I had the opportunity to attend the Data Innovation Summit 2025 on May 7–8 in Stockholm together with our CTO Janne Dalin. This event is the largest conference in the Nordics focused on data and artificial intelligence, bringing together more than 300 speakers and 3,000 attendees from around the Nordics. It offered a comprehensive look at the latest innovations and real-world applications in the data and AI landscape.
Overview of the event
Hosted at Kistamässan in Stockholm, the 10th edition of the Data Innovation Summit was a hybrid event, also accessible online. It featured:
- Over 300 speakers
- More than 250 sessions
- 9 stages and 7 workshop rooms
- 100+ exhibitors
- Over 3,000 participants
The summit covered a wide range of topics, including machine learning, generative AI, data engineering, modern data infrastructure, analytics, and data governance.
Key takeaways from two intensive days
1. Strong Finnish presence
It was great to see a significant number of Finnish attendees at the event, including over ten Finnish speakers. Numerous Finnish companies, consultancies, and software vendors were represented, underlining Finland’s growing influence in the data space.
2. Diverse session content
With more than 250 sessions available, it was impossible to attend them all live. Fortunately, all presentations are available on-demand after the event.
The quality and depth of the talks varied considerably:
- Some sessions were more high-level, offering broad overviews without going deep into technical details.
- Others dove into technical specifics, providing concrete examples and practical applications. For example, case studies on migrating from legacy on-premises systems to cloud-based solutions were particularly engaging.
However, the 20-minute time limit per session often limited how deeply a topic could be explored.
In addition to the talks, visiting the exhibitor booths and joining vendor-led micro-sessions was a great way to gain deeper insights and make valuable contacts.
3. Excellent networking opportunities
Perhaps the most valuable aspect of the summit was the opportunity to connect with customers, prospects, peers, and partners. The event gathered nearly every major player in the data industry under one roof—an ideal setting for scouting technologies and discussing solutions.
The “Data After Dark” networking event on the First evening provided a relaxed atmosphere for more informal connections.
4. Notable absence of tech giants
Interestingly, Microsoft and AWS were not present at the event. Conversations with some of their partners revealed that these companies may be focusing on hosting their own dedicated events. Given their established positions, they may no longer see the need to attend broader summits where competing solutions are also presented.
That said, all of Etlia’s key technology partners were well-represented, confirming we are staying aligned with current industry directions.
Who should attend?
Based on our two-day experience, the Data Innovation Summit is best suited for:
- Business and data leaders interested in data and AI strategy
- Data architects and engineers looking to stay updated on industry trends and meet vendors face-to-face
- Consultants and developers seeking new tools and collaboration opportunities
However, for highly technical experts looking for deep-dive content, the summit may not offer enough depth in its current format.
Conclusion
The Data Innovation Summit 2025 provided a broad and inspiring overview of the current and future state of data and AI. While the depth of content varied, the event excelled in networking, idea generation, and tracking data industry trends.
For Finnish participants in particular, the event was a great platform to strengthen international connections and highlight Finland’s growing expertise in the Nordic data landscape.
Petri Räsänen
