Looking for practical insights from Microsoft Build 2026? Explore a curated collection of MVP-led lightning talks that turn the latest advances in AI, agents, Azure, and Microsoft Fabric into actionable lessons you can use and share.
Microsoft Build 2026 brought developers together to explore what’s next across AI, agents, cloud platforms, data, and developer tools. This year, Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals (MVPs) delivered 20 lightning talks focused on practical, real-world approaches to building with Microsoft technologies.
From agentic AI patterns and MCP servers to production-ready Azure foundations and Microsoft Fabric experiences, these MVP-led sessions offer high-impact guidance for developers and technical leaders looking to turn emerging ideas into working solutions.
Top MVP-led lightning talks from Microsoft Build 2026
1. Build Intelligent Agents with Work IQ, Foundry IQ, and Fabric IQ
Speaker: Prashant G Bhoyar
Session: LTG448
YouTube recording: https://aka.ms/AA13c4jg
Prashant G Bhoyar explores how developers can build intelligent agents using Work IQ, Foundry IQ, and Fabric IQ. This session is a great starting point for anyone looking to understand how Microsoft’s AI platform capabilities can work together to create smarter, more context-aware agent experiences.
Use this talk to: help teams understand how different Microsoft IQ capabilities can connect across work, data, and AI workflows when designing intelligent agent experiences.
2. Closing the Loop: Feedback-based Learning for Agentic RAG on Azure
Speaker: Priyanka Shah
Session: LTG449
YouTube recording: https://aka.ms/AA13cjyh
Priyanka Shah dives into feedback-based learning for agentic retrieval-augmented generation on Azure. The session highlights an important shift in AI application design: moving beyond one-time responses toward systems that learn, improve, and refine outputs through feedback loops.
Use this talk to: guide discussions about improving AI quality over time and incorporating feedback into retrieval-augmented generation systems.
3. From Idea to Agent in Minutes: Copilot Studio + Claude Code
Speaker: Renato Romao de Souza
Session: LTG450
YouTube recording: https://aka.ms/AA13cjyj
Renato Romao de Souza shows how ideas can quickly become working agents using Copilot Studio and Claude Code. For builders looking for a fast path from concept to implementation, this talk demonstrates how modern tools can accelerate agent development.
Use this talk to: inspire rapid prototyping sessions, hackathons, or internal demos where teams want to move quickly from concept to agent.
4. Building an End-to-End Enterprise AI Platform on Azure
Speaker: Ehsan Eskandari
Session: LTG453
YouTube recording: https://aka.ms/AA13c4jl
Ehsan Eskandari focuses on what it takes to build an enterprise-ready AI platform on Azure. This session is especially relevant for teams thinking about architecture, scale, governance, and the practical foundations needed to support AI workloads across an organization.
Use this talk to: support planning conversations with platform, architecture, and leadership teams about what is required to move AI from experimentation to enterprise readiness.
5. From Code to Agents: Build Production MCP Servers on Azure Functions
Speaker: Jonah Andersson
Session: LTG455
YouTube recording: https://aka.ms/AA13cc99
Jonah Andersson covers how to build production Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers with Azure Functions. As MCP becomes increasingly important for connecting tools, data, and agent workflows, this session offers timely guidance for developers moving from prototypes to production-ready implementations.
Use this talk to: help developers understand how MCP can extend agent capabilities and how Azure Functions can support production-oriented implementations.
6. Beyond the Basics: What GitHub Can Do Today
Speaker: Scott Sauber
Session: LTG465
YouTube recording: https://aka.ms/AA13cc9b
Scott Sauber rapidly explores 10 lesser-known GitHub capabilities spanning AI, agentic workflows, GitHub Actions, and code collaboration. This foundational session gives developers practical ideas they can apply immediately to get more value from the GitHub platform.
Use this talk to: introduce teams to overlooked GitHub features, spark workflow improvements, and identify practical ways to strengthen automation, AI-assisted development, and code collaboration.
7. Stop Writing Prompts. Start Writing Specs.
Speaker: Roelant Dieben
Session: LTG464
YouTube recording: https://aka.ms/AA13c4jo
Roelant Dieben challenges developers to think beyond prompt writing and toward specification-driven approaches. As AI-assisted development matures, this session offers a valuable perspective on creating clearer intent, more predictable outcomes, and better collaboration between people and AI tools.
Use this talk to: encourage teams to improve how they define requirements, structure intent, and collaborate with AI-assisted development tools.
8. Building your own MCP server
Speaker: Stuart van der Lee
Session: LTG466
YouTube recording: https://aka.ms/AA13cjyk
Stuart van der Lee walks through the process of building an MCP server. For developers who want to extend agent capabilities and connect custom tools or services, this session provides a practical entry point into one of the most important emerging patterns in agent development.
Use this talk to: introduce developers to MCP fundamentals and help them identify where custom servers could connect agents to internal tools, services, or workflows.
9. Secure AI Agents in Azure: AI Gateway, Tools, and Trust
Speaker: David Okeyode
Session: LTG467
YouTube recording: https://aka.ms/AA13cjyl
David Okeyode addresses one of the most critical topics in AI adoption: security and trust. This session looks at secure AI agents on Azure, including the role of AI gateways, tools, and trusted architecture patterns that help organizations build responsibly.
Use this talk to: anchor conversations about responsible AI architecture, secure agent design, and the trust patterns teams need before deploying AI systems broadly.
Watch, share, and learn from the MVP community
MVP-led sessions bring a practical community perspective, combining real-world solutions, candid lessons, and implementation experience. Whether you’re learning a new concept, preparing for a technical discussion, supporting a user group, or evaluating emerging Microsoft technologies, these talks offer focused insights you can apply and share.
Explore the sessions above and use them to spark deeper learning, discussion, and experimentation across your teams and communities.
Be sure to check out more MVP-led sessions at Microsoft Ignite 2026, coming up November 17-21 in San Francisco.
Want to Learn More About the MVP Program?
To find an MVP and learn more about the Program visit the MVP website and follow our updates on LinkedIn.
Join us for a future live session through the Microsoft Reactor where we walk through what the MVP program is about, what we look for, and how nominations work. These sessions are designed to help you connect the dots between the work you’re already doing and the impact the MVP Program recognizes — with time for questions, examples, and real conversations.
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