Matrix Conference 2025: Big Plans and Even the Money for Them
At the annual Matrix conference, enormous political interest in the messaging system is evident – as is the fact that there is still much to do.
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From October 15th to 18th, “the matrix conference” takes place in Strasbourg. The conference highlights the growing institutional customer base for the Matrix messaging protocol. The project is particularly popular in Germany, with co-founder Amandine Le Pape counting at least eight German initiatives based on Matrix in her keynote.
Many of these are represented at the conference with presentations, such as the gematik with the TI-Messenger of the Telematics Infrastructure, the BundesMessenger used by the Bundeswehr, among others, or a working group at the digitalization agency Fitko, which is working on a “Target Architecture for Mailbox and Communication Solutions.” This is also based on Matrix and aims to consolidate the numerous current solutions for government communication.
While Germany is thus undisputed in first place on Le Pape's list of initiatives, EU institutions and many other (European) countries are also working on Matrix-based systems—or already have them in use. The developments are mostly driven by the desire for more sovereignty. Foreign, usually US-American companies are apparently no longer trusted as much as before, and there is a desire to break away from their products or at least have alternatives in reserve.
Matrix fits well with this need because the protocol is driven by a non-profit foundation and is designed to be decentralized; anyone who wants to can run their servers. These can connect to the servers of other institutions, including foreign ones—or even public servers like matrix.org—but they don't have to. In any case, they enable communication that does not depend on the fate of other server operators or other third-party providers.
The Matrix Foundation wants to capitalize on the current momentum, including with a new initiative: “Matrix for the Public Sector.” Unlike previous, very lean years, financing also appears to be better. The foundation has grown from 10 to 20 paying member organizations in the last year; Le Pape is pleased. The latest addition, the French Direction interministérielle du Numérique, was presented by her at the conference opening and is so new that it is not yet listed on the members website.
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