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Faseela Kundattil writes:

The Cloud Native Computing Foundation’s flagship conference brings together adopters and technologists from leading open source and cloud-native communities in Amsterdam, Netherlands, from 23–26 March, 2026. It is a space where CNCF Graduated, Incubating, and Sandbox Projects come together for four days of collaboration, learning, and innovation.

Every year, KubeCon + CloudNativeCon feels like coming home. This year is very special for me. Co-chairing this event is an honor, and it is my final term as co-chair after Atlanta and London in 2025. I feel excited, grateful, and a little sentimental as I look forward to the week ahead.

March 22 – Maintainer Summit

My KubeCon week starts with the Maintainer Summit.

As a CNCF TOC member, this is one of the most meaningful spaces for me. Maintainers from many projects come together to discuss governance, sustainability, contributor growth, and project direction. I will help guide discussions, listen to concerns, and collaborate on decisions that shape how CNCF projects evolve. These are the rooms where honest feedback happens and where the future quietly takes shape.

If you are a project maintainer, this is a great opportunity to bring your questions and ideas. Eligible maintainers can register here: Maintainer Summit Registration.

March 23 – Co-located Events and Community Conversations

Co-located events day is always full of focused discussions.

I am looking forward to Agentic Day and Cloud Native Telco Day. These sessions show where cloud native is heading, from intelligent systems to real-world infrastructure at scale. You can explore all CNCF-hosted co-located events here: Co-located Events Schedule.

In the evening, I will also attend the JetBrains Developer Night at their office across from RAI. I am joining a panel on the future of engineering, talking about how AI and tooling are changing how we build and operate software. It will be great to connect with developers in a different setting while staying close to KubeCon.

March 24 – Agentic Futures and End User Stories

I am excited about the keynotes on the opening day of KubeCon. I am particularly looking forward to my fellow co-chair Lin Sun’s keynote on agentic cloud native. She will show how AI agents and intent-driven systems can make cloud native more intuitive and human-centered.

In the afternoon, I will also moderate the End User Fireside Chat, hearing how organizations use CNCF projects in production. This always reminds me why we do this work.

I’m particularly excited about the Ericsson presence on the day, including Andrey Shorov presenting “Securing the AI/ML Lifecycle With MLSecOps”. It’s always great to see our team contributing to the community and sharing expertise in AI/ML security.

Istio Day at the Cloud Native Theater is another highlight on this day. As an Istio Steering Committee member, I look forward to connecting with the service mesh community and sharing insights. See the theater schedule here: Cloud Native Theater / Istio Day.

Later in the afternoon, the community spirit continues with #KubeCrawl + #CloudNativeFest - a fun social kickoff on the solutions showcase floor where everyone can mingle over food, drinks, and great conversations with peers from around the world. This event is a wonderful way to celebrate the start of the main conference schedule and connect with old and new friends alike. (conf.party)

March 25 – Sustainability and Leadership

This day is especially important for me.

I will deliver my keynote, “From Orbit to the Grid: Automating a Greener Future”. It explores cloud-native sustainability across satellites, cloud infrastructure, and renewable energy in homes. The audience will join a live simulation to create a virtual power plant together. It is a fun and interactive way to see the impact we can make collectively.

Later, I will participate in the panel “From First Contribution to Leadership”. We will share stories about how small contributions grow into leadership in CNCF. We will talk about mentors, challenges, and community support. It is personal, inspiring, and one of my favorite conversations to have.

I’m especially proud of my colleague and friend Kashif Khan, TAG Infrastructure co-chair, representing Ericsson in “Introduction to TAG Infrastructure”. It’s wonderful to see our colleagues actively shaping CNCF infrastructure discussions.

March 26 – Platforms and the Feedback Loop

Thursday has more sessions I am eager to see.

The TOC + End User TAB keynote shows how developers and end users work together to shape CNCF projects. As a TOC member, I am proud to see my fellow members presenting this session. I am excited for the discussion on governance, adoption, and ecosystem feedback loops.

I am also looking forward to my fellow co-chair Abby Bangser’s keynote on cloud-native platforms. She will talk about why platform architecture and clear boundaries are essential for long-term success. These lessons resonate deeply with my work in the community.

Planning Tips – How I Make the Most of KubeCon

Over the years, I have learned a few things that help me enjoy KubeCon more:

  • Define your purpose. Whether it is learning, networking, mentoring, or connecting with the community, having a clear focus helps you plan your time.
  • Bookmark top sessions, but stay flexible. Sometimes the best conversations happen after a session or in the hallway.
  • Contribute and engage. Talks are only the start. Real learning happens when you ask questions and connect with others.
  • Take advantage of community spaces. The Project Pavilion, Solution Showcase, peer mentorship sessions, and ContribFest are great for hands-on interaction.
  • Pace yourself. KubeCon is exciting but can be overwhelming. Make time for networking, rest, and gatherings like Women in Cloud Native, Merge Forward, Ambassador Breakfast, or #KubeCrawl.
  • Reflect before the event ends. Think about one takeaway, one new connection, and one idea to share with your community.

You can find more details on how to make the maximum out of KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe 2026 at How to Get the Most Out of KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe 2026 | CNCF

Beyond Sessions – Community and Connections

Keynotes and panels are inspiring, but the people make KubeCon special.

I look forward to connecting with my Ericsson colleagues, meeting fellow maintainers, and catching up with TOC members and CNCF ambassadors. The Project Pavilion, especially the Istio booth, is a great place for demos and connecting with project contributors.

One of my favorite parts of KubeCon is the workshops and in-person TOC sessions. These gatherings are where we reflect on what worked well, discuss what could be improved, and plan strategies for the future. After months of remote collaboration, it is incredibly valuable to sit together, brainstorm, and make decisions that help CNCF projects and the community thrive.

KubeCon is more than a conference. It is a celebration of collaboration, learning, and shared vision. I cannot wait to see everyone in Amsterdam, share stories, and imagine what is next for cloud-native together.

See you soon in Amsterdam!