Off-Program Gems is one special evening of five fast, sharp lightning talks from presenters and stories we loved but could not squeeze into the main-day schedule. It is where the slightly weirder, braver and more experimental ideas get a proper moment, without needing to fill a full-length slot or carry the weight of a keynote. Think tight talks, small-ish room, and the energy of “you kind of had to be there.”

Across the night, you will hear work-in-progress thinking, deep craft in snackable form and the kind of niche ideas that are too specific for the main stage but perfect for a room of peers. Each talk is long enough to say something real and short enough that the whole evening feels pacey, playful and full of surprises.

You can expect:

• Five lightning talks that are sharp, opinionated and high on signal, low on fluff.

• Presenters trying out new ideas in public, sharing things they are still figuring out rather than polished greatest hits.

• Topics that skew a little weirder, more niche or more vulnerable than the regular program usually allows.

• Time to mingle after the talks so you can keep the conversation going with speakers and other curious humans.

Off-Program Gems is your excuse to skip the obvious pick, lean into something that sounds a bit odd and leave with a handful of stories, ideas and connections you will be talking about long after the main conference wraps.