--- title: "Calico at KubeCon Europe 2026: AI Agents, Silent Discos, and Dutch Delights!" source: "https://www.tigera.io/blog/calico-at-kubecon-cloudnativecon-europe2026/" description: "Join us in Amsterdam for KubeCon + CloudNativeCon to explore Calico and learn from our expert team on cloud-native security." --- [Company Blog](https://www.tigera.io/category/company-blog/) # Calico at KubeCon Europe 2026: AI Agents, Silent Discos, and Dutch Delights! By [Tigera Team](https://www.tigera.io/blog/author/marketingtigera-io/) on Mar 23, 2026 • 5 min read The cloud-native community **gathered** among the historic canals and vibrant tech scene of Amsterdam for KubeCon + CloudNativeCon Europe 2026! From March 23–26, Amsterdam **was** buzzing with the latest in Kubernetes, platform engineering, and, of course, all things Calico. ### Table of Contents - Recap: Securing the Future AI Agent Workshop - The Calico Amsterdam Social - Silent Disco Highlights - The Tigera Booth Experience - Quizzes, Swag, and Prizes - Event Summary ## Relive the Highlights: KubeCon Amsterdam 2026 Missed the action or just want to relive the energy of the RAI Amsterdam floor? Check out our event retrospective below to see the best moments from the Tigera booth, our AI workshop, and the Calico community in action. Your browser does not support the video tag. Whether you were a long-time Calico user or just starting your cloud-native security journey, Tigera **hosted** a packed schedule that **made** the KubeCon experience both educational and unforgettable. ### 🌍 Our International Team was on the Ground Traveling from **Vancouver, San Francisco, Toronto, Cork, London, and Cambridge,** our team **came** together in Amsterdam to welcome the community. From first-time attendees to KubeCon veterans, our crew **spent the week sharing** tips on everything from eBPF security to the best bitterballen in the city. ## Securing the Future: AI Agent Workshop Recap The biggest shift in the ecosystem this year **was** the rise of **Autonomous AI Agents.** As these agents **moved** into production, our sessions **focused** on how to ensure they were secure, compliant, and observed. Our featured workshop, **[Securing Autonomous AI Agents in Production](https://www.tigera.io/lp/securing-autonomous-ai-agents-in-production/)**, **dived** deep into how to implement zero-trust security for AI workloads and protect the underlying infrastructure that powered them. ![Shane Walsh](https://www.tigera.io/app/uploads/2026/02/shane-walsh.jpeg) **Shane Walsh, Corporate Account Executive (Cork, Ireland)** *“This is my 5th Kubecon. My 1st KubeCon was in Valencia in 2022. It’s a great event, so it’s always worth coming back for.”* **Top Tip:** *“Take your time and talk to all vendors and wear comfy shoes!”* ## THE CALICO AMSTERDAM SOCIAL After a deep dive into AI security, attendees **found** a place to decompress and network with their peers at our exclusive Happy Hour. **Hosted** at one of Amsterdam’s most iconic spots, the event **provided** relaxed vibes, great views, and even better conversations with the creators of Calico. ### 📅 Monday, March 23, 2026 **AI Agent Workshop**2:00 PM – 5:00 PM (Completed) **Happy Hour: **Calico Amsterdam Social****5:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Hosted) **Ramon Slingerland, Sales Manager, (Cork, Ireland)** **What are you looking forward to in Amsterdam:** *“Proper Dutch fries with mayonnaise and a particular fried item called ‘[bitterballen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitterballen).’ (goes really well with a cold beer!)”* ![Ramon Slingerland](https://www.tigera.io/app/uploads/2026/02/Ramon-Slingerland.jpeg) ## 🎧 Highlights from the “Silent Disco” Demo Stage ### Daily Silent Disco Our silent disco sessions **used** headsets to give attendees a distraction-free look at the Tigera solutions that **fitted** their workflows. Over the course of three days, we **covered** essential topics including **Egress, eBPF, and Ambient Mesh.** A major highlight **was** the CNCF-promoted session on the **AI Assistant for Calico**, which **saw** significant engagement from the community. ![Nell Jerram](https://www.tigera.io/app/uploads/2022/05/Neil-Jerram.png) **Nell Jerram, Principal Software Engineer (Cambridge, England)** **Amsterdam activity she’s looking forward to**: *“Visiting the Van Gogh museum and the Anne Frank house.”* **Expert Advice:** *“Be sure to make time to chat with people in an adhoc basis.”* **Reza Ramezanpour, Senior Developer Advocate (Vancouver, Canada)** **Amsterdam activity he’s looking forward to:** *“Visiting Vondel park.”* **Pro Tip:** *“Buy compression socks!”* ![Reza Ramezanpour](https://www.tigera.io/app/uploads/2020/09/reza-pic.png) ## The Tigera Booth Experience **Booth #400** **served** as a hub for both technical deep-dives and high-energy networking. We **ensured** KubeCon **was** as fun as it **was** informative. Visitors **stopped** by for: - **Daily Silent Disco:** Live demos of Kubernetes topics via wireless headphones. - **Quizzes & Prizes:** Technical challenges where users **competed** for exclusive swag. Over 280 fine folks competed to WIN! - **The SWAG:** Our legendary Calico-themed t-shirts and “Amsterdam-exclusive” surprises. **Shaun Crampton, Distinguished Engineer (London, England)** **Veteran Tip:** *“The din of 10 thousand people talking can be overwhelming, consider getting some attenuators.”* ![Shaun Crampton](https://www.tigera.io/app/uploads/2020/02/shaun-crampton.jpg) ## 🎁 Loot: Quizzes, Swag, and Prizes No KubeCon **was** complete without the loot. At the Tigera booth, attendees **tested** their skills through daily technical quizzes for a chance to win premium prizes (including the highly-coveted LEGO sets) and **collected** our brand new Amsterdam-themed stickers. ![Eunice Cao](https://www.tigera.io/app/uploads/2024/11/Eunice-Cao.png) **Eunice Cao, Events & Marketing Manager (Vancouver, Canada)** *“I quickly learned that the currency of the cloud native world is stickers and LEGO sets.”* **Travel Tip:** *“Leave some space in your suitcase for all the cool swag you can pick up!”* **Karl Power, Corporate Account Executive (Cork, Ireland)** ***KubeCon Must Do:**“Make sure you come to Tigera’s booth, our T-Shirts are the best at KubeCon!”* ***Pro Tip:** “Enjoy it. Speak to people and enjoy the interaction.”* ![Karl Power](https://www.tigera.io/app/uploads/2026/02/Karl-power.png) ## 📍 Event Summary - **Workshop:** Held Monday, March 23 - **Happy Hour:** Hosted at The Harbour Club - **Booth Location:** #400 at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre **Want to follow up on what you saw?** [Book a 1:1 Meeting with a Calico Expert](https://www.tigera.io/demo/)to discuss your specific security and observability challenges. ![Aadhil A. Majeed](https://www.tigera.io/app/uploads/2022/10/Aadhil-Majeed.png) **Aadhil A. Majeed, Senior Solutions Architect (Toronto, Canada)** ***Thoughts on KubeCon:**“What brings me back is the opportunity meet with the Calico community, engage with partners, make new connections and get a sense for where the industry is headed.”* **Amsterdam Goal:** *“Hoping to get a taste of European hospitality.”* #### KubeCon 2026 **was** an incredible success! We **were** thrilled to see so many of you in Amsterdam. **Proost! 🍻** [Event](https://www.tigera.io/tags/event/)[Open Source](https://www.tigera.io/tags/open-source/)[Project Calico](https://www.tigera.io/tags/project-calico/)[Announcements](https://www.tigera.io/tags/announcements/) ## Related posts [![EU Cyber Resilience Act: Europe Just Put Your AI Agents on a 24-Hour Clock](https://www.tigera.io/app/uploads/2026/10/EU-Cyber-Resilience-Act-AI-Agents-featured.png)](https://www.tigera.io/blog/eu-cyber-resilience-act-europe-just-put-your-ai-agents-on-a-24-hour-clock/) [Technical Blog](https://www.tigera.io/category/technical-blog/) #### [EU Cyber Resilience Act: Europe Just Put Your AI Agents on a 24-Hour Clock](https://www.tigera.io/blog/eu-cyber-resilience-act-europe-just-put-your-ai-agents-on-a-24-hour-clock/) By [Alister Baroi](https://www.tigera.io/blog/author/alister-baroi/) on Oct 5, 2026 In short, the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) puts binding cybersecurity requirements on any software sold as a product in the EU, and it does not carve out AI agents. 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