Matrix Community Summit 2026 Berlin

May 21 — May 25 · c-base · Berlin

The Matrix Community Summit will be at c-base, Berlin, Germany, around Pentecost from Thursday May 21st to Monday May 25th 2026!

Matrix is more than a protocol — it's a social, technical, and political project. It needs places where people can meet, exchange ideas, build software, and strengthen the community.

In a world increasingly dominated by a few Big Tech players, decentralization is not just a technical feature — it's a necessity. A connected planet deserves open protocols, community-driven infrastructure, and people who care about building a better future together.

Who Is It For?

The Matrix Community Summit is open to:

• 🧑‍💻 Developers
• 🧑‍🎨 Designers
• 🛠️ Admins & Maintainers
• 📢 Activists
• 🙋‍♂️ Curious users and power users

If you are involved in Matrix — or want to — this is for you. Whether you're presenting a new project, debugging something in person, or dreaming up the next big thing – join us and be part of it.

Join the conversation early in or Matrix space!

Looking Back: 2022, 2023, 2024

In 2022 and 2023, the Matrix Community Summit took place in Berlin as a fully independent, community-organized event – open, experimental, and collaborative. We shared ideas, built prototypes, discussed hard problems, and explored the possibilities of federated communication. Read some of the vibe. In 2024, we were part of the official Matrix Conference – large, professional, inspiring.

2025: independent again

We went back to our roots: No trade fair. No product booths. No audience. Instead, an open and flexible schedule made by the people who showed up. Every participant was encouraged to propose at least one session – a talk, a workshop, a hackathon, a brainstorm, a walk-and-talk, or anything in between.

2026: we are here to stay

In 2026, we want to go further than before:
more collaboration, more depth, and more shared time in the same physical space.

Much of our work in the Matrix ecosystem happens digitally – in chats, issues, calls, and repositories.
The summit adds a physical layer to that work: meeting face to face, thinking together, building together, and letting ideas grow beyond their usual boundaries – technical, philosophical, social, or political.

We’ve aligned with the c-base crew, who are also an associate member of the Matrix Foundation, to host the Matrix Community Summit in Berlin over Pentecost for the next couple of years.

The structure below is a guideline, not a rigid schedule. As always, the summit is shaped by the people who show up.

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Day I – Arrival & Grounding (Thursday)

Thursday is the perfect day to arrive and settle in.

• The space opens early with coworking infrastructure, meeting rooms, and food
• Time to reconnect, unpack ideas, and start conversations
• In the early evening, light formats to introduce:
  • projects
  • participants
  • themes and intentions for the days ahead

Low pressure, high bandwidth.

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Day II & Day III – Deep Work Days (Friday & Saturday)

Friday and Saturday are about getting things done.

These days are for:

• hackathons and sprints
• bug squashing and release preparation
• starting new projects or reviving dormant ones
• focused workshops and long-form discussions

Saturday evening features a one-track mini conference:

• short talks and deep dives
• project updates and retrospectives
• panel discussions and shared reflections

The main hall sessions are planned to be recorded and streamed.

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Day IV – Outreach & Community (Sunday)

Sunday is about opening up and extending reach.

• welcoming users and contributors from adjacent communities
• sessions aimed at users of Matrix clients, servers, and components
• space for explaining, listening, and learning across experience levels

A good day to bring friends, colleagues, or curious minds along.

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Day V – Wrap-up & Departure (Monday)

Departure day.

• relaxed breakfast
• informal wrap-up conversations
• saying goodbye (or “see you online”)

And, as tradition demands:

Towel Day & Space Drink Contest
A small homage to Douglas Adams and the community spirit that c-base has celebrated for years.

Towel Day is an annual fan-driven tradition on May 25th, created to honor the life and work of Douglas Adams, author of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. On that day, fans worldwide carry a towel with them - because in Adams’ universe, a towel is “about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have.” This quirky, joyful ritual has grown into a celebration of creativity, community, and laughter across tech and geek culture.

At c-base, celebrating Towel Day with a Space Drink Contest and improvised festivities has become a beloved tradition. Bring your towel, your best cocktail ideas, and Don’t Panic! — it’s all about fun, conviviality, and a bit of nonsense in the best possible way.

Tickets & Swag

Ticket sale has started! While the summit itself runs on volunteer effort, your ticket helps cover T-shirts, snacks, and drinks throughout the event.

Participation in the summit is open, but please register in advance so we can plan accordingly.

Food and drinks will be available at the c-base, and we'll organize light communal catering where possible. Contributions welcome!

We will provide some merch and swag. Currenty we planning to have bathrobes and towels.

Format & Sessions

Sessions can take many forms – from short lightning talks to full-day workshops or all-night hackathons. The venue will be open 24 hours – ideal for deep dives, spontaneous sessions, or late-night breakthroughs.

Please note: there are no sleeping arrangements on-site, so plan your accommodation accordingly. See Sleepover Sync Room if you'd like to share you hotel room or need a place to stay. Let us know and we will help you to find a fitting place.

Participation & Recording

Most sessions will not be recorded – if you want to take part, you need to be there in person. We do plan to record a few on-stage discussions and deep dives, and we're still exploring creative formats to capture the vibe and message of MCS26 and beam it out from c-base to the world. Got ideas? Let us know in the Matrix room!

Can't afford to come?

If financial reasons are the issue – get in touch. We may be able to help. There's a sleepover coordination room for couchsurfing and hotel sharing, and we're working to secure some travel budget for community contributors. Reach out to the orga team in the Matrix room!

Can't come at all?

No worries – we'll be around: Some of us will attend FrOSCon, The Matrix Conference 26, and the Chaos Communication Congress. Or reach out to the Matrix Foundation Events Working Group – they can help you run your own local meetup or event.

If you're looking for a conference focused on Matrix products, updates from companies and institutions working on and with Matrix, or want to help shape how the protocol is used in large organizations, nationwide deployments, or international federations, please consider attending The Matrix Conference in Malmö later this year.

Venue: The c-base, Berlin

We're gathering at the legendary c-base – a space station under Berlin, a hackerspace, a future lab, and a home for radical imagination and technical tinkering. It's the perfect place for federation, open infrastructure, and decentralized dreams.

Participate & Support

The Matrix Community Summit is not a commercial event – there are no booths, no product talks. Instead, we offer sponsorship packages for organizations that want to support the event and help keep it grassroots and independent.