zen circle

Torch and Zen

Spend 4 days building AI while being Zen.
What?
Join a bunch of people. Learn by doing. Explore new technologies. Focus without distractions. Work on something exciting.
Join us
Submit your Attendance Plan »
To take part, you just need to figure out what you want to work on to stay excited while being there! You will have 4 days. Treat them as your time budget which you spend on thinking and writing fun code!
FAQ
Torch and Zen took place (!)
15 – 18 September 2023
in Greenwich, London

We might even do it again!
What do I need to join?
  1. Figure out what you want to work on to stay excited during this event.
  2. Answer our questions in the Attendance Plan!
  3. Done! We’ll be responding to people by 18 August 2023.
What are the requirements for joining?
There is one important rule: be extra nice to everybody. In other words, we expect everyone to make an effort to approach everything and everyone with kindness and understanding. Please read our Code of Conduct and Manual on how we want this event to play out.
How much does it cost?
£100 per person.
What about food?
Ticket price includes lunch and snacks for all 4 days.
Do I work alone or in teams?
Teams are preferred! Invite your friends or make new friends at the event :D
Where does it take place?
We are fortunate enough to have access to the beautiful office of Founders and Coders! Located at the Design District of North Greenwich, London, England. Address: 2 Appleby Yard, London SE10 0BJ
https://goo.gl/maps/Jp2SwrVNikoiZDXd8
Who is this for?
This event is aimed at people who are comfortable coding on their own and want to explore the new space of AI.
What if I don’t know how to code?
If you believe you can spend 4 days of self-directed learning about coding, then great—please come!
What if I cannot afford the ticket fee?
We don’t want to discriminate against people who live in poor economic conditions. We have reserved a few spots for people who cannot afford to pay the full ticket fee. If that’s you, please get in touch at eligibility@torchandzen.com.
Where is the Zen?
  1. Daily meditation/mindfulness sessions.
  2. Lunch together.
  3. Daily check-ins with fellow attendees.
  4. Daily check-outs and reflections.
  5. Focus on one thing.
  6. No distractions.
When is it again?
Starts at 9am on Friday 15 September 2023 and finishes at 5pm on Monday 18 September. 4 full days of fun!
Is this a hackathon?
Kind of!
Are there any prizes?
No.
What happens in the end?
During Day 4, the last day, we present our work and what we learned to our fellow attendees and our invited friends. Giving a presentation is optional.
Why does it cost that?
We want to cover food plus snacks plus some other small comforts. We do not make any profit from this event. All revenue goes to supplies and suppliers. See our budget here.
Who’s organising this?
See here.
What’s with the name?
PyTorch is the most popular deep learning library. Zen is a branch of Buddhism that as a word has come to mean deep calmness and inner peace.
Why are you doing this?
We think it would be fun if there was a space where people can do programming without the oppression of having to be the best or to change the world. We still value excellence and usefulness highly — but we also reserve space for empathy and kindness.
Should I join?
Do you think you will have fun participating? Do you think you will enjoy spending time here? If so, then please join!
Fill in your » Attendance Plan »