Call for Speakers · FWDC 2026

Thank you for your submissions.

The 2026 Call for Speakers is now closed. Submissions covered our 4 themes and 15 categories, from agentic systems engineering to Data & AI governance and leadership. Our selection committee is currently reviewing talks.

25 min
Talk

A complete field report with context, implementation, and lessons learned.

10 min
Lightning

One precise insight, one lesson learned, one anti-pattern discovered.

45 min
Workshop

Hands-on session in a small group. Attendees leave with something concrete.

Submissions closed · selection in progress

Our selection committee is currently reviewing all submissions received. The full 2026 programme will be announced in September 2026.

Follow the programme announcement →

The 4 themes of the 2026 edition

See the full detail of each theme and its 15 categories →

Theme 01

Data Foundations for Humans & AI

Data platforms now serve two kinds of consumers: people and machines. This theme covers the foundational work that makes data consumable, trustworthy, and affordable for both.

AI-Ready DataData Quality & Trust in the Agentic EraData Platform EvolutionCost-Aware Data Engineering
For · Data Engineers, Analytics Engineers, Data Architects, AI Engineers
Theme 02

Agentic Systems Engineering

Models stopped being the hard part. The engineering around them, context, memory, evaluation, orchestration, security, and cost is where AI systems succeed or fail in production.

Evals & ObservabilityContext & Memory EngineeringAgentic Architectures & OrchestrationSecurity, Sovereignty & Cost Control
For · AI Engineers, ML Engineers, Software Engineers, Tech Leads
Theme 03

Engineering Shifts

AI is transforming engineering work itself. Whatever you build, your craft is changing. This theme gives each engineering practice its own stage.

The Agentic SDLCAI-Augmented Data EngineeringAgentic AnalyticsAI Product Engineering
For · Software Engineers, Data Engineers, Analytics Engineers, Product Engineers
Theme 04

Leading the AI Shift

Most Data & AI transformations stall on organizational questions: enablement, accountability, operating model. This theme is for the leaders working through them, with real numbers to share.

AI Enablement at ScaleGovernance & AccountabilityData & AI Operating Models
For · CDO, CAIO, Head of Data, Engineering Managers, Data & AI Leaders

What makes a good FWDC 2026 talk

  • → Lived experience. You built it, ran it, or fixed it. First-hand stories beat industry overviews.
  • → Numbers. Costs, latencies, adoption rates, incidents. Real figures make talks memorable.
  • → Honesty. What failed teaches more than what worked. Post-mortems are welcome in every category.
  • → Depth. Our audience is practitioners. Assume they know the basics; take them further.
  • → No product pitches. Vendors are welcome as speakers when they defend an architectural thesis or share genuine field lessons. Demos of your pricing page are not a talk.