Overview

General presentations are at the heart of the FOSS4G conference. They provide a space for users, developers, researchers, and community members to share experiences, ideas, and practical knowledge around Free and Open Source Software for geospatial applications.

Talks may cover a wide range of topics, including the use of open geospatial data, real-world applications of open source software, lessons learned from projects, new developments, and emerging ideas. Presentations can focus on how open source geospatial technologies are used in practice, how they help solve organizational or societal challenges, or how new tools and approaches improve existing workflows.

General presentations are intended for a broad audience and are a great opportunity to exchange knowledge, inspire others, and connect with the wider FOSS4G community.

Timeline

• Call for talks submissions: January 19th, 2026 to March 16th, 2026
• Community vote: March 17th, 2026 to March 24th, 2026
• Announce accepted talks: April 15th, 2026
• Full program: April 22th, 2026 (tbc)

Session types

We will host 4 types of sessions: Regular Talk, Lightning Talk, Poster Presentation, and Interactive Demonstration.

• Regular Talk is allocated a 30-minute slot: 20 minutes for the presentation, 5 minutes for Q&A, and 5 minutes for room changes and setup.
• Lightning Talk is a 5-minute slot: 4 minutes for the presentation and 1 minute for setup.
• Poster Presentation features a dedicated 60-minute core time for in-depth discussion and Q&A with authors in attendance. Posters will be displayed throughout the conference (or the duration of the poster exhibition period).
• Interactive Demonstration will be held in the same room as the poster sessions and will feature a live, hands-on presentation of geospatial technologies and applications. The demonstration will rotate on an hourly basis. This format offers a dynamic platform for presenters to convey their work’s practical use and impact while providing attendees with an immersive learning experience.

Guidelines

• Clearly indicate the open source projects relevant to your talk
• Development-focused and non-development talks are both welcome
• The working language is English
• Specify a technical level from 1 (introductory) to 4 (advanced)
• Optional: provide references for advance reading

Selection Process

We will have a one-week open community vote on the submitted workshops. The result of the community vote will be taken as a recommendation, but the last decision lies with the Program Committee. The community vote is essential for us for assigning rooms and capacity planning for participants to get the best FOSS4G experience.

Notes

Please keep in mind that this is a Free and Open Source Software conference. Submissions promoting restricted-license or closed-source software will not be accepted.

You can enter proposals until 2026-03-17 00:00 (Japan), 1 month, 3 weeks from now.