1. Are Meetups Free
2. Local Meetup Groups
3. Meetup Groups
4. Local Meetup Agreement

For more, check out TechWire’s complete list of 100+ meetups for local entrepreneurs and techies. The list is updated regularly.

Find out what's happening in local Meetup groups around the world and start meeting up with the ones near you. Join local groups. Related topics: Local Activities. Find a group in Columbia. Imagine what you could do with the right people by your side. Check out groups in the Columbia area and give one a try. Photo: The Outdooraholics Super 18s Meetup Group. Groups your friends have joined. Find out what's happening in local Meetup groups around the world and start meeting up with the ones near you. Join local groups. Related topics: Local Activities.

Duke professor Dr. Misha Angrist and Russ Campbell of Burroughs Wellcome Fund at a recent Lager Than Life Science event. Photo via WRAL TechWire

All Things Open RTP Meetup

In addition to its popular annual conference held every October in Raleigh, All Things Open also hosts a meetup to discuss open source, open tech and open web topics.

Downtown Techies

The Downtown Techies meetup is a network of technology professionals who live and work in downtown Raleigh and Durham. Networking events are held every month at a local bar or restaurant.

First Flight Venture Center and Hangar6

First Flight Venture Center, a life science startup incubator in the heart of Research Triangle Park, regularly hosts lunch and learns, interactive presentations and workshops for life science entrepreneurs and innovators. First Flight’s prototyping lab, Hangar6, also runs a monthly “Talking Shop” series interviewing local entrepreneurs and business leaders about their paths to success. Stay updated through First Flight’s Eventbrite page.

LaunchBio: Larger Than Life Science

Launch Bio: Larger Than Life Science is a monthly evening event in Durham that includes panels and speakers, breakout sessions and networking for the local life science community. More coverage here. Events are held on the first Thursday of the month.

1 Million Cups RTP

1 Million Cups RTP is a weekly morning event for local entrepreneurs to meet and present their startups to the thriving peer network of founders in the Triangle. The group occasionally hosts panels of experienced entrepreneurs as well. Meetups are scheduled every week on Wednesdays. Videos are posted on YouTube.

Momentum Meetup

Durham-based code school Momentum regularly hosts free meetups covering the basics of software development.

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Raleigh-Durham Startups Clubhouse

Jessica Mitsch of Momentum Learning and Adam Klein of American Underground launched a twice-monthly Raleigh-Durham Startups Club in 2021. Held on the social platform Clubhouse, sessions feature a Triangle-area entrepreneur sharing how they launched and scaled their startup, as well as a featured resource and two pitches from local startups. Read more TechWire coverage here.

Raleigh Entrepreneurs Organization

Raleigh Entrepreneurs Organization holds regular networking meets-and-greets at venues in Raleigh.

Raleigh Founded's Creative Entrepreneurs Meetup

This meetup, hosted by local coworking space Raleigh Founded, convenes local creative entrepreneurs and storytellers to share their latest ideas and projects in a fun networking environment. The meetup launched in early-2021.

Stay up-to-date on Raleigh Founded’s Eventbrite page.

Research Triangle Park

RTP offers several events for the local tech community. Many are free.

RIoT Meetup

Local Internet of Things startup network RIoT hosts weekly lunch and learns featuring expert advice and workshops to help entrepreneurs and techies expand their knowledge.

RTP AgBio + AgTech Meetup

RTP AgBio + AgTech Meetup is a gathering of researchers, entrepreneurs, innovators, students and professionals in life science and agriculture fields. The group meets monthly.

RTP 180

Speakers from Research Triangle Park’s three founding universities, local companies and the community at-large are called upon to speak passionately about topics that matter to them. Themes range from fashion to robotics to digital health to politics. This event recurs monthly.

RTP Virtual Reality

RTP Virtual Reality brings together individuals from Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill that see the potential of virtual reality technology. The goal is to meet people who see the next wave and would like to be a part of that revolution.

Startup Summit NC

Startup Summit is a local event series designed to educate and connect local entrepreneurs and investors. The program first launched in 2018 and holds regular meetups in addition to its flagship annual conference. Though it started in the Triangle, Startup Summit is quickly expanding to Charlotte and up the east coast to New York.

Tech Talent South Meetup

The Triangle chapter of Tech Talent South hosts regular beginner-oriented code-learning events for the community. Most are free.

Triangle Biotech Tuesday

Triangle Biotech Tuesday is a monthly meetup that connects scientific professionals across the RTP/greater Triangle area. Participants join for food, drinks and networking with professionals from different industries. The group meets on the second Tuesday of each month.

Triangle Bitcoin Meetup

Triangle Bitcoin Meetup welcomes everyone interested in bitcoin, cryptocurrencies or money in general. Depending on demand, the meetup can include general discussion, trading or presentations. Events are held every Thursday.

BruVue CEO Chris Lorkowski wins the 2017 RIoT Pitch Night Championship Belt. Credit: RIoT

Triangle Code for America

Launched in 2013, Triangle Code for America is a popular meetup that focuses on civic tech. The group includes developers, designers, data scientists, leaders and innovators from Cary, Durham, Morrisville, Raleigh and the greater Triangle area. Members meet regularly to network and work on ongoing projects.

Triangle TechBreakfast

A “show and tell” format event where technologists demo their projects and ventures in a wide range of industries, from software to hardware, IT to biotech, robotics to space tech. It doesn’t matter if the technology is from a startup, a large company, a university, a government agency or if it’s just a hobby—TechBreakfast says they want to see you and your ideas.

Triangle Tech Net

A free networking event held in Cary that helps local techies connect with one another and potentially find jobs in the process. This meetup meets every two weeks on Fridays.

Triangle Women in STEM

Triangle Women in STEM hosts regular networking events and programming to engage the local tech community. The group aims to recruit and retain women in STEM fields, and to boost entrepreneurship opportunities, leadership development, education, workforce development and career assistance.

Women in Tech Allies

With over 1,300 members, Women in Tech Allies holds regular meetups once or twice per month in the Triangle. The meetup group brings together people of all genders and backgrounds to further diversity and inclusion in tech through knowledge-sharing and networking. Meetups cover a broad range of topics such as AI and machine learning, app development, coding languages, innovation and entrepreneurship, data science, web design, and more.

Local Meetups

Out of all the feedback we received after our national event, the comment that stood out the most was that you wanted to meet more often. We heard you loud and clear so we are going to be hosting more casual meetups in 2012.

No matter what stage you are in your career break – from just dreaming to having already returned – you will find great support and camaraderie with this like-minded community.

Are Meetups Free

We have also designed the meetup discussions around your many career break concerns and interests like finances (saving/budgeting), career-related (quitting/finding a job), and what to do (volunteering/working on the road).

Click on the highlighted dates in the calendar to the right to see what events are currently scheduled. Or visit a full listing of all our local meetups.

Why Are Meetups Important?

– They create excitement around the idea of career breaks and extended travel.

– They provide an outlet for people to talk about their travel dreams and plans, as well as ask questions.

– You are more likely to achieve your career break travel goals by meeting regularly with people who have similar interests and goals.

Local Meetup Groups

– For returned career breakers, they offer you an outlet to share your experiences & expertise, which also helps with the re-entry process.

– It’s always more fun to connect in person!

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Meetup Groups

Are you interested in hosting a local Meet, Plan, Go! meetup in your city?

Local Meetup Agreement

We currently have hosts in Boston, Chicago, NYC, Northern Jersey, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle and would love to expand our network to your city. Whether you are an experienced career breaker or in the planning stages, we’d love to have you help build our community.