Selecting sessions is never easy—especially when we receive 225 submissions. Our initial review filtered out 50 sessions that, while often great, didn’t align with our specific focus. Many were excellent Power BI sessions, and we hope to see them submitted for Power BI Next Step, happening September 22-23 in Copenhagen. Others didn’t quite meet the “Next Step” level or weren’t focused on Microsoft Data Engineering.
This left 175 sessions in the evaluation phase, competing for just 18 available spots, plus a few backup slots. Additionally, seven of our Training Day speakers will likely be allocated breakout sessions, meaning the remaining 110 speakers are competing for only 11-12 session slots—making it an incredibly competitive selection process.
Turning down great sessions is always difficult, and we know rejection is never easy.
How Do We Select Sessions?
With so many strong submissions, how do we decide? We evaluate each session based on:
✅ Technical depth – Does it provide valuable, in-depth insights?
✅ Relevance to our audience – Does it align with the conference’s focus?
✅ Clarity of learning objectives – Is it structured for impactful learning?
✅ Speaker experience – Does the speaker have a strong track record or show promise?
While we prioritize high-quality content, we also believe in giving new voices a chance. Every year, we take a chance on at least one or two newer speakers, balancing fresh perspectives with seasoned expertise.
The People Behind the Selection
This year’s evaluation and selection panel consists of Lars Andersen, Benni De Jagere, David Bojsen, Ásgeir Gunnarsson, and Just Blindbæk. It’s fair to ask whether we’re the right group for the job. Are we just selecting our friends and familiar speakers? The risk of bias exists, but we take it seriously.
For speakers we don’t personally know, we put in significant effort to research their background—reaching out to our network, reviewing additional content, and assessing both technical expertise and presentation skills. As this is a paid conference, attendees expect a high standard in both areas.
A Huge Thank You to Everyone Who Submitted
With 225 submissions, it’s clear that this community is thriving, and we’re grateful for the time and passion put into every proposal. If you weren’t selected this time, don’t be discouraged! There are plenty of upcoming speaking opportunities, including local user groups, Data Saturday events, and next year’s conference. Keep honing your content—we’d love to see you submit again!
The final selection takes place today, Friday 7th, in Copenhagen, just between Fabric February and Data Saturday. And while it’s a challenging task, we try to make the process enjoyable—wrapping up the day with a well-earned dinner.
To keep things efficient, we will be sending out selection and rejection emails within the next week.