Build Stuff by the Sea

A roaming show & tell for people who make things
(mainly but not limited to software!)

Who are Build Stuff by the Sea?

Not a meetup. Not a conference. A working harbour.
No keynotes. No panels. No “apply to speak.”
People bring what they’re building. They show it. They talk about it. Others ask questions.

That’s it — but done deliberately well.

We are a friendly community that meet up informally and show what we are building. Could be software, could be almost anything, but the aim is to share, discuss, maybe work on some bits with interested folks, and get to know a community of fellow software (and other) builders.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • A typical session runs for about two hours:

    • We arrive and gather informally

    • People add themselves to a board if they want to show something or ask for help

    • We run short show & tell slots (5 minutes each, with questions)

    • Then people drift into smaller conversations

    • We close with a simple reflection

    It’s structured just enough to keep energy high, but loose enough to let curiosity lead.

  • No. You can come, watch, ask questions, and get a feel for it. That said — the event works best when people participate, even in small ways. Bringing something half-formed is more than enough.

  • Real things. In-progress things. Sometimes broken things. For example:

    • “I built an AI agent — here’s where it fails”

    • “I tried changing how our team works — here’s what happened”

    • “This is my side project — I’m not sure if it’s any good”

    Polished demos are less interesting than honest ones.

  • No.

    In fact, if it feels rehearsed, it’s probably the wrong format.

    Live demos, sketches, diagrams, or just talking through something — all fine.

  • No — but many people will be.

    If you make things, explore ideas, or are figuring something out, you’ll fit.

    Designers, product people, researchers, tinkerers — all welcome.

  • Yes. Especially that.

    Failure, confusion, and “I don’t understand this yet” are first-class contributions.

    That’s where most of the learning happens.

  • Not in the traditional sense.

    There are no name badges, no pitches, no forced introductions.

    Conversations emerge naturally from what people share.

  • No.

    Sharing is not pitching.

    If you’re showing something you’ve built, that’s fine — but the intent should be learning, not selling.

  • We move

    Sessions happen in different places along the South Coast:

    • Beachfront cafés

    • Pubs with back rooms

    • Co-working spaces

    • Bookshops and libraries

    • Sometimes even outdoors on the beach

    The environment is part of the experience.

  • Most events optimise for:

    • scale

    • polish

    • spectatorship

    This optimises for:

    • participation

    • learning in public

    • shared thinking

    It’s less about watching. More about making things visible.

  • No.

    Come when you can. Skip when you can’t.

    There’s no membership, no obligation.

  • Register your interest and we’ll let you know when the next one is happening.

    We keep invites small and intentional.

    (No spam. Just event discussion andf invites.)

Interested in coming along?

Build Stuff by the Sea is simply a maintained mailing list of everyone who is interested and would like to know when the next event is being planned for.

If you fancy coming along, or just knowing when things might be happening, please just pop us your details in the form and we will confirm back with you asap.

Oh, and if you do, welcome!