October 28-29  ·  San Francisco, CA  ·  Streaming on githubuniverse.com

Your guide to submitting a session proposal for Universe 2025

The Call for Sessions (CFS) is now open for submissions. Submit your session proposal by May 2, at 11:59 pm PT to be considered!

On this page:

Universe 2024 by the numbers

Key stats and milestones from our largest event yet.

3,400+
attendees
200+
speakers
110+
sessions
20+
hours of content
Job Level
Director
Senior Manager
VP+
Manager
Senior Director
Individual Contributor
Individual Contributor Senior
Company Size
1–99
100–999
1,000-9,999
10,000+

Pro tips for a winning submission

1. Practice makes perfect

Write and edit a couple of drafts of your session proposal using this offline form. Please note: You must enter your session information via the online submission form to formally apply to speak at Universe.

2. It’s about the approach

Think about your session title as the subject line of an email. Keep it short, punchy, and persuasive, and ask yourself what about it would get an attendee to add it to their schedule.

3. Specificity is key

Be specific with your key takeaways. What exactly will someone learn from your session that they didn’t know before?

4. Phone a friend

Have a friend outside of your industry review the proposal before you submit. They might not understand the technical language, but a fresh perspective is always helpful.

5. Kick the sales pitch

Sessions are intended to be educational, not salesy. When crafting your abstract, focus on sharing actionable insights, real-world examples, and best practices that deliver value to attendees. Avoid heavy product promotion, instead engaging your audience with ideas and lessons they can apply.

6. Spell it out

When using an acronym, spell out the full word and then include the acronym after in parentheses. For example: software development lifecycle (SDLC). After the initial mention, you can move forward using just the acronym. Please do this for any new acronym introduced in your submission.

7. Follow our formula for your bio

Need some inspiration for your bio? Here’s a formula that might help: Your name + something descriptive about what you do (vs. just stating your title and company) + why you are credible + your role and/or any previous roles that are relevant + any extracurricular professional accolades or organizations you’re part of + something personal that both humanizes you and that you’d feel comfortable sharing during an icebreaker session.

8. Lights, camera, action

While it's optional for speakers to submit videos of previous talks, we strongly encourage you to do so, as it enhances our ability to assess your speaking style. If you don’t have a video of a previous talk, you’re welcome to provide a five-minute self-recorded video presenting on a topic of your choice.

Speaking to the right audience

Universe brings together the people building the future of software development—developers shipping code, technical leaders making tooling decisions, and execs driving business impact. Each group has different goals, from solving tough engineering challenges to scaling teams and shaping strategy. Get to know who you’ll be speaking to as you write your session proposal.

Leaders

CISOs, CTOs, CIO, CxOs, founders

You transform and establish your organization as a market leader, hire and retain valuable talent, and ensure financial and business goals are achieved.

Drivers

Leaders of engineering/platform/DevOps, security teams

You source tools to meet business needs, ensure software meets security, privacy, and data compliance requirements, and work to increase developer productivity and satisfaction.

Builders

Engineers, developers, and maintainers

You build innovative software, while finding ways to save time and quickly troubleshoot challenges. You know the value of open source and collaboration, and are always looking for ways to acquire new skills to meet your personal and professional goals.

Find your perfect session format

Universe sessions are designed to cover a variety of learning formats—whether that’s through deep dives, interactive workshops, or peer-to-peer discussions. Before you submit your proposal, check out the session types below to find the best fit for your intended audience and session content.

Breakout session (40 minutes)

A focused presentation designed to inform and inspire the audience. These sessions typically feature a single speaker or co-presenters sharing expertise, insights, and practical takeaways. While this session type is primarily in a presentation format, audience engagement through Q&A, polls, and/or brief interactions is encouraged to enrich the experience.

Panel discussion (40 minutes)

A moderated session where a diverse group of experts debate or discuss fresh, timely, and thought-provoking topics shaping the industry. Panels should showcase a range of perspectives and experiences, challenging conventional wisdom and sparking new ideas. To ensure audience value, a significant portion of the session will be dedicated to Q&A and interactive engagement.

Fireside chat (40 minutes)

While similar to a panel discussion, this is a conversation between a moderator and one speaker rather than a group of experts.

Product demo (15 minutes)

A presentation focused on tips, tricks, and best practices for working in a specific product.

Discussions lounge (60 minutes)

A highly interactive gathering where two to three facilitators guides a group of 50+ attendees through dynamic small-group conversations on a specific topic of interest. Prioritizing active participation and collaboration, these discussion-driven sessions do not include slide presentations.

Sandbox session (60 mins)

This session combines both a demo-style and workshop format with practical exercises. Facilitators will demonstrate live the fundamental concepts, tools, or techniques they used to solve a specific challenge in the software development landscape. This will be followed by an opportunity for participants to actively engage in interactive exercises similar to the ones demonstrated to solidify their understanding.

Workshop (90 minutes)

Similar to a sandbox session (but without the demo portion), this session type focuses entirely on interactive exercises for a deeper, more immersive learning experience. This is your traditional workshop format, where facilitators guide attendees step-by-step through targeted activities. Participants will actively engage with the material, gaining practical insights and applying concepts in a collaborative setting tailored to enhance their understanding and skills.

Session levels: From fundamentals to deep dives

To make sure attendees get the most value from your session, we ask you to indicate the level of expertise required to participate. Choosing the right level sets expectations for the attendees and helps your content reach the right audience.

Level 100 – Introductory

Who this is for

Designed for those new to the topic, these sessions focus on foundational knowledge, covering basic concepts, features, and benefits. No prior expertise is assumed.

Example Topics

Developers: "Getting started with GitHub Copilot" – How to use AI-assisted coding for faster development and improved code quality.

Engineering leadership: “Scaling developer velocity with GitHub" – How teams can use automation, templates, and inner source to improve productivity.

Security professionals: “Supply chain security basics for open source projects" – Understanding vulnerabilities in your upstream dependencies and how to mitigate risk.

Level 200 – Intermediate

Who this is for

Best suited for attendees with a working understanding of the topic. These sessions explore real-world applications, technical details, and best practices.

Example Topics

Developers: "Automating CI/CD with GitHub Actions" – Build, test, and deploy with best practices for workflow optimization.

Engineering leadership: "GitHub Copilot-assisted development: What it means for engineering teams" – Evaluating the impact of GitHub Copilot-driven coding on productivity and quality.

Security professionals: "Proactive security with GitHub Advanced Security" – Using code scanning, custom CodeQL queries, and dependabot to detect vulnerabilities.

Level 300 - Advanced

Who this is for

Intended for experienced practitioners, these sessions dive deep into complex, real-world challenges, advanced techniques, and expert-level insights.

Example Topics

Developers: "Ecosystem of AI agents available for any task" – How GitHub Copilot extensions act as agents throughout the SDLC. Strategies for developing custom AI-driven automation tools.

Engineering leadership: "Innovations in model fine-tuning, customization, and context retrieval" How organizations fine-tune AI models for specific development needs. Recent breakthroughs in AI customization and retrieval-augmented generation.

Security professionals: "Governance without bottlenecks: How to enforce policies while keeping engineers happy" – Designing security and compliance frameworks that scale across teams and business units.

The anatomy of a great submission

Writing a compelling session proposal is key to standing out during the CFS process. In this section, we’ll break down the elements of a strong submission using an accepted example from Universe 2024 by Jeffrey Berthiaume, senior innovator at Southwest Airlines. His proposal perfectly demonstrates how clarity, relevance, and impact can make a submission soar above the rest!

Title
"Cleared for takeoff: Embracing open source within the enterprise"

Why it’s good

The title is creative and engaging, using a metaphor ("cleared for takeoff") to connect the topic with the speaker's industry. It hints at the content while sparking curiosity and excitement.

Abstract

"Navigating the friendly skies of open source within an enterprise requires strategic alignment, internal buy-in, and a vibrant open source community.

In this session, Jeffrey Berthiaume, senior innovator at Southwest Airlines, will share a step-by-step approach for transitioning internal projects to open source while fostering a culture of collaboration. You'll learn practical strategies for gaining executive support, overcoming legal challenges, and building a sustainable ecosystem that drives innovation."

Why it’s good

The abstract is concise, engaging, and informative. It clearly outlines the session’s purpose and benefits, while leveraging the speaker's expertise and a relatable analogy.

Key takeaways
  1. Learn how to effectively communicate the value of open source projects to key internal executives.
  2. Best practices for navigating legal and compliance and creating comprehensive documentation, including a reusable template for onboarding contributors.
  3. Discover strategies for fostering a vibrant internal open source culture, managing project forking, and building a thriving post-launch community.

Why it’s good

Each takeaway is actionable and detailed, clearly linking to attendees' professional challenges. The use of "learn," and "discover" in particular let attendees know exactly what they will get from the session.

Detailed outline

I initially envisioned this topic as a panel with multiple enterprises chiming in, but it can also be a breakout session focused on Southwest Airlines' journey of transitioning internal projects to open source. In this session, we'll explore the challenges, successes, and strategies involved in gaining executive support, navigating legal compliance, and fostering a vibrant community.

Proposed agenda

Introduction (5 mins):

  • Overview of the session's objectives and relevance to the developer experience (DevEx) track.
  • Insights into how open source drives collaboration and innovation in the enterprise.

Topics (25 mins)

  • Getting internal buy-in: Communicating the benefits of open source to key executives.
  • Legal compliance: Navigating legal requirements when open-sourcing internal projects.
  • Documentation best practices: Walkthrough of a template to help in on-boarding contributors.
  • Project forking: Managing internal forks and ensuring effective collaboration.
  • Community building: Fostering an internal open source culture and post-launch engagement.

Audience Q&A (10 mins)

  • Open forum for audience questions.

Closing remarks (5 mins)

  • Final thoughts and future aspirations.

---

Relevance to track:

  • Aligns with the DevEx track by highlighting the impact of open source on developer experience, productivity, and collaboration.
  • Emphasizes how fostering an open-source culture within an enterprise can improve developer engagement and community building.

Slide deck:

  • Visual summary of strategies for gaining internal buy-in and navigating legal challenges.
  • Key project criteria for transitioning internal projects to open source.
  • Workflow diagrams illustrating the steps to legal clearance and external collaboration.
  • Template for creating documentation of project (i.e. the README)

Case study:

  • Southwest Airlines Open Source Initiative:
    • How Southwest Airlines gained executive support and built an open-source culture.
    • https://github.com/southwestair for details
  • Conclusion/call-to-action:
    • Encourage attendees to start discussions within their organizations about launching open-source initiatives.
    • Share resources for engaging legal and executive teams.

Why it’s good

The outline is thorough, well-structured, and leaves no ambiguity about what the session will deliver. It incorporates timing, actionable insights, and real-world examples, ensuring that the content is relevant, engaging, and aligned with the event’s goals. It includes dedicated time for audience Q&A, fostering interaction and addressing attendee-specific challenges. The inclusion of practical tools, such as templates and workflows, adds immediate value for attendees, while the case study and conclusion ground the session in real-world impact and inspire attendees to take action. The proposal also provides a link for more information, making it easy for evaluators and attendees to explore the topic further.

Explore the 2025 content tracks

Explore our three dynamic content tracks and the unique themes within them. Each track is designed to inspire your creativity, with starter questions to help spark your ideas.

Build faster, stay in flow

Share your insights on building and deploying software faster with AI-native tools, multi-model AI, and open-source best practices. Sessions in this track should highlight strategies for improving developer velocity, staying in flow, and enabling developers to thrive through collaboration and learning.

Learn about the key track themes

Click on each theme below to learn more and find the perfect fit for your session proposal!

AI-native development: Transforming the SDLC

Building and deploying software with AI-native IDEs from ideation to deployment

  • With AI-native development environments like GitHub Copilot Workspace pushing the boundaries of software development, how do developers adapt to working with AI agents?
  • How is GitHub Copilot evolving each aspect of the DevOps lifecycle, and what can developers expect from this evolution?

Accelerating app development using AI without needing to write or deploy code

  • AI-native platforms are empowering more people to create apps using natural language. How can developers and non-developers best utilize these tools to build valuable apps?

AI in continuous integration and deployment (CI/CD)

  • What aspects of deployment can GitHub Copilot simplify to ensure speed and reliability?
  • What enhancements can developers expect in their workflows within an AI-native development environment?
Agentic AI: Autonomous tools in software development

Collaborative workflows with agentic AI tools

  • How have Copilot agents improved the code review process?
  • What role do Copilot agents play in enhancing collaboration?

AI agents roles across the SDLC

  • What are the different use cases and processes that AI agents support across the SDLC?
  • How do AI agents contribute during the ideation phase?

Ecosystem of AI agents available for any task

  • In what ways do GitHub Copilot extensions act as agents throughout the SDLC?
  • How can developers and organizations create their own GitHub Copilot extensions for bespoke agents?
Choice and innovation in multi-model AI

Leveraging diverse AI models for specific development tasks

  • What key considerations should developers keep in mind when selecting a model for a particular development task?
  • How can developers effectively integrate multiple models into their workflow?

Strategies for maximizing the benefits of multi-model systems

  • How can developers balance the strengths and weaknesses of different AI models to achieve optimal results?

Innovations in model fine-tuning, customization, and context retrieval

  • How can developers fine-tune AI models for their specific use cases?
  • What are the recent innovations and evolutions in context retrieval?
Redefining developer velocity

Improving onboarding and learning with AI-driven tools

  • How has GitHub Copilot enhanced the onboarding experience for developers?
  • What are the key ways that GitHub Copilot has accelerated development velocity?

App modernization and migration with AI

  • How has GitHub Copilot helped modernize and refactor legacy code?
  • How can GitHub Copilot facilitate smooth and accurate data migration?

Automated testing with AI

  • How does GitHub Copilot streamline testing and quality assurance processes?
  • What are the benefits and challenges of using GitHub Copilot for automated testing?
Developer well-being and productivity

Navigating developer roles in the age of AI

  • What does it mean to be a developer in the age of AI? Looking ahead a few years, how might the role of developer evolve from where it is today? What training and mentorship do we need to direct this transition rather than react to it?

Applying open source best practices

  • Share how you apply open source best practices, like transparency, peer review, and collaboration, to your internal software development projects in order to improve collaboration and knowledge sharing between teams.

Fostering a creative environment

  • How does your organization support creativity and innovation, and how do you make time for prototyping and hackathons?
Low-code collaboration and rapid prototyping

Collaboration and best practices

  • Share how you’ve used low-code tools or GitHub Codespaces to accelerate prototyping and delivery.
  • What are your best practices for leveraging GitHub repositories in low-code or no-code development?
  • How can low-code tools complement traditional development workflows without compromising quality?

Working with non-developers

  • How do you integrate developers and non-developers effectively in low-code collaborative projects?
  • Present examples where rapid prototyping led to meaningful product innovation or customer impact.
Secure every commit

This track is for sessions that explore security best practices, AI-driven vulnerability detection and remediation, and securing your software supply chain. Share insights on embedding security into development workflows without sacrificing speed or innovation. Click on each theme below to learn more and find the perfect fit for your session proposal!

Detection

Visibility across your entire application

  • How do you ensure you’re catching vulnerabilities across microservices, monoliths, containers, and serverless functions?
  • Which best practices, tools, and techniques give you visibility at scale, especially across large codebases?

AI-native threat detection

  • How are AI-driven scanning tools changing the landscape for developers and security teams?
  • What are the benefits and pitfalls of automated suggestions, and how do you ensure they stay accurate and high-fidelity?

Supply chain security and dependence on open source

  • Modern applications rely heavily on open source dependencies. How do you identify and mitigate risks in real time?
  • Are there innovative approaches to securing and auditing shared libraries, especially in large-scale enterprises?

Zero days and rapid response

  • When a new exploit dominates the headlines, how do you rapidly detect exposure?
  • How do you streamline collaboration across teams to get the information you need for swift, informed decision-making?
Remediation

Embedding security into developer workflows

  • What does “shifting left” look like in practice? Is there an even better way to align security with high-velocity engineering teams?
  • How do teams integrate code scanning, secret scanning, or dependency updates into their daily development flow without disrupting innovation?

From triage to fixes—leveraging AI

  • AI-driven “autofix” has the potential to resolve vulnerabilities automatically. Where does the human touch remain essential?
  • Are we undercutting developer awareness by delegating remediation to AI, or can AI actually make security expertise more accessible?

Paying down security debt

  • Every codebase carries legacy vulnerabilities. How do we effectively prioritize and eliminate them at scale?
  • Can AI help prioritize, group, or even fix old vulnerabilities so teams can focus on new features?

Collaboration between developers and security pros

  • Vulnerability management is a team sport. What happens when code scanning tools deliver not just guidance but the actual code changes needed for remediation?
  • How do organizations foster meaningful conversations around risk, trade-offs, and timelines?
Security at scale

Scaling security programs for the enterprise

  • How do large organizations keep a continuous pulse on security posture across hundreds (or thousands) of repositories?
  • What dashboards, metrics, or reporting structures provide real-time insights for both technical and non-technical stakeholders?

Automating compliance checks

  • Compliance standards evolve quickly. How can CI/CD pipelines automate checks for frameworks like SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, or GDPR?
  • Where do AI and automation fit into compliance auditing and ongoing governance?

Prioritizing alerts and minimizing noise

  • Even the best tools can overload teams with false positives or low-priority issues. How do you ensure the right people see the right alerts at the right time?
  • What techniques have proven effective in maintaining developer trust in security tooling?

Culture and communication

  • Beyond tooling, success in security often comes down to how you communicate expectations and set policies.
  • How do you engage developers in crafting security processes while preserving velocity?
  • What strategies have you used to unlock budget and headcount for DevSecOps initiatives?
Automate and scale with confidence

Focus on how teams are driving innovation with AI-powered automation, scaling CI/CD pipelines, and aligning engineering outcomes with business goals. Sessions in this track should showcase how organizations are building smarter and delivering with confidence through automation and AI strategies.

Learn about the key track themes

Click on each theme below to learn more and find the perfect fit for your session proposal!

Continuous integration and delivery

Effective pipelines

  • How have you streamlined your CI/CD pipelines to improve developer velocity while maintaining code quality?
  • Share your success stories of integrating GitHub Actions to automate testing, builds, or deployments.

Scaling multi-management workflows

  • Do you manage multi-environment CI/CD workflows in large teams? What do you wish you had known 2-3 years ago?

Innovation and optimization with AI

  • Have you leveraged AI-powered tools to optimize CI/CD processes? Tell us how!

Security and compliance

  • How can teams ensure security and compliance in a fast-moving CI/CD pipeline?
Value stream management

Business value

  • What strategies have you used to optimize your software development lifecycle? And how do you measure the business value?
  • Share how third-party integrations have improved flow and reduced toil.

Scaling across teams

  • How can teams align engineering metrics with business outcomes using GitHub and Azure DevOps tools?
  • What challenges have you faced in scaling value stream management for distributed teams?

Innovative approaches and problem solving

  • Present your innovative approaches to tracking work-in-progress limits and identifying bottlenecks.
Realizing business value with AI

Measuring the tangible impact of AI on development and operations

  • How can an organization measure the ROI of GitHub Copilot in their development workflows?
  • What are examples of tangible business outcomes driven by GitHub Copilot?

AI innovations across industries

  • How is GitHub Copilot driving innovation and efficiency in the healthcare, finance, retail, and manufacturing industries?
  • What are some industry-specific tips/tricks/best practices that developers and business leaders should take into account when utilizing GitHub Copilot?

Scaling AI solutions in enterprise environments

  • What are the best practices for scaling GitHub Copilot across development and operations teams?
  • What challenges do organizations face, and how can they overcome them?

Got questions? We're here to help! Reach out at speakersupport@github.com.