NOVEMBER 18-19, 2025 | TORONTO, CANADA

NOVEMBER 18-19, 2025 | TORONTO, CANADA

Apply to Speak

Apply to Speak

Share your expertise, inspire a global audience of design leaders, and shape the future of design leadership.

  • Talk Session

  • Workshops

  • Panel Discussion

  • Call for Speakers

  • Call for Speakers

  • Apply to Speak

Choose a Format That's

Choose a Format

for You!

We’re inviting proposals for four session types. Pick the format that best suits your topic and delivery style.

📢 Theatre Stage Talks & Panels

📢 Theatre Stage Talks & Panels

Step onto the main stage with a 20–30 minute talk or join a panel of peers. Share bold stories, big visions, and lessons that resonate with the full community.

✨ Lightning Talks

✨ Lightning Talks

A fast-paced 10–15 minute talk to spark ideas or share a sharp case study. Perfect for delivering focused insights that provoke discussion.

🎥 Interactive Sessions

🎥 Interactive Sessions

A 30–45 minute workshop-style session where participants actively engage. Designed to leave attendees with practical tools or frameworks they can apply.

🤝 Roundtable Facilitators

🤝 Roundtable Facilitators

Guide a 45-minute candid discussion with peers around a specific challenge. You set the stage, then help surface insights from the group.

Submit Your

Submit Your

Proposal

Proposal

Complete the form below to apply for a Talk, Workshop, or Panel at Design Leadership Summit 2026. Our team will review submissions on a rolling basis and notify applicants via email.

What We’re We

What We’re We

Looking For

Looking For

The Design Leadership Summit brings together hundreds of senior designers, managers, and executives from across the globe. Speaking here means you’ll:

Process

Scaling design

Design operations

Building, managing remote teams

Direction

Design ethics

Measuring value & impact of design

Shaping vision

People

Talent & Structuring teams

Building alliances

Managing upwards

See What Inspires

See What Inspires

Our Audience

Our Audience

Get inspired by some of the standout sessions from past summits. From practical frameworks to visionary talks, our speakers have sparked conversations that carry on well beyond the event.

What’s In It

For Me

The effort and time required for speakers to present an incredibly engaging and valuable talk at a conference is a tough task. Our team will work closely with you to ensure your personal and professional goals from the speaking engagement are met.

Economy airfare to/from Toronto

We’ll cover your round-trip flight so you can focus on your talk.

2 hotel nights at a partner hotel

Stay close to the venue in comfort, with accommodation arranged by us.

VIP speaker dinner
(2 invites)

Stay close to the venue in comfort, with accommodation arranged by us.

Session recording + attendee feedback

Receive a professional video of your session along with real audience insights.

What’s In It

For Me

The effort and time required for speakers to present an incredibly engaging and valuable talk at a conference is a tough task. Our team will work closely with you to ensure your personal and professional goals from the speaking engagement are met.

Economy airfare to/from Toronto

We’ll cover your round-trip flight so you can focus on your talk.

2 hotel nights at a partner hotel

Stay close to the venue in comfort, with accommodation arranged by us.

VIP speaker dinner
(2 invites)

Stay close to the venue in comfort, with accommodation arranged by us.

Session recording + attendee feedback

Receive a professional video of your session along with real audience insights.

What’s In It

For Me

The effort and time required for speakers to present an incredibly engaging and valuable talk at a conference is a tough task. Our team will work closely with you to ensure your personal and professional goals from the speaking engagement are met.

Economy airfare to/from Toronto

We’ll cover your round-trip flight so you can focus on your talk.

2 hotel nights at a partner hotel

Stay close to the venue in comfort, with accommodation arranged by us.

VIP speaker dinner
(2 invites)

Stay close to the venue in comfort, with accommodation arranged by us.

Session recording + attendee feedback

Receive a professional video of your session along with real audience insights.

How to Make Your

How to Make Your

Proposal Stand Out

Proposal Stand Out

We’re looking for sessions that are relevant, actionable, and engaging.
Keep these in mind when crafting your submission:

We’re looking for sessions that are relevant, actionable, and engaging. Keep these in mind when crafting your submission:

Relevance

Tie your topic to the current challenges and opportunities in design leadership.

Clarity

Clearly outline your audience’s takeaways — what will they leave knowing or able to do?

Engagement

Use stories, visuals, and interaction to keep your audience leaning in.

  • Talk Session

  • Workshops

  • Panel Discussion

  • Call for Speakers

  • Call for Speakers

  • Apply to Speak

Frequently Asked

Frequently Asked

Questions

Questions

Everything you need to know about speaking at the next Design Leadership Summit.

Who should apply?

We welcome applications from experienced design leaders, hands-on practitioners, and industry experts who have valuable insights to share. Whether your expertise lies in leadership, process, people, or emerging trends, we’re looking for sessions that deliver real value to our audience of design leaders.

Who should apply?

We welcome applications from experienced design leaders, hands-on practitioners, and industry experts who have valuable insights to share. Whether your expertise lies in leadership, process, people, or emerging trends, we’re looking for sessions that deliver real value to our audience of design leaders.

Who should apply?

We welcome applications from experienced design leaders, hands-on practitioners, and industry experts who have valuable insights to share. Whether your expertise lies in leadership, process, people, or emerging trends, we’re looking for sessions that deliver real value to our audience of design leaders.

Can I submit more than one proposal?

Yes! You can submit multiple proposals if you have different ideas for talks, workshops, or panels. Please submit each proposal separately so they can be reviewed individually.

Can I submit more than one proposal?

Yes! You can submit multiple proposals if you have different ideas for talks, workshops, or panels. Please submit each proposal separately so they can be reviewed individually.

Can I submit more than one proposal?

Yes! You can submit multiple proposals if you have different ideas for talks, workshops, or panels. Please submit each proposal separately so they can be reviewed individually.

What if I’m a first-time speaker?

We encourage first-time speakers to apply. Our team can provide guidance, feedback, and resources to help you prepare and deliver a confident, engaging session. If you have a great story or unique insight, we want to hear from you.

What if I’m a first-time speaker?

We encourage first-time speakers to apply. Our team can provide guidance, feedback, and resources to help you prepare and deliver a confident, engaging session. If you have a great story or unique insight, we want to hear from you.

What if I’m a first-time speaker?

We encourage first-time speakers to apply. Our team can provide guidance, feedback, and resources to help you prepare and deliver a confident, engaging session. If you have a great story or unique insight, we want to hear from you.

Travel & accommodation details

For accepted speakers, we cover economy airfare to and from Toronto, provide two nights of accommodation at one of our partner hotels, and invite you to our VIP speaker dinner with fellow speakers and design leaders.

Travel & accommodation details

For accepted speakers, we cover economy airfare to and from Toronto, provide two nights of accommodation at one of our partner hotels, and invite you to our VIP speaker dinner with fellow speakers and design leaders.

Travel & accommodation details

For accepted speakers, we cover economy airfare to and from Toronto, provide two nights of accommodation at one of our partner hotels, and invite you to our VIP speaker dinner with fellow speakers and design leaders.

Accessibility & recording consent

We are committed to making the Design Leadership Summit accessible to all. Please let us know in your application if you have any accessibility needs. All sessions will be recorded for post-event viewing; by speaking at DLS, you consent to being recorded and for your talk to be shared with attendees and in event promotions.

Accessibility & recording consent

We are committed to making the Design Leadership Summit accessible to all. Please let us know in your application if you have any accessibility needs. All sessions will be recorded for post-event viewing; by speaking at DLS, you consent to being recorded and for your talk to be shared with attendees and in event promotions.

Accessibility & recording consent

We are committed to making the Design Leadership Summit accessible to all. Please let us know in your application if you have any accessibility needs. All sessions will be recorded for post-event viewing; by speaking at DLS, you consent to being recorded and for your talk to be shared with attendees and in event promotions.

© 2025 DesignX Community | All rights reserved
Design Leadership Summit is a DesignX experience

Proudly brought to you by

© 2025 DesignX Community | All rights reserved. Design Leadership Summit is a DesignX experience

Proudly brought to you by

© 2025 DesignX Community | All rights reserved
Design Leadership Summit is a DesignX experience

Proudly brought to you by