Wrapped 2024

Last year, we set out with some good intentions aimed at creating even more value for our community: growing together, creating moments of connection and discussion, learning opportunities, and mentorship.

Another year has passed—wow, time flies! So many things have happened, and... it’s finally time for me to go through all these moments and reflect on them with greater awareness.

Events

This year, we’re adding a new format to the Codemotion events family: CTO Connect, exclusively dedicated to CTOs and Tech Leaders.

A quick recap of the 2024 event landscape?

• +8,900 attendees

• 20 tracks

• 7 days

• +310 speakers

• +220 sessions

• +250 partners

Let’s take a closer look at our 4 main events of the year:

Codemotion events are not just packed with content, training, international speakers, and networking opportunities—they’re a true community experience. Here are some of the activities we organized this year during our conferences:

• Tech Experts: Specialists in various technologies were available to answer questions, address doubts, and discuss a range of topics. 90% of these experts are part of our community partners, who help make these initiatives possible.

• Scholarships: Dedicated to members of underrepresented groups in tech and those unable to afford conference costs.

• Photo Contest with Lego: During Codemotion Madrid, we ran a photo contest featuring amazing Lego creations.

• Lightning Talks: Conference participants had the opportunity to step on the Codemotion stage and deliver their own 5-minute talks. At Codemotion Milan, our ambassador Emanuele Bartolesi participated in the session and provided feedback to participants.

• Slide Roulette: A hilarious session where participants competed by delivering impromptu presentations based on random slides and topics, with the sole aim of entertaining the audience. Special thanks to Daniel Zotti, who developed a fully branded Codemotion tool for this activity, and Alfredo Morresi, who hosted a warm-up session for participants.

• Wannabe Speaker Program: Our team of ambassadors mentored community members who had never delivered a talk at a conference.

• Wannabe Content Creator Academy α: Ambassadors Emanuele Bartolesi and Serena Sensini led two sessions on public speaking and tech content writing, launching the first iteration of this academy.

• Epic Failures: Lessons Learned from Developers: We explored developers' most catastrophic programming moments, collecting your production disasters during the conference and discussing them with ambassadors Soumaya Erradi, Gabriele Santomaggio, and Michele Riva.

• Tech Dating: A structured networking session designed to help attendees meet and connect.

• Community Manager Meetup: Tech community managers gathered to present their groups, network, and collaborate on solutions to shared challenges. It was a great opportunity to learn and exchange experiences.

• Who Wants to Be a Rock Star Developer?: A technical quiz covering topics such as DevOps, backend, frontend, machine learning, and AI. Contestants answered 15–20 multiple-choice questions with dynamic aids like "Code Review" and "Pair Programming," guided by a host.

• Green Software Championship: An interactive quiz on sustainable software development, exploring key concepts of green software. Each question was followed by explanations and practical tips for more environmentally conscious coding. This was an educational and inspiring experience to contribute to a greener digital future, one commit at a time.

• The CTO Manifesto: Together with Enrico Maria Cestari and Giuseppe Santoro, we laid the foundation for creating a CTO manifesto—a tool to address challenges in this role, outline guidelines, and define best practices.

• 10 Workshops: Organized during Codemotion Milan and Madrid, many of them in collaboration with partners.

Good Resolutions for 2025

This year has undoubtedly been intense, filled with new projects and the launch of exciting ideas!

A vibrant 2025 awaits us, packed with unmissable events:

• March: CTO Connect Rome

• April: Codemotion Rome

• May: Codemotion Madrid

• June: Codemotion Workshop Fest

• September: CTO Connect Milan

• October: Codemotion Milan

In addition, plenty of meetups are already planned for Milan, Rome, Bari, and Madrid!

What’s next, beyond continuing the initiatives of the past two years?

• Expanding the Wannabe Speaker Program for Codemotion Madrid.

• Providing opportunities for community members to become Codemotion Contributors, sharing valuable content.

• Strengthening relationships with partners by creating impactful initiatives that benefit local communities.

• Organizing opportunities for exchange between members, contributors, ambassadors, and partners to develop new activities together during the conferences in Rome, Milan, and Madrid.

• Launching the Wannabe Content Creator Academy, with programs focused on public speaking and tech article writing.

• Publishing the CTO Manifesto, featuring best practices to make a meaningful impact on our industry, starting with team management.

That’s all for now.

Taking a moment to reflect and assess what has happened is not something to take for granted. Often, overwhelmed by the continuous flow of projects and deadlines, we don’t realize the distance we’ve traveled. We are so focused on “doing” that both small and big successes go unnoticed.

Yet, stopping to celebrate the milestones we’ve achieved is essential. It’s not just about recognition; it’s about collective awareness. Every result is the outcome of shared effort, courage, and the determination of a team that, day after day, builds real value. An impact that is reflected in concrete ways: from inspiration in companies, to growth opportunities for developers, to the creation of useful content and authentic connections.

2024 has been a year full of intensity and satisfaction. I’ve met countless people with whom I’ve shared laughter and honest conversations. Some supported me during moments of uncertainty, while others inspired me with their energy and vision.

"Community" is not just a word: it’s a living space, a place for mutual growth and real impact. The value of those who walk alongside us, holding our hands, cannot be measured, but we can feel the difference they make in our journey. And that impact is immense.

That’s why I want to say THANK YOU. A small but powerful word. Thank you to those who stood by us, to those who gave advice, to those who shared their time and experience to make Codemotion what it is today. Thank you to the community members who not only participate but actively contribute to making each initiative special. Thank you to the partners for their trust and constant support. And thank you to the entire Codemotion team, a group that makes you feel at home even in the most chaotic moments.

A big hug and... let’s kick off 2025 with all the energy and desire to grow that we know how to bring to the table! 😊

Michela Bertaina