Doku.Tech
Doku.Tech is an annual technology and culture festival founded by Kushtrim Xhakli and launched in 2014, first held during DokuFest Film Festival in Prizren and later expanded to Prishtina. It brings together technology, society, art, science, and entrepreneurship.
History
The early idea behind Doku.Tech emerged on 17 February 2012 ↗ in Stockholm, Sweden during a dinner hosted by Kushtrim Xhakli for the anniversary of Kosovo Independence, with Peter Sunde ↗, co-founder of The Pirate Bay, and organizers connected to EXIT Festival (Vojvodina, Serbia).
The idea was to build a joint, technology-centered conference that could help improve relations between Kosovo and Serbia while addressing common global issues such as digital rights, online privacy, and net neutrality. In summer 2013, the concept was developed further during Republika Festival in Rijeka, Croatia.
While planning was still in progress, Peter Sunde began serving his sentence in Sweden in May 2014 following the Pirate Bay trial. That moment accelerated decisions to proceed with the event. Xhakli and Vladan Joler moved forward with the launch, and DokuFest integrated Doku.Tech into its 10th edition program in Prizren.
IPKO Foundation and SHARE Foundation joined the organizing effort, helping fund and produce the inaugural edition in August 2014. At the opening, the organizers wore #FreePeterSunde ↗ T-shirts in recognition of Peter Sunde’s role in the event’s origins. The first edition was also supported by the United States Embassy in Kosovo and the Norwegian Embassy.
Since then, Doku.Tech has continued as a festival bringing international speakers, founders, artists, and researchers to Kosovo to discuss technology, society, and ethics, with IPKO Foundation remaining the main organizing institution.
In 2025, Xhakli stepped away from his role at The Foundation House (formerly IPKO Foundation) and from day-to-day involvement in Doku.Tech, after helping build and grow the festival over more than a decade. He continues to support Doku.Tech through international network connections and advisory contributions.
Themes and Speakers by Year
| Year | Theme | Notable Speakers |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Open, Security, Community, Content | Bruce Sterling ↗, Pedro Noel ↗, Deanna Zandt, Lee Bryant ↗ |
| 2015 | Bringing the Future Closer | Esther Dyson ↗, Kentaro Toyama ↗, Yanki Margalit ↗, Peter Sunde ↗ |
| 2016 | Reflection | Laura Mersini-Houghton ↗, Mike Butcher ↗, Aral Balkan ↗, Addie Wagenknecht ↗ |
| 2017 | Fear, Hope and Everything in Between | Birgitta Jonsdottir ↗, David Batstone ↗, Matan Berkowitz |
| 2018 | One Person’s Craziness Is Another One’s Reality | Thomas Madsen-Mygdal ↗, Drena Kusari, Faybeo'n LaShanna A. Mickens |
| 2019 | Digitizing the Human, Humanizing the Digital | Tariq Krim ↗, Kashmir Hill ↗, Peter Van Valkenburg |
| 2020 | Rewind | Yanki Margalit ↗, Peter Sunde ↗, Peter Van Valkenburg |
| 2021 | Dare to Be the Change | Liviu Babitz, Rob Flaherty, Naim Hoxha |
| 2022 | My Face Is Not a Barcode | Diana Gehlhaus, Henrik Chulu, Krenar Komoni, Maja Bosnic |
| 2023 | Bringing the Future Closer, Together | Mira Murati ↗, Ralph Talmont ↗, Pamela Mishkin |
| 2024 | Fluture | Mikko Hyppönen ↗, Ida Tin ↗, Shkumbin Hamiti |
| 2024 | Doku.Tech Berlin | Saruul Krause-Jentsch ↗, Arikia Millikan ↗ |
Photo Highlights
References
1. Twitter post related to early Doku.Tech planning — https://twitter.com/xhakli/status/481044257109995520 2. Twitter post on the first Doku.Tech edition — https://twitter.com/xhakli/status/498801011939872769 3. Doku.Tech official website — https://www.doku.tech/ 4. DokuFest.com — https://dokufest.com/ 5. Kosovo 2.0: Doku.Tech Returns — https://kosovotwopointzero.com/en/dokutech-returns/