As a movement, digital accessibility has never been as powerful or impactful as it is today. We are at an amazing inflection point that will define the future of inclusion across the globe.
All of us at Deque are so honored to be a part of this mission, and we are incredibly excited to announce that the fifth annual axe-con conference will return next year on February 25-27, 2025!
Axe-con is the world’s largest digital accessibility conference. Last year, over 30,000 people registered to attend, representing more than 12,000 organizations. We hosted over 75 expert presenters, and today, we’re elated to announce our first 2025 keynote speaker, Alice Wong!
Alice Wong is a disabled activist, writer, editor, and community organizer. She is the founder and director of the Disability Visibility Project, an online community dedicated to creating, sharing, and amplifying disability media and culture. Alice’s activism has been celebrated by Time Magazine and Marie Claire, and her 2022 memoir was one of USA Today’s “Must-Read” books. Alice is the recipient of multiple awards, was named a Disability Futures fellow by the Ford Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and was appointed by President Barack Obama to be a member of the National Council on Disability.
Needless to say, we can’t wait to have Alice at axe-con 2025! And please stay tuned for more exciting announcements.
In 2025, Deque will continue to host our conference as a free and virtual event, and we welcome developers, designers, business users, and accessibility professionals of all experience levels to join us for a unique conference experience focused on building, testing, and maintaining accessible digital experiences.
Past events have featured an extraordinary gathering of speakers, with last year’s guests including Rumman Chowdhury, responsible AI fellow, Harvard University, cofounder and CEO of the nonprofit Human Intelligence; Jonah Berger, international bestselling author, Wharton School marketing professor; and Shane and Hannah Burcaw a.k.a. Squirmy and Grubs, interabled YouTube couple and disability rights advocates.
When experts and advocates like these join the global Deque community for axe-con, something truly magical happens:
“The way the community comes together is truly a force to be reckoned with. We’re humbled to have such incredible digital accessibility activists and change agents join us from around the globe to share and connect with one another. Advances in technology and the expansion of compliance requirements in WCAG 2.2, and the European Accessibility Act, have finally put digital accessibility on the main stage.”
—Preety Kumar, Founder and CEO at Deque Systems.
According to a survey taken by Deque following axe-con 2024, 99.6% of attendees said they would join again for 2025, and 96% said they would recommend axe-con to a colleague. For this year’s event, we’ve got even more in store, including the axe Awards! These will be awarded to individuals and organizations who have achieved incredible results in the digital accessibility field. We’ll also be coordinating “watch parties” for folks around the globe who want to assemble together to participate.
Axe-con covers a lot of ground. Past sessions have touched on everything from Responsible and Ethical AI to Driving Accessibility Transformation Through Policy. But axe-con is about more than just technology or policy. It’s about people. It’s about every single one of you who is working to advance this cause, drive this mission forward, and change the world.
Please join us for axe-con 2025, and let’s make history! Learn more and register today.
One last reminder: axe-con is community-powered, and representation matters. Everyone is welcome to submit an application to present at axe-con 2025. If you’re interested in sharing your passion, advocacy, and expertise, submit today.