Geoalert Team gathering in Yerevan

Last week we met in Armenia to work, talk, and walk together.

As a mostly remote team, we value in-person gatherings a lot. They help us sync faster, discuss hard topics in depth, and experience local culture through teammates who know the place.

Even when logistics are not simple, the result is worth it.

A few small lessons from previous events helped us make this meetup smoother. Sharing them here in case they are useful for your team too.

What worked for us

• Coliving worked better than separate stays. We booked a large villa, which made shared meals and evening discussions easier.

• Separating living and work space was important. We rented a coworking space for the week, which improved both focus and internet stability.

• A lightweight agenda prepared in advance helped. It was not strict, but it gave structure to sessions and left room for spontaneous ideas.
• We planned strategic activities that are hard to do in daily async mode: brainstorming sessions, workshops, and product discussions.
• Small-group prototyping worked like a mini hackathon. This format gave quick momentum and clearer ownership.

During the meetup, we presented a prototype of Mapflow Agent at an online GIS conference workshop, and also tested several internal ideas that may become public features in the coming months.

AI adoption as the main focus

A core part of this gathering was dedicated to AI stack adoption in our RnD team.

We started with a short survey about a month before the meetup to understand confidence levels, blockers, and practical needs across the team.

One clear takeaway: training and knowledge transfer matter more than tools alone.

With that in mind, we ran hands-on sessions around tools such as Copilot and Claude Code, introduced an AI-ready repository setup with agent workflows and permissions, and practiced this approach in real team tasks.

Why these meetings matter

For us, team gatherings are not only about planning or delivery. They are also about trust, shared context, and long-term collaboration.

Being a multinational and culturally diverse team is one of our strengths. Exploring local traditions, hiking together, and simply spending focused time in one place turns a work trip into a meaningful experience.

Thank you, Armenia 🇦🇲 👋 Hope to be back again.

Reference links

• Original Medium post
• Mapflow AI