1. TICTeC 2025 keynote announcement: Fernanda Campagnucci

    The keynote speakers set the tone for TICTeC each year, kicking off the conference with a timely provocation that seeds ideas through the sessions that follow, and informs new channels of discussion.

    Our first keynote announcement for TICTeC 2025 is Fernanda Campagnucci, Executive Director of InternetLab, who brings unparalleled expertise in transparency, digital transformation, and civic engagement. Fernanda will explore what is made possible by new forms of technology — especially in the anti-corruption space — and what needs to happen to make those possibilities a reality.

    With TICTeC’s emphasis on pro-democracy technology this year, Fernanda’s knowledge and experience is sure to spark two days of informed insights.

    Fernanda’s diverse career spans a number of roles — and continents — but has been guided by a commitment to reshaping public governance and leveraging technology for positive change.

    From 2019-24 she was Executive Director of Open Knowledge Brasil, enhancing its impact on public policy. Prior to this she was a public manager at Sao Paulo City Hall, championing policies centered on transparency, digital transformation, and civic technologies, fundamentally reshaping the way government interacts with its citizens. 

    Her role as the Head of Integrity at the Comptroller General’s Office further deepened her understanding of ethical governance; and at the Department of Education, she led the flagship Open Government Initiative ‘Patio Digital’.

    Meanwhile, Fernanda’s academic achievements have complemented her practical experience, with a first degree in Journalism followed by a Masters in Education and a PhD in Public Administration: she’s also acted as a lecturer on Compliance and Public Innovation.

    All of these roles will inform Fernanda’s keynote, so we hope you’ll be in the room — or joining us via Zoom — when she steps up to the podium. Here’s where to reserve your place (and if you act before March 3, you’ll pay earlybird pricing).

  2. TICTeC 2025 keynote announcement: Marietje Schaake

    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.

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

  3. How to get to Mechelen for TICTeC 2025

    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.
    The rebuilt St Pancras Station in London with its sparkling overall glass roof and sky blue paintwork makes this one of Europe's premier architechtural realizations as well as major rail interchange, light and airy it exudes confidence, style and modernised old-world charm.. Photo b y kitmastyerbloke via Wikimedia commons

    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.
    A Eurostart trains goes through AMsterdam on its way to Brussels

    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.
    Platform at Mechelen 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.
    Lamot conference centre in Mechelen

    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)

  4. You’re travelling to Mechelen for TICTeC

    …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.

    Cyclists in Mechelen

    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.

    A boat tour takes tourists through Mechelen's buildings

    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. 

    Mechelen City Hall

    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.

    Foodhall in Mechelen

    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.

    All images: Meet in Mechelen