expand your network in a relaxed, holiday-inspired atmosphere.

We will be verifying registration and checking IDs at the door. The dress code is casual, but feel free to add a bit of holiday sparkle if you’d like! We look forward to an evening of good conversation and great company—don’t miss out on this celebration of community and connection!

🚨 YOU MUST REGISTER ON THE TAO WEBSITE HERE 🚨 https://web.cvent.com/event/e903131a-aafb-44f3-a459-e6689238b3bc/summary Your RSVP will not count as a registration.

The Portland Microsoft User Groups are thrilled to sponsor this event! Hope to see you there.

As we navigate the evolving landscape of AI, understanding and developing robust policies is more crucial than ever. Join us as we discuss practical considerations when evaluating AI policies for your company or team. Leave with real tips and tricks for navigating this at your job.

Meet our panel:

• Suzame Tong, Corporate Marketing Executive: From start-ups to scale-ups through IPO, Suzame Tong is a proven corporate marketing leader with depth of experience in brand, PR, social, and executive and employee communications for global B2B SaaS companies.
• Lyndsey Washburn, Director of Public and Social Sector Policy for the AI Governance Group: Lindsey is a social impact leader and policy expert with over 15 years of experience working across all sectors. As Director of Public and Social Sector Policy for the AI Governance Group, Lindsey provides strategic guidance to nonprofits and governments on how to leverage AI in a responsible and ethical way. She's an inaugural Affiliate of All Tech Is Human, a Research Member of the Center for AI and Digital Policy, and a Responsible AI Advocacy member of the GovAI Coalition, among other affiliations. Lindsey has built her career on bridging gaps between diverse stakeholders and driving systemic change through participatory policymaking, with a particular focus on using technology to strengthen democratic institutions.
• Jordan Plawner, AI Strategy Advisor and Product Management Executive, AI Advisory Group: Founding member of The AI Advisory Group, Jordan was previously Intel's Global Executive Director of AI Product Management, where he led teams to launch seven generations of AI products and build a $3 billion annual business. Jordan specializes in aligning AI technology with organizational needs. As an AI evangelist featured on CNN and Time, he focuses on empowering leadership, transforming workforces, and crafting strategies to integrate AI into business operations.
• Nicole Mors, Co-founder of AI Portland and Group Design Manager at Lithia Motors: Nicole is a seasoned Product Design Leader with a deep passion for crafting engaging digital experiences that drive business success across diverse industries. Her expertise spans leading design teams within tech organizations of all sizes, where she's committed to fostering growth and instilling a culture of passion and enthusiasm.

Did you know Portland might be the world's best pinball city? In this TUG, Ryan Callihan will share how a passion project evolved into a captivating data visualization while diving into the fascinating history of pinball in Portland. Ryan will walk us through the journey from data collection and cleansing to the design and creation of a dashboard using Python and Tableau. Whether you're a data enthusiast or a pinball fan, this talk will have something for everyone.

Join us for a delightful evening with AI & Data practitioners, professionals, and enthusiasts. We'll be teaming up with our friends at TAO on the Kiln patio to celebrate our shared community.

We hope you can join us for scrumptious food, refreshing drinks, meaningful connections, and cool beats from DJ Kermit! Come and be a part of this wonderful gathering of like-minded individuals who share a passion for AI and Data. Don't miss out on this opportunity to expand your network and have some fun!

✨ Register for this event via TAO ✨ https://web.cvent.com/event/ef73602a-588d-4a32-a0d9-b2b70ddd9d24/summary

We're starting free in-person workshops...cause we all gotta level up! We're calling it "Startup School".

The main topic of this workshop is... "How to Get Your First Customers".

Our 2 speakers are Pat Cheung and Andreeas Trattner, and they'll share their journey on getting their first customers.

Pat Cheung is the founder of Fanlist. He'll share details on how he landed his first 50 customers through a tradeshow. He'll walk through all the tactics he used to sponsor a tradeshow booth, what went well, what didn't, and how he did it on a budget...with a full breakdown of costs.

Andreeas Trattner is the founder of reachtools. Andreeas will speak on his journey in acquiring initial users as a bootstrapper. He will cover leveraging his network, utilizing Google Ads, and his strategy for creating a direct mail campaign in 2024, as well as the limitations of these approaches.

Space is limited...so RSVP's are required! Optional group lunch at nearby food carts after the meetup!

Date: Friday, Aug 2 Time: 10a - 12p Location: Kiln Coworking Space 1120 SE Madison St Portland, OR 97214

A big thank you to Kiln for hosting us. You can read more about their co-working space at https://kiln.com/communities/portland/

Over the past year, ChatGPT and the technology that powers it, Generative AI, have been making waves in our workplaces. Generative AI is already having an impact inside companies and in our jobs. In this talk, we'll make sense of generative AI in a jargon-free environment. Learn how generative AI works, what it does well, and what it doesn't do well. We'll show how it's being used in the workplace and how to experiment with it. Embrace your curiosity and get answers to your questions about AI in a lively discussion, no programming or tech background needed.

​Can't swing the ticket price? We get it - scholarships are available for those in need. Reach out to AI Portland for help.

​ About our presenter Nicolle Merrill is the founder of Boring AI, an AI literacy education company that helps teams upskill for AI in the workplace. Boring AI exists to bring voices from diverse work experiences into the discussion about AI and teach AI literacy skills to adults, no coding or math required. Nicolle has spent the last 6 years working at the intersection of AI and human-centered design. She's also the author of the book, Punch Doubt in the Face: How to Upskill, Change Careers, and Beat the Robots.

​About AI Portland AI Portland is dedicated to exploring the world of Artificial Intelligence and how it can superpower design, development, and our chocolate cookie recipes. We invite industry professionals, enthusiasts, and students to join us in lively discussions, workshops, and networking events.

​Whether you're just starting your AI journey or an expert in the field, this group offers a platform to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and stay updated with the latest AI trends. Let's connect, learn, and shape the future of AI together! Find us on Meetup and LinkedIn.

​​OVF is excited to kick off the first PDX AI Demo Night to showcase the AI products coming from the founder and engineering community through lightening demos + Q&A. ​

​Join us for an evening of networking and excitement, as we revel in the latest AI demos from:

​Hello Wonder DXM Paxton Reclaim

​Agenda: ​​​​​6:00-6:30pm: Welcome & mingle ​​​​​6:30-7:15pm: AI Demos ​​​​​7:15-8:00pm: Food & drinks

​Please make sure to register, as we have limited capacity - seats will fill quickly!

​We're gathering at Kiln - a beautiful new co-working space on SE Hawthorne.

Join us for an interactive group session, to share, learn, and connect with other bootstrap founders around Portland!

At this event, we'll let 2 founders share in-depth something they're working on. So, if you're looking for some group feedback...or just want to showcase your project...come prepared to share! It'll be a great time for questions, discussion, and feedback.

Space is limited...so RSVP's are required!

Save time for an optional group lunch after the meetup!

Date: Friday, Jan 26 Time: 10a - 12p Location: Kiln Coworking Space 1120 SE Madison St Portland, OR 97214

Join us for a fun and productive day at Kiln! Whether you're a freelancer, entrepreneur, or just looking for a change of scenery, this event is perfect for you. Get ready to connect with like-minded individuals, collaborate on projects, and boost your productivity in a vibrant and inspiring environment.

Reserve your spot now and get ready to co-work, connect, and create. Please check in at the front desk when you arrive at Kiln, we'll get you set up for the day!

Join us for an interactive group session, to share, learn, and connect with other bootstrap founders around Portland!

At this event, we'll let 2 founders share in-depth something they're working on. So, if you're looking for some group feedback...or just want to showcase your project...come prepared to share! It'll be a great time for questions, discussion, and feedback.

Space is limited...so RSVP's are required!

Save time for an optional group lunch after the meetup!

Join Oregon's most exhilarating tech rendezvous, brought to you by Google Developers Group. Enjoy prizes, tasty bites 🍕 (vegan/GF), and amazing speakers from Google at the beautiful Kiln building! 🎊

Finally, engage in an exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime audience interview with Ward Cunningham, coauthor of the Agile Manifesto. Learn with us all ways to develop better in 2024!

2:20 - Begin registration, Bites, Networking

3:00 - Intro & Welcome (DevFest Team)

3:20 - Kubernetes in 2024 (Stormforge)

4:00 - 5 Learnings to be a Cloud Dev (Keybank)

4:45 - My Journey as a Non-Traditional Developer (Airbnb)

5:30 - Prizes, swag 🏆

5:40 - Keynote Interview 🎤 - Ward Cunningham

6:15 - Accelerate your Coding with AI (Google)

7:10 - Networking, drinks. Continue at Cartopia

Location: Kiln, 1120 SE Madison Street, Portland, OR 97214

Sponsors (prizes): Composables, Jetbrains, Kodeco Books

RSVP opens: Nov 1

Open to public, free

Limited to first 60 attendees:

1) RSVP, using name on photo ID. Welcome to feature your profile photo (optional) so attendees can learn about you in advance.

2) Join the group page (click Join Us)

Don't miss the final Kiln Portland Open House & the last opportunity to reserve your ideal workspace before we open our doors to the community!

Stop by on July 24th between 3:30-6:30pm for a locally-sourced happy hour, snacks, networking, and tours of our space. Our open house will take place at 1120 SE Madison Street.

At Kiln, we're passionate about connecting with our community and showcasing our innovative workspace. During the open house, you'll have the opportunity to meet members of our team, learn more about our coworking space, and connect with other like-minded individuals.

Whether you're a freelancer, entrepreneur, or simply curious about our space, this Open House is the perfect opportunity to explore our community and see what we're all about. Mark your calendars, and be sure to RSVP! -> https://www.eventbrite.com/e/kiln-portland-open-house-the-final-sneak-peek-tickets-680362732247?aff=oddtdtcreator

We hope to see you there!

The Kiln Portland Open House is an event that you won't want to miss! Stop by on July13th between 3:30-6:00pm for a locally-sourced happy hour, snacks, networking, and tours of our space while we are still under construction. Our open house will take place at 1120 SE Madison Street. At Kiln, we're passionate about connecting with our community and showcasing our innovative workspace. During the open house, you'll have the opportunity to meet members of our team, learn more about our coworking space, and connect with other like-minded individuals. Whether you're a freelancer, entrepreneur, or simply curious about our space, the Kiln Portland Open House is the perfect opportunity to explore our community and see what we're all about. Mark your calendars, and be sure to RSVP! We hope to see you there!

The Kiln Portland Open House is an event that you won't want to miss! Stop by on June 28th between 3:30-6pm for a locally-sourced happy hour, snacks, networking, and tours of our space while we are still under construction.

Our open house will take place at 1120 SE Madison Street. At Kiln Portland, we're passionate about connecting with our community and showcasing our innovative workspace. During the open house, you'll have the opportunity to meet members of our team, learn more about our coworking space, and connect with other like-minded individuals.

Whether you're a freelancer, entrepreneur, or simply curious about our space, the Kiln Portland Open House is the perfect opportunity to explore our community and see what we're all about. Mark your calendars, and be sure to RSVP here -> https://www.eventbrite.com/e/kiln-portland-open-house-tickets-663050079637

We hope to see you there!

The Kiln Portland Open House is an event that you won't want to miss! Stop by on May 31st between 4:30-7:00pm for a locally-sourced happy hour, snacks, networking, and tours of our space while we are still under construction.

Our open house will take place at 1120 SE Madison Avenue Portland OR, 97214. At Kiln, we're passionate about connecting with our community and showcasing our innovative workspace. During the open house, you'll have the opportunity to meet members of our team, learn more about our coworking space, and connect with other like-minded individuals. Whether you're a freelancer, entrepreneur, or simply curious about our space, the Kiln Portland Open House is the perfect opportunity to explore our community and see what we're all about.

Mark your calendars, and be sure to RSVP through the link below! We hope to see you there.

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/kiln-portland-open-house-tickets-641438589087