Raise your hand.
We’re curating sessions for DLS 2026 and want to hear from people who’d love to contribute — talk, host, co-lead a workshop, join a panel, or run a roundtable. This isn’t a formal submission. It’s a quick raise-your-hand, and we’ll follow up if there’s a fit.
Six ways onto the stage.
Pick a format below — or tell us what you want to do and we’ll find the fit.
Give a talk
A solo or duo mainstage talk — a frank playbook, not a polished keynote.
Join a panel
Trade perspectives live on the questions that don’t have clean answers yet.
Host a roundtable
Facilitate 8–12 peers under Chatham House Rule on a problem you know well.
Lead a workshop
A hands-on session where the room leaves with something usable.
Share a teardown
Walk through a real case study — what worked, what didn’t, what you’d redo.
Recommend someone
Know a leader who should be on this stage? Point us to them.
What we’re looking for in 2026.
These are the conversations we keep having with design leaders right now. Starting points, not requirements — if your idea is in the neighborhood, raise your hand.
What makes a strong proposal
Relevance
Tie it to what design leaders are actually navigating right now — not a general topic, a specific fight.
Clarity
One thing the room should walk out knowing how to do. If you can't name it, we'll help you find it.
Engagement
A real story with real stakes beats a framework with clean edges. Bring the messy part.
We make speaking worth it.
Putting a good talk together is real work. We help you shape it, and we cover the basics.
Economy airfare
Round-trip to and from Toronto, so you can focus on the talk.
2 hotel nights
At a partner hotel near the venue, arranged by us.
VIP speaker dinner
Two invites to an off-record dinner with fellow speakers and leaders.
Recording + feedback
A professional video of your session plus real attendee insights.
A lightweight first step.
Tell us your idea — we’ll take it from there.
Raise your hand
Share a quick idea — or just tell us what excites you. Five minutes, no deck.
We review on a rolling basis
DLS is curated. We get more interest than spots, so we follow up with a small group as we shape the program.
We build it together
If there’s a fit, we’ll reach out to explore the idea and shape the right format with you.
Everything you need to know about speaking.
Who should apply?
Experienced design leaders, hands-on practitioners, and industry experts with valuable insight to share — across leadership, process, people, or emerging trends. We’re looking for sessions that deliver real value to an audience of design leaders.
What if I’m a first-time speaker?
Please apply. Our team can provide guidance, feedback, and resources to help you prepare and deliver a confident, engaging session. If you have a great story or a unique insight, we want to hear from you.
Travel & accommodation
For accepted speakers we cover economy airfare to and from Toronto, two nights at a partner hotel, and an invite to the VIP speaker dinner.
Accessibility & recording consent
We’re committed to an accessible summit — tell us about any needs in your application. All sessions are recorded for post-event viewing; by speaking at DLS you consent to being recorded and to your talk being shared with attendees and in event promotion.
Can I submit more than one idea?
Yes. You’re welcome to raise your hand for more than one format or topic — just note each in the form and we’ll find the best fit.
More questions? Email support@designx.community.
Ready to raise your hand?
Five minutes, no deck needed. Share a quick idea or simply raise your hand — we’ll follow up if there’s a fit.
Not speaking? There’s still a seat.
Bring your team and save, or volunteer and help shape the community on the ground.