Location for ROSCon 2026?

General
1

Hi,

given that traditionally the rotation for locations for ROSCon has been Europe → Asia → North America, and after this year it’ll be the turn of North America for 2026, I’d like to ask if the location been decided yet. I imagine so, given that the effort for organizing ROSCon is not to be dismissed (thanks MeetGreen, Vanessa, Geoff, Kat and everyone else involved!)

I’m asking because of recent travel warnings that several countries have issued (European countries, Canada issue advisories for travelers to U.S. : NPR) and cases like the one of a French researcher who was on his way to attend a conference in Houston, but was denied entry to the US because immigration officers had found messages on his phone where he criticized the current US administration (French scientist denied US entry after phone messages critical of Trump found | US news | The Guardian). Or now that the US government only recognizes two genders, possibly denying entry to trans people who have an X on their passport or the gender on their passport does not match the gender assigned at birth (https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/03/travel/trans-people-travel-advisories-united-states/index.html)

I’m not trying to start a political thread here. As a very wise man once said when he arrived on Coruscant, “I’m not brave enough for politics”, but I’m only asking if these concerns could be taken into account for ROSCon 2026 before a final decision is made and if possible, other locations in North America like Canada or Mexico could be considered.

Or maybe even somewhere in a new region, like Oceania, South America or Africa, that would be really cool.

Looking forward to seeing you all in Singapore! :slightly_smiling_face:

16 Likes
2

Hi there, @esteve ! Rest assured that these are already being considered in our planning for ROSCon 2026. The venue selection for ROSCons is indeed a very intentional process, and there are robust discussions going on with the planning committee around this. Thanks for always supporting us, and looking forward to seeing you in Singapore!

7 Likes
3

Hi everyone,

Thank you for bringing up such an important and timely topic regarding accessibility, inclusion, and the logistical considerations for future ROSCon locations. We truly appreciate all the incredible work the organizing team puts into making each edition of ROSCon a success—it’s no small feat, and it means a lot to the global community.

We would like to gently put forward Mexico as a potential host country for ROSCon 2026 or 2027. Over the past few years, the robotics and AI community in Mexico has grown significantly, both in research and industry. At Tec de Monterrey, for instance, we adopted ROS as the standard platform for our undergraduate and graduate programs four years ago (https://youtu.be/ha0Xqrd_JLc), and we’ve seen first-hand how this decision has enabled our students to find jobs around the world and even support international companies in setting up operations in Mexico.

Mexico offers not only world-class conference venues and hospitality, but also a vibrant, young, and diverse tech ecosystem. We believe hosting ROSCon here could reinforce the global and inclusive spirit of the ROS community, especially in a time when ease of access and freedom of mobility are top of mind for many international attendees.

We’d be happy to help explore what would be needed to support such an effort if there is interest in diversifying future locations. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts—and to seeing everyone in Singapore!

Warm regards,
Alberto Muñoz
Tec de Monterrey – Intelligent Robotics & AI Group

13 Likes