Day One – Tuesday, 8 July

10:30–12:30 CEST
[Study Launch] Why Do People Want Open Data?

To warm up for the summit programme, 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.

	Solana Larsen – Editor & Co-author, Towards a Sustainable Data Commons Ecosystem Report
	Dr Ana Méndez de Andés – Urbanist, researcher and policy analyst specialising in democratic governance and commoning processes
	Semra Sonmez – MSc student at Strategy and Design for the Anthropocene, researcher on open science
	Merrin Muhammed Ashraf – Research Associate, IT for Change
	Jugal Mahabir – Programme Lead: Local Government, Public Affairs Research Institute (PARI)
	Arturo Sánchez Pineda – Engineer at inait AI, former Researcher at CERN (CH), CNRS (FR), ICTP & INFN (IT)
	Constanza Figueroa Bustos – amigashacker.club

13:30–14:00 CEST
Opening Remarks

The OKFN team will present The Tech We Want initiative — our ambitious project to reimagine the way technology is developed and utilised. We will summarise the vision and activities that have brought us to this point, and outline what to expect from the summit.

	Renata Ávila – CEO, Open Knowledge Foundation
	Patricio Del Boca – Tech Lead, Open Knowledge Foundation
	Sara Petti – Project Manager, Open Knowledge Foundation
	Lucas Pretti – Communications & Advocacy Director, Open Knowledge Foundation

14:00–15:30 CEST
[Panel 1] Building Together: Simple Tech for Stronger Communities

Technology doesn’t have to be complex to be transformative. In this panel, we explore how accessible, community-driven tools – from federated platforms to open-source communities – are empowering people to work and act together. Speakers will share real-world examples of low-barrier tech that fosters collaboration, strengthens networks, and helps communities solve problems.

	Samantha Blickhan – Co-Director & Humanities Lead, Zooniverse
	Malka Older – Executive Director, Global Voices
	Andy Piper – Head of Communications, Mastodon
	Olivier Schulbaum – Strategic Director, Platoniq Foundation
	Ugo Vallauri – Co-Founder, The Restart Project, member of Right to Repair Europe

15:30–17:00 CEST
[Panel 2] How to Use AI Without Selling Your Soul (or Data)

In this panel, we examine how to harness AI’s power without compromising ethics, privacy, or human agency. Experts will share practical alternatives to extractive AI models, from privacy-preserving algorithms to open, community-governed systems. We’ll explore real-world cases where AI serves the public good – whether in education, civic tech, journalism, and local governance – without exploiting user data or reinforcing bias.

	B Cavello – Director, Emerging Technologies, Aspen Digital
	Caroline Lindekamp – Head of Product Fact-checking, Correctiv
	Jess Reia – Assistant Professor, Department of Data Science, University of Virginia
	Prateek Sibal – Programme Specialist, Digital Policies and Digital Transformation Section, UNESCO

17:00–18:00 CEST
[Keynote] The Cloud People Want

The internet was meant to be open, decentralised, and empowering – yet today, a handful of corporations control the servers where our data, our tools, and even our digital identities are stored. This keynote will challenge the status quo and present a vision for a better cloud: one that prioritizes privacy, user sovereignty, and true interoperability. 

	Frank Karlitschek – CEO & Founder, Nextcloud
	Followed by a conversation with:
	Renata Ávila – CEO, Open Knowledge Foundation

Day Two – Wednesday, 9 July

14:00–15:00 CEST
[Spotlight Sessions 1] Tech For Society

This session explores digital tools designed to bridge divides, act together on a human scale, and support reconciliation.

	Nathan Coyle – Senior Peace Tech Advisor, Austrian Institute of Technology
	Mallory Knodel – Executive Director & Founder, Social Web Foundation
	Simona Levi – Founder, Xnet
	Topuzogullari Sayat – Coordinator, Observatoire des armements / CDRPC

15:00–16:00 CEST
[Spotlight Sessions 2] Climate & Sustainability

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

	Romina Colman – Product Owner, Open Data Editor (ODE)
	Christian Medina – Manager, Global Programs, Open North | Nord Ouvert
	Richard Muraya – Executive Director, The Demography Project
	Manisha Priyadarshini – Interim Executive Director, ProgramEarth

16:00–17:00 CEST
[Spotlight Sessions 3] Community & Organising

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

	Olivia Dorey – Product Manager, Vaultie
	Dr Kim Foale – Founder and Studio Lead, Geeks for Social Change
	Emil Vincentz – Executive Director, Acter

17:00 CEST
[Keynote] Another Network Is Possible

This keynote will dismantle the myth that mass data extraction is inevitable and reveal how decentralised infrastructure can redefine digital power structures. The talk will explore how mixnets, zero-knowledge systems, and community-owned networks can create a web where anonymity isn’t a vulnerability — but a right.

	Jaya Klara Brekke – Chief Strategy Officer, Nym
	Followed by a conversation with:
	Ksenia Ermoshina – Senior Researcher, Center for Internet and Society (CIS/CNRS)