The Collaborations Workshop 2026 is only possible through generous contributions from our sponsors. Sponsoring this event offers a prime opportunity to connect with an influential, passionate community driving innovation in research software.
Below are suggested packages or you may contact us and we will work on tailoring a bespoke package for your needs. For all enquiries about sponsorship, please get in touch via email on ssi-community@software.ac.uk
Event Overview
Event Name: Collaborations Workshop 2026 (CW26)
Date: Tuesday 28 April - Thursday 30 April 2026
Location: ICC Belfast
Expected Attendance: 150 in-person; 50 virtual
About Collaborations Workshop
The Software Sustainability Institute's annual Collaborations Workshop (CW) is an immersive, three-day unconference, which emphasises active collaborations, dynamic discussions, and hands-on problem-solving.
It brings together a diverse and passionate community, from researchers and software developers to funders and policy makers, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations.
The event is designed for maximum interaction and networking, with keynotes, mini-workshops, and interactive idea sessions where diverse perspectives converge. CW concludes with a Hack Day: a creative, interdisciplinary space where delegates design real-world solutions to challenges in research software and beyond.
In essence, this event is more than a conference, it's a community-building experience and a catalyst for positive change in the research software sector. Delegates leave energised and connected, with new ideas to drive positive change in their fields.
CW26 will centre around one powerful theme and clear purpose: Strengthening the Research Software Community. Sponsoring CW26 means directly investing in the strength and future of the research software community, as this event is dedicated to building connections, fostering inclusivity, and supporting the people who power discovery and innovation through research software.
Why Sponsor CW26?
By sponsoring CW26, your organisation will:
- Engage with leaders and innovators in the research software community.
- Showcase your brand to a highly targeted, influential audience.
- Be recognised as a supporter of sustainable and impactful research software.
- Form connections that can lead to strategic collaborations, recruitment opportunities, and policy influence.
Our attendees are decision-makers, problem-solvers, and community builders - people who shape the tools, standards, and policies of tomorrow’s research ecosystem. Sponsoring this event offers a prime opportunity to connect with an influential, passionate community driving innovation in research software.
In exchange for supporting CW26, we provide extensive benefits, including, but not limited to: exclusive naming rights; prominent logo placements; as well as a complimentary ticket and a speaking opportunity at the event. Please refer to the Sponsorship Packages below to see the full list of benefits.
Sponsorship Packages
(*) These benefits are subject to contract date to mitigate the risk of time-intensive benefits needing to be implemented close to the event date or in the case of the programme having already been finalised (likely to happen in early February 2026).
(**) In kind donation options available, please get in touch.
These are our suggested packages and we are very open to discussions with interested partners about where they would like to focus their sponsorship or to negotiate a bespoke package.
Table 1: Your Contribution
| Silver | Gold | Platinum |
Donation (plus VAT) | £1500 (**) | £3000 (**) | £5000 (**) |
Table 2: Our Commitment
| Silver | Gold | Platinum |
Free registration | ✔ (1 remote) | ✔ (1 in-person & 1 remote) | ✔ (2 in-person & 2 |
Logo on CW26 Webpage | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
Description on CW26 Webpage | ✘ | ✔
| ✔
|
Sponsor announcement on SSI website | ✘ | ✔ (1 news item, maximum of 400 words) | ✔ (1 blog post, maximum of 800 words) |
Announcement post on social media | ✔ (1) | ✔ (1) (*) | ✔ (1) (*) |
Social media post during event | ✔ (1) | ✔ (1) | ✔ (2) |
Lightning talk slot | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ |
Mini-workshop or demo session slot | ✘ | ✔ (30 min) (*) | ✔ (60 min) (*) |
Recognition on all event reporting | ✔ | ✔ | ✔ |
À la carte benefits
À la carte benefits can either be combined with any of the sponsorship packages above, selected independent of a package, or combined into a bespoke package. Please note that in kind donation options are not available for a la carte benefits.
Emerging Voices (Any amount)
To increase the accessibility to and diversity of CW26, we are looking for ways to offer financial assistance to students, early career academics, or community members who may not be able to attend otherwise. This sponsorship option supports the Software Sustainability Institute's new initiative, Emerging Voices, designed to reduce the barriers to participation, enabling fresh perspectives and new voices to join the conversation and shape the future of research software.
On average, £1,000 will support a single in-person participant, however, every contribution, big or small, helps sustain and expand this work. Organisations providing support will have their logo on the CW26 webpage and receive recognition in all reporting.
Hack Day Sponsor (£2,000)
Collaborations Workshop concludes with the Hack Day - where teams form to collaborate and co-develop the ideas that participants co-designed during the workshop or projects that they brought with them. The Hack Day teams to come in first, second and third place will win prizes. The organisation who sponsors the Hack Day prizes will have 1 free registration, 1 place on the Hack Day judging panel, their logo on the CW26 webpage, and receive recognition in all reporting.
Gala Dinner Sponsor (£5,000)
This sponsor will host the workshop dinner for up to 150 delegates. The organisation who sponsors the gala dinner will have 2 free in-person registrations, the opportunity to speak for 15 minutes to open the dinner, their logo on the CW26 webpage and all signage at the dinner, 1 blog post and receive thanks in all reporting.
Additional Package Details
Free registration
Collaborations Workshop 2026: general admission tickets cost £380 for each in-person participant and £90 for each remote participant. All recordings from the Keynote Sessions will be made available free-to-access to the wider community, with sponsor logos included on the introduction slides. Sponsors are very welcome to submit a lightning talk(s), propose an activity for the social programme, and otherwise fully engage with the event.
Logo and description on CW26 Webpage
Sponsor names and logos will be listed at the top of the CW26 webpage. Links to the sponsors' websites will be included as well as description (depending on the package).
Announcement on SSI website
The Institute will publish the announcement at https://www.software.ac.uk/.
Announcement Social Media posts
The Institute will announce the sponsor on LinkedIn, Bluesky and Mastodon.
Social Media posts during event
The Institute will mention the sponsor on LinkedIn, Bluesky and Mastodon.
Lightning talk slot
The lightning talk slots are 2 minutes maximum.
Mini-workshop slot
The slot will be decided on mutual agreement. Please note this is subject to contract date.
Recognition on all event reporting
Sponsors will be acknowledged in opening and closing sessions of the event.
In addition, the Institute will publish blog posts at https://www.software.ac.uk/ covering the workshop and will thank the sponsors in them.