• English
    • English
    • Deutsch
    • Francais
  • Namer
    • Namer 1
  • Log In
SIGNAL 2022 - Call For Speakers
SIGNAL 2022 - Call For Speakers
  • Tracks
  • Dates
  • Speaker Diversity
  • Tracks
  • Dates
  • Speaker Diversity

Nov 2–3, 2022 • Virtual & in-person @ Moscone West, San Francisco

Submit a talk

Deadline to submit is 11:59pm PST on June 8, 2022
Our Call for speaker proposals has closed. 

We want SIGNAL to be a showcase for the industry’s
best stories, including yours!
Speakers of all experience levels and backgrounds
are welcome to apply. We can’t wait to see what
great stories you have to share.

Perks of speaking

  • In-person, all-access ticket to SIGNAL – featuring keynotes, dynamic content sessions, community hall, speaker gift kits, and more.
  • Access to exclusive, complimentary speaker coaching for support and help with bringing their session to life.
  • NEW! Additional support for speakers who identify as BIPOC, LGBTQAI+, disabled, veteran, or other points of intersectionality (see Speaker Diversity section for more details).
Session formats

There are four session formats we are looking to fill:

15 minute talk

8 hours time commitment

Virtual

Individual speakers talk through introductory, high level concepts in a talk format

30 minute talk

10 hours time commitment

Virtual

Individual or co-speakers provide deep insights on a specific topic, in a talk or panel format.

30 minute talk

17 hours time commitment

In-person

Individual or co-speakers provide deep insights on a specific topic, in a talk or panel format.

45 minute talk

19 hours time commitment

In-person

Individual or co-speakers provide advanced insights on a topic, in a talk or panel format.

Tracks

Regardless of session duration or format, your content proposal should fall under one of the session tracks

If none of our tracks sound like a perfect fit for your content, simply choose the best match during the application process. Also, be sure to include a detailed description of how you envision your session. We will reach out with questions and move your application to the correct track if needed.
1716078-6255c3bfaa2b5.svgAccount security
1716079-6255c3cf6e121.svg Building with Twilio
1716074-6255c37b062ea.svgContact center
1716061-6255c2de0e812.svgCustomer Engagement Platform
1716081-6255c3e65f491.svgDEI
1716077-6255c3b0526d4.svgIoT
1716064-6255c3248ae8a.svgMessaging
1716070-6255c348ccc23.svgSegment & Customer Data Platform
1716065-6255c334449a4.svgSendGrid & Email
1716084-6255c40f59dd0.svgSocial Impact
1716076-6255c3a3e9fd3.svgVideo
1716075-6255c38918898.svgVoice
The audience

As you think through your session presentation and explore different topics to submit, we encourage you to check out past sessions that were successful with the below audiences in mind:

  • Developers

  • Executives

  • Product Managers

  • Marketers

  • Nonprofits

Developers
Software developers, engineers, solution architects, and other technical audiences join sessions to learn how to build improved experiences.
In “Architecting SMS for mission-critical communication with DoorDash,” Conor Meng, Principal Solutions Engineer at Twilio, Jackie Backus, Solutions Engineering Team Lead at Twilio, and Akhila Polisetty, Software Engineer at DoorDash, discuss messaging best practices for building at scale.
Last year, developers made up 40% of attendees.
Executives
Founders, C-level executives, and vice presidents join sessions to learn how Twilio users leverage customer engagement tools to drive important business outcomes, including customer loyalty, employee motivation, and repeat purchases.
In “Elevating the human experience with trust: HX in uncertainty,” Amelia Dunlop, Chief Experience Officer, and Ashley Reichheld, Principal and HX TrustID Author, from Deloitte Digital discuss the importance of trust, and the role communication leaders play in building trusted relationships with customers.

Last year, executives made up 20% of attendees.

Product Managers

With an eye on customer experience, producer leaders join sessions to learn how to anticipate consumer expectations with engagement tools while managing operations.

In “In the trenches of cellular IoT,” Matt Jackson, Product Manager at Twilio, Chad Caswell, CEO at Zubie, Davis Lukens, VP of Product at Flock Safety, and Marc de Vos, Managing Director at Bar Analytics, discuss how to bring cellular-powered IoT solutions to life using Twilio Super SIM.

Last year, product managers made up 7% of attendees.

Marketers
Engaging with customers and increasing brand loyalty are key themes marketers look for when joining sessions.
In “How Vacasa achieved 3x more bookings: Delivering personalized customer engagement with Segment, SendGrid, and Twilio,” Caleb Donegan, VP of Digital at Vacasa, discusses the importance of reaching customers with the right message, at the right time, on their preferred channel.

Last year, marketers made up 9% of attendees.

Nonprofits
Striving to innovate and drive social impact with digital tools, nonprofits join sessions to be inspired and learn from their peers.
In “Delivering global aid with Twilio Flex,” Chris Hoffman, Global Project Manager at Norwegian Refugee Council, and Julian Hucker, CEO of Zing, explain how Twilio Flex has enabled them to stand up more than 10 contact centers in a year to handle the huge influx of additional requests for help caused by the pandemic.

Last year, nonprofits made up 5% of attendees.

Attendees by location
Inspiration

For additional ideas and inspirations, check out some of our previous SIGNAL content:

1725629-625a70dbf1250.svg 2019 1725631-625a739517279.svg
1689790-624814be058d9.svg 2020 1725631-625a739517279.svg
1725627-625a70c0e8dc2.svg 2021 1725631-625a739517279.svg
Important dates

Below are important dates to note for interested speakers. Please note that these dates are subject to change, and we will confirm any updated due dates for presentations drafts, dry runs, recordings, and video approvals when speaker selections are finalized on July 15.

Mid-April
Call for proposals open
June 8
Proposals due, final deadline to submit
July 15
Notifications sent to applicants
July 22
Deadline to confirm participation
August – September
Speaker training and mentorship, final draft of presentations due, and production for virtual presenters
September – October
Speaker training and mentorship, first draft of presentations due, and production for in-person speakers
Nov 2–3
SIGNAL 2022!

Speaker expectations

  • Be open to submission feedback. Speakers will be paired with a Twilio content specialist for 1:1 support and mentorship to bring your content to life. Speakers will also have a complimentary opportunity to work with a third party speaker coach for additional guidance and support.
  • Be available to present in person on event days.Unless otherwise approved to deliver your content virtually (pre-recorded), all approved speakers will be expected to join us in person in San Francisco on event days, November 2-3, 2022. We will provide discounted hotel room rates. Speakers who are approved to deliver their content virtually will need to pre-record their presentation in September with production support, and will be given the opportunity to review their edited videos before it airs.
  • Be prepared to spend roughly 8-19 hours creating and finalizing your presentation. Total estimated time commitment will depend on the type and duration of session you are approved for. See the Time Commitment table below for more information.
  • Agree to our speaker release. We intend to make SIGNAL presentations available for viewing after the event and will release select recordings for promotional and educational use.
  • Adhere to our Code of Conduct. SIGNAL is dedicated to featuring a diverse and inclusive mix of speakers. We encourage speakers of all experience levels and backgrounds to participate.
Time commitment

Below is a rough estimate of the time speakers should expect to spend during the breakouts process. Please note that estimates may be subject to change as program details get finalized.

15 minute talk & Panels

Applying,SRC Tasks

1 hour

Planning, slides, and collaboration

4hours

Coaching, dry runs, and tech checks

2 hours

Recording

1 hour

Travel

0 hours

Total

8 hours

30 minute talk

Applying,SRC Tasks

1 hour

Planning, slides, and collaboration

5 hours

Coaching, dry runs, and tech checks

2.5 hours

Recording

1.5 hour

Travel

0 hours

Total

10 hours

30 minute talk & panels

Applying,SRC Tasks

1 hour

Planning, slides, and collaboration

5 hours

Coaching, dry runs, and tech checks

3 hours

Recording

0 hour

Travel

8 hours

Total

17 hours

45 min talks & workshops

Applying,SRC Tasks

1 hour

Planning, slides, and collaboration

6.5 hours

Coaching, dry runs, and tech checks

3.5 hours

Recording

0 hour

Travel

8 hours

Total

19 hours


15 minute
talk

Virtual

30 minute talk & panels

Virtual

30 minute talk & panels

In-person

45 minute
talk & panels

In-person

Applying, SRC tasks

1 hour

1 hour

1 hour

1 hour

Planning, slides, and collaboration

4 hours

5 hours

5 hours

6.5 hours

Coaching, dry runs, and tech checks

2 hours

2.5 hours

3 hours

3.5 hours

Recording

1 hours

1.5 hours

0 hours

0 hours

Travel

0 hours

0 hours

8 hours

8 hours

Total hours

8 hours

10 hours

17 hours

19 hours

Speaker Diversity Program

To align with Twilio’s commitment to diversity and becoming an anti-racist company, we are pleased to introduce our 2022 Speaker Diversity program. Through this program, Twilio is ensuring representation of Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) and underrepresented people, as well as a diversity of thought and perspectives at SIGNAL.

This commitment to diversity translates into valuing and honoring our speakers’ time and effort financially by providing monetary compensation. Pro-bono time is scarce, particularly for women, BIPOC, and people from underrepresented communities. Given these challenges, we are excited to share that all speakers who apply and qualify will receive monetary compensation to speak at SIGNAL.

How to apply and qualify

In order to qualify and be accepted into the Speaker Diversity Program, speakers must:

  • Opt into the program during the SIGNAL call for proposals (CFP) process
  • Identify as Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC), LGBTQIA+, disabled, veteran, underrepresented woman, or other points of intersectionality
  • Not otherwise be paid by Twilio for services (cannot be a current employee, contract or have an active/competing ISA or SOW)
  • Be selected* by Twilio as a breakout speaker for SIGNAL 2022

*Applying to the Speaker Diversity Program does not affect the proposal review process. This field is hidden to session reviewers during the review process for fairness and anonymity. There is no limit to the number of speakers who can apply and qualify for the program.

Payment details

Twilio will compensate accepted speakers based on the estimated hours they will spend during the SIGNAL breakouts process.

Payment will be made within 30 days upon completion of the event. The total amount compensated will be at the discretion of the SIGNAL team, ranging between $200-475 USD, and may vary between speakers depending on the situation.

Note that the total amount paid to each speaker will be inclusive of any consideration for travel expenses, if applicable. If the speaker requires additional financial support in order to present in-person, they must reach out to the SIGNAL speaker management team to make a separate request no later than August 1, 2022.

FAQ

Can I submit on someone else's behalf?

Yes. However, we ask that you receive confirmation from that speaker that they are interested in speaking at SIGNAL 2022 prior to applying. Note that you will be required to provide all of the session and speaker details for the speaker you are submitting for during the submission process.

Are speakers presenting in person this year?

Yes, we plan to host a hybrid SIGNAL 2022 experience with the majority of our breakout sessions presented live at Moscone West in San Francisco on our event days. Some of our breakout sessions will be pre-recorded in advance of the conference in September for virtual streaming. During the application process please indicate whether you prefer to present virtually or in person. Note that we are monitoring COVID updates daily and will make adjustments to our program as needed.

If selected, when will I know what day or time my session will take place?

We will let speakers know in August/September what date and time their session is scheduled to air (for virtual presenters) or be presented live (for in person presenters). Note that we are monitoring COVID updates daily and will make adjustments to our program as needed.

If selected, by when do I have to commit?

All applicants will be notified by July 15, 2022 with an update on their submission. If you are offered a speaking position, we require confirmation of your participation no later than July 22, 2022.

We encourage all interested
speakers to submit their proposals
as early as possible
We encourage all interested
speakers to submit their proposals
as early as possible

Due to the competitive selection process, we encourage all interested speakers to
submit their proposals as early as possible. This will allow for feedback prior to the CFP
closing date of June 8, 2022.

Drop us a line at cfp@twilio.com if you need help with anything related to submitting your proposal.

Join the conversation: #SIGNALConf

  • Code of conduct
  • Legal
  • Twillio.com
  • © 2022 Twilio, Inc. All rights reserved.