First co/Build Event

December 23, 2025. The day I walked into One Life cafe and met the co/Build community for the first time. It was one of those moments that you realize later was a turning point.

The Setup

Manav hosted the event at One Life cafe in Dubai. Farza was there, which was a big deal. The parking situation was absolutely terrible — like genuinely bad, the kind of bad where you're circling the block wondering if this event is even worth it. Spoiler: it was worth it.

The People

This is where I met so many of the people who are now part of my regular circle. Roshan, Sid, Wail, Kasper, Shifa, Bash — they were all there. When you walk into a room full of builders and creators for the first time, there's this energy that's hard to describe. Everyone's working on something, everyone's curious about what you're building, and nobody's judging you for being young.

Armaan's Side Quest

Armaan was there selling F1 diecast model cars. In the middle of a builder meetup. That's the kind of random, entrepreneurial energy that makes co/Build what it is. Someone's pitching a startup, someone's debugging code, and Armaan's running a miniature F1 merch business. Love it.

The Vibes

Great. Genuinely great. The cafe setting, the mix of people, the conversations that started with "what are you working on?" and ended up going deep into ideas, problems, and plans. It didn't feel like a networking event — it felt like finding your people.

Why It Mattered

This event was the gateway into the builder community that's now a major part of my life. Everything that came after — the weekly co/Build sessions, the friendships, the collaborations — traces back to this night at One Life cafe with bad parking and great people.