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DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20251119T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20251119T213000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20251111T180723Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251119T194422Z
UID:10000065-1763577000-1763587800@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:Twin Cities Playtest
DESCRIPTION:Hosted by IGDA Twin Cities\, an evening of in-development games hosted at Noble Robot and streamed on YouTube!
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/twin-cities-playtest-4/
LOCATION:Noble Robot\, 326 East Hennepin Avenue\, #206\, Minneapolis\, MN\, 55414\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/34760a8423f837ff6b4aeacbfacbc5fd-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20251119T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20251119T213000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20251111T180728Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251111T180728Z
UID:10000074-1763577000-1763587800@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:Twin Cities Playtest
DESCRIPTION:Hosted by IGDA Twin Cities\, an evening of in-development games hosted at Noble Robot and streamed on YouTube!
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/twin-cities-playtest-6/
LOCATION:Noble Robot\, 326 East Hennepin Avenue\, #206\, Minneapolis\, MN\, 55414\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/34760a8423f837ff6b4aeacbfacbc5fd-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20251203T180000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20251203T213000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20251112T180903Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251203T222356Z
UID:10000087-1764784800-1764797400@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:IGDA Twin Cities Holiday Gathering 2025 @ Gamezenter
DESCRIPTION:Join us Dec 3rd\, 6-9:30pm\, at Gamezenter\, as we celebrate another great year in MN Gamedev!\n\n\nHear ye\, Hear ye! ‘Tis with great merriment that we announce – the IGDA Twin Cities Holiday gathering cometh! Join us as we go over the accomplishments of the past year\, from both our community and our organization! \nWednesday\, December 3rd from 6PM – 9:30PM we will once again be meeting in person at the Roseville Gamezenter located at 1975 County Road B2 W\, Roseville\, MN 55113 \nWe’ll bring a few board games\, and Gamezenter also has a library of board games\, but feel free to bring things to play with others as well! We’ll provide pizza and beverages for everyone to enjoy\, though a kitchen with coffee and alcoholic beverages is also available at the venue (please drink and plan responsibly!). \nWe’ll also be running a version of the comedy game show “Um\, Actually!” The game consists of the host sharing trivia about video games\, movies\, and more\, but every statement is inaccurate and it’s up to you to correct them for points. Will there be a big prize for the winner? Maybe! \nCOVID guidelines for this event are: Masks encouraged\, but not required. If you are sick\, please stay home. Follow Minnesota Department of Health and CDC guidelines to keep everyone safe. \nLooking forward to seeing you all there\, and gaming together once again!
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/igda-twin-cities-holiday-gathering-2025-gamezenter/
LOCATION:Roseville Gamezenter\, 1975 County Road B2 West\, Roseville\, MN\, 55113\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/80e0f6bcac4d13e94fd6ae6e9f0cab6d.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260107T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260107T213000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20251117T190902Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260107T081026Z
UID:10000110-1767810600-1767821400@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:Jam Night!
DESCRIPTION:An open co-working night for creatives of all types! Bring something to work on\, and enjoy the company of designers\, developers\, and more!
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/jam-night/
LOCATION:Noble Robot\, 326 East Hennepin Avenue\, #206\, Minneapolis\, MN\, 55414\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/cd7ef490d8fc3242f1f36d9ed93137a2.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260108T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260108T213000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20251113T182402Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260108T081017Z
UID:10000088-1767897000-1767907800@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:Game.wav Audio Meetup\, January 2026
DESCRIPTION:Discussions and deep dives on game audio.
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/game-wav-audio-meetup-january-2026/
LOCATION:13100 College View Dr room h183\, 13100 College View Drive\, #room h183\, Eden Prairie\, MN\, 55347\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/b0b24382f44a37a69ad4313d82ceae78.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260115T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260115T213000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20260114T085302Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260115T085527Z
UID:10000143-1768501800-1768512600@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:Game.wav Audio Meetup
DESCRIPTION:Discussions and deep dives on game audio.
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/game-wav-audio-meetup/
LOCATION:13100 College View Dr room h183\, 13100 College View Drive\, #room h183\, Eden Prairie\, MN\, 55347\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/b0b24382f44a37a69ad4313d82ceae78.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260121T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260121T213000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20251111T180727Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260121T090858Z
UID:10000066-1769020200-1769031000@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:Twin Cities Playtest
DESCRIPTION:Hosted by IGDA Twin Cities\, an evening of in-development games hosted at Noble Robot and streamed on YouTube!
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/twin-cities-playtest-5/
LOCATION:Noble Robot\, 326 East Hennepin Avenue\, #206\, Minneapolis\, MN\, 55414\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/34760a8423f837ff6b4aeacbfacbc5fd-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260128T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260128T213000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20260127T093853Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260128T094313Z
UID:10000144-1769625000-1769635800@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:MN VR and HCI Jan 20216: Display Glasses
DESCRIPTION:MN VR and HCI monthly meeting for January 2026: Display Glasses overview and demos\n\n\nAnother 50/50 split of presentation and hardware demos. Check the demo and parking details below! \n \nSmart Glasses Overview and Display Glasses in Depth – David Mann and Zach Wendt \nWith the recent debut of consumer smart glasses that look fairly normal\, descriptors like AR are getting butchered worse than ever. We’ll do a quick overview of the different tech and capabilities\, then a deep dive on “display glasses” that focus on image quality\, and demos of the two most popular brands. \n\nStrengths/weaknesses of different optics\, displays\, power and compute\nChoosing tradeoffs for your use cases\nWhat’s coming in 2025\, including adjacent VR/MR tech\nDeep dive on Xreal and Viture display glasses – the most mature/popular category\nDeveloper options\, and “tinkerer” options with no coding\n\n \nDisplay Glasses Demos – Xreal One Pro and Viture Luma Pro \nWe’ll be demoing the most feature rich\, and the clearest/brightest display glasses available\, so you can go eyes-in yourself. You should be pleasantly surprised at the current quality of affordable micro OLED and optics. You might hit an ergonomic issue – look up your IPD if you can (we have two sizes) and wear contacts if you own them (but one pair of glasses can adjust up to -4 diopters for near-sightedness.) \n \nSchedule: \n\n6:30 Social and setup\n7:00 Kickoff / announcements\n7:15 David and Zach\n7:52 Demos\n~8:30 Tear-down\, cross the sidewalk to Yardhouse\n\n \nAttending and Parking: \nThis event will be in person at the REM5 STUDIOS new office in West End and the presentation will be streamed live at https://www.youtube.com/igdatc \nPark underground and take the central red elevator to ground level\, then cross the sidewalk. REM5 STUDIOS is across from Yardhouse. Map below. \n \nAbout MN VR and HCI: \nMN VR and HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) welcomes developers\, tinkerers and enthusiasts working with all variety of VR\, AR\, HCI\, hardware hacking\, creative coding and interactive art. Members are working on projects with custom displays and lenses\, projection mapping\, mocap\, tiny computers\, servos and sensors\, interactive art and a wide variety of VR\, AR\, motion and computer vision applications. If you’ve only been to our parent group IGDATC meetings\, MN VR and HCI is a slightly different format: We aim for smaller group discussions and lots of specific details.
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/mn-vr-and-hci-jan-20216-display-glasses/
LOCATION:REM5 STUDIOS\, 1639 Park Place Boulevard\, St. Louis Park\, MN\, 55416\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/53c68283aa28d26c2122f879b7f3b99f.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260204T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260204T213000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20251117T190916Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260204T101043Z
UID:10000111-1770229800-1770240600@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:Jam Night!
DESCRIPTION:An open co-working night for creatives of all types! Bring something to work on\, and enjoy the company of designers\, developers\, and more!
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/jam-night-2/
LOCATION:Noble Robot\, 326 East Hennepin Avenue\, #206\, Minneapolis\, MN\, 55414\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/cd7ef490d8fc3242f1f36d9ed93137a2.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260204T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260204T213000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20251117T190920Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251117T190920Z
UID:10000114-1770229800-1770240600@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:Jam Night!
DESCRIPTION:An open co-working night for creatives of all types! Bring something to work on\, and enjoy the company of designers\, developers\, and more!
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/jam-night-3/
LOCATION:Noble Robot\, 326 East Hennepin Avenue\, #206\, Minneapolis\, MN\, 55414\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/cd7ef490d8fc3242f1f36d9ed93137a2.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260211T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260211T213000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20260127T093855Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260211T111013Z
UID:10000145-1770834600-1770845400@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:IGDATC Gamedev Meeting February 2026 - Ezra Bao
DESCRIPTION:Join local game devs in-person for an evening of talks and networking!\n\n\nThis event is open to the public! IGDA Membership not required. \n \nGamedev Meeting is Live and in Person @ 2DHQ\nPlease join us for a night of industry and community presentations! Postmortems\, live demos\, and talks on game design\, art\, marketing\, audio\, community\, social issues\, and more\, given by developers from the Twin Cities and all over the world. \nWe also stream live on youtube.com/igdatc. \n \nThis Month: Ezra Bao (He/Him)\nGames for Cultural Empathy: Representation of Mongolian Cultural PracticesOver the span of 6 months Ezra Bao has researched and designed a short demo that focuses on Mongolian cultural representation through the games core mechanics. This talk will briefly address the process of research and design\, focus on audience impact\, and the value of his research to game designers. \nEzra Bao is a Twin Cities game dev and artist. He is set to graduate from Savannah College of Art and Design in Spring of 2026 with an MFA in Game Development. During his graduate studies he focused on system and mechanics design as well as programming. Post-graduation\, his plan is to teach and freelance. His projects are playable through : https://quaintcrow.itch.io/ \n \nAnnouncements & Plug My Thing\nAt the beginning of our in-person meetings\, we like to put a call out for game trailers\, demo reels\, and other short game development related announcements. Please come 15min early or contact us (Discord is best) beforehand if you can! \n\nAgenda (approximate)\n\n6:30: Youtube stream opens\, meeting intro and monthly slides.\n\n\n7:00: Presentations.\nAfter: we head to a nearby restaurant to get food/drinks and socialize!\n\n\nOther Happenings\nJoin us on our Discord server! \nHelp us find interesting presenters\, use this easy form to let us know.
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/igdatc-gamedev-meeting-february-2026-ezra-bao/
LOCATION:2DHQ\, 1325 Winter Street Northeast\, #108\, Minneapolis\, MN\, 55413\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/a1e50cefb557c5c671798b2564bcfd2e.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260212T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260212T213000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20251113T182413Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260212T112331Z
UID:10000089-1770921000-1770931800@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:Game.wav Audio Meetup
DESCRIPTION:Discussions and deep dives on game audio.
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/game-wav-audio-meetup-january-2026-2/
LOCATION:13100 College View Dr room h183\, 13100 College View Drive\, #room h183\, Eden Prairie\, MN\, 55347\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/b0b24382f44a37a69ad4313d82ceae78.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=-06:00:20260216T180000
DTEND;TZID=-06:00:20260216T210000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20260210T162855Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260216T190734Z
UID:10000147-1771264800-1771275600@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:Wild AI - February Meetup @ Headflyer Brewing
DESCRIPTION:Wild AI Meetup: **3rd Monday Monthly at Headflyer Brewing** \nTame the raw potential of AI alongside fellow innovators. Enjoy a 40 min social\, 20 mins of fire talks by passionate innovators\, and 1 hour of networking post talks. RSVP now! \nEvent Agenda:\n6:00 PM: Arrival\, mingling\, and drinks. \n6:40 – 7:00 PM: Speaker sessions begin.\nSpeaker Approach: No slides\, just concise\, high-level introductions. Speakers will share who they are\, what they are working on\, and why it matters in five minutes or less. The goal is to spark curiosity and set the stage for meaningful conversations during the networking hour. \n7:00 – 8:00 pm: Open networking\, offering attendees the chance to connect directly with speakers and fellow innovators. \nInterested in being a Speaker? Contact mosborn@skail.ai
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/wild-ai-february-meetup-headflyer-brewing/
LOCATION:HeadFlyer Brewing\, 861 East Hennepin Avenue\, Minneapolis\, MN\, 55414\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/1024x576-yP2QgN.jpg
GEO:44.991703;-93.24376
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=HeadFlyer Brewing 861 East Hennepin Avenue Minneapolis MN 55414 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=861 East Hennepin Avenue:geo:-93.24376,44.991703
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260218T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260218T213000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20251111T180728Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260218T113956Z
UID:10000067-1771439400-1771450200@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:Twin Cities Playtest
DESCRIPTION:Hosted by IGDA Twin Cities\, an evening of in-development games hosted at Noble Robot and streamed on YouTube!
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/twin-cities-playtest-7/
LOCATION:Noble Robot\, 326 East Hennepin Avenue\, #206\, Minneapolis\, MN\, 55414\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/34760a8423f837ff6b4aeacbfacbc5fd-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=-06:00:20260219T180000
DTEND;TZID=-06:00:20260219T200000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20260210T154729Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260219T200057Z
UID:10000146-1771524000-1771531200@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:Meet Ollama: AI Engineering with Local LLMs
DESCRIPTION:Have you ever wanted to actually run and experiment with AI models on your own machine.. without paying per token or sending your data to someone else’s cloud? Now’s your chance!! \nThe Twin Cities Data Science & Analytics (TCDSA) group is excited to announce our next in-person\, hands-on event: \nMeet Ollama: AI Engineering with Local LLMs\nWhen – February 19\, 2026 from 6:00–8:00 PM\nWhere – Improving (NEW LOCATION!! THANK YOU FOR HOSTING!!) \nIn this beginner-friendly\, practical session\, we’ll walk through how to use Ollama to run smaller Large Language Models (LLMs) directly on your laptop. No cloud compute.. No Pay per token.. No API Keys… No usage limits… \nWith Daniel McKenzie as our host\, we’ll cover the following: \nInstalling Ollama\nDownloading your first local LLM\nUsing a local model directly from Python \nBy the end of the session\, you’ll be able to run and interact with an LLM locally and start experimenting right away. \nRegister now! space is limited! (scan the QR code on the flyer or click this link: [https://lnkd.in/gU2fyMBw](https://lnkd.in/gU2fyMBw).). You will receive a calendar invite with the details and what to bring!
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/meet-ollama-ai-engineering-with-local-llms/
LOCATION:MN
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/1024x576-PMCEWE.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260225T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260225T213000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20260215T113822Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260225T123910Z
UID:10000149-1772044200-1772055000@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:MN VR and HCI Feb 2026: Arcology Zero
DESCRIPTION:MN VR and HCI monthly meeting for February 2026: Arcology Zero by Clement Shimizu and Carol Trindade\n\n\nThe Arcology Zero Hypothesis – Clement Shimizu and Carol Trindade \n@DrClementShimizu and @CarolTrindadeArtist had a dream of building an artist ARCOLOGY inspired by SimCity 2000\, When investors said\, “OBJECTION!”\, the pair took Delusional Action to make it real! \n \nIn this talk\, you will: \n\nFollow their EXPLOITS in academia\, VR engineering\, game design\, the arts and more.\nWitness the birth of a dream to build Arcology Zero\, a PARADISE that connects established engineers and game designers with emerging artists complete with housing\, studio space\, and a planetarium bar.\nConsider the investor’s OBJECTION that the dream was IMPOSSIBLE\, CRAZY\, and A WASTE OF TIME.\nBE DAZZLED by the hypothesis that it was indeed possible and how Dr. Shimizu\, Carol Trindade\, and friends\, ULTIMATELY willed the dream into reality!\nWitness the results from the EXPERIMENT and the aftermath!\n\n \nWe will conclude with a VR demo created as part of Arcology Zero: Take a pill and enter a hallucinogenic experience where you TRANSUBSTANTIATE into a living breathing BARBIE DOLL to have the TIME OF YOUR LIFE! \n \nSocial Media: \nhttp://www.clementshimizu.com \nhttps://www.instagram.com/caroltrindadeartist \nhttp://www.elumenati.com \nhttp://www.arcologyzero.com \n \nSchedule: \n\n6:30 Social and setup\n7:00 Kickoff / announcements\n7:15 Clement and Carol\n8:00 Demos\n~8:45 Tear-down\, cross the sidewalk to Yardhouse\n\n \nAttending and Parking: \nThis event will be in person at the REM5 STUDIOS new office in West End and the presentation will be streamed live at https://www.youtube.com/igdatc \nPark underground and take the central red elevator to ground level\, then cross the sidewalk. REM5 STUDIOS is across from Yardhouse. Map below. \n \nAbout MN VR and HCI: \nMN VR and HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) welcomes developers\, tinkerers and enthusiasts working with all variety of VR\, AR\, HCI\, hardware hacking\, creative coding and interactive art. Members are working on projects with custom displays and lenses\, projection mapping\, mocap\, tiny computers\, servos and sensors\, interactive art and a wide variety of VR\, AR\, motion and computer vision applications. If you’ve only been to our parent group IGDATC meetings\, MN VR and HCI is a slightly different format: We aim for smaller group discussions and lots of specific details.
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/mn-vr-and-hci-feb-2026-arcology-zero/
LOCATION:REM5 STUDIOS\, 1639 Park Place Boulevard\, St. Louis Park\, MN\, 55416\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/13b7165007abc6d85f2efd71ae14fe09.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260304T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260304T213000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20251117T190920Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251117T190920Z
UID:10000112-1772649000-1772659800@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:Jam Night!
DESCRIPTION:An open co-working night for creatives of all types! Bring something to work on\, and enjoy the company of designers\, developers\, and more!
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/jam-night-4/
LOCATION:Noble Robot\, 326 East Hennepin Avenue\, #206\, Minneapolis\, MN\, 55414\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/cd7ef490d8fc3242f1f36d9ed93137a2.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260304T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260304T213000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20251117T190922Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260304T125421Z
UID:10000115-1772649000-1772659800@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:Jam Night!
DESCRIPTION:An open co-working night for creatives of all types! Bring something to work on\, and enjoy the company of designers\, developers\, and more!
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/jam-night-5/
LOCATION:Noble Robot\, 326 East Hennepin Avenue\, #206\, Minneapolis\, MN\, 55414\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/cd7ef490d8fc3242f1f36d9ed93137a2.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=-06:00:20260305T180000
DTEND;TZID=-06:00:20260305T200000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20260302T211849Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260302T211851Z
UID:10000151-1772733600-1772740800@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:LLM Implementation Insights: Manufacturing & Software Case Studies + EU AI Act
DESCRIPTION:**Overview**\nA practical\, comparison-driven session on what actually happens when LLM projects go to production—across two very different environments: a regulated international medical company and a mid-sized software company. We’ll distill the key implementation takeaways\, share patterns that worked (and the ones that didn’t)\, and close with a clear\, non-lawyer intro to what the EU AI Act means for teams building and deploying AI systems. \nYou’ll leave with: \n* A checklist of “production reality” lessons learned from two real implementations\n* A simple EU AI Act primer: risk categories\, obligations\, and what to do next as builders \n**Agenda**\n6:00pm – 6:30pm: Networking – food & drinks\n6:30pm – 8:00pm: Presentation & discussion\n8:00pm: Networking at [Lake Monster Brewing](https://www.lakemonsterbrewing.com/) \n**Meet Our Featured Speaker**\n[Jakub Orczyk](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jakub-orczyk-14a3a72/) is a Managing Partner and Board Member at [VM.PL Software House](https://vm.pl/). The company delivers AI/ML solutions for manufacturers and other companies\, drawing on cross-market experience in the EU (especially the DACH region) and the United States. The company’s experience spans industrial tech (semiconductors)\, healthcare\, financial services\, and more\, with hands-on\, ROI-focused applied AI/ML case studies. \n**Sponsors**\nThis event is sponsored by [Lab651](https://lab651.com/) & [Recursive Awesome](https://recursiveawesome.com/)
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/llm-implementation-insights-manufacturing-software-case-studies-eu-ai-act/
LOCATION:Lab651\, 550 Vandalia St #231\, St Paul\, MN\, 55114\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/1024x576-ORlqlj.jpg
GEO:44.957947;-93.19087
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Lab651 550 Vandalia St #231 St Paul MN 55114 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=550 Vandalia St #231:geo:-93.19087,44.957947
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260312T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260312T213000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20251113T182414Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260312T130754Z
UID:10000090-1773340200-1773351000@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:Game.wav Audio Meetup
DESCRIPTION:Discussions and deep dives on game audio.
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/game-wav-audio-meetup-january-2026-3/
LOCATION:13100 College View Dr room h183\, 13100 College View Drive\, #room h183\, Eden Prairie\, MN\, 55347\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/b0b24382f44a37a69ad4313d82ceae78.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=-05:00:20260316T180000
DTEND;TZID=-05:00:20260316T210000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20260303T220801Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260316T225216Z
UID:10000154-1773684000-1773694800@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:Wild AI - March Meetup @ HeadFlyer
DESCRIPTION:Wild AI Meetup: **3rd Monday Monthly at Headflyer Brewing** \nTame the raw potential of AI alongside fellow innovators. Enjoy a 40 min social\, 20 mins of fire talks by passionate innovators\, and 1 hour of networking post talks. RSVP now! \nEvent Agenda:\n6:00 PM: Arrival\, mingling\, and drinks. \n6:40 – 7:00 PM: Speaker sessions begin.\nSpeaker Approach: No slides\, just concise\, high-level introductions. Speakers will share who they are\, what they are working on\, and why it matters in five minutes or less. The goal is to spark curiosity and set the stage for meaningful conversations during the networking hour. \n7:00 – 8:00 pm: Open networking\, offering attendees the chance to connect directly with speakers and fellow innovators. \nInterested in being a Speaker? Contact mosborn@skail.ai
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/wild-ai-march-meetup-headflyer/
LOCATION:HeadFlyer Brewing\, 861 East Hennepin Avenue\, Minneapolis\, MN\, 55414\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/1024x576-yP2QgN.jpg
GEO:44.991703;-93.24376
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=HeadFlyer Brewing 861 East Hennepin Avenue Minneapolis MN 55414 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=861 East Hennepin Avenue:geo:-93.24376,44.991703
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=-05:00:20260316T180000
DTEND;TZID=-05:00:20260316T210000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20260303T220802Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260303T220802Z
UID:10000155-1773684000-1773694800@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:Wild AI - March Meetup @ HeadFlyer
DESCRIPTION:Wild AI Meetup: **3rd Monday Monthly at Headflyer Brewing** \nTame the raw potential of AI alongside fellow innovators. Enjoy a 40 min social\, 20 mins of fire talks by passionate innovators\, and 1 hour of networking post talks. RSVP now! \nEvent Agenda:\n6:00 PM: Arrival\, mingling\, and drinks. \n6:40 – 7:00 PM: Speaker sessions begin.\nSpeaker Approach: No slides\, just concise\, high-level introductions. Speakers will share who they are\, what they are working on\, and why it matters in five minutes or less. The goal is to spark curiosity and set the stage for meaningful conversations during the networking hour. \n7:00 – 8:00 pm: Open networking\, offering attendees the chance to connect directly with speakers and fellow innovators. \nInterested in being a Speaker? Contact mosborn@skail.ai
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/wild-ai-march-meetup-headflyer-2/
LOCATION:HeadFlyer Brewing\, 861 East Hennepin Avenue\, Minneapolis\, MN\, 55414\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/1024x576-yP2QgN.jpg
GEO:44.991703;-93.24376
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=HeadFlyer Brewing 861 East Hennepin Avenue Minneapolis MN 55414 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=861 East Hennepin Avenue:geo:-93.24376,44.991703
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260318T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260318T213000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20251111T180729Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260318T140753Z
UID:10000068-1773858600-1773869400@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:Twin Cities Playtest
DESCRIPTION:Hosted by IGDA Twin Cities\, an evening of in-development games hosted at Noble Robot and streamed on YouTube!
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/twin-cities-playtest-8/
LOCATION:Noble Robot\, 326 East Hennepin Avenue\, #206\, Minneapolis\, MN\, 55414\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/34760a8423f837ff6b4aeacbfacbc5fd-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260324T080000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260324T173000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20260302T211650Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260302T211651Z
UID:10000150-1774339200-1774373400@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:The - 15th MN Entrepreneur Kick-off - Your Launchpad for GROWTH in 2026!
DESCRIPTION:Take your entrepreneurial journey to scale!  Join us for a day with game-changing connections\, insights\, and expert advice for GROWTH!\n\n\nUNLEASH YOUR POTENTIAL !!\n \nStarting \, always Growing\, and Scaling a business is tough—but you don’t have to go it alone. Learn from: \nFounders who’ve been there\, \nPractitioners in operations\, data\, and tech\, \nFunders who can help\, \nMentors with experience\, and Service Providers who care. \nThey join the Minnesota Entrepreneur Network Kick-off Cohosts for the express purpose of supporting the successful start and growth of your business into a sound and thriving enterprise. \n \nThe 2026 Kick-off brings targeted GROWTH & SCALING guidance to SaaS companies and SMB companies from AG to Healthcare to Manufacturing and Retail. \n \nIt is a multi-track\, interactive event with multiple networking opportunities. See the full Agenda with its eight breakout sessions and two – timely – Keynote Addresses on the Kick-off website at: www.mnentrepreneurs.org. \nReceive guidance around your questions\, including how to ahieve and handle strategic and fast-paced growth\, financing\, invention\, AI\, tech advancements\, investors\, capitalization\, company acquisitions\, As Well As guidance for the trepidation that one experiences when making decisions to change directions by testing/pursuing a long held desire or because of unexpected life changes. The Kick-off brings attendees unparalleled opportunities for helpful conversations\, AND the opportunity to connect with the 2026 Lifter Award Recipients and meet the nationally recognized Keynote Presenters: Ross Bernsein and Matthew Versaggi\, PhD! \n\nThe 15th MN Entrepreneur Kick-off is an opportunity not to be missed!\n \nRegister NOW: Late Registration Rates – Begin on March 8th!!\nHave others you want to be there? Please share the opportunity – https://15th-MNEntrepreneurKick-off.eventbrite.com \nWe can’t wait to see you there! \n——— \nThe MN Entrepreneur Kick-off Cohosts sincerely appreciate our SPONSORS\, and we look forward to your opportunity to meet them during the Kick-off!\n\nTHANK YOU to: University of St. Thomas – Schulze School of Entrepreneurship\, Scale Bank\, Lab651\, Creative Wealth Solutions\, Thrive\, Silicon Prairie Capital Partners\, Able.AI\, Lorignite
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/the-15th-mn-entrepreneur-kick-off-your-launchpad-for-growth-in-2026/
LOCATION:Schulze Hall\, 46 South 11th Street\, Minneapolis\, MN\, 55403\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/51fcef5a3c263f932f99cc94d0ef1d67-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260325T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260325T213000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20260315T132503Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260325T143748Z
UID:10000156-1774463400-1774474200@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:MN VR and HCI Mar 2026: Blob Bash
DESCRIPTION:MN VR and HCI monthly meeting for March 2026: RJ White presents Blob Bash – Physics\, Combat\, and Multiplayer in BlobTown\n\n\nBlob Bash – Physics\, Combat\, and Multiplayer in BlobTown presented by RJ White \nWorking at RevelVR on BlobTown for the last year\, RJ has developed systems that added interactivity and game systems to a VR social app all about drawing with Blobs. In this talk RJ will go over : \n\nGenerating colliders and special physics properties from 3D objects that can be made in any shape\nHow these systems were applied and adjusted to create a competitive combat mode\nConsiderations and techniques to make this all work as seamlessly as possible in large multiplayer lobbies on Meta Quest hardware\n\n \nSchedule: \n\n6:30 Social and setup\n7:00 Kickoff / announcements\n7:15 RJ White\n~8:45 Tear-down\, cross the sidewalk to Yardhouse\n\n \nAttending and Parking: \nThis event will be in person at the REM5 STUDIOS new office in West End and the presentation will be streamed live at https://www.youtube.com/igdatc \nPark underground and take the central red elevator to ground level\, then cross the sidewalk. REM5 STUDIOS is across from Yardhouse. Map below. \n \nAbout MN VR and HCI: \nMN VR and HCI (Human-Computer Interaction) welcomes developers\, tinkerers and enthusiasts working with all variety of VR\, AR\, HCI\, hardware hacking\, creative coding and interactive art. Members are working on projects with custom displays and lenses\, projection mapping\, mocap\, tiny computers\, servos and sensors\, interactive art and a wide variety of VR\, AR\, motion and computer vision applications. If you’ve only been to our parent group IGDATC meetings\, MN VR and HCI is a slightly different format: We aim for smaller group discussions and lots of specific details.
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/mn-vr-and-hci-mar-2026-blob-bash/
LOCATION:REM5 STUDIOS\, 1639 Park Place Boulevard\, St. Louis Park\, MN\, 55416\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/ae2c3f66b957e3f9aa55a101b03091f6.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=-05:00:20260326T180000
DTEND;TZID=-05:00:20260326T200000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20260319T220803Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260326T032221Z
UID:10000158-1774548000-1774555200@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:SELECT * From Mystery: A SQL Data Detective Workshop
DESCRIPTION:*Register by following link at the bottom!* \nEver wanted to sharpen your SQL skills in a fun\, hands-on way? \nNow’s your chance. \nThe Twin Cities Data Science & Analytics group is excited to announce our next in-person event:\nSelect * from Mystery: a SQL Detective Workshop\n📅 March 26th\n🕕 6:00–8:00 PM\n📍 Revo Health \nWe’re thrilled to welcome [Anna Kisting](https://www.linkedin.com/in/anna-kisting/)\, Director of Business and Clinical Intelligence at Revo Health\, as our host! \nGrab your magnifying glass and your metaphorical trench coat: in this beginner-friendly\, hands-on workshop\, you’ll become a full-fledged Data Detective\, hot on the trail of a mystery hidden deep within our database. \nIn this interactive adventure\, you’ll learn how to:\n-Interrogate your tables using SELECT statements\n-Piece together clues with INNER\, LEFT\, and RIGHT JOINs\n-Follow suspicious leads with WHERE filters\n-Reveal the culprit through logical\, well-structured queries \nNo prior detective (or SQL) experience required!! Just curiosity\, enthusiasm\, and a willingness to chase data down dark alleys. \nWhether you’re a first-time query writer\, an aspiring data sleuth\, or someone who loves a good whodunit with a side of code\, you’ll walk away with foundational SQL skills you can apply immediately in real-world analysis. \nReady to crack the case? Let’s SELECT our first clue. \nRegister now: (Click this link: [https://lnkd.in/gVRHwWEm](https://lnkd.in/gVRHwWEm) or scan the QR code on the flyer) space is limited! \nI’ll send you a calendar invite once you register\, and further details will be sent the week of.
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/select-from-mystery-a-sql-data-detective-workshop/
LOCATION:MN
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/1024x576-k7r93N.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=-05:00:20260331T140000
DTEND;TZID=-05:00:20260331T160000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20260302T211852Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260330T212215Z
UID:10000152-1774965600-1774972800@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:AI in Product: Applied AI - AI Governance Panel Discussion
DESCRIPTION:**Overview**\n**Applied AI: What Actually Works** brings together experienced leaders across product\, data\, security\, and business to cut through the noise and talk honestly about using AI in real organizations. This panel will focus on practical lessons\, real-world failures\, and actionable best practices for leaders navigating AI adoption today. Expect candid stories\, concrete frameworks\, and an interactive discussion designed for executives and operators who want to move forward with clarity\, confidence\, and control. \n**Agenda** \n* 2:00pm – 2:30pm: Arrival and networking\n* 2:30pm – 2:45pm: Announcements and round-room introductions\n* 2:45pm – 3:30pm: Featured panel\n* 3:30pm – 4:00pm: Your impromptu discussion topics\n* 4:00pm onwards: Continued networking at Monster Brewing \n**Meet Our Featured Panelists** \n**[Sacha Sweeney-Newman](https://www.linkedin.com/in/sachasweeneynewman/)**\n*Founder Atlasticity*\nSacha is a cloud and AI business strategist and co-founder of Atlasticity\, an AWS Advanced Tier Partner focused on helping organizations modernize responsibly and extract real value from emerging technologies. With deep experience across AWS cloud operations\, managed services\, migration\, and applied AI\, Sacha regularly advises executive teams on how to move from experimentation to production—with low disruption of modernization.\nOutside of work\, Sacha runs almost entirely on creativity\, curiosity\, and controlled chaos. She’s passionate about serving people in need and constant growth—whether that’s in business\, mindset\, or life in general. That growth mindset is tested daily while juggling four daughters\, an impressive 34 nieces and nephews\, and—at last count—nine “outside” cats (it’s a long story!).\nShe’s also a firm believer in saying yes to fun while being gloriously mediocre with old and new hobbies alike: wake surfing on the lake in the summer\, heroic but inconsistent attempts to keep a golf ball on the fairway\, and monthly appearances at Billiards & Bytes\, where tech conversations are seriously great but pool skills are optional.\nAs today’s moderator\, Sacha will guide the panel toward actionable insights and real lessons learned from the field. \n**[Norman Owens](https://www.linkedin.com/in/normanowens/)**\n*Senior Solution Architect – AWS*\nNorman Owens helps customers get the most out of the AWS cloud. He has acquired deep expertise with traditional AI/ML tools by building solutions for customers\, and supplementing this activity with a Master’s of Science in AI/ML.\nAs a proud University of Minnesota alum\, Norman enjoys working with students to help them reach career starts faster. He is curious about what is working in today’s gloomy job market and is always willing to take a first appointment via LinkedIn. Norman is grateful to be able to help future leaders now.\nNorman recently acquired his 12th AWS certification and is anxiously awaiting the arrival of his AWS Gold Jacket.\nOutside of work\, Norman is supporting the youngest of his two children through university and is proud to enjoy the achievements of all three adult children. \n**[Jena Zangs](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenaz/)**\n*Chief Data & AI Officer\, University of St. Thomas*\nJena Zangs is a Chief Data & AI Officer who helps education leaders move beyond AI hype into real-world impact. At the University of St. Thomas\, she leads enterprise AI strategy\, governed data infrastructure\, and applied innovation focused on trust\, usability\, and outcomes that matter. Her work has been recognized with an AWS Education Champion Award and a Top 50 Data & Analytics Team honor. With a masters in data science\, Jena brings a builder’s mindset to every opportunity\, showing how educators and institutions can design AI that supports people\, not replaces them. \n**[Megan C. Starkey](https://www.linkedin.com/in/megancstarkey/)**\n*Founder and CEO – RBD*\nMegan C. Starkey is the founder and CEO of RBD.\, an AI advisory firm helping mid-size organizations build capabilities for the AI era. She has spent two decades helping global organizations like Target\, General Mills\, Chase\, and IBM turn emerging technology into business performance. She is the author of The Intelligence Organization:\nRedesigning the Firm to Outcompete in the AI Era and creator of the Starkey ModelTM\, a use case prioritization framework. She is a founding member of AI Circle and holds credentials from Harvard Business School and MIT. \n**Sponsors**\nThis event is sponsored by [Lab651](https://lab651.com/) & [Recursive Awesome](https://recursiveawesome.com/) \n**Organizers**\nThis event is part of the community interest groups series at Applied AI\, where community members power sessions for niche interest areas through the Applied AI platform. \nThis event is organized and hosted by [Cameron Gross](https://www.linkedin.com/in/camerongross/)\, [John DeBauche](https://www.linkedin.com/in/johndebauche/)\, and [Beth-Alison Berggren](https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethalisonb/).
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/ai-in-product-applied-ai-ai-governance-panel-discussion/
LOCATION:Lab651\, 550 Vandalia St #231\, St Paul\, MN\, 55114\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/1024x576-Ad040c.jpg
GEO:44.957947;-93.19087
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Lab651 550 Vandalia St #231 St Paul MN 55114 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=550 Vandalia St #231:geo:-93.19087,44.957947
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260401T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260401T213000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20251117T190925Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260401T145419Z
UID:10000116-1775068200-1775079000@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:Jam Night!
DESCRIPTION:An open co-working night for creatives of all types! Bring something to work on\, and enjoy the company of designers\, developers\, and more!
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/jam-night-6/
LOCATION:Noble Robot\, 326 East Hennepin Avenue\, #206\, Minneapolis\, MN\, 55414\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/cd7ef490d8fc3242f1f36d9ed93137a2.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=-05:00:20260402T180000
DTEND;TZID=-05:00:20260402T200000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20260316T212221Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260330T212216Z
UID:10000157-1775152800-1775160000@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:Panel Discussion: The Next AI Builders Are Already Here
DESCRIPTION:**Overview**\nOrganizations frequently discuss the skills they want from entry level AI talent. Far less often do we ask students what they are already building. \nThis panel shifts the focus from employer expectations to student reality. Moderated by [Jena Zangs](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenaz/)\, Chief Data and AI Officer at the University of St. Thomas\, the session features graduate and undergraduate students actively working with AI across disciplines. \nPanelists will share how they are using AI in coursework\, research\, internships\, entrepreneurship\, and personal projects. They will discuss what tools they rely on\, how they are learning beyond the classroom\, and how they view the evolving expectations of entry level roles. \nThis conversation offers Applied AI leaders a rare opportunity to hear directly from emerging AI builders and to better understand how student capabilities are developing in real time. \n**Agenda**\n6:00pm – 6:30pm: Networking – food & drinks\n6:30pm – 8:00pm: Presentation & discussion\n8:00pm: Networking at [Lake Monster Brewing](https://www.lakemonsterbrewing.com/) \n**Meet Our Featured Speakers**\n**Esse Komlanvi: Graduate Student**\n[Esse Komlanvi](https://www.linkedin.com/in/essekom/?locale=en_US) is an AI and business analytics professional building technology that expands opportunity in underserved communities. As a Graduate student at the University of St. Thomas she founded Nuse\, a voice-first AI platform designed to help women entrepreneurs in emerging economies manage their businesses\, access financial education\, and unlock funding. With a background in IT consulting\, data analytics\, and digital transformation\, Esse focuses on making artificial intelligence practical\, inclusive\, and human-centered. Her work sits at the intersection of AI\, financial inclusion\, and women’s economic empowerment. She is passionate about ensuring that AI is not only innovative\, but also equitable and accessible to those who are often left out of traditional tech systems. \n**Arthur Kennedy: Graduate Student**\n[Arthur A. Kennedy](https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthurakennedy/) is a Master’s candidate in Artificial Intelligence at the University of St. Thomas\, where he builds applied AI solutions and collaborates on real-world projects across data analytics and machine learning. After completing his undergraduate degree in computer science\, Arthur chose the AI program to deepen his technical expertise and move beyond using tools to understand and develop intelligent systems. He has worked with proprietary datasets\, trained and fine-tuned models in specialized domains\, and contributed to campus hackathons and AI community events that connect industry challenges with student builders. Arthur is passionate about expanding what it means to be an AI practitioner and empowering his peers to translate academic learning into practical impact. \n**Jena (moderator): Chief Data& AI Officer**\n[Jena Zangs](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenaz/) is the first Chief Data & AI Officer at any higher ed institution in Minnesota\, she specializes in moving organizations beyond AI hype into production-ready\, governed\, and scalable systems. She leads enterprise AI strategy\, modern data platforms\, and applied innovation spanning infrastructure\, AI\, and machine learning\, with a focus on trust. Her work has been recognized with an AWS Education Champion Award and a Top 50 Data & Analytics Team honor. A Lovable Global Buildathon Winner\, Jena brings a builder’s mindset to every engagement\, bridging executive strategy with hands-on implementation. \n**Sponsors**\nThis event is sponsored by [Lab651](https://lab651.com/) & [Recursive Awesome](https://recursiveawesome.com/)
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/panel-discussion-the-next-ai-builders-are-already-here/
LOCATION:Lab651\, 550 Vandalia St #231\, St Paul\, MN\, 55114\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/1024x576-1BaBDY.jpg
GEO:44.957947;-93.19087
X-APPLE-STRUCTURED-LOCATION;VALUE=URI;X-ADDRESS=Lab651 550 Vandalia St #231 St Paul MN 55114 United States;X-APPLE-RADIUS=500;X-TITLE=550 Vandalia St #231:geo:-93.19087,44.957947
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Chicago:20260408T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Chicago:20260408T213000
DTSTAMP:20260403T174206
CREATED:20260213T113903Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260403T150818Z
UID:10000148-1775673000-1775683800@minnestar.org
SUMMARY:IGDATC Gamedev Meeting April 2026 - Michael Tetzlaff
DESCRIPTION:Join local game devs in-person for an evening of talks and networking!\n\n\nThis event is open to the public! IGDA Membership not required. \n \nGamedev Meeting is Live and in Person @ 2DHQ\nPlease join us for a night of industry and community presentations! Postmortems\, live demos\, and talks on game design\, art\, marketing\, audio\, community\, social issues\, and more\, given by developers from the Twin Cities and all over the world. \nWe also stream live on youtube.com/igdatc. \n \nThis Month: Michael Tetzlaff (He/They)\nShedding Light on Global Illumination Techniques in UE5Unreal Engine 5 has a wide range of options for simulating global illumination — from the relatively new Lumen system to older legacy implementations like lightmaps\, reflection capture probes\, and screen space reflections. Unfortunately\, the complexity of having so many layers in one engine\, with documentation scattered across multiple pages (and sometimes inaccurate information on third-party sites) can make it less approachable for novice users. Incorrect configuration or combinations of settings can break lighting builds\, resulting in wasted development effort. This talk aims to demystify all these options\, diving into the technical aspects of how they work\, and discussing their tradeoffs along with compatibility restrictions. \nMichael Tetzlaff is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at the University of Wisconsin – Stout with 6.5 years of experience teaching game design courses at the undergraduate level. Tetzlaff received a B.S. in Computer Science from Bethel University in St. Paul\, and a M.S. and Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Minnesota. Tetzlaff is the development lead for Kintsugi 3D\, an open-source software project to support heritage photogrammetry with improved color appearance accuracy. Research and creative interests include computer graphics and game design education and applications of computer graphics in cultural heritage. \nLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-tetzlaff-06282439/ \nGitHub: https://github.com/michaelt919 \nKintsugi 3D project: https://michaelt919.github.io/Kintsugi3DBuilder/ \n \nAnnouncements & Plug My Thing\nAt the beginning of our in-person meetings\, we like to put a call out for game trailers\, demo reels\, and other short game development related announcements. Please come 15min early or contact us (Discord is best) beforehand if you can! \n\nAgenda (approximate)\n\n6:30: Youtube stream opens\, meeting intro and monthly slides.\n\n\n7:00: Presentations.\nAfter: we head to a nearby restaurant to get food/drinks and socialize!\n\n\nOther Happenings\nJoin us on our Discord server! \nHelp us find interesting presenters\, use this easy form to let us know.
URL:https://minnestar.org/calendar2/igdatc-gamedev-meeting-april-2026-michael-tetzlaff/
LOCATION:2DHQ\, 1325 Winter Street Northeast\, #108\, Minneapolis\, MN\, 55413\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://minnestar.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/0232819190132bc86b8a9a65413bf377.jpg
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR