In the early days of cloud computing, AWS supported intensive learning for builders in a physical space called the AWS Pop-up Lofts in cities worldwide. These spaces were accessible to startup entrepreneurs, developers, and others interested in learning more about AWS for events, meetings, and co-working. With the recent emergence of generative AI, AWS Gen AI Lofts provided pop-up style collaborative spaces across the world and immersive experiences for startups and developers.
AWS recognized the need for permanent community spaces to give students and developers a place to learn, connect, and contribute through hands-on experiences, community-led sharing, and technical collaboration. Since opening in San Francisco in July 2025, the first AWS Builder Loft has welcomed more than 22,500 developers through its doors, hosting hackathons, workshops, demo nights, and community-led events that bring the local tech community together under one roof.
AWS is now announcing plans to open new Builder Lofts in Berlin, Hyderabad, and São Paulo. Each location will be a permanent community space offering free workshops, networking events, pitch nights, content creation spaces, collaboration and co-working areas, and event hosting for developers, students, and tech professionals.
Visitors will be able to meet AWS experts on-site, and the spaces are also intended to serve as a home for local tech communities — from AWS User Groups and AWS Student Builder Groups to independent developer groups. Community and tech leaders can request to book the space to host meetups at no cost.
Why Three Cities
The expansion reflects fast-growing developer cities that are important talent and innovation hubs for each region:
- Berlin: After launching AWS European Sovereign Cloud, AWS is deepening its commitment to Europe’s developer community. Berlin’s Builder Loft will host educational sessions on digital sovereignty, hackathons, security-readiness workshops, and community meetups that connect Germany’s growing startup ecosystem with the broader European and global tech landscape.
- Hyderabad: The Hyderabad Builder Loft will give Indian developers a dedicated space to upskill on AI, explore cloud-native architecture, and connect with peers building the next generation of applications.
- São Paulo: Brazil’s cloud market is growing at 30% annually, and São Paulo sits at the center of Latin America’s tech boom. The Builder Loft will serve as a hub for the region’s developers, offering free programming in partnership with local communities, universities, and startup networks.
A Typical Week at the Builder Loft
The Builder Loft in San Francisco hosts four to eight community events weekly — from technical deep dives on generative AI to startup pitch nights, from coding workshops for students to networking sessions that bring together developers from across the region.
The spaces are designed to be flexible. A training room fills with over 50 students on a Tuesday morning. By evening, it transforms into a demo stage where a startup showcases its latest prototype to a room of potential collaborators. On weekends, community groups host their own meetups.
What makes the model work is that it’s driven by the community itself. Local developers, meetup organizers, and tech leaders shape the programming. AWS provides the space, the infrastructure, and the support, but the energy comes from the builders who participate. You can find upcoming events or request to host your own event at the Builder Loft San Francisco.
Stay Tuned
Opening announcements for the three new Builder Loft locations will be covered in future blog posts. To learn more and follow along for updates, read Rick’s blog post and visit the AWS Builder Loft page.
