Frequently
asked
questions

The CFS will open on April 8, 2026 and will close on May 1, 2026 at 11:59 pm PT.

We'll contact you via email in late July 2026 on the status of your session proposal submission.

• If accepted: You'll receive the next steps and access to the Universe Speaker Resource Center.
• If on the alternate list: We need additional time to review your submission and will give you an update by mid to late August 2026.
• If declined: We encourage you to join Universe 2026 as an attendee, and please consider submitting again in the future!

All speakers that were nominated via the speaker nomination process will be notified in late August 2026.

1. You'll receive a confirmation email that your session proposal and/or speaker nomination has been submitted.
2. You'll be able to make edits to your submission up until the CFS deadline on May 1, 2026 at 11:59 pm PT.
3. Once the CFS closes, you'll no longer be able to make edits to your submission.
4. A committee will conduct a comprehensive review of all submissions.
5. You'll hear from us periodically with updates, and you'll receive an email in late July 2026 about the final status of your submission.

We'd be happy to investigate that for you! Please contact us at speakersupport@github.com.

Speaker nominations allow individuals to nominate themselves or someone else as a potential speaker for GitHub Universe. Rather than submitting a full session proposal, this process focuses on sharing details about the speaker's subject matter expertise, experience, and any relevant talks they've given.

If you're nominating someone other than yourself, you'll need to make sure you have the nominee's permission before submitting their information. The nominee will be notified of the nomination and contacted for additional details to complete the process.

Below is the difference between the CFS process and the speaker nomination process:

• Call for sessions: Submit a full session proposal, including the topic, abstract, and detailed outline
• Speaker nominations: Recommend individuals (including yourself) who are experts in their field and could be a great fit for GitHub Universe. No session proposal is required — just share details about the speaker's background and expertise.

• The nominee's name and contact information.
• Details about their subject matter expertise and areas of focus.
• Links to past talks, presentations, or recordings (if available).
• Optional: A recommendation or additional context for why they'd be a great speaker for GitHub Universe.

Our selection committee will review nominations to identify speakers who align with GitHub Universe's content tracks and themes. Selected speakers may be invited to lead their own session, co-present with another speaker, or participate in a panel discussion. We'll work closely with each selected speaker to determine the best format to showcase their expertise and engage the audience.

No — but we recommend nominating no more than three people for consideration. We're looking for true experts in their field, so we ask that each nomination be thoughtful and well-considered.

We review hundreds of submissions and unfortunately can't provide individual feedback for each one. But here's what we recommend: check out our Call for Sessions Submission Guide — it breaks down what we're looking for — and browse past sessions to see what resonates with our community.

Not selected for 2026? We'd love to see you submit again. Many of our best speakers iterate and come back stronger the next time around.

1. Incomplete submission: If your submission is not complete or is lacking in detail, it will not be considered. The session title, abstract, key takeaways, and detailed outline portions should be complete and thoughtfully written. If your submission is missing presenters, it will not be approved.
2. Content is sales-focused: The content committee is very good at spotting when a submission is trying to sell a product or service. Our attendees are not looking for a vendor pitch, and we will immediately eliminate those submissions from consideration.
3. Multiple submissions on the same topic: We receive many similar submissions, and with our limited number of slots, the content committee picks the sessions and presenters that they think best addresses the topic. The content committee seeks diverse thought leaders who provide specific details and examples that differentiate them from other submissions.
4. Quality and quantity: The GitHub Universe team receives hundreds of proposals, and the selection process is competitive! Sessions are chosen based on the quality of the proposal, as well as the diversity of content. Submit a thorough, interesting, and unique presentation that will provide relevant and thought-provoking information to attendees and that will catch the review committee's eye!

Yes! You can submit a session through the CFS and also nominate yourself as a speaker through the speaker nomination process. If you're selected through one process, it won't affect your chances in the other.

A great speaker nomination showcases why the nominee's expertise and perspective are uniquely valuable for GitHub Universe. Here are some tips:

• Highlight relevant expertise: Clearly explain the nominee's areas of focus, industry experience, and how their insights align with GitHub Universe's audience and themes.
• Include examples of past presentations: If available, share links to recorded talks, slide decks, or other relevant materials that demonstrate their presentation style and ability to engage an audience.
• Be specific and concise: Focus on what makes the nominee stand out. Avoid generic descriptions and instead emphasize unique accomplishments or contributions to their field.
• Provide supporting details: If nominating someone else, explain why you believe their expertise and voice are important for the event. Share any context that would help the selection committee understand their impact.

Remember, a strong submission isn't just about expertise — it's about demonstrating how the speaker can connect with and inspire the GitHub Universe audience!

You will have the ability to change, edit, or withdraw your submission until the May 1, 2026 at 11:59 pm PT deadline.

If you're missing a piece of information, your submission will be saved, and you can log back in at a later time to enter the information prior to May 1.

All proposals must be complete to be considered. Any proposals left with a status of "incomplete" will not be considered for GitHub Universe. Each submission you complete will receive a confirmation email, so if you do not receive one, you will know your session is incomplete. The Call for Sessions dashboard will also provide you with a list of submissions tied to your account, along with their completion status.

No. Keynote sessions are curated separately and are not a part of our CFS process. The proposal you submit will only be considered for a breakout session.

• Ship & Tell (15 minutes)
  Share the cool thing you shipped. Whether you're maintaining an open source project, built an internal tool that scaled a workflow, or created something that solves a real developer problem, this is your stage. Tell us what you built, why it matters, and what you learned along the way. Inspire other developers to build and contribute. Plan for Q&A so attendees can engage with your work.
• Breakout Session (40 minutes)
  Whether you're a product leader announcing what's new, a customer sharing how you scaled developer tools across your business, or an industry voice discussing emerging trends, these sessions deliver insights grounded in real experience.
• Product Demo (15 minutes)
  Share tips, tricks, and best practices that help users get more out of a specific product. Perfect for showing what's possible and inspiring people to try something new.
• Workshop (90 minutes)
  Interactive exercises where you guide attendees through practical learning. Participants actively apply concepts in a collaborative setting and walk away with skills they can implement immediately. The immersive format delivers the kind of depth that justifies the investment.
• Sandbox Session (45 minutes)
  A session that combines demo and workshop. You'll demonstrate how you solved a specific challenge, then guide attendees through interactive exercises to apply what they learned.
• Panel Discussion (40 minutes)
  A moderated conversation where a diverse group of experts discuss timely topics shaping the industry. Panels work best when they challenge conventional thinking and spark new ideas. Plan for significant Q&A and audience interaction.
• Fireside Chat (40 minutes)
  A moderated one-on-one conversation. Think panel discussion, but with a single speaker instead of multiple experts.

Yes, but that person must be aware of and approve your submission. If your session is accepted, and we find that the presenter was not aware, the session will be canceled, and you will not have the opportunity to submit another session in its place.

If you have a great idea but don't have a speaker in mind, reach out to speakersupport@github.com. We always love hearing what the community thinks should be on stage.

Yes.

• For breakouts, product demos, and ship & tell sessions, there can be up to two presenters.
• For a fireside chat, the limit is one moderator and one panelist.
• For a panel, there should only be one moderator and up to four panelists.
• For sandbox sessions, we recommend a max of two facilitators.
• For workshops, we recommend a max of two facilitators.

Yes. If you are accepted to speak at Universe, you will need to review and sign our speaker release form.

Most session content will be delivered at the in-person event. If there are any ancillary materials (demos, etc.) that need to be pre-recorded, we will review that content prior to the event.

Speakers will be notified of their session schedule in mid-August 2026. If your session is accepted, we ask that you plan to attend the entire event (October 28–29) and allow for additional travel time, especially if you're traveling internationally. Depending on the type of session, your rehearsal may take place 1–2 days before the event. Please keep these days available until you receive further details in mid-August.

We're committed to helping you succeed. Here's what we provide:

• Professional speaker coach: Book complimentary sessions to storyboard your content and practice your delivery.
• Presentation review: A committee of GitHub employees with subject matter expertise and speaking experience will review your presentation and provide actionable feedback.
• Speaker office hours: Drop in with questions as you prepare.
• Speaker portal: Access session details, resources, and everything you need to know.
• Room renderings: See what your session space looks like before you arrive.
• Dedicated speaker support team: We're here to help before the event and onsite throughout GitHub Universe.
• Speaker lounge and practice area: Space to rehearse and relax onsite.

If you're traveling from outside San Francisco, GitHub will fully cover your hotel stay during the event (excluding incidentals). While we're unable to cover the cost of your airfare to San Francisco or your rideshare to and from GitHub Universe, we understand that unique situations may arise.

If you're accepted to speak and need additional support, please reach out to us at speakersupport@github.com and we will do our best to accommodate.

Yes. The GitHub events team does everything possible to make sure that we are:

• Elevating voices and perspectives from a wide range of backgrounds, experiences, abilities, and regions with our speaker outreach and selection.
• Approaching and encouraging participation from speakers identifying as members of underrepresented or historically excluded communities in technology.
• Approaching professionals and members of our community who conduct themselves in accordance with GitHub's Event Code of Conduct and the GitHub Event Terms.
• Supporting our speakers and spokespeople in preparing high-value content for our events.

We are taking all the latest accessibility standards into consideration as we design the website and build out the in-person experience. The GitHub Universe team has taken the following steps:

• githubuniverse.com has gone through a site accessibility review.
• All speakers will be provided with accessibility guidelines for presentations.
• Closed captioning is available for all livestream and on-demand content.
• All main stage presentations will have American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and real-time captioning.
• Space will be provided on the agenda for taking a break from deep engagement and for finding a place to focus on your work.
• We will have designated meditation/prayer and nursing parent spaces.
• There is a designated quiet space for anyone needing a moment to recharge.
• We collect any accessibility accommodation requests during the attendee registration process
• After registration, requests can also be made or updated in your attendee profile.

This year's venue, Fort Mason Center, involves movement between multiple buildings. We encourage attendees who require mobility assistance to reach out to us as early as possible at universeaccessibility@github.com. If you have any other accessibility needs, please feel free to share them during registration or contact us at the email address above. Your comfort and accessibility are our top priorities!

We're happy to help! Please contact us at speakersupport@github.com.