Speaker Guide — PyCon DE & PyData 2026

The Hitchhikers' Guide for Speakers

Don't panic! In this guide you will find everything you need:

  • Presenting at the conference
  • Tech set-up (including audio, video, and power)
  • Language
  • Changes to your proposal

This guide is for talks and tutorial, not panels.

Quick Checklist

Before your talk

  • [ ] Slides uploaded to Pretalx
  • [ ] Audio/video clips flagged to video26[at]pycon.(dot).de (if applicable)
  • [ ] HDMI adapter packed (or USB-C hub confirmed)
  • [ ] Power cable packed
  • [ ] Arrive at your room 10 minutes early
  • [ ] Collect headset from technicians at the back of the room
  • [ ] Laptop plugged into power
  • [ ] Power saving mode disabled
  • [ ] Slides display correctly on projector
  • [ ] Wait for your slides to be visible on screen before you start — we will show a "session starting soon" slide first, which is required for automatic video cutting. Do not begin your presentation until your own slides are visible.

After your talk

  • [ ] Return headset to technicians immediately
  • [ ] Leave the speaker desk straight away
  • [ ] Continue any discussions outside the room

Presenting at the Conference

Talk Length

All talk lengths include 5–10 minutes of suggested Q&A time. Please never exceed your talk time.

Q&A

We will use our conference (video) app talks.pycon also to collect questions from remote and in-person attendees. Your session chair will manage and read out questions for you.

Please do not take questions directly from the audience — they will not be audible in the video.

Session Chair

There will always be a session chair to introduce you and moderate Q&A. The chair will also assist you if you need help, for example in case of technical difficulties.

After Your Presentation

Please leave the speaker desk immediately after your talk so the room can be reset for the next speaker — and so the technicians can have a break. :) Continue any discussions with attendees outside the room.

What If I Am Not Sure I Can Make It?

If you are unsure whether you can attend, please let us know at program26[at]pycon.(dot).de as soon as possible so the team can take action.

Tech Set-Up

Before the Conference — Slides

Please upload your slides to Pretalx before the conference: pretalx.com/pyconde-pydata-2026/me/submissions

This helps attendees at the back of the room follow along and serves as a backup if your laptop has any connectivity issues during your talk.

Before the Conference — Audio and Video Clips

Are you playing any audio or video clips with audio during your presentation?

If yes, please let us know in advance at video26[at]pycon.(dot).de so the video team can prepare the setup. Do not assume this works automatically — it requires configuration.

For video clips without audio we do not require any info upfront.

On the Day — Tech Check

Our technicians will be on-site well before the first sessions start. You are welcome to come by your room in the morning to test your slides and setup ahead of time. This is especially recommended for first-time speakers.

On the Day — Arrive Early

Please arrive at your room at least 10 minutes before your session starts. You will be fitted with a headset and can confirm your laptop connects correctly to the projector.

If you hold a tutorial, make sure it can be completed without an internet connection.

Laptops

Please bring your own laptop to present with.

Projectors and Connection

All projectors support 16:9 Full HD.

Please ensure you have an HDMI output, we recommend to bring your own adapter.

HDMI signal may break on low power, so:

  • Connect your laptop to the power outlet at the speaker desk
  • Disable power saving mode on your laptop

Why: modern laptops reduce GPU and display output when running on battery. This can degrade or drop the HDMI signal to the projector and recording equipment mid-talk. Do not take this lightly.

Headsets

Each session room has two headsets. Before your session, please collect your headset from the technicians at the back of the room. After your talk, return the headset to the technicians immediately so it is ready for the next speaker.

Recording, Streaming, and Live Subtitles

All talks and tutorials will be streamed live and published later on our YouTube channels some time after the conferece.

This year we are providing live subtitles for the first time. This requires the best possible audio quality — please speak clearly and directly into the headset, remain standing at the speaker desk, and avoid moving around. Use a laser pointer if you want to highlight something on your slides.

Before each talk we will display a "session starting soon" slide. This is required for our automatic video cutting. Please do not start your presentation until your own slides are visible on screen.

Language

The conference language is English only.

We encourage everyone to use gender-neutral language. Some useful guidelines: