Revisiting Deriv’s team-up with PGConf.EU 2024 as silver sponsor

A week of tech, learning, and community

The 14th PostgreSQL Conference Europe (PGConf.EU) transformed Athens, Greece into a hub for database enthusiasts last October. As Deriv’s Silver Sponsor representative, I joined 755 fellow PostgreSQL enthusiasts under the Mediterranean sun for four days of learning, sharing, and connecting.

Being part of the organising committee was both challenging and rewarding. I worked alongside PostgreSQL veterans Andreas Scherbaum, Chris Ellis, Dave Page, Ilya Kosmodemiansky, Karen Jex, Magnus Hagander, Tomas Vondra, and Valeria Kaplan. 

Pre-conference activities: PostgreSQL training and fringe events

22 October kicked off with intensive training sessions led by PostgreSQL experts. Two significant events marked the day:

1. The first-ever PostgreSQL Europe Diversity Committee meeting, chaired by Karen Jex, set clear goals for making our community more inclusive. The results were immediate - this year’s conference saw our highest-ever percentage of female speakers. Along with other sponsors, we provided free tickets to attendees from underrepresented groups.
   
   
2. The PostgreSQL Extension Ecosystem Summit, backed by Tembo, Percona, Xata, and Timescale, and expertly organised by Floor Drees and David Wheeler, gave me a platform to share insights about pg_statviz, the PostgreSQL extension I maintain.

Main conference highlights - License fees and mapping solutions

Stacey Haysler kicked off the main conference the next day with her keynote “The PostgreSQL License Fee,” breaking down how the PostgreSQL Project operates through individual and company contributions. 

My own presentation, “–Mom, can we have G＊＊gle Maps? –We have G＊＊gle Maps at home,” demonstrated how PostgreSQL, PostGIS extension, and OpenStreetMap data can create powerful mapping solutions without relying on expensive proprietary software. Check out the recording here—Forget costly maps! OpenStreetMap, PostgreSQL & PostGIS to the rescue [PGConf.EU 2024]

The conference website has recordings of every session and links to presentation slides.

Community spirit and future tech frontiers

PGConf.EU 2024 was a memorable and impactful event, thanks to the dedication of the PostgreSQL community. The organisers gave speakers and volunteers a handmade, hand-painted Greek amphora—a thoughtful reminder of our time in Athens. 

From the speakers and sponsors to the volunteers and attendees, each contributor played an important role in bringing the community closer and making this conference a reality. As technology continues to evolve, from database solutions to AI innovations (which we recently explored at our AI Hackathon), these community gatherings remain crucial for sharing knowledge and shaping the future of tech.

About the author

Jimmy Angelakos is a Senior Principal Engineer at Deriv and a recognised PostgreSQL Project Contributor, where he maintains the pg_statviz extension and co-maintains postgres-contrib.org. He is the author of “PostgreSQL Mistakes and How to Avoid Them” and co-author of “PostgreSQL 16 Administration Cookbook.” When not architecting database solutions or speaking at conferences, he can be found tinkering with retro computers in Edinburgh.