An open meetup for anyone building apps, leveling up their AI skills, or sharpening their business and pitch skills. Shipping to customers or still figuring out what to build — come hang.
Building with AI is a free, non-profit meetup for people in Charlotte who are making things with LLMs and agentic tools like ChatGPT, Claude and Grok. Nobody is selling you anything. It's a room of builders comparing notes.
It doesn't matter if you have paying customers or just a half-formed idea. If you want feedback, inspiration, or people working through the same problems, you'll fit in.
1×A month, after hours
6:00Networking opens
2Builder pitches a night
$0Free to attend, always
Why we're here
Three things we're building toward
01
Level up your AI skills
Get better, faster, with the tools reshaping how work gets done, so you're positioned to benefit from where the economy is heading.
02
Put Charlotte on the map
Make Charlotte known as a serious home for AI talent and AI startups.
03
Turn ideas into real businesses
Build the pitching, go-to-market and distribution skills that take a project from a demo to something people pay for.
A typical night
What happens at a meetup
A rough agenda. Try to show up before the presentations start if at all possible.
A builder demo at our first meetup.
1
6:00 – 6:20
Open networking
Talk about what you're building, your latest experiences with agentic tooling, and your entrepreneurial journey.
2
15 – 20 min
AI updates & state of the market
A presentation and discussion led by James: what's new in AI from the last few weeks, how everyone is applying it, and whether those changes have delivered real value.
3
25 min
Builder pitch one
Hard stop, including Q&A.
☕
Short break
Stretch and keep talking
Grab a drink and keep the conversation going.
4
25 min
Builder pitch two
Hard stop, including Q&A.
Want to pitch?
25 minutes. Hard stop.
Two builders pitch each month. Here's how the time breaks down, Q&A included.
2
3
5
3
5
Q&A
2 min
Introduce yourself
Who are you, and what are you building?
3 min
Framing
What problem are you solving, for whom, and why does it matter?
5 min
Your secret sauce
What have you learned about building effective AI agents and tools? Share the approaches, decisions and lessons others would learn from.
3 min
Demo
Demo as you see fit.
5 min
Distribution
Who is your ideal customer, how will you reach them, and how will you make money?
Then
Ask the room
Be clear on how we can help.
Early user testingCustomer introsApp feedbackGTM coffee
Get involved
Grab a slot or grab some time
Ask for a pitch slot or send a question
Tell us what you're building. If you want one of the two pitch slots at an upcoming meetup, say so and we'll follow up.
James PentalowOrganizer, Building with AI Charlotte
Book time to chat about AI
Can't wait for the next meetup? Grab 30 minutes with James on a Friday morning to talk through what you're building.
A non-profit community meetup for people in Charlotte who are building with AI. It's an open space to share what you're working on, learn what's new, and practice pitching. It is not a company and has nothing to do with construction.
Does it cost anything?
No. The meetup is free to attend.
Who is it for?
Anyone interested in building apps, leveling up their AI skills, or sharpening their business and pitch skills. If you're working with LLMs or agentic tools like ChatGPT, Claude or Grok, or want feedback and inspiration on your next idea, come hang.
Do I need to be technical or have a product already?
No. It doesn't matter if you're shipping to customers or still figuring out what to build.
When do you meet?
Once a month, after hours. Networking opens at 6:00 PM. Dates are posted on our Meetup page.
Where do you meet?
Hygge Coworking, 933 Louise Ave #101, Charlotte, NC 28204.
How do I sign up?
RSVP on Meetup so we know how many people to expect.
What time should I arrive?
Try to show up before the presentations start, ideally during the 6:00 to 6:20 networking window.
How do I get a pitch slot?
Use the form on this page and tell us what you're building. There are two pitch slots per meetup.
What should I ask the room for when I pitch?
Be specific. Early user testing, introductions to a particular customer profile, feedback on the app, or coffee to talk through go-to-market are all fair asks.
Which AI tools do people use?
Whatever works. Members build with LLMs and agentic tools including ChatGPT, Claude and Grok, and the monthly update covers what has changed across the market.
Can I talk to someone about AI outside the meetup?
