The densest audience you'll ever speak to.
We're hosting a free, two-day creative tech conference and looking for people with something real to say. Help us decide where, then apply for a slot.
Live: 2,120 votes1 here now
A room that follows you home.
context-con is a free, two-day creative tech conference. Every attendee has a profile and a QR code. Yours will be saved before you leave the stage.
The stage
Four ways to be part of it.
- Keynote. 25 minutes, the big room, your story end to end.
- Fireside chat. 30 minutes in conversation with Daniel, no slides.
- Talk or panel. 15 to 40 minutes on something you've actually done.
- Online lesson. No stage, no travel. Recorded and published free for everyone.
Online lessons
No stage? Share a lesson anyway.
- A 5 to 15 minute lesson on one thing you know cold
- Becomes part of context, published free to the whole world
- Open to anyone, anywhere. The insight matters, not the passport.
What you get
Exposure to exactly the right room.
- A few thousand creators, builders and founders, in person and online
- A closed network with the other speakers, before and after the event
- Access to the talent pool: every attendee has a profile with their work
- A Speaker badge on your page and a recording you'll want to share
What we expect
Voluntary. Free value, for millions.
- No speaker fees. Everyone on stage is there to give, not to sell.
- No product pitches. What you did, what broke, what you'd do now.
- Your talk or lesson stays free and public, so anyone can learn from it.
How it works
Apply now. Stage once the city is set.
- 1Vote for the city and claim your page
- 2Apply from the Events tab: title, format, a three-sentence abstract, proof
- 3We read every application. Status shows on your profile.
- 4Lineup announced right after the city is, on 1 November
The audience
Built from the vote, city by city.
- Every attendee voted to be there and has a public profile
- Creators with audiences, the people they hire, and founders building for both
- The room follows you home: one scan and they've saved your page
A room that wants to learn. Give it the right context.
Everyone in the audience is already building something and wants to get better at it. Tell them what you did, what broke, and what you'd do now. That's the talk they'll remember, and the one they'll share.
I've been hosting meetups all over the world, and the moments I remember are never the slides. They're the person who stood up and told the room exactly what they did, what broke, and what they'd do differently. That's context. That's the thing people can't get from a tutorial.
context-con is built around those moments. Two days, free for everyone who attends, and a stage for the people who have something real to share. If you'd rather not travel, record a lesson instead. We'll publish it for free, for anyone in the world who wants to get good at what you're good at.
I should be straight with you: we don't pay speakers. Everyone on that stage is there because they want to give something to millions of people for free, and they'll get a room full of the right people in return. If that sounds like you, apply. I read every one.
Thank you.
FAQ
Do speakers get paid?+
No. Speaking at context-con is voluntary. The event is free for attendees and funded by a handful of partners, and every speaker is there because they want to give real value away for free. What you get back is the room, the network, the talent pool and the recording.
What formats are there?+
Keynote (25 min), fireside chat (30 min in conversation), talk (15 to 20 min), panel (40 min), workshop (small room, hands on), and online lessons (5 to 15 min, recorded, no stage).
What is an online lesson?+
A short recorded lesson on one thing you know cold. It doesn't get a stage slot, but it becomes part of context and is published free for anyone in the world. It's how we collect insight from people who can't travel, and share it with everyone who can't either.
Who gets picked?+
People who've done the thing they're talking about. We read every application and look for specifics: what you did, what broke, what you'd do now. No product pitches, no motivational slides.
When will I know?+
Voting closes 1 November. The city is announced the next day and the lineup follows shortly after. Your application status is always visible on your profile.
Do I have to be there in person?+
For stage formats, yes. For online lessons, no. If you can't travel, submit a lesson.
Will travel and hotel be covered?+
Not by us, at least for now. If a partner wants to sponsor speaker travel we'll say so. Plan as if it's on you.
Can I talk about my product?+
You can talk about what you learned building it. You can't pitch it. The audience will know the difference, and so will we.
What language?+
English, wherever the event ends up.
Do I get the recording?+
Yes. Every stage session and every lesson is recorded and published free. You can use yours however you like.
What happens to my talk after?+
It stays online, free and public, as part of context. That's the point: provide context for anyone, anywhere, to become really good at what they do.
How do I apply?+
Vote for the city, claim your page, then apply from the Events tab. Title, format, a three-sentence abstract, and links that prove you've done it. Five minutes.
Behind the scenes
We built this in under 12 hours.
Every prompt, every bug, on camera.
Watch the full build