Since last time I posted an update here on UIKonf – our independent conference of iOS developers and Berlin’s first English-language iOS dev conference – plenty has happened. We’ve really come along way. And by we I mean our small crew of just four people: My two friends, office coworkers and developers Matt Patterson and Chris Eidhof, our event manager Max Krüger, and I. That’s really all there is. There’s no backers, no investors, hardly any sponsors (we’re really, really picky there and want it to be financially self-sufficient).
And as is normal for independent conferences, it’s a lot of hustle and a lot of tearing our hair and a lot of fun. And boy, is it different from the bigger, more established events I’ve been involved in, in lots of interesting ways. But I digress, as I’m writing this post to give you an update on UIKonf and what’s happening there.
The big picture
We build UIKonf for serious iOS developers. So it’s all about in-depth talks, an intimate setting, and plenty of time to connect and talk and make.
And we put a particular focus on getting all the details right to make it the best event possible.
What does that mean concretely?
- May 1: A pre-registration event with lightning talk, drinks and, well, pre-registration. This is the first place to meet the other participants. RSVP to join for free, or apply to give a talk. It’s free, too!
- May 2: The main conference day is a day full of talks. Heimathafen Neukölln, a gorgeous theater in the heart of Neukölln, provides a perfect backdrop for a day of in-depth talks and conversations. There’ll be fantastic food and coffee by some of the best baristas in town. We have a top notch wifi and the fastest internet uplink you can rent. Afterwards, we head out to dinner together and then on to a relaxed party (think drinks rather than dancefloor). To join this day, you can get your ticket here.
- May 3: UIKode, our own hackday. Time to make stuff! We joined forces with our good friends at Readmill and nxtbgthng for a day of hacking on cool projects. The hackday is free, but space is very limited (apply here). For ticket holders who get their ticket by April 15 (coming Monday!), we guarantee a spot. So if you want to go, get a conference ticket now and sign up for the hackday right now!
We also have a student discount & volunteer program, about half of our talks were vetted in an anonymous peer review process to foster diversity and help unknown speakers get the attention they deserve, we set up the first NSHipster pub quiz, and we’ll of course record the talks somehow to make them shareable.
The program in detail
We’re super psyched about the speaker line-up (and equally bummed that we actually had to turn away some kickass speakers, which is one of the hardest things to do as an organizer). Instead of embedding the full program here, let me just link to the program page that we’ll update along the way.
So what’s next?
It’s just a few more weeks to UIKonf, and oh my, it’s going to be some hectic weeks for me – before UIKonf, NEXT Berlin is at the top of my agenda as I’m program director there, and I’m also trying to find the time to get Makers Make up and running. But multi tasking under pressure is something I very much enjoy in some twisted way, so this isn’t a complaint. I’m excited for the next few weeks.
Help spread the word
If there’s one thing I’d ask you to do, it’d be great if you could help spread the word about UIKonf to people you think it’s relevant for. Any tweet, message or conversation helps. Thanks!
The best way to follow updates on UIKonf is by the way Twitter or, of course, UIKonf.com.
