Conference Description
Key Takeaways
- Focus area: Embedded systems and systems programming for hardware-centric software development
- Format: Four-day in-person conference with over 50 sessions and seven hands-on workshops
- Target audience: Embedded systems developers, systems programmers, technical leads, architects, and engineering managers
- Industries represented: Automotive, industrial automation, aerospace, IoT, and technology manufacturing
- Location: Magazinet Kongsberg, Norway, 21–24 September 2026
Introduction
NDC TechTown is a technical conference dedicated to embedded systems and systems programming, scheduled for 21–24 September 2026 at Magazinet Kongsberg in Norway. The event serves software engineers and technical professionals who work at the intersection of hardware and software, addressing the specialised challenges of low-level programming, real-time systems, and embedded software development. As industries from automotive to aerospace increasingly depend on sophisticated embedded solutions, the conference provides a focused venue for practitioners to examine current tools, methodologies, and architectural approaches.
About NDC TechTown
Organised by NDC Conferences, NDC TechTown positions itself as a specialist gathering within the broader NDC portfolio, which includes events in Oslo, London, and Porto. The Kongsberg edition concentrates specifically on embedded and systems programming rather than general software development, attracting a community of practitioners who require deep technical content relevant to hardware-constrained environments.
The 2026 programme features more than 50 conference sessions alongside seven hands-on workshops. This combination of presentation-based learning and practical instruction reflects the nature of embedded development, where theoretical knowledge must translate directly into working implementations on resource-limited platforms.
Technical Programme and Workshop Structure
The conference agenda spans topics central to embedded software engineering, including low-level programming techniques, software quality and reliability, toolchain selection, and optimisation strategies for constrained systems. Sessions are designed to address both foundational practices and emerging approaches in the field.
Workshop sessions provide extended, hands-on engagement with specific technologies and techniques. This format allows attendees to work through implementation challenges under expert guidance, bridging the gap between conference presentations and practical application in production environments.
Speaker Faculty
The 2026 edition features 54 speakers drawn from the embedded and systems programming community. Notable presenters include Hana Dusíková, Daniela Engert, Björn Fahller, Jason Turner, Kevlin Henney, Venkat Subramaniam, Robert Seacord, Helge Penne, and Sy Brand. These speakers bring expertise spanning C++ development, secure coding practices, software architecture, and systems-level programming.
Industry Context
Embedded systems development continues to grow in complexity as connected devices proliferate across industrial, automotive, and consumer applications. Engineers face mounting pressure to deliver reliable software within strict resource constraints while meeting increasingly stringent safety and security requirements. The convergence of traditional embedded development with modern software engineering practices—including continuous integration, automated testing, and formal verification—creates demand for specialised knowledge that general software conferences rarely address in sufficient depth.
The presence of sponsors such as Ferrous Systems, which specialises in Rust for safety-critical systems, alongside established embedded tooling providers like Green Hills Software, JetBrains, and KDAB, reflects the industry’s ongoing evolution. Traditional C and C++ development coexists with growing interest in memory-safe languages and modern development environments adapted for embedded targets.
Who Should Attend
NDC TechTown is designed for professionals who develop, maintain, or architect software for embedded platforms. This includes embedded systems developers working on firmware and device software, systems programmers building low-level infrastructure, technical leads responsible for toolchain and methodology decisions, and engineering managers overseeing embedded development teams. The programme accommodates both mid-level engineers seeking to deepen their technical expertise and senior practitioners evaluating new approaches for their organisations.
Attendees typically come from sectors where embedded software is mission-critical: automotive manufacturers and suppliers, industrial automation companies, aerospace and defence contractors, IoT platform providers, and technology firms building hardware products. The conference offers these professionals an opportunity to engage with peers facing similar technical challenges and to evaluate tools and practices outside their immediate organisational context.
Partners and Exhibitors
The 2026 event is supported by partners including elogit, Equinor, Ferrous Systems, Green Hills Software, JetBrains, KDAB, Kongsberg, SquareHead, and Cisco. This mix of energy sector companies, embedded tooling specialists, and technology providers reflects the diverse industries that depend on embedded systems expertise.