The future of geospatial data is being built through cloud-optimized standards and scalable infrastructure. These new tools make it possible to store and use data directly on the web, making it easier than ever to access and manage.

If you’re working with these technologies, we invite you to submit an abstract for CNG Forum 2026, to be held October 6-9 in Snowbird, Utah. The submission deadline is May 17.

We are soliciting abstracts from the community for two of our three tracks, lightning talks, and workshops.

Track 1: On-Ramp to Cloud-Native Geo

This track is a welcoming space for anyone transitioning to web-based workflows or just starting to work with cloud-optimized geospatial formats. We want to hear from you if you are helping others ditch the “download-and-wait” workflow, teaching people how to use these modern formats, or building tools that make the web feel as practical as a desktop application. This track focuses on the practical steps and the know-how to stop managing local files and start working directly on the web.

What we’re looking for: We want to see hands-on introductions to core formats like COGs, GeoParquet, STAC, Zarr, and vector tiles. We’re looking for submissions that share training materials, real-world lessons from those who’ve made the switch, and honest looks at the common pitfalls to avoid.

Track 2: Cloud-Native In-Practice

This track is for practitioners currently deploying solutions and solving problems at scale. We want your real-world implementation stories: the technical details, what has worked and didn’t for you, and your lessons from running systems in production. Most importantly, we want to hear about the impact of your work; how you’ve made data easier for your users to access and manage.

What we’re looking for: As much as possible, we want to hear about use cases rather than general overviews. While we want to hear about the tools you’ve built, your talk should center on the “why” and the “who.” How is your tool changing your users’ workflows? What questions have been answered more effectively because of your tool?

To keep the focus on “stories from the field,” we’ll prioritize submissions that are user-focused. If you’re a tool builder, we encourage you to focus on how your users solved a specific problem, or co-present with them.

We also welcome more technical submissions that go deep on architecture, implementation, or engineering challenges, even if they aren’t centered on a specific use case. Note that some technical talks may be better suited for a breakout session lightning talk or a Birds of a Feather discussion rather than a traditional talk slot. Depending on submissions, we may reach out to suggest that format during the submission review process.

When submitting, please indicate in the form whether your talk is use case-focused or more of a technical deep dive so we can plan accordingly.

Lightning Talks

We’re looking for fast-paced, high-impact stories to feature either during our plenary or in break-out sessions.

Plenary lightning talks will use the Ignite style format, where each presenter has exactly 5 minutes to get through exactly 20 slides of content, i.e.,15 seconds per slide, and each slide is auto-advancing. It’s fast, focused, and high-energy. These talks are for big ideas and quick wins that provide value to the whole room.

The breakout lighting talks are not required to be in the Ignite style format. These talks are for more niche technical topics that will be extremely interesting to a smaller group of attendees.

Workshops

We’re looking for experts to lead hands-on learning sessions on October 6. You’ll have full decision-making authority over the content and format, allowing you to design a learning experience tailored to your expertise.

We have two technical workshop formats available: Large (up to 6 hours) and Small (2-3 hours).

Workshop pricing: Hosting a workshop is included as a benefit for active CNG members, both individuals and organizations. For non-CNG members, the registration fee is $1,000 to host a small workshop and $3,000 to host a large workshop.

Speaker Benefit

All accepted speakers will be eligible to register at Super Early Bird pricing ($450 for CNG members and $550 for non-members) regardless of when acceptance notifications are sent. We encourage potential speakers to purchase their ticket(s) as soon as they know they will be attending and we’ll issue refunds for the ticket price difference if your talk is accepted.

Join us

• Submit your abstract. Our call for speakers is open until May 17.
• Run a workshop. Facilitate a hands-on learning session on our dedicated workshop day (October 6) to showcase your expertise or help participants build skills they need to adapt to cloud-native tech. Our call for workshops is open until May 17.
• Get your ticket. Discounted early bird tickets are available until May 15.
• Become a CNG member. Joining CNG connects you to our wonderful community and provides opportunities to work on the projects that are transforming the geospatial sector.

Conference Dates: October 6–9, 2026

Location: Snowbird, Utah

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