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"I usually find conferences pretty soul-sucking: hotel conference rooms, fluorescent lighting, bad food. Trying to snatch a few moments of conversation with friends or colleagues while organizers remind you to clear the hallway and join the official sessions. Sitting in the back of a large ballroom, laptop out, sneaking in a little work while people disguise their own mini-talks as questions for the speaker."

"Progress Conference 2025 was held at Lighthaven, a quirky and very Berkeley space filled with overgrown gardens, conversation nooks, and oddly shaped rooms that felt more like part of an eccentric mansion than a traditional conference center. But the biggest difference? The people. The conference was packed with talks, possibly too much so - compelling sessions sometimes ran concurrently. But the organizers encouraged what they called "the garden track," blocking out time in the day to mingle in the garden and talk."

"I connected with third-generation farmers trying to bring progress to agriculture, physicians rethinking health policy, old friends in the urbanism space, and more. There was even a professional conference organizer who wants to advance the way we convene. The plenary sessions were as diverse as the attendees. The first main stage event was an interview with Michael Kratsios, Trump's science advisor and director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). The choice was controversial and emphasized the diversity of the crowd."

Progress Conference 2025 took place at Lighthaven in Berkeley and was hosted by the Roots of Progress Institute, which aims to create a new philosophy of progress for the 21st century. Lighthaven featured overgrown gardens, conversation nooks, and oddly shaped rooms that resembled an eccentric mansion rather than a traditional conference center. Organizers scheduled a "garden track" to block out time for informal mingling and conversation. Attendees included third-generation farmers, physicians rethinking health policy, urbanists, and a professional conference organizer. Plenary sessions were diverse, including a controversial interview with Michael Kratsios, highlighting the conference's broad ideological mix and emphasis on inclusive dialogue.

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