On June 25th, 2019 in Sofia will be held the second edition of the tech conference LibertyBits 2019 dedicated to the individual freedom in today’s digital world. This year’s focus of LibertyBits is on decentralization and independence of the individual in modern society.
The topics which have inspired the conference are:
- Blockchain technology and any cutting-edge financial and non-financial blockchain-based projects enabling the functioning of cryptocurrencies and acting as a trustless consensus mechanism between two interacting parties without the necessity of interference and mediation of a third one;
- Privacy or protecting our basic right to stay private in today’s digital age against the attempts of corporate and government structures, organizations and institutions to restrict it and / or totally deprive us from it;
- Free Software or what are the risks of the everyday use of proprietary (close code) software, can we make sure that it is not misusing our background data by disclosing it, without our consent, to the software provider and / or to third parties. The only way out is the use of free software (not necessarily free of charge) with audit-able source code which is meant to function in line with our expectations and needs instead of completely out of our control.
- Independent Living aims to showcase the use of alternative energy sources for private and business purposes so as to break free from the dependence on existing energy providers without compromising with our quality of life and comfort and even improving while also cutting down energy costs. Living off-grid as one possible scenario can make a good use of building materials often considered as waste and allow greater access to renewable energy sources which are out of the complete control of a monopoly organisation or the state. The topic is also presenting opportunities for better individual mobility and alternative ways of working.
LibertyBits is for the free minded people
The unique combination and synergy of topics totally correspond to the organisers’ understanding of freedom and independence turning the conference into an event of its own kind.
The event venue is Sofia Tech Park which has been chosen among others as the rising scene of a growing number of technology events and an incubator for tech startups of international importance. The conference will take place for the second year in a row. It is the organisers’ aim to popularise our country as the leading stage for similar forums on the Balkans and turn this event into a tradition which is both informative and helpful for the visitors and useful and economically effective for the participants and sponsors.
The main goal of the conference is to inspire and engage open-minded individuals in solving the ethical problems related to centralisation and dependence on monopolies of governmental and corporate nature. The proposed technologies are solely the tool for solving these ethical issues.
The Speakers
The conference speakers represent again a well-balanced mix of esteemed experts from young but already renowned Bulgarian blockchain and off-grid companies and of reputable international activists and advocates for freedom of speech, human rights and individual privacy in today’s environment of government, institutional and corporate surveillance.
What to expect
The agenda includes talks and discussion panels in English as well as brand positioning of the sponsors supporting the conference. The organisers have tried to establish a healthy balance between independent speakers on the one hand and corporate presenters on the other, promoting specific products and solutions in the context of the four topics.
You can also check: Blockchain benefits and untamed potential
Startup Factory is an NGO (Non Government, Non Profit Organisation) that develops the entrepreneurial ecosystem and the IT community in Eastern Europe and Bulgaria. The mission of the organisation is supporting early stage startups, building key skills in demand by the market and cultivating the favourable infrastructure and environment for turning ideas into real products with potential for commercialisation.
