Introduction
Engineering leads in recruiting technology keep running into the same question: which AI models and tools are worth building on, and where should scarce engineering time go? On 10 March 2026, Google Cloud and Google DeepMind brought a room of startup CTOs together in Berlin to talk about exactly that.
Kini's co-founder and CTO, Julia Komkowski, was one of the attendees. This throwback covers what the morning was, what the published programme included, and what it means for ATS platforms, job boards and recruiting agencies that build and run integrations.
TL;DR
- What: CTO Connect with DeepMind: Berlin, part of Google Cloud's global CTO Connect series, run with Google DeepMind experts.
- When and where: 10 March 2026, 9:00 to 12:00 CET, at Google Berlin, Tucholskystraße 2, 10117 Berlin.
- Audience: an exclusive, invitation-only morning for startup CTOs building AI-powered companies.
- Kini's role: attendee. Julia Komkowski, Kini's co-founder and CTO, took part as an attendee, not as a speaker.
- Programme: a briefing on recent Google and DeepMind launches such as Gemini and Gemma, a Google AI Studio demo, a 40-minute Q&A and 1:1 office hours.
What was CTO Connect with DeepMind in Berlin?
CTO Connect is Google Cloud's global programme for technical leaders in the startup and venture capital ecosystem. According to Google Cloud's series page, each session is a deep-dive forum on challenges such as cloud adoption, scaling infrastructure and optimising for growth, combined with dedicated networking. Earlier editions ran in cities including London, New York, Paris, Zurich and Munich.
The Berlin edition took place on 10 March 2026, from 9:00 to 12:00 CET, at Google Berlin on Tucholskystraße 2. Google Cloud described it as an exclusive, invitation-only event for startup CTOs dedicated to building AI-powered companies, delivered in collaboration with Google DeepMind experts. The event page promised deep-dive technical tracks and 1:1 office hours with Google and DeepMind experts.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Event | CTO Connect with DeepMind: Berlin |
| Organiser | Google Cloud, with Google DeepMind experts |
| Date and time | 10 March 2026, 9:00 to 12:00 CET |
| Venue | Google Berlin, Tucholskystraße 2, 10117 Berlin |
| Audience | Startup CTOs, invitation only |
| Kini's role | Attendee (Julia Komkowski, Co-Founder and CTO) |
Why did Kini's CTO attend?
Kini is a managed connectivity layer for recruiting. It connects applicant tracking systems (ATS), job boards and recruiting agencies, and operates the ATS integrations as an ongoing service: monitoring, retries, recovery and connector maintenance are included. That puts engineering choices at the centre of what Kini sells, because every integration Kini builds is one Kini keeps running.
A morning built around direct access to Google and DeepMind experts is a practical format for a CTO in that position. Kini took part as an attendee. The speakers listed on the event page were Felix Hentzen, Head of Venture Capital & Startup Business Development, EMEA North at Google Cloud, and Mariano Cocirio, Senior Product Manager.
What did the published programme cover?
The agenda below is summarised from Google Cloud's event page. Kini has not published its own notes from the session, so this is what the organiser announced, not a transcript.
| Time (CET) | Session | What the organiser announced |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 to 10:00 | Breakfast at Google | Arrival and breakfast |
| 10:00 to 10:10 | Welcome and setting the stage | How Google Cloud helps startups innovate and scale |
| 10:10 to 10:40 | What's new with Google AI, with Q&A | Recent launches from Google and DeepMind, including models such as Gemini and Gemma |
| 10:40 to 11:00 | Demo time with Google DeepMind | A practical demonstration of Google AI Studio for experimenting with Gemini and integrating it into workflows and applications |
| 11:00 to 11:40 | Q&A | Open questions to the experts |
| 11:40 to 12:00 | Networking brunch | Time with peers and Google DeepMind and Cloud experts |
Three things stand out in the organiser's material:
- It was hands-on. The two main content sessions focused on specific models and a working tool, not on AI strategy in the abstract.
- Questions got the most time. The open Q&A was scheduled for 40 minutes, longer than any other content block, and the page also promised 1:1 office hours.
- The room was curated. Attendance was by invitation and aimed at startup CTOs, so the format was built for peer conversation between people making build decisions.
What does this mean for teams building recruiting technology?
ATS platforms, job boards and recruiting agencies face the same trade-off as every CTO at the event. New AI capabilities compete for the same engineering time as the integrations customers keep asking for. As the Kini homepage puts it, every new partner costs roadmap weeks when internal teams maintain one-off connectors instead of building product.
Kini's answer is to take the integration layer off the partner's roadmap: Kini builds the connection between an ATS and the systems it exchanges data with, and then runs it. The ATS stays the system of record, and every record carries a sync status. If you want the longer argument for why this differs from an iPaaS or a unified API, read Managed Recruiting Connectivity explained, or browse the integrations Kini already operates.
Data handling matters too once AI enters a recruiting stack. Kini hosts data in the EU (Frankfurt) and offers a data processing agreement; the details are in the Kini FAQ.
with your stack?
Where can I find the official event information?
- Event page (archived): Google Cloud has taken the Berlin event page offline. The archived version from 22 February 2026 shows the description, speakers and agenda.
- Series page: Google Cloud's CTO Connect overview lists past editions, including Berlin on 10 March 2026.
- Tool from the demo: Google AI Studio is Google's web tool for trying Gemini models.
We did not find a public recording or an organiser recap of the Berlin edition.
How can I talk to Kini about integrations?
If you lead product or engineering at an ATS platform, job board or recruiting agency and want to see how Kini would run your ATS integrations, book a demo with the team.
