DSC Next Conference 2026 — Past Event Report Amsterdam, The Netherlands | May 7–8, 2026
A Message from the Organizer
On behalf of the entire DSC Next team, we are thrilled to share the highlights and reflections from what was truly an unforgettable edition of the DSC Next Conference. The 2026 gathering in Amsterdam brought together an extraordinary community of data scientists, AI researchers, industry leaders, and innovators from across the globe — and the energy, ideas, and conversations that filled those two days exceeded every expectation.
Thank you to everyone who made it possible — our speakers, award winners, attendees, sponsors, and partners. You are the heart of this conference.
Event Overview
Event Name DSC Next Conference 2026Date May 7–8, 2026Location Amsterdam, The NetherlandsWebsite www.dscnextconference.comOrganized by Next Business MediaTheme Beyond Boundaries: The Future of Data Science & AI
By the Numbers
• 🎤 28+ Speakers from across the globe• 🌍 15+ Countries represented• 📅 2 Days of immersive learning• 🏆 5 Awards presented• 💡 20+ Sessions including keynotes, talks, panels, and virtual presentations• 🤝 3 Networking & Photo Session per day
About the Conference
DSC Next Conference is one of Europe's most dynamic gatherings dedicated to data science, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and emerging technologies. Now in its 2026 edition, the conference has grown into a truly international platform where cutting-edge research meets real-world application, and where academic insight meets industry execution.
The 2026 edition was held in the heart of Amsterdam — a city that perfectly mirrors the conference's spirit of openness, innovation, and global connectivity. Over two full days, attendees experienced a rich program of keynote addresses, expert speaker sessions, virtual presentations, a panel discussion, and a prestigious award ceremony.
Day 1 Highlights — Thursday, May 7, 2026
Day 1 set the tone for the entire conference with a powerful and diverse lineup of speakers tackling some of the most pressing challenges and opportunities in data science and AI today.
Opening Ceremony
The conference was officially opened by Anas Jawed, CEO of Next Business Media, who welcomed attendees from across the world and set the stage for two days of learning, connection, and inspiration.
Keynote: Teaching Agents to Pay — What Devs Need to Know
Anna Spysz, Developer Advocate at Stripe, delivered the opening keynote, diving into the rapidly evolving world of AI agent payment systems. Drawing on her background in software engineering and her work at AWS and Stripe, she offered developers a practical and forward-looking perspective on what it takes to build agents that transact intelligently.
Session Highlights
Deeksha Mishra (Data Science Manager, Meta) explored how user sentiment data can be harnessed to drive meaningful product impact — sharing lessons from leading data science teams across Facebook News, Facebook Creators, and Instagram Delivery.
Sebastin Britto Stephen (Møller Mobility Group) demonstrated the power of graph-based Customer 360 platforms, showing how combining Master Data Management with graph technologies and machine learning can predict churn and unlock significant business value.
Gaurav Gupta (Senior Data Scientist, PayPal) took the audience inside the architecture of autonomous multi-agent AI systems, presenting a hands-on exploration of LangGraph and MCP frameworks for building agentic workflows.
Tabassom Sedighi delivered a powerful keynote applying NLP to one of the most critical areas of public protection research, demonstrating how data science can be a tool for safeguarding society’s most vulnerable.
Shubhradeep Nandi (Chief Research Scientist, ResponCibleAI) — named among India’s Top 7 GenAI Scientists — addressed one of the field’s most urgent challenges: aligning responsible AI within the probabilistic world of LLMs and AI agents.
Bettina Kirchner (COO, Technische Visualistik) challenged the audience to confront the blind spots in data analytics, making a compelling case for why meaning — not just data — is the true foundation of organizational understanding.
Tong Zhi (Hollyport Capital) brought a rare and refreshing perspective on AI in private equity, walking attendees through the practical journey of building an AI-first data infrastructure in one of the world’s most data-complex investment environments.
Alexander Sternfeld (HES-SO Valais-Wallis) delivered a thought-provoking keynote on the principles of safe, transparent, and effective AI collaboration in defense contexts.
Éric Filiol (Thales Group) presented cutting-edge research on reducing validation error in AI decision tests using homomorphic AI and repetition codes — a session that showcased the depth of technical expertise present at the conference.
Pinaki Bose (Tata Consultancy Services) closed Day 1 as a virtual speaker, sharing strategies for making self-serve analytics accessible on enormous structured datasets through generative AI interfaces.
Panel Discussion: Beyond Boundaries
One of the most energetic sessions of the day was the panel discussion titled “Beyond Boundaries: Open Conversations on GenAI, Data Science, and the Future” featuring Raido Saar (ComplyOnce), Adam Broniewski (Konekti), and Meltem Oktay (Koalitix). The conversation ranged from regulatory innovation and enterprise AI adoption to the future of process intelligence — sparking lively debate and audience engagement.
Day 1 Networking Session
Day 1 concluded with a dedicated networking and photo session, giving attendees the opportunity to connect with speakers and fellow professionals in a relaxed and vibrant atmosphere.
Day 2 Highlights — Friday, May 8, 2026
Day 2 opened with fresh energy and a lineup that continued to push boundaries across industries, geographies, and disciplines.
Opening Keynote: The Future of AI Is Human
Alex S. Moy (Founder, Data Doctor Advisory) set the tone for Day 2 with a compelling keynote on building AI systems that align with — rather than replace — human capability. Drawing on his experience scaling Analytics Centers of Excellence at major U.S. banking institutions, he made a powerful case for human-centered AI adoption.
Session Highlights
Jason Williamson (CEO, Mythworx) challenged the audience to think beyond large language models, presenting a vision for a more energy-efficient and sustainable AI future.
Mike Fortier (Founder & CEO, Harness AI Partners) offered a practical roadmap for AI-driven growth, helping professionals and businesses navigate the implementation journey with clarity and confidence.
Dr. Gunjan Mahindre (Senior Data Scientist, Adobe) joined virtually to share hard-won lessons from applying data science across industries — from e-commerce to SaaS and semiconductors.
Lasse Schmidt (InnoGames GmbH) delivered one of the most candid and relevant talks of the conference, exploring how the role of the data scientist is being fundamentally transformed by AI — and what practitioners need to do to stay ahead.
Bonnie Rushing (University of Colorado Colorado Springs) presented a fascinating NLP analysis of how language in health news headlines predicts information spread — blending linguistics, cybersecurity, and data science in a uniquely compelling way.
James Tanoos (Purdue University) delivered a data-driven keynote on air emissions and air quality impacts from industrial production in Indiana, demonstrating how data science can inform environmental policy.
Vyshakh Prasad joined virtually to present his machine learning framework for legal document summarization — a promising application of reinforcement learning and LLM fine-tuning to the legal domain.
Behrang Mehrparvar (Synaptosearch) proposed an ambitious new direction for AI with his concept of Potentia Monism — challenging the audience to think beyond next-token prediction toward genuine decision-based intelligence.
Denis Britov (HARMAN International) introduced a typed ontology of causal arisings — a framework for extending knowledge graphs with structural admissibility and emergence that bridges software engineering and systems science.
Vyacheslav Antsiperov (Russian Academy of Sciences) presented his novel neuromorphic coding approach to CT image compression — a session that highlighted the global reach and scientific depth of the DSC Next speaker community.
Sri Nurdiati (IPB University) joined virtually to present predictive models for fire hotspots in Kalimantan using Gaussian Process Regression and Long Short-Term Memory networks — a powerful demonstration of data science applied to environmental protection.
Ghurumuruhan Ganesan (University of Bristol) presented new mathematical approaches to extracting high-quality data subsets using Monte-Carlo Search — showcasing the theoretical foundations that underpin practical data science.
Franco Farrugia (MCAST) closed the technical sessions with an empirical study on deep reinforcement learning for automated liquidity management in decentralized finance — a fitting finale that underscored the breadth of applications on display throughout the conference.
Award Ceremony
One of the most celebrated moments of DSC Next 2026 was the Award Ceremony, held at the close of Day 2. Five prestigious awards were presented to organizations and individuals who are making outstanding contributions to the data science and AI industry.
🏆 Excellence in Human-Centered AI and Interdisciplinary Innovation Award
Winner: Synaptosearch Received by: Behrang Mehrparvar, Founder
Synaptosearch was recognized for its bold, principled approach to human-centered AI — bridging cognitive science, artificial intelligence, and data science to build technology that genuinely serves human needs. Founded in Amsterdam in 2024, the company exemplifies the values of collaboration, transparency, and cognitive rigor.
🏆 Excellence in Enterprise AI Infrastructure Award
Winner: Konekti Received by: Adam Broniewski, Customer Solutions Manager
Konekti was honored for building the missing foundation for trustworthy, agentic AI at scale — transforming complex process data into clean, structured, and governed foundations that enable AI agents and automation to operate safely and intelligently across enterprise systems.
🏆 Women-Led Technology Excellence Award
Winner: Technische Visualistik (GTV) Received by: Josefine, Chief Technology Officer
Technische Visualistik was recognized for its outstanding work at the intersection of data science, interactive visualization, and user experience design — and for its commitment to women’s leadership in technology. The company has consistently delivered solutions that transform complexity into clarity for decision-makers across industries.
🏆 Best Enterprise AI Platform Award
Winner: ALLONIA Received by: Charles-Henri Puaux, CEO
ALLONIA was honored for its comprehensive, end-to-end approach to enterprise AI deployment — combining AI tools, consulting expertise, and a strong focus on sovereign European infrastructure and regulatory compliance to make AI adoption secure, scalable, and accessible for organizations managing sensitive data.
🏆 Data Science Leader in Finance & Investment Analytics Award
Winner: Tong Zhi — Senior Associate, Portfolio, Data & Analytics, Hollyport Capital
Tong Zhi was individually recognized for his pioneering contributions to private markets analytics and AI-driven investment intelligence. His work building end-to-end analytics platforms and decision support systems for private equity has set a new standard for applied data science in finance.
What Attendees Said
“Two days of pure inspiration — the quality of speakers and the depth of topics was exceptional.”
“The panel discussion was one of the best I’ve attended — real conversations, no fluff.”
“The award ceremony was a wonderful way to close the conference. Well-deserved recognition for outstanding work.”
“Amsterdam was the perfect backdrop for a conference this forward-thinking.”
Thank You to Our Community
DSC Next Conference 2026 would not have been possible without the incredible support of our speakers, sponsors, media partners, exhibitors, and attendees. Each of you played a role in making this event a landmark moment for the global data science community.
We are already looking forward to what DSC Next 2027 will bring — and we hope to see you there.
Stay Connected
- 🌐 Website: www.dscnextconference.com
- 📸 Photos & Highlights: Available on our website and social media channels
- 📩 Contact: dscnext@nextbusinessmedia.com
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