On May 16th, more than 900 participants from the analytics community came together at Best Buy HQ in Richfield for Data Tech 2025. This was the eighth edition of the popular conference. Like last year, survey results indicate this was one of the most well-received events ever produced by MinneAnalytics, with more than 90% of participants rating it “excellent” or “very good” overall.
Another similarity to previous conferences was the sheer number of choices in sessions to attend. The schedule featured more than 60 sessions across a variety of topics, including an AI-focused track curated by Applied AI, as well as a soft skills track with sessions aimed at improving the less tangible aspects of working in data science. The event co-chairs made a deliberate decision to include talks on more basic concepts as well as the advanced.
“One of the big-picture things we tried to incorporate into the conference this year is that there is a need for ‘back to basics’ level talks as much as cutting edge,” said John Hogue, a co-chair of the conference. “Both can be highly technical but engage totally different audiences. I think the survey results show that we hit the mark here and will continue to thread that needle.”
One popular session in the soft skills track was about a common but not often talked about issue faced by those working in technical fields:
“I gave a talk on impostor syndrome, and the number of people who came up to me afterward thanking me for shining a light and offering some guidance was humbling,” said Brittany Thomsen, another co-chair of the event. “Yes, of course the technical pieces are important, but there’s something to be said for the skills that surround the technical.”
As in previous years, the conference included a startup showcase session featuring pitches from up-and-coming startups. Following the showcase, participants gained insights from a panel of VC investors discussing the changing landscape of investing, moderated by MinneAnalytics Board Member Graeme Thickins. Read Graeme’s recap of the session here.
While the conference changes and evolves, it continues to excel at what makes it so special to begin with: the opportunity to engage with the community.
“For me personally, the amount of great connections with other data folks is unmatched,” said Thomsen. “I truly enjoy getting to see familiar faces, meet new folks, and find something in common. It’s always so special to feel the energy at Data Tech, with people who are excited to be there and learn.”
Thank you to everyone who participated at Data Tech 2025, our amazing speakers, and the sponsors who made it possible. Special thank you to Best Buy for being such a wonderful host. It also couldn’t have happened without the hard work of our volunteers, event staff, and this year’s conference co-chairs: Dan Atkins, John Hogue, Sean Larson, Rebeccah Stay, Graeme Thickins, and Brittany Thomsen.
View many of the presentation decks from the conference here, and see photos here. If you were there and haven’t taken the survey yet, there is still time! Check your inbox for an email from surveys@minneanalytics.org.
Thanks again for making Data Tech 2025 a success!
