Agenda

Day 1 – Connect

Tuesday, May 19
Arrival of international delegates in Vienna
Pitch coaching & warm-up sessions (Hotel Superbude Responder)

Day 2 – Global Impact

Wednesday, May 20
Opening of WSA Global Congress 2026
Keynotes, panels and fishbowls on AI, digital sovereignty, ethics, and financing impact

Fishbowl session on AI and ethics

Global Digital Compact Townhall Meeting

WSA Winners Pitches & Category Roundtables (Learning & Education, Government & Citizen Engagement, Health & Wellbeing, and Environment & Green Energy)

Get2Gether at a “Heuriger”

Day 3 – Built for Real Needs

Thursday, May 21 – Palais Wertheim

Keynotes, panels and fishbowls on inclusive digital infrastructures, and Democracy in the Digital Age

Panel on gaming for peace and community technologies

Peer2peer exchange for social entrepreneurs

WSA Winners Pitches (Culture & Heritage, Smart Settlements & Urbanization, Business & Commerce, Inclusion & Empowerment and Young Innovators)

Get2Gether at ViennaUp Homebase

Day 4 – Work Hard, Play Hard!

Friday, May 22

Digital Democracy Event – Urban Innovation Vienna

Digital Accessibility Event – Zero Project

Skills Workshops for Impact Founders – Vienna Business Agency

Digital Solutions for the UN SDGs – UNIDO

WSA Award Ceremony and Gala

Celebration of WSA Winners 2025 at Jugendstiltheater

WSA is not only known for excellent thought leadership and networking opportunities – it’s also known for great parties!

Winners

[winners year=2025]

Key Participants

[personlist role="vienna-global-congress-key-participant" sort="country"]

Why Vienna?

From May 19–22, 2026, Vienna will prove that Digital without Harm is possible, welcoming 500+ changemakers from 90+ countries.

Renowned for its commitment to digital humanism, the city offers the perfect backdrop to explore how technology can be ethical, inclusive, and human-centered. Set within ViennaUP, Central Europe’s largest startup and innovation festival, participants will have access to a wide range of events, gatherings, and networking opportunities, connecting with innovators, policymakers, and impact-driven founders from around the world.

Vienna is consistently ranked one of the most livable cities in the world, with excellent public transport, vibrant culture, historic architecture, and world-class food and coffee — the congress is the perfect occasion to finally (re)visit this city.

Visas

As Vienna is part of Schengen, the visa requirements are as follows (click the image for more information).