Open Collective
Open Collective
Loading
Baltimore Code and Coffee 2023 recap
Published on December 22, 2023 by Micaela Cunha

In a year marked by tech brilliance and community growth, Baltimore Code and Coffee raised the bar with a series of achievements celebrate at its recent year-end celebration on Saturday, December 2nd. From vibrant in-person meetups to dynamic Lightning Talks, here's a look back at the milestones that defined our journey in 2023.

1. In-person Meetups Every Other Saturday:
Baltimore Code and Coffee kept the tech conversations flowing with an impressive 23 in-person meetups held every other Saturday. These gatherings became a hub for over 500 attendees, fostering collaboration, learning and networking.

2. Lightning Talks and Tech Talks:
The community showcased its depth of knowledge with two Tech Talks and three impactful Lightning Talk editions in the Spring, Summer, and Fall. Sixteen talks, spanning AI, neural networks, web scraping, tracing and observability, data, social media, machine learning, color theory, and improv, captivated audiences and illuminated diverse facets of the tech landscape.

3. Varied Timings and Family-Friendly Events:
Expanding horizons, Baltimore Code and Coffee introduced diversified event timings, offering both afternoon and morning sessions, sometimes both on the same day! The Family-Friendly events aimed to make tech engagement accessible to a broader audience

4. Innovative New Segments:
The Summer witnessed the launch of two innovative segments - Project Lab and Crack the Code. Project Lab provided a dedicated space for attendees to work on personal projects, fostering creativity and collaboration. Crack the Code added a playful element, challenging participants with coding problems to improve problem-solving skills.

5. Expanding Reach Across Baltimore:
Geographical expansion marked a significant achievement with venue sponsors in diverse locations across the city: Betamore in East Baltimore, EcoMap Technologies in Downtown, Code In The Schools on North Avenue, and OptiPub in Mount Vernon. These additions complemented our existing hubs at the Digital Harbor Foundation in Federal Hill and Spark Baltimore in Inner Harbor, bringing tech enthusiasts together across different areas of the city.

6. New Financial Sponsors:
Welcoming new partners into the fold, Baltimore Code and Coffee secured financial sponsorships from Robert Half, at the Light Roast sponsorship tier, and Pixee at our highest tier, the Nitro Brew! Together with our long-standing financial sponsor, Fearless, these new partnerships enhanced the community's capacity to organize events and provide valuable experiences to its members.

9. Fiscal Host with Open Collective Foundation:
Early in the year, Baltimore achieved a significant milestone by joining forces with the Open Collective Foundation as its fiscal Host. This collaboration with a non-profit with 501(c)(3) status enabled the community to receive tax-deductible donations from its new financial sponsors.

10. Transparent Budgeting:
The Open Collective platform provided a dedicated page to Baltimore Code and Coffee, fostering financial transparency and simplifying budgeting. Predominantly, funds were directed towards coffee, snacks, and supplies for our engaging meetups.

11. Dear Globe Coffee Roasters Joined as Coffee Partner:
Fueling the community with quality coffee, Baltimore Code and Coffee partnered with Dear Globe Coffee Roasters, a local company, adding a flavorful element to each meetup.

12. Collaborations and Community Building:
Building bridges within Baltimore's tech ecosystem, Baltimore Code and Coffee connected to UpSurge Baltimore, further enriching the network of resources available to its members.

13. Strong Online Presence:
The community's digital footprint expanded with the launch of a new LinkedIn page, quickly amassing over 350 followers. Simultaneously, the Meetup page witnessed a growth of over 450 new followers.

As we bid farewell to 2023, Baltimore Code and Coffee stands as a testament to the power of community, collaboration, and continuous learning! We are energized to propel into 2024 with a commitment to expanding collaborations with more local partners, in particular with universities.

We will kickstart 2024 with a Job Search Workshop on Saturday, January 13th! Featuring perspectives from a seasoned recruiter, an experienced career coach, and an individual who recently navigated a successful career change, this workshop aims to equip out community with valuable insights for career growth and job search success.

As we look forward to an inspiring and collaborative 2024, we're excited to continue our journey of growth, learning, and supporting one another in our tech endeavors! Here's to another year of shared successes with all of our members, volunteers, local partners, and financial sponsors!

Stay tuned on our events on our Meetup page and follow our updates on our LinkedIn (https://linkedin.com/company/baltimore-code-and-coffee) page.

🚀  1