Learn how this local community became a meeting point for tech groups and experts from around the world.
The Tenerife Winter Sessions Conference has become a significant event for tech enthusiasts on the island. Now in its third edition, the conference has seen attendance numbers ranging from 40 to 60 participants per in-person event. This growing interest is a testament to the value and impact of the sessions.
This hybrid conference featured 44 virtual speakers, including a large list of notable names, many MVPs being among them. The conference's YouTube channel has also attracted significant engagement, with a peak of 1.2K live views on the 7th day.
The conference has successfully secured sponsorships for various aspects, including the event venue, catering for attendees and speakers, and the Kahoot Challenge contest. The Kahoot Challenge, which features questions about the day's presentations, offered small prizes for attendees, adding an element of fun and engagement to the event.
This conference was hosted by Guarandinga Tech, a community that began its journey in March 2024 with the aim of providing a platform for people to grow their knowledge about software development and architecture. With an open-minded vision and a strong commitment, it fosters organic community growth by providing opportunities for new members to contribute, gain expertise, and become future community leaders.
IT leaders who lead this community in Tenerife Island, MVPs David Lorenzo, Elena Guzman, Jorge Fernández, along with community leader Elias Badenes, soon realized the importance of having an online presence. They also noticed the need for collaboration with other mature communities and community experts who focus on Spanish-language content, as these experts could help them expand their community’s impact beyond physical boundaries.
For the remote side of the conference, Guarandinga Tech collaborated with community leaders such as MVPs Alejandro Almeida , Javier Menendez Pallo , María Soto Castro , Roberto Navarro Matesanz , David Oliva Paredes and community organizer Érika Cepeda The in-person part of the show had local speakers such as MVPs Emiliano Montesdeoca del Puerto , David J. Rodriguez Hernandez , Santiago Porras Rodríguez , Eickhel Mendoza.
One of the highlights of the Tenerife Winter Sessions is its support for new speakers. In two of the events, speakers gave their first presentations with the conference's support. Lorenzo Pinna and Jordi Hernandez were provided with Azure resources and assistance to help them prepare their presentations. This initiative not only encourages new talent but also enriches the content.
Quotes and Testimonials:
- “Thank you for giving me the opportunity to present about Microsoft Copilot I wish, I can participate in the in-person track next time” – MVP Enrique Romero Fernández.
-“This conference counts with such an excellent group of technical speakers! Thank you for having me! – MVP Sara Alonso Bernardo.
This conference has fostered a growing community, with a total of 156 members on Meetup. These members have attended at least one in-person event, and the community continues to expand with each session. The most recent event saw a 60% increase in new attendees, including individuals from non-technical fields such as psychology, who are interested in learning how to apply AI in their work.
Organizers made efforts to reach out to educational institutions offering technology programs, such as the high schools IES Cesar Manrique and Colegio Salesianos La Cuesta. The goal is to attract more students, particularly from the University of La Laguna (ULL), to join the community and participate in the events.
Looking ahead, the organizers plan to hold three in-person events each year. They aim to unite different communities on the island and encourage new speakers to give their first talks. Based on attendee feedback, future events will include practical workshops where participants can learn hands-on skills during the sessions. The next event is expected to take place before summer.
Visit GuarandingaTECH - YouTube to watch the session recordings.
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