CloudFest 2025 is almost here! From March 17-20, Europa-Park in Germany will be the place to be for anyone in the hosting and cloud industry. Thousands of experts, developers, and business leaders will meet to learn, share ideas, and shape the future of web hosting.
Special Episode: CloudFest 2024
I’ve checked the agenda and picked 8 must-see talks. If you’re going to CloudFest, these are the sessions you don’t want to miss!
1. Hosting WordPress in 2025 – what’s next?
🗣️ Speaker: Andrei Kugaevskii (WebPros)
📌 What it’s about: WordPress remains the world’s most popular CMS, powering millions of websites. But hosting it is getting more complex. This talk will dive into the latest trends, challenges, and innovations in WordPress hosting. Topics include performance optimization, security improvements, and automation tools that make managing WordPress easier for hosting providers and users. Andrei Kugaevskii, an expert in WordPress hosting solutions, will share insights on how the hosting industry is adapting to these changes.
As someone who works with WordPress every day, I’m excited to see what’s coming next and how to stay ahead of the competition. With growing security threats and higher user expectations, knowing the best hosting strategies is a must.
2. Hosting as a product, not just a service
🗣️ Speaker: Aaron Campbell (A2 Hosting), Marcel Bootsman (Kinsta), Jonathan Wold (Guildenberg, Inc)
📌 What it’s about: Web hosting has traditionally been seen as a basic service, focusing on uptime and support. But today, the industry is shifting. Hosting companies are turning their offerings into full-featured products, bundling in advanced tools, security features, and better user experiences. This panel discussion will explore how providers can differentiate themselves, increase customer retention, and create hosting solutions that go beyond just selling space on a server.
This is a topic that really interests me. With so many hosting providers out there, standing out is getting harder. I want to hear how industry leaders are adapting and what strategies actually work in today’s competitive market.
3. Liquid cooling in data centers
🗣️ Speaker: John Donovan (Lenovo)
📌 What it’s about: As demand for data processing and cloud computing grows, so does the need for efficient cooling in data centers. Traditional air cooling systems are struggling to keep up with increasing power usage, and liquid cooling is emerging as a more effective, sustainable alternative. This session will cover how liquid cooling works, its benefits for energy efficiency and cost reduction, and why it’s gaining traction in both enterprise and hyperscale data centers.
This is a fascinating shift in the industry. Liquid cooling has been used in high-performance computing for years, but now it’s entering mainstream data centers. I want to learn how companies are implementing it and if it could become the new standard for hosting providers.
4. How data centers are changing for AI
🗣️ Speaker: Jerome Evans (firstcolo GmbH)
📌 What it’s about: AI is revolutionizing industries, but it also requires huge amounts of computing power. This means data centers need to adapt to new demands, from handling higher rack densities to using more efficient cooling and power management strategies. This session will explore how AI is shaping the future of infrastructure, including sustainability challenges and investment trends in AI-ready data centers.
AI is growing faster than ever, and hosting companies need to be prepared. I’m really interested in how data centers are dealing with power constraints, hardware requirements, and the rising costs of AI-driven workloads.
5. How small businesses build their online presence
🗣️ Speaker: Eb Keshavarz (Verisign)
📌 What it’s about: For many small businesses, getting online is a confusing process. This talk presents research on how small business owners choose domains, websites, and hosting solutions. It will discuss why some businesses still hesitate to go online, the role of custom websites vs. social media, and how hosting providers can better serve this market.
This is a key topic for the hosting industry. Small businesses are the foundation of the online world, but many still struggle to understand hosting and domains. I want to hear how providers can make it easier for them to get started.
6. The future of Internet Privacy – a talk with Tor’s founder
🗣️ Speaker: Roger Dingledine (Tor Project)
📌 What it’s about: The internet is becoming less private, with governments and companies tracking more of our online activities. Tor has been a leader in internet privacy and censorship resistance for years. In this session, Roger Dingledine will discuss the future of online anonymity, the challenges Tor is facing, and how cloud providers can support a more private and secure internet.
Privacy is a growing concern, and hosting providers play a big role in protecting it. I’m curious to see how Tor plans to evolve and what it means for the future of web hosting.
7. Ethical hosting: a better way to compete
🗣️ Speaker: Christian Dawson (i2Coalition), Aleksander Kuczek (Contabo), David Snead (Secure Hosting Alliance)
📌 What it’s about: The web hosting industry has been stuck in a race to lower prices, often at the cost of security, privacy, and quality service. But is there a better way to succeed? This talk will focus on how prioritizing security, ethical practices, and transparency can actually be a profitable business model. The Secure Hosting Alliance (SHA) is working on new standards, like the SHA Trust Seal, to help customers identify ethical and secure hosting providers.
This is something I strongly believe in. Cheap hosting often means cutting corners, which can lead to poor security and bad customer experience. I want to see if ethical hosting can truly be a competitive advantage.
8. The future of cloud services
🗣️ Speaker: Peter Roybal (Sectigo), Marcel Bootsman (Kinsta), Alona Borzhemska (WebPros), Christian Dawson (i2Coalition)
📌 What it’s about: The cloud industry is changing fast. This panel will discuss the biggest shifts in hosting and cloud services, including new business models, security challenges, and how providers can adapt to stay competitive. The session will also touch on customer expectations, automation, and the role of trust in the hosting industry.
With so many changes happening, it’s important to stay ahead. I want to hear what the experts think about where cloud hosting is heading and how companies can prepare for the next big trends.
See you at CloudFest!
CloudFest 2025 is packed with exciting sessions, but these eight talks stand out as some of the most important ones to watch. Whether you care about hosting, AI, privacy, or business trends, these sessions will give you valuable insights. If you’re attending CloudFest, make sure to add these to your schedule!
