We are glad to say that TICTeC (The Impacts of Civic Technology conference) will be going ahead as planned, in Mechelen Belgium and online, on June 10-11.

So, if you were holding off on reserving your place, booking accommodation or travel, you can now do so with confidence — and we very much look forward to seeing you in June.

What happened?

Part of the funding for TICTeC was provided by NED, the National Endowment for Democracy. Unfortunately, NED has been affected by the Trump administration’s federal funding freeze, and so can no longer commit to providing the funds that they had pledged. 

However, we have now secured alternative funding to fill that gap.

We’re aware the US funding freeze also affects some of our potential attendees. The event was always going to be both online and in person, and we will be working over the coming months to make sure that we bring together a diverse range of projects and approaches from around the world to share and shape what happens next in pro-democratic tech. We’ll be sharing more about how we want to use TICTeC to provide a forum to respond to the urgency of the current moment. 

What’s happening at TICTeC?

We’re excited to have two amazing keynote speakers: Fernanda Campagnucci and Marietje Schaake, both of whom have really pertinent insights and experience that will ignite the two days of conversation at TICTeC.

The full schedule will be published soon, but you can be sure that it will be as full as ever of presentations that are relevant to the present moment for the civic tech community. Meanwhile, if you book your ticket before 3 March 17 March (we’ve extended the period in recognition of this period of uncertainty), you can secure them at early bird prices.

Every year at TICTeC, we strive to find keynote speakers that can speak directly to the present moment for the civic tech field. 

At a time when tech and democracy are becoming ever more entwined, we’re delighted that Marietje Schaake will be kicking off the first day of proceedings at TICTeC.

Marietje is a former Member of the European Parliament, a Fellow at Stanford’s Cyber Policy Center and the Institute for Human-Centered AI, a columnist for the Financial Times and author of The Tech Coup: How to Save Democracy from Silicon Valley — one of the ‘top ten tech books’ of 2024.

Marietje will explore the delicate balance of our age, between the good that tech can do for democracy, and the dangers of letting self-interested tech giants dominate the field. It serves us to examine how authoritarian regimes are using tech, and to ask, can democracies reclaim sovereignty and stand up for the interests of citizens? Do we require more oversight and regulation in both tech and democracy, and if so, how can this be built to allow other kinds of tech to flourish?

The spirit of the ‘civic internet’ is what brought our community together: TICTeC is one place where principles of openness, democracy and engagement still burn brightly. Marietje’s keynote will help us consider the underlying questions around the future for the civic tech field, both for the immediate tomorrow, and for the longterm outlook.

This will be a keynote you don’t want to miss, so be sure to secure your place at TICTeC — in person or online. Book here: tickets remain at earlybird prices until March 3.

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Image: Sicherheitskonferenz (CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Eurostar booking is now open for the dates that TICTeC is running (10 -11 June), so it’s a great time to benefit from the best travel prices.

Even if you’re not coming from the UK, read on for advice on how to join us in Mechelen, easily, cheaply or sustainably — and ideally, all three!

From the UK

If you’re within reach of London, Eurostar is a great option: comfortable, speedy and above all, climate-friendly.

If you’re planning to return before 15th June, you can book a return ticket from London St Pancras, all the way to Mechelen: select the ‘Brussels-Midi/Zuid + Any Belgian Station’ ticket, including Antwerp, Bruges, Ghent and Liege. 

It’s a two-hour journey by Eurostar to Brussels, where you’ll transfer to the train to Mechelen, just another 20 minutes.

Top tips: 

• Before you snaffle up that super-cheap 08:14 Eurostar option, be aware that you’re advised to arrive 75 minutes before departure, in order to go through security. This slot is for the early birds only!
• On the way back, Eurostar check-in is a more relaxed 45 minutes ahead of departure. Grab a coffee and relax.
• If you have mobility or disability-related needs, check out Eurostar’s accessible travel page.

From Brussels 

Brussels Midi/Zuid station

• Get the branch line train to Mechelen. These run every 15 minutes throughout the day, and many of them go on to Antwerp.
• If you’ve come on the Eurostar with a ‘+ any Belgian station’ ticket, no need to pay for this leg of the journey — it’s included.
• But if you’ve come from elsewhere, a standard ticket costs €5.50, and you can buy them either:
  • on the SNCB app (we recommend downloading the app in advance, either for Apple or Google Play, and setting up your account/payment method before you travel). The app is in English and gives you platform numbers, delay notifications etc.
  • or via a ticket machine at the station (they take cards and cash). 
• Advice for those with accessibility needs is on the SNCB website.

Brussels airport

• Look for trains to Rotterdam or Antwerp – Mechelen is a stop on the way. 
• A standard ticket costs €10.60.
• Check that you get a direct train: avoid those that require changing at Brussels North.

Top tips:

• Make sure you travel to Mechelen in Belgium — there’s also a town 113 km away in the Netherlands with the same name, and we don’t want anyone ending up there!
• Mechelen is also known as Malines, and you might see both names (“Malines/Mechelen”) on station announcements, when buying tickets etc.
• Get off at the main Mechelen/Malines station, not Mechelen-Nekkerspoel which is a suburban station.

When you arrive in Mechelen

• The Lamot Congress and Heritage Centre, where TICTeC is taking place, is at Van Beethovenstraat 8/10, 2800 Mechelen, Belgium — about a 15 minute walk from the station, 9 minutes by bus or 6-8 minutes by taxi.
  • There is a taxi rank near the station exit on Koning Albertplein, or this page has phone numbers for taxi services.
  • Details of travelling by bus in Mechelen are on this page, and you can plan your route here. The best option for the city centre and/or the conference centre is the number 1 bus, which runs as a shuttle — catch it by platform 9. You can pay with contactless ‘tap on’ (no need to tap off: all bus tickets last 60 minutes).
•  Head to one of our recommended hotels: see the Accommodation section on this page for discount codes that will give you a special delegate rate. Mechelen is walkable and all these hotels are very close to the venue.
• Had the foresight to give yourself a bit of extra time in Mechelen? Great! See our post on things to do.

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Banner image: Frederic Köberl; Eurostar trains: Kitmasterbloke; train going through Amsterdam: Rob Dammers(CC by-sa/2.0); Mechelen station: Smiley Toerist (CC by-sa/4.0)

…so why not stay a few more days?

We’re all busy people, but if you’re making the trip to Mechelen in Belgium for TICTeC this June, it makes sense to stay on and sample some of the city’s unique attractions.

First things first: if you haven’t already read our post on how to get to Mechelen or our practical information page, you might not realise that this small city is just 20 minutes by train from Brussels Midi/Zuid or Centraal stations and 11 minutes from the airport (Brussels, as we all know, is a great travel hub, accessible from everywhere).

But what to expect when you get there?

Mechelen is a historic city, typical of the Flanders region, and provides ample opportunities for enjoyable strolls — along the river, through picturesque architecture, or interspersed with a bit of culture and shopping. 

TICTeC itself will take place in the Lamot Congress and Heritage Centre (a former brewery), which, as you can see on Google Maps is located just a minute’s walk along the waterside from Haverwerf‘s so-very-photographable frontages, and a few minutes’ walk through shop-lined streets to the city’s cathedral and the Grote Markt square.

Hotels are very conveniently placed behind and opposite the conference centre — or, with Brussels and Antwerp so nearby, staying out of town is also an option.

If you’ve been to TICTeC before, you already know that for the two days of the conference, you’ll be happily occupied in attending presentations and workshops, with opportunities for socialising and — dare we say it — networking in the breaks and in the evenings.

If, however, you’re factoring in some time to enjoy the city before or after TICTeC, here are some pointers.

Download the Visit Mechelen app

You’re coming to TICTeC, so the likelihood is that you have opinions about technology. Thus, by using the Visit Mechelen app, you’ll not only be able to benefit from its suggested walking routes; you’ll also be able to enjoy assessing its digital design and development. You know we all love that! 

Or if you prefer the personal touch, drop into Visit Mechelen at Vleeshouwersstraat 6 — it’s very close to Grote Markt.

Need some peace and quiet?

After two days of busy conversation and intent listening, you’ll want to unwind. Here’s a list of green spaces in the city — including a silent one where you’re strongly encouraged to turn off your phone: perfect for a digital detox.

Enjoy the water

The river Dyle runs through the city. But you don’t have to stick to walking alongside it — you can walk on it, thanks to a floating path. 

If you prefer something more leisurely, take a boat tour, by day — or, at weekends, by night.

Art and architecture

Whether you’re into architecture or not, you’re going to experience some in Mechelen — no choice. Simply walking up to the Grote Markt you’ll see vernaculars ranging from 16th century Renaissance to 18th century Rococo. 

The city hall (also known as Keldermans Zaal) was originally a Gothic building, later given a baroque extension — and we’ll all be seeing it from the inside, too, as delegates are invited to enjoy a drinks reception there, hosted by Stad Mechelen and Meet in Mechelen, at the end of TICTeC day one. 

For a visual feast, pop into St John’s Church for its noteworthy woodcarvings and an altarpiece triptych by Rubens — yes, that Rubens. Or if you have a head for heights, you can climb the cathedral tower and (as if actual reality didn’t suffice) enjoy the augmented reality offerings up top. Ticket information is here. 

Zooming forward a century, you might enjoy a visit to the Winter Garden of the Ursulines, a former boarding school for girls, attached to a convent, created in a stunning art nouveau style. Great for fans of stained glass…and taxidermy. 

At the Museum Hof van Busleyden you will ‘experience the heyday of the Burgundian Renaissance’ through both its beautiful gardens and its collection of masterpieces. The museum prides itself on centering voices not heard in traditional art history, tracing themes such as nation-building, humanism, religion, globalisation, gender and power.

Other museums

Games enthusiast? At the Speelgoed museum (toy museum) your visit actually is a game, in which you can score points as you go. Many of the exhibits are hands-on, and although it doesn’t explicitly say so on their website, we’re making the executive decision that this museum is not just for kids. 

Mechelen has museums that you are unlikely to see the like of elsewhere: for example, there’s one collecting depictions of madness.

For a sobering yet important perspective on the Holocaust and human rights, Kazerne Dossin is a memorial, museum and research centre, focusing on the Belgian experience of this dark phase of history.

Food and shopping

The Mechelen tourist board welcomes you to twelve speciality food shops: will you be going home with ‘a creamy triple crème cheese with a filling of figs and coriander seeds’? We do hope so.

Or perhaps you’ll be tempted by the beer mustard, the traditional gingerbread (more of a cake) or the Mechelen city biscuit… better make sure there’s some space in your luggage.

We’ve also seen mention of apple pie with beer poured over it — sounds like a great thing to try with our civic tech friends! And if you fancy a group meal but can’t decide on the cuisine, the Vleeshalle food hall is the perfect solution.

Onze-Lieve-Vrouw street, just behind the conference venue, is especially known for its independent and sustainable shops, including boutiques selling gifts, homeware, fashion and sweets. 

Further afield

Of course with Brussels so near by, there’s a wealth of other tourism opportunities just a quick train ride away.

No doubt you, like us, have a heightened interest in democracy, so the Parlamentarium will be a must-visit, along with famed chamber of the European Parliament, the hemicycle.

You definitely shouldn’t miss the Atomium, the Grand Place, or (says our resident bandes dessinées enthusiast) the Comic Art Museum.

If Brussels doesn’t appeal, maybe take a trip to Antwerp and see their beautiful Central Station, as well as many other idiosyncratic attractions.

The cherry on top is that, from practically anywhere in Europe and the UK, Mechelen, Brussels and Antwerp are all accessible sustainably, by train.

We hope this post has left you keen to visit — if so, we’ll no doubt see you in the cheese shop, the toy museum and at the top of St Rumbold’s tower — as well as at the conference, of course. And with that in mind, here’s where to book your tickets for TICTeC.

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All images: Meet in Mechelen

TICTeC will be returning in 2025:  10 & 11 June in Mechelen (Belgium), and online. 

Registration is open now. 

This year we are framing our call for session proposals around ‘pro-democracy technology’. This blog post contains information about the audiences, themes, and formats for the conference – and information on how to submit proposals. Read on to discover what we’re looking for in submissions, and guides to the different formats of sessions. 

What is TICTeC?

TICTeC, short for The Impacts of Civic Technology Conference, first launched in 2015 as an annual gathering. Since then, it has evolved into a programme of year-round activities through our current TICTeC Communities and previous TICTeC Labs projects. 

A key tenet of the civic tech movement is the idea that the best advocacy is the demonstration of what’s possible. This is what TICTeC is all about. We’re bringing together practical people and practical thinkers to talk about the impact of our work, and learn lessons in how we can go further.

TICTeC is all about sharing research, knowledge and experiences on how digital technologies are being used to defend and advance civic and democratic values across the world.  We want a future where technology strengthens democracy rather than undermines it, in order to build societies and technologies that serve the many, not just the few. 

TICTeC is a place where you can learn about everything from combating corruption and misinformation to empowering communities and enhancing civic participation, and is a unique platform where attendees connect and collaborate.

Attendees are a distinctive mix of small and big tech practitioners, civil society leaders, funders, users, civil servants, government representatives and academic researchers. Together we want to showcase cutting-edge pro-democracy innovations with a relentless focus on their real-world impact and effectiveness.

At previous TICTeC conferences, between 150-250 people have gathered in person and online, from more than 40 countries.

Conference themes

This year we’re shaping TICTeC around three thematic areas. 

• Access to information and open data
• Democracy, people and politics
• Climate change

In these areas, we’re structuring panels around ideas of defensive and constructive democratic tech. Read our blog post on pro-democracy technology to understand more what we mean by defensive and constructive technologies (there are also examples below). Proposals may in practice cover multiple areas. If your proposal does not fit either category, you can select both or neither. 

Beyond these topics, we will also have time for sessions that are interested in meta questions around ideas of civic tech and pro-democracy technology.

The examples below are not meant to be comprehensive, but give a sense of what we mean by each category. 

Access to information and open data

This thematic area applies to people working with access to information/Freedom of Information laws, or open data. The tech side may be innovations in running ATI platforms, improved government efficiencies, or projects that produce subsequent analysis or tools as a result of the data. 

Defensive tech

This category is looking at the use of access to information laws/platforms or open data as part of anti-corruption projects or platforms. This might include how data from ATI requests have been used as part of wider initiatives, or meta-investigation about how technology can make anti-corruption use of ATI more effective. 

Constructive tech

This category is looking at how open data or access to information laws can be used to build new data and tools, and the wider social (or commercial) impact of making it easier to access information. 

Democracy, people, and politics

This section covers projects concerned with mainstream democratic structures, or technical approaches to democratic processes involving people directly. 

This might include democratic transparency projects, e.g. those that create/rework public information about democratic institutions/politicians to improve transparency, accountability, standards, or efficiency. This includes Parliamentary Monitoring Organisations, but also extends to projects looking at elected politicians in other contexts that are Parliaments (such as city governments), or other democratic processes such as deliberative democracy and citizens’ assemblies. 

But it might also look like technology that directly involves people in democratic processes, such as toolkits of deliberative processes, consultation approaches, conditional commitment etc. 

Defensive tech

This covers a range of uses of technology to safeguard and investigate democratic processes. For instance: electoral violence monitoring, political donation tracking and broader anti-corruption work. 

Constructive tech

Here we are looking for empowering technologies that build democratic fibre and capacity. These approaches are less of a zero-sum game, but are looking at the potential for technology that enriches democratic life. 

This covers technology that may be trying to improve processes and understanding of electoral democratic institutions. It might include new forms or innovations in PMOs applying machine learning to existing problems. It also includes innovations in new forms of technology, and the uses of technology in deliberative processes.

Climate change

The climate crisis is a massive practical issue that requires urgent action — and like all practical issues it’s a democratic question. We’re interested both in where action on this issue is being actively disrupted by anti-democrats, and where we need to build democratic capacity to solve these problems. 

At TICTeC we want to explore practical approaches to facilitating and delivering democratic action on climate change. 

We need to develop defensive approaches — but we also need to bring the full cognitive and relational capacity of democracy to bear on the problem, – pushing decisions away from a few big levers in the middle, to understand how to reshape our environments and communities to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change. 

Submissions in this category may also fit into one or both of the other two. 

Defensive tech

In this area, defensive tech may take the form of anti-corruption approaches focused on the influence of fossil fuel companies and petrostates. This might include monitoring of fossil-fuel sponsored narratives repeated by politicians, or fact checking for climate conspiracy theories.  

Constructive tech

Constructive tech in this area is trying to bring the cognitive and relational capacity of democracy to bear on the problem, – pushing decisions away from a few big levers in the middle, to understand how to reshape our environments and communities to respond to the effects of climate change. 

This might be participatory approaches to shaping policy, directing local changes, or collaborative approaches to mixed public/private decisions home upgrades and retrofit. 

Session types

This year we’re looking for three session types.

• 20 minute presentations
• 35 minute short workshops
• 75 minute long workshops/panels

For workshops, we really want to see a strong interactive element that involves the audience in working through a practical activity, sharing information and experiences. 

Short workshops may (but don’t have to) take the form of a short presentation, with structured audience participation. 

Long workshops may take the form of a panel (where multiple speakers are involved), but there should still be a strong interactive component. For these, we would want to see panellists from a range of expertise and backgrounds. 

Structured participation doesn’t have to be complicated. When we run sessions, we tend to use the 1-2-4-all method to structure conversation around questions. Sessions in the past have used slido or similar. What we’re looking for in evaluating workshops is:

• A clear sense of the kind of discussion and questions you want to have.
• A sense that participants will have something to say, and get something out of these discussions (so being clear which subset of the TICTeC audience and themes you are talking to). 

When submitting workshop proposals, the key thing to bear in mind is that we have fewer time slots and can accept fewer of these proposals.

You are allowed to submit multiple proposals if you would like to pitch a presentation and a workshop (but both are unlikely to be accepted). 

We have a limited number of travel grants available to support speakers to attend, you can apply for this via the submissions form.

While we will favour speakers to be in-person, there are a limited number of slots for people who cannot travel to present remotely. Please indicate if you may need to present remotely when filling out the submission form.

Submission details

Submit your proposals via this application form by 15 Jan 2025 at the latest. 

Those selected for inclusion in the conference programme will be notified by 31 Jan 2025. 

Presenters will be required to register for the conference by 14 February in order to confirm their slot (the registration fee will be waived for individuals presenting; people who have already booked will be refunded). 

What is a good TICTeC presentation?

TICTeC is a practical and reflective conference. We encourage presentation submissions to focus on specific impacts or usage, rather than showcase new tools that are as yet untested.  We’re less interested in speculative uses of technology, but more in people’s practical experiences of working with tools and technical approaches. Technology does not have to be new, and we welcome retrospectives on long running projects.

A tool doesn’t have to have mass usage to be worth talking about – we’re equally interested in qualitative stories on the impacts of technology; their impacts on official processes; and how users have used platforms to campaign for change. We’re also interested in stories about obstacles and barriers to having impact. The main work of your organisation does not have to be technology centred: we are interested in experiences and impacts of adopting new approaches in less technical organisations. 

TICTeC attendees are a mixture of practitioners and researchers. Presentations should expect audiences to include different levels of technical knowledge. 

We score proposals according to their alignment to the conference themes, as discussed above. 

Use of AI in writing proposals

You may use ChatGPT or similar to sharpen ideas for proposals, better highlight alignment with our themes, or improve written language. However, proposals and sessions that are entirely AI-conceived will not score well. 

Last year we saw a number of proposals we suspected were AI-written because while they were at first appearance well crafted, they ultimately only spoke in vague and general terms about the themes we asked for. Because we prioritise experience and impact, such submissions will score poorly. If using these tools, ensure the result is an accurate and truthful account of your own experiences, research, or impact. 

More information

The TICTeC 2025 Eventbrite page contains further information about the conference, including FAQs. If you still have any questions after reading that, please email tictec@mysociety.org.

Speaking opportunities through sponsorship

TICTeC 2025 sponsors receive a guaranteed speaking slot, with no need to participate in the open call. Find out more about sponsoring TICTeC 2025.

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You can follow updates as they are announced over on the TICTeC website. If you’d like to be the first to receive TICTeC 2025 updates, please sign up for our emails.

And in the meantime, if you’d like to see what TICTeC is all about, you can browse all the resources from previous events over on the TICTeC Knowledge Hub.

We look forward to welcoming you to TICTeC 2025!

 

The TICTeC conference will be returning next year: on 10 & 11 June 2025 in Mechelen (Belgium), and online. 

In light of the exceptional political times we’re living through, and that 2025 marks 10 years since TICTeC began, TICTeC 2025 will have a renewed focus on what we’re calling “Pro-Democracy Technology”.

TICTeC 2025 will bring together people working on defensive technology against threats to democracy, and those who are using technologies constructively to enrich and strengthen the heartbeat of civic and democratic life. Read more on our thoughts on reframing civic tech for the current moment.

If you’re working in this area and have things to share, or want to understand how technology can be applied to the democratic needs of our age – sign up now, we’d love for you to join us. 

What is TICTeC?

TICTeC, short for The Impacts of Civic Technology Conference, first launched in 2015 as an annual gathering. Since then, it has evolved into programmes of year-round activities through our current TICTeC Communities and previous TICTeC Labs projects. 

A key tenet of the civic tech movement is the idea that the best advocacy is the demonstration of what’s possible. This is what TICTeC is all about, we’re bringing together practical people and practical thinkers to talk about the impact of our work, and learn lessons in how we can go further.

TICTeC is all about sharing research, knowledge and experiences on how digital technologies are being used to defend and advance civic and democratic values across the world.  We want a future where technology strengthens democracy rather than undermines it, in order to build societies that serve the many, not just the few. 

From combating corruption and misinformation to empowering communities and enhancing civic participation, TICTeC is a unique platform where attendees connect and collaborate.

With a distinctive mix of small and big tech practitioners, civil society leaders, funders, users, and academic researchers, we want to showcase cutting-edge pro-democracy innovations with a relentless focus on their real-world impact and effectiveness.

At previous TICTeC conferences, between 150-250 people have gathered in-person and online from more than 40 countries.

Why do we host TICTeC?

We run TICTeC because we think there is important work being done, and that we are stronger and smarter together.

Threats to democracy and civic power are rising across the world. Anti-democratic actors aren’t standing still – and are constantly learning how to use technology to extend their power and control over people. 

Democracy’s reaction to this needs to be not to reject technology but to use it to evolve and compete, particularly in addressing society-changing issues like climate change. 

Democracy needs to be fast, effective and popular, and digital technology can and is helping to achieve this. 

That’s why TICTeC exists – to highlight and examine these pro-democracy technologies, in a collaborative and safe space. This not only strengthens our work at mySociety but also contributes to a global movement harnessing technology to protect and advance democratic values around the world. 

TICTeC 2025 themes

The 2025 TICTeC conference will focus on exploring the impact of pro-democracy tech innovations across several critical themes: Access to information (ATI), Democratic Transparency, and Climate.

In each of these areas, we want to explore what we’re calling ‘defensive’ and ‘constructive’ approaches. Defensive approaches safeguard the openness democracy needs to operate – while constructive approaches build the capacity of the engine of democratic progress.

Call for Proposals

We’ll soon be launching our Call for Proposals, giving more information and the opportunity to pitch your session ideas on the above themes. Be sure to sign up for email updates to be the first to know when submissions open.

Register now- Early Bird tickets available

It is essential to register on Eventbrite in order to attend TICTeC 2025, whether that’s in person or online. Early Bird tickets are available until 3rd March 2025, saving £100. More practical information and FAQs can be found on the TICTeC 2025 webpage.

If you have general ideas or questions about TICTeC 2025, or are interested in sponsoring the conference, please get in touch. 

We can’t wait to see you at TICTeC 2025—either in person in Mechelen or online. Let’s come together again to explore how technology can be leveraged for a resilient and proactive global democratic future.

Image: CC Visit Mechelen. 

Whether or not you were lucky enough to attend TICTeC in person earlier this month, you can now experience it all over again.

Where there are videos and slides for a session, you can access them via the Schedule page. Just click on ‘see session detail’ to see which resources there are. Or discover all the videos via the TICTeC 24 YouTube playlist.

Note: Videos and slides are only available for sessions that were recorded, and where presenters gave consent to share.

Plus: browse through photos from the two days of TICTeC 24 on our Flickr page, here. All photos are available under a non-commercial Creative Commons licence, so please do share them where you like.

Don’t miss TICTeC 2025!

Work with us at TICTeC 2025: we’re open to suggestions from organisations who might like to partner with us to host TICTeC in your region; and we’re also always happy to talk to potential sponsors. Drop us a line if you’d like to discuss more.

Subscribe to updates: Be the first to know when we put out the call for papers, open bookings and announce the location for next year’s TICTeC — sign up here.

Thanks for your feedback

We love hearing what other people got out of TICTeC! Special thanks to those who have taken time to feed back on what those two days meant to them.

Here are just a couple of the comments we’ve received: follow us on Instagram to see more over the next few weeks.

 

Yes, it’s that marvellous time for the Civic Tech community: the full TICTeC schedule is now online and you can browse it to your heart’s content, picking which sessions you’ll attend — not always an easy decision when there’s so much to choose from!

As usual, TICTeC promises access to civic tech around the world with insights you won’t get elsewhere, presented by a truly amazing roster of international speakers. This year we have a focus on threats to democracy and climate, and the tools that are working to counter them.

You’ll find grassroots NGOs, making a difference through their on-the-ground technology; representatives of governments; tech giants; and of course the academic researchers that make sense of everything we do in the civic tech world.

• Hear from Mevan Babakar, News and Information Credibility Lead at Google;
• Learn how tech has shaped citizen-government communication from the Taiwan Ministry of Digital Affairs;
• See what happens when you wake up and realise your civic tech project is now critical national infrastructure, with Alex Blandford of the University of Oxford

These are just a few of the 60+ sessions from an international range of perspectives that you can dip into across TICTeC’s two days. Which will you choose?

Come along in person, or tune in from home

This year, most of TICTeC’s sessions will be livestreamed, so you can tune in no matter where you are (the workshops won’t be broadcast, as they don’t lend themselves to online participation). If you’d like to attend virtually, you can book a ticket via Eventbrite for just £50.

Or, if you’d prefer to join the conference in person, enjoying all that a real-life meet-up entails, with sessions interspersed with networking, nibbles, and socialising, make sure you snap up one of the limited slots. But hurry – TICTeC always sells out, and this year is looking like no exception.

Register for TICTeC now.

Hot on the heels of our last big announcement, we’re very happy to confirm our second keynote for TICTeC, The Impacts of Civic Technology conference 2024: Nick Mabey OBE.

If you’d like to hear from one of the big players, really making a difference to the UK’s climate change response, you’ll want to make sure you’re at TICTeC this year. 

Nick is a founder of E3G (Third Generation Environmentalism), an independent climate change think tank with a goal to translate climate politics, economics and policies into action — and is now its co-CEO.

He has previously worked in the UK Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit, UK Foreign Office, WWF-UK, London Business School and the UK electricity industry. As an academic he was lead author of Argument in the Greenhouse, examining the economics of climate change. 

He also founded London Climate Action Week, one of the world’s largest climate festivals, which takes place on 22-30 June — so if you’re in London for TICTeC and you have an interest in climate, it might be worth sticking around for that! 

Nick will open the second day of  proceedings at TICTeC, setting the scene for presentations and workshop sessions that strive to examine the central question: What is needed to make civic tech tackling problems around climate change more successful and impactful on a global scale?

Few people are better equipped to bring such a broad spectrum of knowledge and experience to this complex issue. If you’d like to tap into some of that, then make sure to snap up your tickets to TICTeC. 

BOOK YOUR PLACE AT TICTeC NOW

The TICTeC 2024 schedule will be published very soon, so watch this space.

We’re excited to announce the first keynote speaker for our 2024 Impacts of Civic Technology Conference (TICTeC)!

Join us on 12 and 13 June  — in London or online — and you’ll hear from María Baron, founder and now Global Executive Director of Directorio Legislativo.

This year, one of the major themes at TICTeC will be the role of civic tech in safeguarding and advancing democracy where it is under threat. María and Directorio Legislativo’s work explore both  the problem, and how we can collectively roll up our sleeves and do something about it. 

María has a long career in transparency and democratic institutions, working first across Latin America and then globally with both Directorio Legislativo and the Open Government Partnership. Along the way, María also founded the Latin American Network for Legislative Transparency, convening 24 civil society organisations from 13 countries. 

With her team at Directorio, María developed a methodology for building consensus across polarised stakeholders on tricky issues — and has brought many of those agreements to Congress, where they were signed into law.

The Regulatory Alert Service, also from her Directorio team, enables political analysts to predict changes in regulation across 19 countries. 

Among many other achievements, María has been awarded the NDI Democracy Award for Civic Innovation. In short, we can guarantee you’ll gain a massive dose of inspiration and hope from her session.

And that’s just the first speaker announcement from this year’s TICTeC. Make sure you’re a part of the “best concentration of practitioners, academics, and thinkers in this field” (Fran Perrin, Indigo Trust) and book your place now.

It’s been a while since we convened the wonderful, industrious, inspiring global civic tech community in one place, face to face — we’re ready to reignite those amazing conversations, connections and deep dives into democracy at the Impacts of Civic Technology Conference, this June. 

BOOK YOUR PLACE AT TICTeC NOW