The Databases & Data Quality Stage at the 11th edition of the Data Innovation Summit in Stockholm is set to be an unmissable destination for practitioners dedicated to the backbone of the modern enterprise. The day kicks off with a warm welcome from Goran Cvetanovski and opening remarks by Stefan Wendin, setting a high-energy tone for a deep dive into the future of data. Attendees will witness a high-level dialogue on the “Future Outlook” between Anders Ynnerman and Saab Group’s Anders Arpteg, followed by a provocative keynote from Andy Cotgreave on why human insight remains the ultimate differentiator in an automated world. The momentum continues as Snowflake’s Maria Wiss reveals the strategies leaders use to extract tangible business value from AI, and Stephen Brobst explores the infrastructure required for Agentic AI. The day culminates in a must-see closing keynote by Nathaniel Ives from NVIDIA, who will architect the vision for “The Token Economy.” For anyone serious about the intersection of high-performance databases and uncompromising data quality, Day 1 offers a roadmap for the era of Agentic AI that simply cannot be overlooked.
On the first day, the M9 stage will include some of the following speakers:
- Stefan Wendin – Head of Intelligent Systems | RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden)
- Sid Srivastava – Director, Data Architecture & AI/ML Platforms | 2K Games
- Ralph Foorthuis – Global Domain Architect Data | HEINEKEN International
- Jesper Baek Eriksen – Lead Domain Architect, Core Platform Capabilities | Bankdata & Jakob Brandel – Director, EMEA Solution Engineering | EDB
- Joseph Lane – Technical Lead | IAG Loyalty (Avois)
- Lars Hove Goswami-Christiansen – Principal SQL Server Database Administrator | PFA
- Laura Malins – Head of Product | Sifflet
- Samrat Ghosh – Lead Data & AI Architect | Tele2
- Katsimanis Thodoris – Technology Manager – Operational & Distributed Database Systems | KaizenGaming
- Victoria Palacin – Research Team Leader & Carolyn Cole – Research Scientist | VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
The stage will be supported by Stefan Wendin as a Moderator and SODA as a Stage Partner.
Second day of the Databases & Data Quality Stage
On Day 2, the focus shifts toward the critical pillars of the Sovereignty, Infrastructure, and Security Stage, offering a masterclass in resilient data ecosystems. Following Stefan Wendin’s opening remarks, Kevin Shin of Samsung Semiconductor will take the stage to explore the powerful convergence of AI and security, illustrating how a defensive posture can be transformed into a competitive offensive advantage. Databricks’ David Meyer will then provide essential insights into how AI is fundamentally reshaping company structures, followed by a highly anticipated session with best-selling author Joe Reis, who will tackle the evolution of data modeling in the age of AI. Both days will be expertly wrapped up by Stefan Wendin, ensuring practitioners leave with a cohesive, actionable perspective on the technologies and security frameworks defining the next industrial revolution. This is a premier opportunity for data professionals to gain the foresight needed to build secure, scalable, and sovereign data infrastructures.
Day 2 on the M9 stage will include sessions from:
- Stefan Wendin – Head of Intelligent Systems | RISE (Research Institutes of Sweden)
- Björn Svensson – Open Source Developer | Ericsson & Kyle Davis – General Manager, Valkey/Redis ecosystem | Percona
- Shubhangi Goyal – Senior Analyst | Admiral Group Plc
- Sonia Horchidan – Co-Founder and CEO | OrbDB Labs
- Agnieszka Pruszek – Senior Project Manager AI Solutions | Samsung R&D Poland
- Jesper Fredriksson – Chief Technical Officer | zimply.ai
- Ericka Johnson – Professor, Founder | Fair AI Data
- Mallika Rao – Senior Engineering Manager (former Netflix) | Zocdoc
This is a technical and process stage bringing database professionals, data stewards, and data quality leaders together to ensure reliable data foundations for analytics and AI. Focus on leading database technologies (vector DBs, NewSQL, federated/data mesh), real-time data ingestion, advanced security, data synchronization and lineage, and modern data quality strategies for reliable and scalable AI enablement.
Day 3: Industry Day
The Data Innovation Summit (DIS) is setting a new standard this year with the addition of a third day dedicated exclusively to Industry Day. This premier segment is designed to spotlight high-impact, real-world applications and foster the high-level cross-sector collaboration that defines today’s market leaders. It is an essential forum for those committed to transforming theoretical data potential into measurable, tangible business value.
The day’s programming features elite, hands-on Masterclasses led by Joe Reis, the visionary author of Fundamentals of Data Engineering (O’Reilly) and co-creator of the acclaimed Coursera data engineering specialization alongside Andrew Ng. A world-renowned keynote speaker and influential voice through his podcast and blog, Joe is currently distilling the future of the field into his upcoming work, Mixed Model Arts.
For those eager to prove their mettle in the technical trenches, we are hosting a competitive Hackathon. This high-energy arena is designed for practitioners to stress-test their skills against complex, real-world challenges in a race for innovation.
Keep a close watch on this space as we unveil further details and exclusive insights in our upcoming articles. This is an evolution of the summit you simply cannot miss.
For those eager to prove their mettle in the technical trenches, we are introducing another novelty – a competitive Hackathon. This high-energy arena is designed for practitioners to stress-test their skills against complex, real-world challenges in a race for innovation.
Keep a close watch on this space as we unveil further details and exclusive insights in our upcoming articles. This is an evolution of the summit you wouldn’t want to miss.
Secure Your Seat at the Forefront of Data
The transition from traditional data management to the era of Agentic AI requires more than just new tools and it demands a fundamental shift in how we architect, govern, and secure our most valuable assets. From refining the data modeling techniques to fortifying enterprise infrastructure, the insights shared by these industry titans provide the essential blueprint for success.
See all about the rest of the stages on the DIS 2026X1.
Don’t miss the chance to network with peers and learn from the trailblazers who are setting the standard for the next decade of innovation.
We look forward to welcoming you to Stockholm for the Data Innovation Summit – an event that promises to be as transformative as the technologies we discuss.
