Lightning Talks
New for 2026!
One idea. Five minutes. An audience ready to be inspired.
Lightning Talks are the most dynamic and accessible format at Open Source Experience.
A new highlight of Open Source Experience 2026, Lightning Talks break away from the traditional conference format.
In just five minutes, speakers take the stage to share an idea, showcase a project, tell us what they’ve learned, or demonstrate something they’ve built — straight to the point. No endless slide decks. No corporate jargon. Just ideas worth sharing.
On Thursday afternoon, December 10, 16 speakers will take turns on the stage of the Ken Thompson room, bringing the audience the fastest-paced format of the event.
And here, the clock is in charge. When the timer hits zero, you stop — and the audience applauds. That’s the spirit of a Lightning Talk.
🎯 The format
- Five minutes. No more. A visible timer keeps things moving. When it hits zero, it’s time to wrap up, applaud and hand over to the next speaker.
- One slide per minute, maximum. Five slides, in PDF format. No unnecessary bells and whistles, no never-ending animations — just the essentials, delivered with flair!
- Optional one-minute Q&A, if time allows.
- Fast-paced and full of energy. You’re part of a firework display of ideas, not stuck in a long queue waiting for your turn.
The principle is simple: get straight to the point. One strong, memorable message, brought to life with visuals. A live demo? Even better.
What ideas will take the Lightning Talks stage?
The talks will cover the six main themes of Open Source Experience 2026:
- Digital sovereignty, governance and open source business models
- Open infrastructures, cloud and sovereign platforms
- Open AI, models, data and sovereign ecosystems
- Cybersecurity, trust and open source resilience
- Sovereign enterprise application platforms
- Open source culture, skills and careers
Ready to apply?
Whether you’re a seasoned maintainer, a CIO, a student, a weekend contributor or stepping onto a stage for the very first time: if you have an idea worth five minutes, we want to hear it.
Only 16 talks will be selected by the programme committee. This is your chance to stand out!
Need a little inspiration?
✅ What the committee is looking for
Practical takeaways. The audience should leave with something they can test, read, try or put into practice.
Live demos. Show, don’t just tell — we’re all for it!
Real-world experience. Share your successes, your challenges, your migrations and the lessons you’ve learned along the way.
Community. Open projects, contributions, governance and ecosystems — bring your community story to the stage.
Good to know
Applications are open until midnight on October 8, 2026.
One submission per person.
Selected speakers will be announced around October 15.
