AI DevFest Vancouver 2026

Set up your AI once for output that serves the goal About This Talk Most designers experimenting with AI are still using it as a glorified autocomplete — good for one-off outputs, useless for real workflow. Yuliia Galytska will share how she set up her own AI model to support the way she actually works.The session will cover the foundations — global instructions, connectors, and skills — and how to manage token usage so it stays efficient rather than expensive. The centrepiece: how she built a personal voice file — an AI-led interview that extracts how she thinks and communicates, so any output the model produces afterward sounds like her, not generic AI. The same file adapts. Different output depending on the audience, the purpose, the goal — manager update vs. mentee feedback, public writing on Medium, internal Slack and email. This is a presentation and a hands-on workshop. You'll get a shortened version of the interview to try live during the session, see Yuliia's own results and business use cases from her day-to-day design work, and leave with the tools to build your own file at home. You'll Learn How global instructions work — and how you can set them up for your projects and chats How to build a personal "voice file" so AI output actually sounds like you Real business use cases from Yuliia's work Practical tips on managing token usage Who It's For Designers ready to move past basic prompting into a real, working AI setup — whether you're brand new to this or already using AI daily. What to Bring A laptop — required, this session is hands-on A Claude Pro subscription is recommended, if you have one A water bottle — it's a full evening session 🎤 Speaker: Yuliia Galytska Yuliia had a career as a corporate lawyer before switching into product design. The legal background stayed. It shows up in how she approaches complex systems: systems thinking and edge-case awareness. She's a Senior Product Designer at Lendesk — a B2B fintech — leading AI-powered work and c

Open Coffee Club is a casual gathering of people involved/interested in founding, operating or funding startups. The vibe is more hangout than event and provides people with a regular time and location to talk shop, discuss news, ask questions and and meet others in the startup community they may only see occasionally at more formal events. Location: Nelson the Seagull, 315 Carrall St, Vancouver, BC V6B 2J4 Once You Arrive: You can locate us by looking for the table with the small LED display: "Vancouver Founders Open Coffee Club." Google Maps link to Nelson the Seagull Contact Steve at sdancho@hotmail.com to get a link to join our WhatsApp discussion board. Thanks to our sponsors! Voyer Startup Lawyers - voyerlaw.com See you there!

Important Note: This event is intended for UBC students and recent graduates exploring careers at the intersection of climate and business. While we welcome others who are interested in these topics, we will prioritize participation from UBC students and recent graduates. This session explores how infrastructure is evolving to meet the challenges of climate change—from decarbonizing buildings and transportation to strengthening energy systems, water infrastructure, and climate resilience. Hear from professionals working across consulting, engineering, real estate, finance, government, and technology as they share how they're helping design, build, and operate the infrastructure of the future. Whether you're passionate about cities, buildings, energy, or resilience, this session highlights the many career pathways shaping a net-zero economy. Speakers: 🎤 Jeanette Hill, Sustainability Manager, BC Pavilion Corporation (the Vancouver Convention Centre, and BC Place Stadium) 🎤 Jessica Fell, Senior Strategic Advisor, Sustainability and Resilience at BC Housing 🎤 Cheryl Ng, Environmental Project Management Specialist, Vancouver Fraser Port Authority About the Working in Climate Series The "Working in Climate" Event Series is an ongoing initiative by the Centre for Climate and Business Solutions at UBC Sauder School of Business. This series explores how climate action intersects with various careers, industries, and professions through thematic events. From fields like business, engineering and technology to sectors such as energy, agriculture, manufacturing, and infrastructure, the series highlights how sustainability is reshaping every aspect of the global economy. Each event provides insights from experts across diverse industries, helping students and professionals understand the growing need for climate solutions and how they can drive meaningful change within their chosen careers. Whether you’re starting out or making a career shift, "Working in Climate" offers guidanc

Hi Vancouver Designers, this one is all about your questions. Design work looks wildly different depending on where you do it. Working at a startup, at an agency, or at a large org are VERY different beasts, each with its own expectations, and a few challenges that follow us no matter where we work. Our Panel This Time Startup: Amy, a product designer with a background in Cognitive Sciences and Visual Arts. She’s worked at startups in cybersecurity and fintech, and is a familiar face in the Vancouver Design Community, bringing design thinkers together to share, create, and inspire. Agency: Rika and Michelle Beaudry, partners at Heywood&Beaudry. Michelle is a graphic designer and artist who leads the firm’s digital and web design while managing the business side of being a creative. Rika is a designer, artist, and educator who teaches at the University of the Fraser Valley and in Emily Carr’s Continuing Studies program, alongside a multi-media art practice. Large org: Abhishek D., Senior Experience Designer at Electronic Arts. Abhishek he leads advanced initiatives for FC Ultimate Team. He’s been a founding designer twice, with over a decade across print, startups, mobile games, and game UX. How it Works We’ll start with a short panel on what each world expects from designers. Then we open the room: breakout groups give you real time with each guest, so you can dig into the path you’re most curious about. Come with a question. There are no bad ones, and the awkward ones are usually the most useful. About UX Den We are a low-pressure, supportive space for designers of all levels to experiment, share, and grow through honest feedback, shared experiences, and practical learning. We help each other improve our craft, build confidence, and level up for the next step in our careers: whether that's a new project, a presentation, or an interview. About Our Host The Information Design & Data Visualization (IDDV) program at Northeastern Vancouver is a community of creators and

No matter where or what we teach, many of us encounter similar challenges: engaging learners, managing difficult situations, responding to different needs, maintaining our own energy, and wondering whether others are struggling with the same things as us. What we are doing This is the first community meetup from T3: Think Teach Transform. We are bringing together a small group of educators for a warm, facilitated conversation about the realities of helping others learn. Participants are invited to bring one current teaching challenge, question, or experience to discuss. Sharing is always optional. You are equally welcome to listen, reflect, and learn from the conversation. Together, we will exchange ideas, make new connections, and identify topics that future T3 meetups, speakers, and workshops can explore. We hope you will leave with practical insights, a stronger sense of support, and the knowledge that you do not have to solve every teaching challenge alone. This gathering welcomes new and experienced teachers, instructors, trainers, tutors, facilitators, coaches, instructional designers, program leaders, and other education professionals: anyone involved in helping others learn. Who is this for? This meetup welcomes new and experienced: Professors and instructors ECE and K-12 Teachers Tutors and teaching assistants Workplace trainers Coaches and facilitators Curriculum and learning designers Education program leaders Community educators Anyone curious about improving how they help others learn You do not need to work in a traditional classroom or hold a particular job title. If helping people learn is part of what you do, this gathering is for you. Your Hosts: Hannaji Puri is an education leader and learning-development professional with more than 10 years of experience designing curricula, training teachers, and leading education programs internationally. Heiko Polinski is a UX and service designer, community lead, and experienced event organizer with a backgr