As an AWS Community Builder, I had high hopes to attend AWS re:Invent 2023, which has been consistently taking place in Las Vegas on a yearly(usually in November) basis since 2012. Like many others, I counted heavily on the "AWS All Builders Welcome Grant" to cover my costs. The grant comes with prerequisites,which I met, and by no means was a gaurantee that I will get it. However, my plans changed when I didn't receive the grant. Left without a plan B, I was left wondering how things might unfold...🤔

Fortunately, AWS surprised us all by launching re:Invent at Home for the very first time! This virtual experience allowed AWS Community Builders, Community Heroes, and AWS enthusiasts from around the world to attend, watch keynote speakers live,network, hangout,co-work and share their views on favorite announcements. In this post, I share my experience attending re:Invent 2023 from the comfort of my home.

Accessible to All 💻💻

One of the biggest perks of re:Invent at Home was that it made the event much more accessible. No longer did you need to worry about travel expenses or the grant to participate. The announcements, insights, and advice from these influential speakers were invaluable and motivating. This virtual format allowed AWS fans to enjoy all the insightful content from anywhere in the world.Yes I know, being there would have been mermerizing 🤩🤩

Interactive Sessions and Networking Opportunities ⌨👨🏻‍💻

A major concern for virtual conferences is whether they provide engaging activities and networking opportunities. I am happy to report that re:Invent at Home excelled in this regard. For instance, there were daily Happy Hours that featured trivia games and opportunities for attendees to bond with one another.
There were also Show and Tell sessions where fellow builders and AWS enthusiasts presented their projects and thoughts on a variety of AWS-related topics. As a result, I learned a lot from their experiences.

Exciting exclusive reinvent Swags 😎😎

Who doesn't love swag? AWS re:Invent at Home didn't let us down on this aspect either. Special (reinvent exclusive) swag was up for grabs, and fortunately, everybody and interacted in one way or the other won something. To make things even more exciting, AWS announced a daily re:Invent at Home winner – and I was the lucky winner on Day 1!💃💃 It's moments like these that make participating in such events truly memorable.

My Experience 👩‍🏫👩‍🏫

Attending AWS re:Invent 2023 virtually was a unique and rewarding experience. I gained valuable insights into AWS services and advancements, interacted with like-minded individuals, and expanded my knowledge and potential. This was all possible without even stepping foot in Las Vegas.

AWS re:Invent at Home has shown that even when circumstances hinder us from meeting in person, the learnings and connections can still go on. As our world adapts and changes, the virtual format of re:Invent has proven that we can continue to gain invaluable insights and connections from the comfort of our homes.

Now that you know my experience, I encourage you to consider attending virtual conferences like re:Invent at Home in the future, if your "plan A" doesn’t work out or you intentionally want to express something different. This may provide you with the knowledge, community, and motivation you seek, all without the need to travel or obtain a grant.

Useful Links for Informative Content 🕵️‍♂️🕵️‍♂️

For those who missed the live event or want more in-depth information, here are some links to the keynote speakers, AWS announcements, and blogs.
Missed the keynotes? Click here 👉 https://reinvent.awsevents.com/
Interested in reinvent2023 announcements?
Click here 👉 https://aws.amazon.com/de/blogs/aws/top-announcements-of-aws-reinvent-2023/

I really enjoyed Dr. Werner Vogel's keynote on cost optimization and sustainability. Check on the 7 laws of a frugal architecture here 👉https://thefrugalarchitect.com/

How was your reinvent2023? Where did you experience it? Which was/were highlights?