There’s no shortage of tech-related meet-ups in Leeds, with loads of opportunities to meet your peers and hear from experts on a broad range of topics every month. We’ve put together this guide to the recurring monthly meet-ups taking place in the city to help you find the one for you.
So whether you’re looking to keep up to date with the latest news in your field, polish your skills or pick up a new one, or simply meet like-minded folk – scroll to find out about each one.
Agile Yorkshire gatherings bring together the Leeds Agile community for an evening of learning, discussion and collaboration. Whether you’re a seasoned agile practitioner or just starting your journey, this is the perfect opportunity to exchange ideas, gain fresh perspectives, and connect with like-minded professionals. Expect engaging conversations, real-world insights, and plenty of opportunities to expand your agile network on the first Wednesday of every month.
The AWS Leeds User Group meet-up gets real people into a real place to discuss virtual stuff. With an aim to host monthly meetings, they focus on hands-on labs, with talks and discussions around best-practice implementation across the AWS offering. This is perfect if you’re a cloud specialist or a developer, or simply interested in learning – all abilities are welcome, but be prepared for things to get in-depth.
Code & Coffee is an informal weekly get-together that takes place from 8am on Tuesdays at La Bottega Milanese. Everyone is welcome and there’s no agenda, so you can bring a laptop and hack on a hobby project, work through a tutorial, take an interest in what someone else is working on – or just get your morning caffeine fix. Look out for a cluster of people beavering away on laptops.
Since opening their Leeds office, Codurance have been investing in the community by running the monthly Software Crafters Leeds meetup, which helps software engineers improve their craft and provides a space for the Leeds development community to meet. They typically work through some of the katas from the Katalyst website and you can choose how you work and what language to code in. There’s no need to be a pro and all you need to do is bring a device to code along.
Image source: Pexels
Taking place on the last Tuesday of the month at Platform, the Leeds Data Science Meet-up is your chance to meet with students, scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs who are interested in all things data science. With refreshments, talks on a range of topics, and the latest news from the Leeds data science community, this is one you don’t want to miss.
Every Tuesday, Leeds hackers, makers and doers congregate for the Leeds Hackspace meet-up to socialise, create, and make amazing things in a workshop with access to tools that you may otherwise not be able to get your hands on. From a laser cutter, welding kit and 3D printer to their very own dark room and tons of electronics, there’s loads to get stuck into, with every penny they make going back into providing services and facilities.
If you’re looking to meet fellow JavaScript developers in the Leeds area, LeedsJS may be just the ticket. It’s an inclusive group that welcomes all levels and abilities to get together and talk about the latest tools and trends. Taking place every month, each meet-up includes talks by experts on various topics and there’s plenty of time to network with fellow local JS developers.
Interested in anything mobile-related? Leeds Mobile is a community dedicated to mobile app development, with meet-ups taking place once a month. It is hosted at different businesses in and around Leeds, from the Royal Armouries to Enablis. They aim to have at least one talk per event, with free food and an optional visit to a nearby pub.
Image source: Leeds Mobile LinkedIn
Local PHP developers get together on the third Wednesday of the month to discuss PHP, the web, and related tech. Hosted at the AutoProtect offices down at Leeds Dock, the LeedsPHP meet-up is a great opportunity to hear talks from field experts and connect with people at all stages in their coding career, with a slice of pizza in hand.
The Leeds Power BI, Data, Analytics User Group is a community passionate about the transformative power of Power BI, data, and analytics, where enthusiasts, experts, and newcomers can get together to dive into the realms of data analytics. With speakers and refreshments, it’s a hub for meaningful discussions, learning, and forging connections. So whether you’re a seasoned pro or someone only just starting to unravel the potential of data technologies, this is a marvellous platform for you to learn, connect and grow.
Founded in 2012, Leeds Sharp is a code club for developers using Microsoft technologies. They usually meet on the last Thursday of the month at Platform, with each one featuring a talk on a given topic, followed by a Q&A and networking in between. All skill levels are welcome to these meet-ups, from absolute beginners to high-level gurus.
The New Monday community initiative brings together like-minded individuals and organisations from across creative, digital, TV and film for a free breakfast networking session down at Department Leeds Dock. You can expect insider tips and inspiration, as well as collaboration opportunities, plus coffee and croissants, on the first Tuesday of every month.
Leeds Rustaceans gather every third Wednesday of the month for a meet-up filled with hands-on coding sessions, guest speakers, networking and a Q&A for all your Rust-related questions. Whether you’re a novice, an experienced developer, or a veteran, there are plenty of opportunities to learn and grow, be part of a growing community, meet industry leaders, and share your knowledge.
Image source: Pexels
Umbraco Leeds is a monthly meet-up group for anyone involved or interested in Umbraco – whether you’re a developer, content editor or project owner, or you’re just curious to hear about what it’s all about. With talks on Umbraco at most sessions, there’s always something new to learn and plenty of discussions to be had. This is an open group, so everyone is welcome regardless of developer status. Their regular slot is the first Thursday of every month.
The Yorkshire Azure User Group hosts monthly community meet-ups across the region, including those at Accenture and Lloyds Banking Group’s Leeds offices. The group’s collective mission is to celebrate Microsoft Azure in Yorkshire and connect the local tech community by providing a space to learn and connect. At each meet-up, speakers of different seniorities and backgrounds lead talks about different domains in Azure, as well as the broader IT field.
Born out of the regional demand and the successful merger of Sheffield and Leeds DevOps, Yorkshire DevOps was created with the aim of providing a home for DevOps enthusiasts and newcomers in Yorkshire. They host events across the region, alternating between Leeds and Sheffield, on a wide range of topics from vast on-prem estates and mainframes all the way to cutting-edge cloud-native architecture. Everyone is welcome, whether or not DevOps is in your title, whether you’re a newcomer or a student.
Do you know of other monthly tech gatherings in Leeds or host your own recurring tech events and want to be featured on Leeds Digital? Let us know at [email protected]
Feature image source: Leeds Mobile LinkedIn