18.11.2025 –, Bubenberg / Erlach
Competing with tech giants like Microsoft and Google may seem impossible for smaller companies with limited resources. However, Nextcloud has proven that an open-source business model, remote work, and a culture of open communication and innovation can provide a path to success. This presentation will explore how organizations can leverage open-source development, a distributed workforce, and agile innovation strategies to build competitive alternatives with a fraction of the budget and workforce.
Competing with tech giants like Microsoft and Google may seem impossible for smaller companies with limited resources. However, Nextcloud has proven that an open-source business model, remote work, and a culture of open communication and innovation can provide a path to success. This presentation will explore how organizations can leverage open-source development, a distributed workforce, and agile innovation strategies to build competitive alternatives with a fraction of the budget and workforce. Attendees will learn how a transparent, community-driven approach leads to sustainable growth, fosters rapid innovation, and builds user trust.
Frank Karlitschek is a long time open source contributor and former board member of the KDE e.V. He founded Nextcloud in 2016 to create a fully open source and decentralized alternative to big centralized cloud companies. Frank was an invited expert at the W3C to help to create the ActivityPub standard. Frank has spoken at MIT, CERN, Harvard and ETH and keynoted LinuxCon, Latinoware, FOSSASIA, Campus Party and many other conferences. Frank is the founder and CEO of Nextcloud GmbH. He is also a fellow of Open Forum Europe and an advisor to the United Nations regarding Open Source. Frank won the European SFS Free Software Award 2023 and the Acteurs du Libre European Award 2023.