Lightning Demos

Lightning demos are one of the most entertaining, dynamic, and unpredictable parts of Summit. Anyone can sign up — and we mean anyone.

What’s a Lightning Demo?

A lightning demo is a 5-7 minute rapid-fire demo of something cool you’ve done, discovered, figured out, or are just proud of. It’s a fantastic way to break the ice on public speaking, because you’ll be in front of the most supportive and enthusiastic crowd we’ve ever seen.

These demos feature a mix of product team members (from Microsoft and elsewhere) and Summiteers just like you. Unlike scheduled sessions, lightning demos are unscripted and run directly from the presenter’s laptop — no slides, no safety net. That’s what makes them so captivating. The content is unpredictable, the personalities shine through, and it’s consistently one of the most-loved parts of Summit.

Should You Sign Up?

If you think you have nothing worth showing, odds are you’re wrong.

We’re only talking about 5ish minutes. Nobody’s expecting a new programming language. If you have a script, a module, or even just an idea you think is cool, chances are good that someone else in that room will too. Worst case: you get some presenting experience and a round of applause. Best case: you discover people are genuinely interested and you end up submitting a full session next year.

If you’re still unsure about your idea, jump into Slack and ask around. You’ll get honest, helpful feedback fast. We’re all in this together.

How to Sign Up

Head over to the #community-demos channel in Slack to express your interest and get more details on the signup process. Some of our best Summit speakers started as lightning demo presenters — you could be next.

Day-of Logistics

Bring your own laptop with your demo ready to go. A few things to double-check in advance: - Make sure your demo works when you’re not on your work network (shared folder, who?) - Bring any dongles you need — you’ll need a standard HDMI connection - Know how to switch your display to HDMI instantly

We’ll get you set up, put a mic on you, and you’ll be good to go.

We don’t record lightning demos — so any gaffes stay at Summit. 😄