MVP Summit 2026 - Back in Redmond

by Jeroen Burgerhout a day ago 6 min read

Finally, the jetlag has disappeared and after some preparations for the upcoming renovation at home, I have now found time to write a piece about the past MVP Summit.

Last week I attended the Microsoft MVP Summit 2026 in Redmond, Seattle. An inspiring week full of technical discussions, reconnecting with the community, and sharing feedback directly with the Microsoft product teams.

In this post I'll share some highlights of the week. As always, I will not share anything covered by NDA, but I will focus on the experience, learnings, and moments that stood out.

What is the MVP Summit?

The Microsoft MVP Summit is an annual event where MVPs from around the world come together at the Microsoft campus in Redmond.

The event focuses on:

direct interaction with Microsoft product teams
deep technical sessions
sharing feedback from the field
connecting with other MVPs
learning about upcoming developments

Most sessions are under NDA, which allows for open discussions and honest feedback between the community and Microsoft.

For me personally, this event is always valuable because it connects real-world customer challenges with the people building the products.

Travelling to Seattle (Saturday)

Traveling always feels like it’s really about to begin. The downside is sitting in a plane for about 10 hours. For me, the journey went via Paris to Seattle.

At Schiphol I met Oktay, Sander and Raymond, so the four of us travelled to Seattle on the same flights.

Once we arrived at Seattle Airport, we had to wait for the rest of the Intune MVPs from the Netherlands, as they were on another flight. After that it was time to pick up the car and drive to Bellevue to check in.

Of course, the day ended with food and drinks at Joey’s.

Sunday

On Sunday mornings we now traditionally go on a hike with a group of MVPs and Microsoft people, organized by Sangee.

This year we went to the Twin Falls Trail, a walk of about 5 km. Unfortunately, we couldn’t complete the full trail because part of it was closed.

Afterwards we drove to an outlet, had lunch, did some shopping and then returned to the hotel, as we had to be in Seattle later that day for a party hosted by the Workplace Ninja US team.

Pre-Day (Monday)

The Pre-Day is typically focused on picking up your badge and meeting other MVPs.

One of the highlights of the Pre-Day is the roundtable sessions, where MVPs can provide direct feedback to Microsoft product teams.

At the end of the day it was time to collect the badge and the swag, after which we headed back to the hotel.

Later that evening, together with Erik and Kenneth, we drove to Topgolf in Renton. Almost all Experts Live teams were present, including from the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Germany and more.

Tuesday

Today the MVP Summit really started.
We had breakfast at the hotel and then drove to the Microsoft campus in Redmond.

After an exciting day on campus, the day ended with the CxE Welcome Reception. Later we returned to the hotel and eventually ended up at Fogo de Chão for dinner.

Wednesday

Day two of the MVP Summit.

We had breakfast on campus and then attended many sessions throughout the day. Some sessions were very strong, while others were a bit less relevant.

At the end of the day we returned to the hotel to prepare for the Patch My PC party at the golf club in Newcastle.

The buffet was already ready when we arrived, so we could start eating immediately. One of the highlights of this location is the beautiful sunset over Seattle and Bellevue, although the weather was slightly less impressive than last year.

After dinner and picking up some gadgets, we returned to the hotel for just one drink.

Thursday

Day three of the MVP Summit.

Rudy and I decided to sleep in a bit longer, which was a success. Around 9 AM we met in the hotel lobby and walked to a nearby breakfast place.

After breakfast and coffee, we walked to the train station to take public transport to the Microsoft campus. That was a nice experience.

From there we took the shuttle to Building 36, where the sessions took place.

At the end of the afternoon we returned to the hotel and around 6 PM attended the Intune & Windows social gathering on the other side of the street.

Later that evening we went back to the hotel for a drink before heading to sleep.