Bitpanda's first DevCon: A catalyst for innovation and expertise

At Bitpanda, our commitment to continuous learning is fundamental to our culture. Recently, we elevated this commitment during our first-ever Growth Week—a dedicated time to expand our knowledge, skills, and horizons. A cornerstone of this eventful week was our first DevCon designed to foster innovation and expertise within our teams. Here’s an in-depth look into the organisation and impact of this transformative internal conference.

Behind the Scenes: The Organising Committee

The success of Bitpanda’s DevCon was made possible by a dedicated organising committee of 10 team members. This diverse group, drawn from various disciplines across Bitpanda’s Product & Tech division, worked tirelessly to ensure the event not only ran smoothly but also provided maximum value to all participants. Their efforts began months in advance, with meticulous planning and coordination to set the stage for a day of learning and engagement.

In the spirit of inclusivity and diversity of thought, we opened a call for talk submissions to our team, inviting them to share their insights and projects. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with over 30 submissions received across all disciplines. This incredible number of submissions allowed us to curate content across three distinct tracks, ensuring a wide range of topics and perspectives. Among the sessions, "From Data to Design: The Why and How of UX Metrics" delved into the criticality of measuring design to connect every team member to our customers, while "Your First Smart Contract on the Stellar Blockchain" offered attendees hands-on experience in creating smart contracts, highlighting Stellar's unique capabilities. These sessions exemplified the depth and diversity of content our DevCon aimed to deliver.

A Day of Diverse Learning

The day was structured around a series of lightning talks, workshops, and general talks. Lightning talks provided quick insights into new ideas and projects, fostering an environment of creativity and inspiration. Workshops offered hands-on experiences, allowing attendees to dive deeper into practical skills and emerging technologies. Meanwhile, the general talks were an opportunity for more extensive discussions, ranging from technical deep dives to strategic approaches in technology application.

The diversity of the sessions ensured that every participant, regardless of their role or seniority, found something relevant and stimulating.

Impact and Takeaways

Our first DevCon proved to be a significant step forward in our journey towards building a learning-oriented workplace. Feedback from participants highlighted the effectiveness of the tracks in catering to a broad spectrum of interests and the high quality of the talks and workshops. Many expressed appreciation for the opportunity to engage directly with their colleagues in such a dynamic setting, sparking new ideas and discussions that continued well beyond the event. One participant enthusiastically noted, "DevCon was a great initiative. Let's do that more often! Thanks to everyone who made it happen and participated!"

As we reflect on the success of our first DevCon, we are inspired by the passion and expertise within our teams. Plans are already underway to make next year’s event even more enriching, driven by the valuable feedback received from our colleagues. For the next iteration, we plan to enrich the range of sessions by inviting more external speakers who are at the forefront of cutting-edge technology and trends. This aims to align with our team's expanding interests and drive deeper industry engagement. Additionally, we are looking to enhance the interactive components of the conference, incorporating more hands-on workshops and collaborative projects. These enhancements are designed to foster greater innovation and practical skills application, ensuring that each DevCon surpasses the last in value and impact.

Continuing the Journey of Growth and Innovation

This initiative is just one of many at Bitpanda that underscores our belief in the power of continuous learning as a catalyst for personal and professional growth. Alongside our DevCon, we also offer Brainfood sessions and provide subscriptions to Udemy, enabling our team to continuously enhance their skills and knowledge. We look forward to fostering an even more innovative and skilled workforce as we continue to grow and evolve together.

Thank you to everyone who participated and contributed to making this event a success. Your enthusiasm and dedication are what make Bitpanda a leader in the fintech industry. Here’s to growing and innovating together!

If you are inspired by our commitment to innovation and continuous learning and wish to be a part of our dynamic team, we encourage you to visit our careers page and explore the opportunities available. Let’s innovate and grow together at Bitpanda!