Welcome, friend.
We're glad to have you joining us on May 21. Logistics, setup, and your workflows for the day are below. Questions any time at build@canvasmedical.com.
Build on Canvas with Claude, your peers, and the Canvas team.
Join us for a day of collaboration. You'll leave with a working plugin, stronger relationships with your peers using Canvas, and new learnings from time spent with the Canvas team.
Thursday, May 21
8:15 AM through the evening
Presidio Log Cabin
1299 Storey Ave, San Francisco
Your day at BUILD
Arrival + Breakfast
Welcome
Fireside chat with Arif Sorathia
Founder at Practice with Joy and Investor at Route 66.
Introducing Canvas Studio + Workshop Phase 1
Canvas Studio launches, and the workshop kicks off. Build your plugin with the Canvas team by your side, through to 12:30 PM.
Lunch
Fireside chat with Simon Williams
CTO at Wisp.
Workshop Phase 2
Deploy your plugin to a Canvas instance. Test and iterate.
Fireside chat with Miranda Zhao
Product at Sierra.
Show and tell
Demos of plugins built today. Peer feedback and ideas across tables.
Happy hour
At the venue.
Continue happy hour at Lillie Coit's (optional)
1707 Powell Street, San Francisco. ~15 min taxi or rideshare from the venue.
What to bring
A few things to plan for the day.
Your laptop and charger
You'll be using it throughout the workshop. WiFi and power are available throughout the venue.
Your workflows
Bring clinical, financial, and operational workflows that you think you can automate in Canvas.
Your questions and expertise
Canvas Studio will help you build without learning to code, but it needs your domain expertise and curious mind.
Smart casual attire
Jeans and a sweater. The San Francisco Presidio runs 50s to 60s in May. Bring a layer.
Get your environment ready.
BUILD is a working session, and the more you have ready before you arrive, the more time you'll spend building. The setup is light for both tracks - take a look in the days leading up to the event and reach out if anything is unclear.
Wrong track? Email build@canvasmedical.com and we'll fix it.
CPA track setup
You'll build with Claude Code plus the Canvas Plugin Assistant. Setup and the workshop both run in the command line. If you're not comfortable in a terminal, the Studio track is a better fit - email build@canvasmedical.com to switch.
Plan time to work through these steps in the days before May 21. There's no firm deadline, but the more you have ready before you arrive, the more time you'll spend building. Canvas team members will be on hand first thing the morning of the event to help anyone who's still mid-setup.
Install your dependencies
The Plugin Assistant needs three components on your machine:
- Python 3.12 - the version the Canvas CLI is tested against. Older or newer versions can cause issues.
uv- fast Python package managerunbuffer- small terminal utility (ships inside theexpectpackage)
macOS - Homebrew is the easiest path. If you don't have Homebrew, install it first, then:
brew install python@3.12 uv expect
Windows - winget is the closest equivalent. From PowerShell:
winget install Python.Python.3.12 powershell -c "irm https://astral.sh/uv/install.ps1 | iex"
unbuffer is tricky on native Windows. The cleanest path is to run CPA inside WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) and follow the Linux steps below.
Linux / WSL:
sudo apt install python3.12 expect curl -LsSf https://astral.sh/uv/install.sh | sh
Once installed, confirm Python is the right version:
python3.12 --version
Should show Python 3.12.x.
Install Claude Code
Claude Code is the AI coding assistant the Canvas Plugin Assistant runs inside. It runs in the terminal. Install it once and use it from any terminal app (Terminal.app, iTerm, Warp on Mac; Windows Terminal, WSL on Windows; etc.).
Per Anthropic's Claude Code docs, install with:
curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash
Or via npm if you prefer:
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
Prefer VS Code? There's also a Claude Code extension for VS Code that gives you a chat panel inside the editor. The CPA commands still run as terminal commands - the extension is just a window for them. Use whichever feels more natural.
Note: if Canvas is issuing your API token for the workshop, the standalone Claude desktop app is not supported with that token. The terminal (or VS Code extension) is the path.
Install the Canvas Plugin Assistant
Once Claude Code is running, in its prompt:
/plugin marketplace add canvas-medical/coding-agents /plugin install cpa@canvas-medical
Then run /plugin, find cpa@canvas-medical on the Installed tab, and enable it. Canvas commands are now available under the /cpa: prefix.
Verify what you can
From Claude Code:
/cpa:check-setup
Dependencies (uv, unbuffer, Python) should show green. The API token and Canvas credentials will show red - that's expected. Those get issued first thing the morning of May 21 along with your workshop Canvas instance, so there's nothing to set up there in advance.
Need help? Email build@canvasmedical.com and we'll get on a quick call to work through it. The Canvas team will also be on hand first thing the morning of the event to help anyone still wrapping up setup.
Reference: Your First Plugin with Claude Code.
Studio track setup
Nothing to install. Studio runs in the browser - you'll be building inside Canvas using the new in-product coding agent.
Bring your laptop.
No Python, no terminal, no Claude Code install. Your Canvas Studio access will be ready for you on May 21 - the team will get you logged in when you arrive.
Need help?
Stuck on setup? Email build@canvasmedical.com and we'll help you work through it. The Canvas team will also be on hand first thing the morning of the event for anyone still wrapping up.
Getting to the Presidio.
The Log Cabin sits inside the Presidio at 1299 Storey Avenue. Below: the easiest ways in from downtown, hotel options near each, and how to make the last mile from the Presidio Transit Center to the venue.
The PresidiGo Downtown Shuttle
The PresidiGo Downtown Shuttle is a free bus connecting downtown San Francisco to the Presidio Transit Center. From there, a short walk or second shuttle hop gets you to the venue. For attendees staying downtown, this is the easiest way in.
Prefer not to take the shuttle? A taxi or rideshare from downtown runs $15-$25 and takes up to about 30 minutes depending on time of day.
The three downtown pickup stops are:
1. Salesforce Transit Center (Beale & Mission) - SoMa / Transbay
2. Drumm Street & California Street (in front of the Hyatt Regency) - Embarcadero BART / Financial District
3. Van Ness Avenue & Union Street - Cow Hollow / Russian Hill border
Getting from the Presidio Transit Center to the Log Cabin
The Log Cabin is at 1299 Storey Avenue in the Fort Winfield Scott area of the Presidio - roughly 1.3 miles southwest of the Presidio Transit Center.
You're probably not lost. The Presidio's road grid is irregular and the venue sits tucked away from main streets - it can feel like you've been heading nowhere for a few minutes when you're actually right on track. Trust the map and keep going.
Option 1: South Hills Shuttle
The Presidio runs a second free shuttle - the South Hills Route - that circulates within the park and connects the Transit Center to Fort Scott.
- Exit the Downtown Shuttle at the Presidio Transit Center.
- Transfer to the South Hills Shuttle at the same Transit Center.
- Ride to the Coastal Trail stop along Lincoln Boulevard.
- Short walk to 1299 Storey Avenue.
South Hills hours: 6:30 AM - 7:00 PM weekdays. Free, no pass required. South Hills schedule.
Option 2: Walk (~20 min)
Roughly 1.3 miles southwest through the Presidio. Follow Google Maps walking directions - Google says about 28 minutes, but most people make it in around 20. The path winds through trees so the venue may not be visible until you're close. Worth it on a clear morning; less ideal with luggage or in heavy fog.
Option 3: Bay Wheels
San Francisco's bike share. The closest station to the Log Cabin is Lincoln Boulevard at Graham Street. Bike parking on-site at the Log Cabin is in the same spot as the PresidiGo drop-off.
Option 4: Rideshare (~5 min)
Uber/Lyft pickup at the Transit Center. The trip is short (~1.3 miles) and usually under $10.
When you arrive at the Log Cabin
The Log Cabin is a free-standing wood building just off Storey Avenue near the Fort Scott Parade Ground. The PresidiGo drop-off is right out front - if you've walked or biked in, head for the same area. Canvas team members will be at the entrance to greet you and point you toward breakfast.
Where to stay
If you're traveling in, here are hotel options grouped by their nearest PresidiGo Downtown Shuttle pickup stop, so you can choose based on which neighborhood you want to be in and still have an easy ride to the venue.
Near Salesforce Transit Center (Beale & Mission)
SoMa / Transbay district. Closest stop for the Moscone area and Embarcadero waterfront.
| Hotel | Rating | Walk |
|---|---|---|
| The St. Regis San Francisco 125 3rd St | ~7 min | |
| Palace Hotel 2 New Montgomery | ~7 min | |
| The Clancy, Autograph Collection 299 2nd St | ~5 min | |
| InterContinental San Francisco 888 Howard St | ~10 min | |
| Harbor Court Hotel 165 Steuart St | ~5 min | |
| Hotel Griffon 155 Steuart St | ~5 min |
Near Drumm & California (Embarcadero BART)
Financial District / Embarcadero. The shuttle picks up in front of the Hyatt Regency on Drumm Street just north of California.
| Hotel | Rating | Walk |
|---|---|---|
| Hyatt Regency San Francisco 5 Embarcadero Center | At the stop | |
| Omni San Francisco Hotel 500 California St | ~5 min | |
| Club Quarters Hotel Embarcadero 424 Clay St | ~5 min | |
| Hilton San Francisco Financial District 750 Kearny St | ~10 min | |
| Hotel Triton 342 Grant Ave | ~12 min |
Near Van Ness & Union (Cow Hollow / Marina)
This stop sits at the Russian Hill / Pacific Heights edge, so the Cow Hollow and Marina hotels below are genuinely in-neighborhood but are 10-15 minute walks from the shuttle stop.
This neighborhood is also within walking distance of the venue itself - if you'd rather skip the shuttle, you can walk directly to the Presidio Transit Center, though it's a longer walk.
| Hotel | Rating | Walk |
|---|---|---|
| Union Street Inn 2229 Union St | ~12-15 min | |
| Hotel del Sol 3100 Webster St | ~12-15 min | |
| Cow Hollow Inn & Suites 2190 Lombard St | ~15 min |
Booking tips
If you want the easiest morning, stay near Drumm & California - the Hyatt Regency is literally at the shuttle stop.
If you prefer something quieter, the Cow Hollow / Marina cluster is close to the Presidio and has a neighborhood feel, but taxi/rideshare into downtown runs $15-25 and the hotel options here are less polished.
The PresidiGo is free and doesn't require reservations. Check the current schedule closer to the event.
Driving directly
Limited free parking is available adjacent to the Log Cabin off Storey Avenue. Overflow lots are along Kobbe Avenue and at the Fort Scott Parade Ground.
The Canvas team at BUILD.
Thirteen of us will be at the Presidio on May 21 - at every table, in every workshop group. Click any name for LinkedIn.
Bring your ideas about what you can automate.
Your goal for BUILD: leave the workshop with a working Canvas plugin. Whether you're using our developer tool CPA or our no-code Studio interface, you should expect to get to a good outcome using the tools and ship a working plugin. Canvas team members will be there to support you and make sure you ship something useful by 4 PM.
What makes a good workflow to bring
Concrete beats abstract. "I want to fix our intake process" is harder to ship in three hours than "I want a plugin that parses medication updates out of intake forms as structured data and populates the subjective section of the SOAP note." Start with a problem statement and try to keep it narrow. If you're not sure how to scope it, write down the rough idea and we will help you refine it before the day.
No format required - a few sentences, a bulleted list, or a paragraph. Anything you save here is appended to what you've already shared.