Since becoming an MVP/RD, the world hasn’t been friendly to travel, crowds, and hugs. So, this year was my first chance to experience the MVP/RD Summit in Seattle – and wow, did it deliver! Around 1,500 of us descended on Microsoft’s Redmond campus, greeted by enthusiastic product teams and leadership who seemed genuinely excited to see us.
This annual gathering at Microsoft HQ isn’t just any tech event. It’s where we get the inside scoop on what’s been released, what’s coming soon, and what’s brewing in the Microsoft labs. Microsoft genuinely wants our feedback while helping us community folks stay informed and fired up about their products.
The range of topics was mind-blowing – everything from .NET to Power Apps, GitHub to SharePoint, and pretty much everything in between. With over 500 sessions across 5 days, it was a whirlwind of content, discussions, and demos. During breaks, I got to see product teams showing off their latest work, chat with the MS Learn team, and finally meet people whose blogs I’ve followed for years!
While I can’t share specifics (thanks, NDAs!), I can tell you that AI and Copilot were absolutely everywhere this year. Some features were even announced while we were there – talk about being at the centre of the action! The message I took away? We’re only limited by our imagination now. The AI era means we can have it all; we just need to figure out how to turn these amazing features into real business benefits. Huge productivity gains are coming our way, and it was fascinating to see Microsoft’s priorities and roadmaps evolve in real-time.
The experience was both energizing and exhausting (jet lag is real, folks). MVPs and tech community people are some of the friendliest, most relatable tech enthusiasts you’ll ever meet, and the Microsoft teams truly believe in their vision. I left technically hyped for what’s coming next!
The social side was just as awesome. Over 45 of us hit up a Brazilian steakhouse one night (what an experience!) for a more relaxed way to connect. The collective knowledge in that restaurant was seriously impressive!
My favourite moment? Catching up with many SharePoint and Microsoft legends during breaks from the RD sessions – Christian Buckley, Steve Knutson, me, Zoe Wilson, and Joel Oleson – all still smiling after a week of caffeine-fuelled Microsoft magic.
Me with the great Karuana Gatimu, Microsoft’s own Director of Customer Advocacy – AI & Collab
Again with the lovely Susan Hanley!
Fancy meeting you here?! The fantastic and Cambridge Power Platform User Group speaker Daniel Christian
Finally, the MGCI Sponsorship subcommittee I lead, along with Mike Maadarani and Mark Rackley 🙂
I’m definitely going back for more Summits. Can’t wait to hang out with the Microsoft crew and tech community again soon!
