The Tech People Want Online Summit

8 – 9 July 2025

Part of The Tech We Want initiative by OKFN

Technology should empower, not overwhelm. Yet all too often, the tools we rely on – data platforms, communication apps, workflow systems – are unnecessarily complex, expensive, or over-engineered to solve problems that are far bigger than those faced by most people in their everyday lives.

There's no need to take a plane when you can do the journey by bike. And even less so an AI-powered plane…

At The Tech People Want Online Summit, the Open Knowledge Foundation (OKFN) is bringing together non-technical professionals – including data practitioners, communicators, project managers, and advocates – to rethink how technology supports our work in conversational sessions.

This isn’t a summit about coding or infrastructure; it’s about the tools we use daily and how they should function for people who understand tech but shouldn’t have to hack their way through it.

Join us to unpack the problem together, and explore:

Beyond "user-friendly": Why "simple" tech often isn’t – and how to demand better.
Who’s really in the room? Challenging the assumption that tech must be built by developers for developers.
Sustainable tools: How to choose (or demand) systems that last, without constant upgrades or lock-in.
Real-world solutions: Case studies from non-technical teams who’ve found – or built – tools that actually work for them.

This is a new iteration of The Tech We Want initiative — our ambitious effort to reimagine how technology is built and used. It's a new opportunity for you to join a global conversation about new practical ways to build software that is useful, simple, long-lasting and focused on solving people's real problems.

Or, as our Tech Lead Patricio Del Boca sums it up, “What we need is concrete tech for the people who need it, and nothing else.”

Join us in building the tech people want – not just the tech we’re given.

Register now ↗

Programme subject to change – final sessions and speakers to be announced soon.

We're still building the programme with our content partners, but rest assured it will be along the lines of what we've outlined below.

Day One – Tuesday, 8 July

	10:30 CEST [Opening Remarks]
	11:00 CEST [Panel 1] The Tech People Need Now From different disciplines and communities, experts will gather to share their experiences working in their respective fields in addressing the growing gaps between the costly and complex technology offered by big tech companies, often imposed as a precondition for doing our job, receiving education or accessing a service, the growing concerns around tech sovereignty and the emerging efforts to develop tools that respond to people needs, address sustainability, accessibility and last longer.
	12:30 CEST [Study Launch] Why Do People Want Open Data? This roundtable will launch the report Towards a Sustainable Data Commons Ecosystem with its authors, offering a community-centred vision for the future. We will explore how collective care, shared resources, and solidarity – not data alone – will drive justice. Together, we’ll imagine how a sustainable data commons can counter dominant systems and seed hope.
	14:00 CEST [Panel 2] Building Together: Simple Tech for Stronger Communities From open-source platforms to grassroots tools, panellists share how collaborative, low-barrier tech fosters civic empowerment.
	15:30 CEST [Panel 3] How to Use AI Without Selling Your Soul (or Data) Ethical dilemmas meet practical solutions as speakers explore AI tools that respect autonomy, privacy, and the public good.
	17:00 CEST [Keynote] The Cloud People Want

Day Two – Wednesday, 9 July

11:00 CEST
[Spotlight Sessions 1] Office Tools, Low Tech

Discover minimalist, open alternatives to bloated software – because work tech shouldn’t demand IT expertise.

12:30 CEST
[Spotlight Sessions 2] Media & Social Web

How federated networks and independent platforms are redesigning the social web for trust and transparency.

14:00 CEST
[Spotlight Sessions 3] PeaceTech

This session explores digital tools designed to de-escalate violence, bridge divides, and support reconciliation.

15:30 CEST
[Spotlight Sessions 4] Climate & Sustainability

Tech’s ecological footprint under scrutiny, with solutions from textile cooperatives to open-source climate justice tools.

17:00 CEST
[Spotlight Sessions 5] Organising & Activism

From secure digital IDs to community tech partnerships, activists share tools that amplify – rather than hinder – social change.

18:30 CEST
[Keynote] Another Network Is Possible

Stay tuned – confirmed participants will be announced soon.

This is an online event free of charge and open to everyone. We welcome registrations by everyone, especially non-technical professionals – including data practitioners, communicators, project managers, and advocates – who are interested in taking a critical look at current technologies.

Register now ↗

For questions and queries regarding the programme or any aspect of registration process, please contact info@okfn.org.

The Tech People Want Online Summit is organised by:

The Open Knowledge Foundation (OKFN) is the world’s ultimate reference in open digital infrastructures and the hub of the open movement. As a global not-for-profit, we have been establishing and advocating for open standards for the last 20 years. OKFN is the organisation behind the Open Definition, Open Data Commons, School of Data, and tools like CKAN, Frictionless Data and the Open Data Editor. We provide services, tools and training for institutions to adopt openness as a design principle.